Deployable beacon

• US 9,619,977 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trident Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Trident Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Graham, James D., Brown, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/837,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20170061748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 340946
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/002 Distress signalling devices, e.g. rescue balloons vehicle optical signalling for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for a rapid deployment beacon that may be hand-held. A rapidly deployable untethered beacon device will gain elevation while transmitting an emergency, or other, beacon and location signal is enabled to clear obstructions such as terrain and buildings in order to extend the communications range of said beacon.

Claims

1. An untethered and free floating deployable inflatable communications device, said device comprising:

a housing assembly, wherein said housing assembly comprises a first compartment, a second compartment and a lid assembly, and wherein said first compartment is separated from said second compartment by a stabilizer;

an airborne assembly, said airborne assembly comprising an inflatable balloon and a communications device, said communications device being enabled to transmit historical and current location information, said historical information comprising GPS location information at a deployment location;

a gas cylinder enabled to pressurize said inflatable balloon;

a programmable processor; and

a start lever enabled to activate the gas cylinder to inflate said balloon wherein said inflated balloon is enabled to displace at least part of said lid assembly;

wherein when a pressure in said gas cylinder reaches a pre-determined level said airborne assembly is disconnected from said housing assembly and said gas cylinder, and said airborne assembly elevates.

2. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1, wherein said communications device comprises a GPS radio frequency transmitter and an audio radio frequency transceiver.

3. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 2, wherein said communications device further comprises a camera and a video radio frequency transmitter.

4. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1, wherein said gas cylinder is a lighter than air gas cylinder.

5. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1, wherein said gas cylinder is a helium cylinder.

6. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1, said device further comprising a solenoid, a gas regulator, and a valve, wherein said valve is a quick disconnect valve, and wherein said gas regulator is enabled to sense the pressure in the gas cylinder and send a signal through the processor and said solenoid is enabled to receive a signal from said processor to disconnect the airborne assembly.

7. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 6 wherein said gas regulator comprises a transducer.

8. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1 wherein said communications device comprises an on/off button and said housing assembly comprises a button extension enabled to engage said on/off button.

9. The untethered deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1 wherein said communications device comprises an antenna.

10. The deployable inflatable communications device of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises:

a solenoid;

a gas regulator comprising a transducer; and

a valve,

wherein;

said communications device comprises a GPS radio frequency transmitter, an audio radio frequency transceiver, a camera, an on/off button and a video radio frequency transmitter;

said housing assembly comprises a button extension enabled to engage said on/off button;

said gas cylinder is a helium cylinder; and

said valve is a quick disconnect valve, wherein said gas regulator is enabled to sense the pressure between the gas cylinder and the balloon and send a signal through the processor and said solenoid is enabled to receive a signal from said processor to disconnect the airborne assembly.

11. A method of deploying an untethered and free floating communications device, said method comprising:

in a housing assembly comprising a first compartment, a second compartment separated by a stabilizer and a lid assembly, housing an airborne assembly comprising a folded inflatable balloon and a communications device comprising a programmable processor, wherein said communications device is enabled to transmit historical and current location information, said historical information comprising GPS location information at a deployment location;

pressurizing said balloon with a gas cylinder so that said balloon inflates and displaces at least a part of said lid assembly, said displaced part of said lid assembly comprising a frangible end cover for said housing assembly;

via a regulator comprising a transducer, sensing the pressure in said gas cylinder;

via said transducer, sending a signal to said processor that said pressure in said gas cylinder is at a pre-determined level;

via said processor, sending a signal to a solenoid,

via said solenoid, disconnecting said airborne assembly from said housing assembly and from said gas cylinder.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said communications device is a GPS (Global Positioning System) and radio frequency transceiver and said method further comprises, via said communications device, sending GPS and radio frequency data to a third party.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said communications device further comprises a camera and said method further comprises sending video data to said third party.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said gas cylinder is a helium cylinder.

15. The method of claim 11, said method further comprising toggling an on/off switch on said communications device to turn said communications device on.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said housing assembly comprises a button extension enabled to engage said on/off switch and said step of toggling an on/off switch comprises depressing said button extension.