FR2789765A1 - Rescue device for use by a person thrown overboard from a craft that transmits data to a matching receiver on board the vessel and that has means for bearing calculations and autopilot control via an interface to a the receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

Device comprises an emitter (8) associated with a receiver (10) on board the craft that allows determination of an angle between the receiver device on the craft and magnetic North. Validation means then allow the user of device (TE) to determine the state of the craft and transmit a numeric data and a validation code to the craft. Thus it can be ordered to follow a new bearing back to the user. System according to the invention comprises a device held be a user and a receiver on board the craft with an interface between the receiver and the craft autopilot.

Description

"Remote measurement and data transmission device and system

  control device comprising such a device "

DESCRIPTION

  The present invention relates to a device for measuring and transmitting remote data useful for controlling a vehicle, in particular in the case of rescue at sea. It also relates to a vehicle control system comprising one or more devices of this type and a receiver located

on the vehicle.

  The procedure used in general to carry out the rescue of a shipwrecked person at sea consists in that the latter triggers a distress beacon carried on him, or that it is activated automatically in contact with water, said beacon being detected for example by satellite. The position of the shipwrecked person is then communicated to the rescue center concerned and the nearest boats are responsible for finding the shipwrecked person. Another solution, which can be complementary, is described in document DE19503829. It implements a device carried by the shipwrecked person which is adapted to emit an emergency signal received by a receiver this time located on the boat. The receiver is connected to the boat's autopilot, which is programmed to trigger a stop maneuver in response to the emergency signal, for example setting the boat's anchor, teammates can then come to the aid of the shipwrecked man by starting a maneuver approach. The object of the present invention is to propose a solution of this type which is reliable, simple and economical for quickly carrying out a rescue at sea, this solution also being applicable to the case of the lonely navigator fallen overboard and with which the boat is equipped

an autopilot.

  It proposes a device for the measurement and remote transmission of useful data for the control of a vehicle, in particular for the rescue at sea of a shipwrecked person, comprising a remote transmitter means associated with a receiver located on the vehicle, characterized by : - an angular location means which provides an angle between a pointing direction of the device and an absolute reference; a means of validation, by the person using the device, of digital validation data representative of a given operating situation; and a calculation means which transforms said angle into digital data, said transmitting means transmitting said digital angle data and said data

  digital validation of the receiver.

  Thus, thanks to the invention, one can measure the angle formed between the pointing direction of the remote control and an absolute reference, and transmit it to the receiver located on the vehicle. This measurement, as well as the known value of the angle formed between the heading followed by the vehicle with respect to this absolute reference, makes it possible to calculate a heading of

instructions to be imposed on the vehicle.

  Advantageously according to the invention, this faculty for absolute heading change can be implemented by a shipwrecked to bring the vehicle back on it and stop it (for example sails lowered and facing the wind in the case of a sailboat) , but also by a person on board the vehicle in particular to make a sudden change of course to avoid a

unforeseen obstacle.

  - 3 - In the first so-called "distress" situation, the remote control is carried by the shipwrecked person who

points to the vehicle.

  In the second so-called "normal" operating situation, the carrier of the remote control is on board the vehicle and points the remote control towards the new course to be followed. In the context of this second application, the device can also be used to point from the boat a person who has fallen into the

sea.

  The device according to the invention may also include means for changing caps by incrementation. Thus, according to the invention, it is advantageously offered

a multifunction device.

  The device validation means can be in the case of a shipwrecked sensor sensitive to the

presence of water.

  The course change can be controlled by the autopilot which receives, via an interface and a calculation algorithm, a course change instruction depending on the type of situation: distress, normal operation or incremental. It can also be simply displayed on the reception unit and manually applied to the rudder of the

boat by a team member.

  A conventional relay, for example an alarm or a satellite transmission, can be triggered by

  complement to alert official emergency services.

  The present invention is particularly

  advantageous in the case of a solo navigator.

  It is the autopilot which will be programmed to command an emergency maneuver towards the lone shipwrecked man. This will be faster and less expensive than research done by others

- 4 -

  boats or helicopters. In addition, the boat can

him also be recovered.

  Yet another advantage of the device, when used for a change of course from the boat, is to offer, compared to conventional wire remote controls, great freedom of movement from one end of the boat to the other. , especially for a lonely browser. The present invention also provides a vehicle control system comprising an automatic pilot, a remote transmitter means, an associated receiver means, an interface between the receiver and the automatic pilot, characterized in that it comprises one or more remote control devices , for example one per team member, each equipped with said remote transmitter means. More particularly, the system comprises a magnetic compass adapted to measure the angle between the heading followed by the vehicle and the absolute reference, a computer adapted to calculate the angle of change of course and a means of displaying the heading change angle. Even more particularly, the system comprises a receiver unit comprising the receiver, the computer and the

display medium.

  The present invention will be better understood on

  light of the following description of an example of

  realization, description made with reference to the drawings

  attached in which: - Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the means and the operation of the device according to the invention applied to a boat; FIG. 2 schematically shows a so-called "distress" operating situation and

  a situation called "normal" operation.

  According to the embodiment chosen and shown in FIG. 1, a TE remote control unit includes a directional magnetic sensor 2 adapted to measure a pointing direction P of the TE remote control unit and an angle OpN formed between said pointing direction P and the magnetic north N (see FIG. 2), a "distress" key 3 by which a digital data item D representative of this distress situation is validated, a validation key 4 by which a data item N representative of an operating situation is validated normal, a set 9 of four keys corresponding to course changes of -1, +1, -10 and + 10, to each key of this set corresponding to the validation of a digital data item CR, the validated item, D, N or CR by the user of the remote control TE being stored in the form of data V in a memory 5. The remote control unit TE also comprises an analog / bare computer meric 7 adapted to transform said angle 0pN into digital data ApN and a radio transmitter 8 adapted to transmit to a receiver 10 located on a boat B said digital data ApN and data V in memory 5. The receiver is part of a box receiver 11 located on the boat which also includes a computer 12 adapted to transform said digital data ApN into an angle value 0pN and to calculate, according to an algorithm not detailed in the present application, a setpoint course Oc, a display 14 which displays said setpoint heading Oc. The receiver unit 11 is connected to an interface 15 adapted to transmit a setpoint C of

  change of course to autopilot 16 of the boat.

  A magnetic compass 13 is provided on the boat to measure the angular position of the boat advancing according to a heading CAP relative to the magnetic north N.

  The operation of the device is explained below.

  after with reference to FIG. 2, on which are represented a "distress" operating case - 6 - (TE remote control in solid line) and a "normal" operating case (TE remote control in dashed lines), with the same direction of pointing P. The carrier of the TE or TE 'remote control points to an objective (boat or new heading) and actuates one of the keys 3, 4 or 9 to confirm in memory 5 its situation. The angle Op, formed between the pointing direction P and the magnetic north N is measured by the magnetic sensor 2. The computer 7 of the remote control transforms the analog value of this angle into a digital value Ap, N. The transmitter 8 transmits this digital value to the receiver 10 as well as the validated data V in memory 5. The computer 12 transforms the digital data ApN into analog data corresponding to the angle Op, N and calculates the setpoint heading Oc as a function of the measured angle OBN formed between the heading of the boat CAP and the magnetic north N measured by the magnetic compass 13 and also as a function of the validation data V representative of the operating situation. The setpoint heading Oc appears on the display 14 and a setpoint C is then transmitted to the interface 15 of the autopilot 16 so that it controls an effective change of course of the boat, either according to the arrow F if it is acts of a distress situation either according to arrow F ', if it is an operating situation

normal or incremental.

  To overcome problems with drift compared to the boat, the remote control carrier will press the validation button 4 at predetermined regular intervals and the set course will be corrected simultaneously. In the embodiment chosen, the system according to the invention comprises a TE remote control device, the receiver (10), the computer - 7 - (12), the display (14), the magnetic compass (13) and

  the interface (15) with the autopilot (16).

  Variant embodiments are of course possible in particular: - the means for validating the distress situation can be a sensor sensitive to the presence of water; - another absolute reference can be chosen, for example a geographic reference, a star, or a reference given by satellite; - the remote control can be used to control a motor vehicle in a desert, or an agricultural, or public works machine in action; - the system may include a plurality of

  remote controls, for example one per team member.

- 8 -

Claims (11)

  1. Device (TE, TE ') for measuring and transmitting data useful at a distance for controlling a vehicle, in particular for rescuing a shipwrecked at sea, comprising a remote transmitter means (8) associated with a receiver (10) located on the vehicle, characterized by: - an angular location means (2) which provides an angle (0pN) between a pointing direction (P) of the device and an absolute reference (N); - a means of validation (3, 4, 5, 9), by the person using the device (TE, TE '), of digital validation data (V) representative of a given operating situation (N, D , CR); and - a calculation means (7) which transforms said angle (OPN) into digital data (ApmN), said transmitting means (8) transmitting said digital data (ApN) and said digital validation data (V) to said receiver (10).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the angular location means is a directional magnetic sensor (2) and said reference   absolute is magnetic north (N).   3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving means (10) is connected to a computer (12) adapted to calculate a set point (Oc), function of the angle (Op, N) measured between the pointing direction (P) of the device and the absolute reference (N), of the angle (0BN) measured using a magnetic compass (13) located on the vehicle between the heading (CAP) followed by the vehicle and said absolute reference (N) and function of said validation data (v).   -9- 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said vehicle is a sailboat, said situation being either a normal operating situation (N) in which the device is used on board the vehicle and pointed at a new heading, or a situation distress (D) in which the device   is carried by a shipwrecked man and pointed towards the ship.   5. Device according to any one of   claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cap of   setpoint (Oc) is displayed by a display means (14) connected to said computer (12).   6. Device according to any one of   claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the   computer (12) transmits the setpoint heading (Oc) to an interface of the autopilot so that the latter   commands an effective change of course of the vehicle.   7. Device according to any one of   claims 1 to 6, characterized by means of   change of course by increment (9).   8. Vehicle control system comprising an autopilot (16), a remote transmitter means (8), an associated receiver means (10), an interface (15) between the receiver (10) and the autopilot (16) , characterized in that it includes a device for remote measurement and transmission of data   (TE, TE ') according to any one of claims 1 to   7 comprising said remote transmitter means (8).   9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of measurement devices and remote data transmission (TE, TE '). - 10 -   10. System according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by a magnetic compass adapted to measure the angle (0BN) between the heading (CAP) followed by the vehicle and said absolute reference (N). 11. System according to claim 10, characterized by a receiver unit (BR) comprising said receiver (10), a computer (12) adapted to calculate a set point (Oc), function of the angle (0Pm) measured between the pointing direction (P) of the device and the absolute reference (N), of the angle (0BN) measured using the magnetic compass (13) and said absolute reference (N) and function of said validation data (V) and a display means (14).