Aqua video system and method

• US 9,521,373 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel V. Lynch
• Original Assignee: Daniel V. Lynch
• Inventors: Lynch, Daniel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dudley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US13/959,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20140036059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for capturing underwater video images. In a representative embodiment an underwater video system may include a sled, a camera affixed to the sled, a plurality of anchors, one or more sled tethers, the sled tethers affixed to the anchors and configured to confine the sled to a path between the anchors, a viewing station, the viewing station being configured to receive and capture images from the camera, and a motor, the motor configured to move the sled on the path between the anchors.

Claims

1. An underwater video system, the system comprising:

a sled having one or more hollow passages;

a camera affixed to the sled;

a plurality of anchors;

one or more sled tethers, the sled tethers affixed to the anchors and configured to confine the sled to a path between the anchors, the hollow passages configured to slideably enclose one of the sled tethers;

a viewing station, the viewing station being configured to receive and capture images from the camera; and

a motor, the motor configured to move the sled on the path between the anchors.

2. The underwater video system of claim 1, further including a video communication connection, the video communication connection configured to carry a video signal from the camera to the viewing station.

3. The underwater video system of claim 2, where the video communication connection is wireless.

4. The underwater video system of claim 1, further including a motor controller and a motor control connection, the motor control connection configured to carry a motor control signal from the motor controller to the motor.

5. The underwater video system of claim 4, where the motor control connection is wireless.

6. The underwater video system of claim 1, further including one or more boundary tethers, where at least one of the anchors is submerged and the one or more boundary tethers secure the at least one anchor to one or more fixed points.

7. The underwater video system of claim 1, where the anchors are submerged and tethered to at least two fixed points, and the anchor is above a floor of an aquatic environment.

8. The underwater video system of claim 1, where the viewing station includes a laptop computer.

9. The underwater video system of claim 1, where the motor is submersible.

10. The underwater video system of claim 1, where the motor is submerged.

11. The underwater video system of claim 1, further including a submersed transmission system, wherein the submersed transmission system conducts a motive force generated by the motor to the sled.

12. The underwater video system of claim 1, wherein the speed and direction of the sled are controlled with a motor controller at the viewing station.

13. A method of conducting underwater video photography, the method including the steps of:

placing anchors underwater;

affixing the anchors to a fixed point;

attaching one or more sled tethers to the anchors;

placing a sled with a camera on the sled tethers, including placing the sled tethers in one or more hollow passages of the sled;

affixing a transmission system to the anchors and sled;

moving the sled using the transmission system; and

viewing captured images on a screen.