Systems and methods for mobile electrofishing monitoring

• US 9,677,236 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith-Root, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smith-Root, Inc.
• Inventors: Edmondson, Joseph Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Satanovsky, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kuan, John
• Application Number:
  US13/238,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 79/02 by electrocution
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/24 using electric or magnetic effects, e.g. electric shocks, magnetic fields or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 1/006 Arresting, diverting or chasing away fish in water-courses or water intake ducts, seas or lakes, e.g. fish barrages, deterrent devices E02B8/085 takes precedence; Devices for cleaning fish barriers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A mobile electric field monitor with a floatable housing, an electric field probe, and a computer processor to measure the electric field generated by an electrofisher while the electrofisher is being used in a body of water, this mobile electric field monitor is coupled to computing system to generate a three dimensional map of electric field.

Claims

1. A process of controlling an electric field of an electric field barrier in a body of water, the process comprising the steps of:

determining an operability of the electric field barrier by;

placing one or more floatable mobile electric field monitors in the body of water, proximate to the electric field barrier;

each of the mobile electric field monitors making a multiplicity of electric field measurements via one or more mechanically connected electric field probes, which are adjustable depth wise in the body of water;

storing the multiplicity of electric field measurements;

associating a time stamp with each electric field measurement;

measuring a geographic location coincident with each electric field measurement;

transmitting the multiplicity of electric field measurements to a computer system operable to store the multiplicity of electric field measurements along with the respective time and geographic location; and

executing a stored computing system such that the multiplicity of electric field measurements are mapped coincident with the geographic location to provide a real-time and graphical map of an electric field of the electric field barrier at one or more depths;

remotely positioning the electric field monitors in the electric field barrier by moving the electric field monitors via an internal programming system that designates waypoints based on the real-time and graphical map of the electric field generated by the electric field barrier in the body of water; and

the electric field monitors interactively modifying the electric field of the electric field barrier in a closed loop fashion by using reduced amount of electricity.

2. The process of using multiple electric field monitors as in claim 1 located proximate to the electric field barrier, wherein the electric field monitors are remotely positioned by a power source and a rudder.

3. The process of using multiple electric field monitors as in claim 1 located proximate to the electric field barrier, wherein the electric field monitors connect to a base station and transmit multiplicity of electric field measurements to the base station via a wireless communication network.

4. The process of using multiple electric field monitors as in claim 3 located proximate to the electric field barrier, wherein the base station processes the data and generates real-time electric field maps.