Dive computers with multiple diving modes

• US 10,422,781 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aqualung Corporate
• Original Assignee: Pelagic Pressure Systems Corp.
• Inventors: Hollis, Robert R., Hollis, Michael S., Holman, Jack Calvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US15/646,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20170307577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 702 23, 702 47, 702 50, 702 98, 702127, 702138, 702139, 702166, 702188, 12820422, 12820423, 12821027, 368 10, 368 11, 405186
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/02 Divers' equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/021 Diving computers, i.e. portable computers specially adapted for divers, e.g. wrist worn, watertight electronic devices for detecting or calculating scuba diving parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/083 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/086 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 Specially adapted to detect a particular component all the other sub-groups of G01N33/0004 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0063 using a threshold to release an alarm or displaying means alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarm actuated by the presence of smoke or gases G08B17/10, for other abnormal conditions G08B21/00

Abstract

A dive computer with a free dive mode and/or wireless data transmission capabilities. In one embodiment the invention relates to a diving apparatus including a dive computer having a free dive mode, where the dive computer is configured to calculate a nitrogen loading in the free dive mode using a default value which is the fraction of oxygen in air, and where the free dive mode is used when a diver makes a dive without a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Another embodiment includes a method of operating a dive computer including recording two or more first identifiers, receiving pressure information from two or more pressure transmitters, the pressure information comprising second identifiers and pressure measurements, determining whether the pressure information contains one of the two or more first identifiers, and displaying a message indicative of the pressure information that contains one of the two or more first identifiers.

Claims

1. A dive computer, comprising:

a processor;

memory in communication with the processor;

a pressure transducer in communication with the processor;

a display in communication with the processor;

an input device in communication with the processor; and

clock circuitry in communication with the processor;

wherein the dive computer can operate in a plurality of modes comprising a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

wherein the first operating mode is distinct from the second operating mode;

wherein the processor;

sets the dive computer to operate in the first operating mode;

measures depth information in the first operating mode using the pressure transducer while the dive computer is underwater;

measures time information in the first operating mode using the clock circuitry;

calculates nitrogen loading using a decompression algorithm based on the depth information and the time information while the dive computer is in the first operating mode;

sets the dive computer to operate in the second operating mode in response to receiving input data from the input device;

measures depth information in the second operating mode using the pressure transducer while the dive computer is underwater;

measures time information in the second operating mode using the clock circuitry

recalculates the nitrogen loading using the decompression algorithm based on the depth information and time information measured in the second operating mode and the nitrogen loading calculated in the first operating mode;

generates a set of decompression stops based on the recalculated nitrogen loading; and

displays the set of decompression stops using the display.

2. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the first operating mode is selected from the group consisting of a free dive mode, a normal dive mode, and a gauge dive mode.

3. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the second operating mode is selected from the group consisting of a free dive mode, a normal dive mode, and a gauge dive mode.

4. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor stores the calculated nitrogen loading using the memory.

5. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor stores the set of decompression stops using the memory.

6. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor sets the dive computer to operate in the second operating mode when the dive computer is above water.

7. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein:

the processor measures a time at which the dive computer is at a first decompression stop selected from the set of decompression stops using the clock circuitry;

the processor generates an indicator, displayed using the display device, indicating that it is safe for the dive computer to ascend to a second decompression stop selected from the set of decompression stops; and

the second decompression stop is at a higher depth than the first decompression stop.

8. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor further calculates time to fly data based on the recalculated nitrogen loading.

9. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein

the dive computer further comprises a communications port;

and

the processor further transmits data stored in the memory using the communications port.

10. The dive computer of claim 9, wherein the communications port comprises a wireless transceiver.

11. The dive computer of claim 10, wherein the communications port complies with the Bluetooth standard.

12. The dive computer of claim 9, wherein the communications port comprises a wired transceiver.

13. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor further determines the dive computer is underwater using the pressure transducer.

14. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the dive computer is capable of being worn on the wrist of a diver.

15. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein calculating the nitrogen loading in the first operating mode further comprises a default gas mixture.

16. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein calculating the nitrogen loading in the first operating mode further comprises a default gas mixture.

17. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein recalculating the nitrogen loading in the second operating mode further comprises a default gas mixture.

18. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein calculating the nitrogen loading in the first operating mode further comprises a user specified gas mixture.

19. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein recalculating the nitrogen loading in the second operating mode further comprises a user specified gas mixture.

20. The dive computer of claim 1, wherein the processor further:

measures current depth data using the pressure transducer;

generates an alarm based on the recalculated nitrogen loading and the current depth data; and

displays the alarm using the display.