Black box recorder with satellite transmitter (BSAT) for underwater vehicles

• US 9,754,427 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (Republic of India)
• Original Assignee: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (Republic of India)
• Inventors: Abraham, Varughese, Nirmala, Mailapalli, Parvathaneni Shiva, Prasad, Sanjay, Attara, Debasish, Chakraborti
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Luke
• Application Number:
  US14/907,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 701 324, 701 334, 340850
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2009/0017 characterised by making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/40 Rescue equipment for personnel life-saving in water, not specially adapted for submarine personnel B63C
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/41 Capsules, chambers, water-tight boats or the like, detachable from the submarine
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/021 specially adapted for data recorders, e.g. for flight recorders
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a Black box with Satellite Transmitter (BSAT) for underwater vehicles. The BSAT provides a mission data backup of sunken under water vehicles and it is akin to a black box recorder of aircrafts. The BSAT comprising a sealed enclosure to receive and transmit IR and electromagnetic signals, a Global Positioning System (GPS) with an antenna to provide GPS parameters of the BSAT, a transmit antenna to transmit the GPS parameters and parameters associated with the underwater vehicle, an ejection mechanism to eject the BSAT from the underwater vehicle on detecting a pre-defined condition, by an electronic controller. The electronic controller to perform at least one of sending control signals, communicating using IR transceiver, acquire and store underwater vehicle parameters, identifying an ejection instant, acquiring and storing data GPS parameters, scheduling data transmission through a satellite after ejection of the BSAT from the underwater vehicle.

Claims

1. A Black box with Satellite Transmitter (BSAT) for an underwater vehicle the BSAT comprising:

a sealed enclosure, having a top cover mounted on a bottom base, to receive and transmit at least one of infrared (IR) and electromagnetic signals, the sealed enclosure comprises a housing mechanism connectable to the vehicle;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) with an antenna configured inside the enclosure, to provide plurality of GPS parameters of the BSAT;

a transmit antenna configured inside the enclosure, to transmit the GPS parameters associated with the BSAT and plurality of parameters associated with the underwater vehicle;

an electronic controller configured to perform at least one of sending control signal to the IR transceiver, communicating through the IR transceiver to acquire and store underwater vehicle parameters, identifying of ejection instant, acquiring and storing of data from the GPS, scheduling data transmission through satellite after ejection of the BSAT from the underwater vehicle;

a memory to store data associated with the GPS and plurality of parameters associated with the underwater vehicle; and

an ejection mechanism configured in communication with the electronic controller to eject the BSAT from the vehicle on detecting a pre-defined condition by the electronic controller.

2. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the BSAT further comprises a conducting logic with plurality of pins configured on the sealed enclosure, to enable recharging of an internal battery of the BSAT.

3. The BSAT as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conducting logic is configured to provide power to the BSAT, when the BSAT is in contact with water.

4. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure is made of an infrared (IR) and electromagnetic transparent material to perform one of receive and transmit of electromagnetic signals and infrared signals.

5. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the GPS parameters of the BSAT are latitude and longitude information.

6. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmit antenna transmits the parameters of the BSAT to a hub station using a satellite.

7. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a spring to lock the BSAT to the vehicle and a squib to unlock the spring of the BSAT from the vehicle on detecting the pre-defined condition.

8. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined condition for activating ejection mechanism is depth of the vehicle with reference to a sea level.

9. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the BSAT is configured with positive buoyancy to float in water.

10. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data stored in the memory is configured to be retrievable by an external device.

11. The BSAT as claimed in claim 1, wherein the BSAT further comprises an infrared (IR) transceiver configured to communicate with any other vehicle.

12. The BSAT for an underwater vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the BSAT is further configured by an external device to monitor health status of the BSAT.