Autonomous biobuoy systems and methods

• US 9,772,288 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Lapota, David, Anderson, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sung, Christine
• Application Number:
  US15/386,117
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0212 Liquid borne; swimming apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/069 Supply of sources

Abstract

An autonomous biobuoy system and methods for detecting characteristics of a marine environment, the system involving: a light source comprising a blue light emitting diode; a detector assembly for detecting the at least one characteristic of the marine environment, the detector assembly having a single photodiode configured to detect stimulated bioluminescence and transmissivity in response to the light source, the detector assembly configured to generate at least one detector assembly output signal responsive to at least one detected characteristic; and a transmitter coupled with the detector assembly for transmitting the at least one detector assembly output signal.

Claims

1. An autonomous biobuoy system for detecting characteristics of a marine environment, the system comprising:

a light source comprising a blue light emitting diode;

a detector assembly for detecting the at least one characteristic of the marine environment, the detector assembly comprising a single photodiode configured to detect stimulated bioluminescence and transmissivity in response to the light source, the detector assembly configured to generate at least one detector assembly output signal responsive to at least one detected characteristic; and

a transmitter coupled with the detector assembly for transmitting the at least one detector assembly output signal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; and

an adjustable ballast coupled with the housing for controlling movement thereof in relation to the marine environment.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable power supply operatively coupled with the detector assembly for powering thereof, the rechargeable power supply capable of powering a bilge pump and powering the detector assembly.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the rechargeable power supply comprises at least one lithium phosphate iron battery.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising at least one solar panel and at least one solar charger corresponding the rechargeable power supply, the at least one solar charger operatively coupled with rechargeable power supply for facilitating recharging thereof.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one solar panel comprises a plurality of solar panels.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising an enclosure for accommodating and protecting at least one of the transmitter, the rechargeable power supply, a phone modem, a data logger, and the solar charger.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the blue light emitting diode configured for masking by a filter for attenuation thereof, whereby saturation of the single photodiode is preventable.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the transmitter is configured communicate by at least one technology of 3G, 4G, 5G, and LTE, and

wherein data is downloadable from a remote location having hot spot access in relation to the Internet.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable ballast configured to adjust the depth of the housing for at least one deployment condition of a floating condition and a submersible condition.

11. A method of fabricating an autonomous biobuoy system for detecting characteristics of a marine environment, the method comprising:

Providing a light source, providing the light source comprising providing a blue emitting diode;

Providing a detector assembly for detecting the at least one characteristic of the marine environment, providing the detector assembly comprising configuring a single photodiode to detect stimulated bioluminescence and transmissivity in response to the light source and configuring the detector assembly to generate at least one detector assembly output signal response to at least one detected characteristic; and

Providing a transmitter, providing the transmitter comprising coupling the transmitter with the detector assembly for transmitting the at least one detector assembly output signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a housing; and

providing an adjustable ballast coupled with the housing for controlling movement thereof in relation to the marine environment.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a rechargeable power supply operatively coupled with the detector assembly for powering thereof, providing the rechargeable power supply comprising providing the rechargeable power supply as capable of powering a bilge pump and powering the detector assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the rechargeable power supply comprises providing at least one lithium phosphate iron battery.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing at least one solar panel and providing at least one solar charger corresponding the rechargeable power supply, providing the at least one solar charger comprising operatively coupling the at least one solar charger with rechargeable power supply for facilitating recharging thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the at least one solar panel comprises providing a plurality of solar panels.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the blue light emitting diode comprises masking the blue light emitting diode by a filter for attenuation thereof, whereby saturation of the photodiode is preventable.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing an enclosure for accommodating and protecting at least one of the transmitter, the rechargeable power supply, a phone modem, a data logger, and the solar charger; and

providing an adjustable ballast configured to adjust the depth of the housing for at least one deployment condition of a floating condition and a submersible condition.

19. The method of claim 11,

wherein providing the transmitter comprises configuring the transmitter to communicate by at least one technology of 3G, 4G, 5G, and LTE, and

wherein providing the transmitter comprises configuring the transmitter to facilitate downloading data from a remote location having hot spot access in relation to the Internet.

20. A method for detecting at least one characteristic of a marine environment and transmitting at least one detector assembly output signal by way of an autonomous biobuoy system, the method comprising:

Providing an autonomous biobuoy system, providing the autonomous biobuoy system comprising;

Providing a light source, providing the light source comprising providing a blue light emitting diode,

Providing a detector assembly for detecting the at least one characteristic of the marine environment, providing the detector assembly comprising configuring a single photodiode to detect stimulated bioluminescence and transmissivity in response to the light source and configuring the detector assembly to generate at least one detector assembly output signal response to at least one detected characteristic; and

Providing a transmitter, providing the transmitter comprising coupling the transmitter with the detector assembly for transmitting the at least one detector assembly output signal;

Detecting the at least one characteristic of a marine environment, thereby generating the at least one detector assembly output signal; and

Transmitting the last least one detector assembly output signal.