GB2484714A

GB2484714A - A position-indicating diver beacon

Info

Publication number: GB2484714A
Application number: GB201017773A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Jacob Slevin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-21
Filing date: 2010-10-21
Publication date: 2012-04-25
Also published as: GB201017773D0

Abstract

An inflatable position-indicating beacon 1 is provided. The beacon comprises an inflatable buoyancy means (figure 1 reference 2) and broadcasting means (4, 5) that transmit a radio signal to indicate the position of the beacon (1). The beacon may usefully be applied as a surface marker buoy or a diver's lifting- bag. The inflatable beacon can transmit its position at known emergency frequencies such as 121.5 or 243MHz. The broadcasting means may even be a RFID tag or a BluetoothRTM transmitter. When the beacon is inflated the orientation of the beacon is such that the transmitter is located on a portion away from the surface of the water. The beacon could be inflated by the diver s compressed air supply. A tether 21 is attached between the diver 20 and the inflated buoy 1. The signal from the beacon can be received by a boat who can quickly locate the diver.

Description

t V.' INTELLECTUAL ..* PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. GB 1017773.1 RTPvII Date:3 March 2011 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Bluetooth Intellectual Properly Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk A POSTONiNDICATNG BEACON

Field ofthe nventon

The present flfltIQfl relates to posith.n-ind.icting beacons:?M Ifl particular buoyant ta.wns that are suitabie for iMicatIng the position of a person and/or object at sea or any other large expanse of water..

Backgrgund of the invention About 70% of the Earths surface is covered in water It is therefore unsurprising that man has engaged 0; many and varied endeavours in, on and under the WatSr Howeve,r although man has developed many Ways of travelling through water, th'e sea can. still be a very dangerous place when' things go. wro:ng One aquatic pursuit which is parThcularly vulnerable to the dangers of the sea is underwater diving. Typically a diver iil,I. travel to a dive location by way of a bOat,. Howe.ve.r once. the diver has.ertere"d the water and travelled to. a dkiin.g depth the diver can become disorientated and lose sight of the boat Similarly any support persons left on the boat find it difficult to monitor the drier's position.'relaflve to the boat.

Althoüç"h variOus' high4ech solutions to this problem are.avaiFab..[e, such as GE'S tracking systems and the like, most divers still pack a Surface Marker Buoy (8MB) or blob7 in their diving kit (even if it is only as a back-up) One of the main advantages of SMBs is, that, compared to the more hF h-tech solutions.;: they are relatively cheap and reliable.

When not in use $.N]Bs can he p:abked. th.at. they take up Sr little, space, which makes them ideal: for a diver fQ carw conveniently about their person.

When required, the diver can flat.e the 8MB using their lair tank. or al:tè.rnativel th.O SMB7s own:a'.it supply. -1-fl

SMBs can then be deployed by a diver when they are at the su(iace to prbvide th$: boat wth a Vsua1. marker as Ito the genera catton 0 t the diver.

Typically one end Of the 8MB is attached to the diver (by: 8 line of reel) ärd the other end which is buoyant bobs about on the surface of the water The part of the SMB that bobs about on the surface of the water is generafly brightly coloured to. make it easier to..sporoni a boat.

A particu tar type of SMB the Delayed Surface Market BUoy (DSMB), which, is also referred to as a decompression buoy or a deco buoy DSMBs can be inflated by a diver when they are at depth and when released they rise tc. the. surface to provide a. location marker for the diver. Again, and IA order tc: ehsure the DSMB acourately represents the' diver's position, the DSMB is tethe:re,d t the diver by: a line.

The benefits of SMBs are clear However in situations where the sea conditions rapidly deteriorate. WhilS: tM diver ig under the. surface, SMBs. Cab become difficUlt. to spot even wfth. their high visibility colour.ing More advanced SMBs have sought to enhance their visibility further by providing light emitting means, for example a flashing light, yet even these can be difficult, to spot: in extreme weathe.r conditions.

Su.mffiary cf the Invention In view of the above identified limitations of the prior art the present invention provices an inflatable position-indicating radio beacon comprising inflatable buoyancy means and broadcasting means that transmit a radio signal that indicates the position of the beacon'., It will be appreciated that the inflatable, position-indicating radio beacon of the present inventic.,.n is conveniently small and. lightw&gh.t when not in: use., but at the irne time is easily deployable thereby providing an enharided means, for Iô:cáting the pOsition of a. diver, or indeed any.ers.on spending time in.äp.en wa.:e.r o'rany othe.r object WIth whOA it is associated i.n theHwa'ter.

The inflatable buoyancy rnean,s caçmbIe of being inflated with:3 volume of ga.s that is sufficient to give the: beacon a, level of buoyancy that prevar.t the beacon ftorflsihking under its: bwnwel*gh Preferably the inflatable buoyancy means comprises a fIexibe aIrtight container with an ink,t to enable the buoyancy means to be inflated: n this way the inflatable buoyancy means.; and. thus the beacon as a whole.5 can be packed iPtO a small space when not in usa Preferabi the beacon has an elongate shaped main body Furthe' preferably the inflated buoyancy means give: The beacon its elong'àtë shape. The elongate sha.pe enables the beacon to be stowed away in a relatively small space when. not required.

Preferably the beacon is provided with:3 wehting means located at one end of the elongate shape By providing the beacon elongate with a weighting means aLone: end: thereof it can be caused project away' from the. surface: of the water, thus increasing its visibility One form of inlet may comprise an inflation valve Another form of inlet may comprise an opening boated at: one end of the flexible ait-tight:contaJne:r Further preferably, when the: inlet is an opening, the abo:ve: mentioned ve.igh'ting means may be rovid:ed adjacent tO the opening tO ensure that the opening remains below the surface of the water at all times Alternatively the opening may be provided with closure means that close the opening as the volume of air in the flexible:airti:ght container increases.

It is appreciated that the broadcasting means. may comprise an aerial having a signal tnput receiving means In this way an external signal generator can be: connected to the aerial to boost the. signal being broadcast..

Preferably, however, the:ra:IdaStjng means is a. radio transmitter tha comprises an aerial and a signal ge.nrao*r Further preferably. the.signa generator may ba programmable te..bma,c: .ast a.

simple. me.. s.agé: Such message. may be in text or Morse code. This would enable a diver to program the beacon to broadcast a specific message, such as the, lime: that they expect to. and. their c.ive or the depth at which the diver js boated.

Preferably1. When the beacon has an.eio:ngate shape., t least part of the broadcasting means may, in use, be located on a portion of the beacon which projects away from the: surface of the: water, Further preferably the aerial extends alOng at least part of the Iengthof the beacon., Preferably the bandwidth in Which the radio signal is broadcast. is se.l,ected.for the group containing: low frequency (LE), medium frequency (MF), high frequency (HF):, Very high frequency (VHF), and, ultra high frequency (UHF)'.

Further preferably the. broadcasting mean's may be in the form of a. RFID tag, Riuetôoth transmitter Alternatively the broadcasting means: may be in the form of' a C.ospas-Sarsat transrnitter. Cospas-Sàrsat is, an international satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) distress alert. detection and information distribution system' Which broadcasts at 403MHz.

Adyantagepualy the signal may be broadcast at 121 51243MHz. Th is frequency has the benefit of, untfl recently, being a recognised emergency frequency, which means that many boats still have the facility to detect signals beinç' broadcast at this frequency without modification. This fUrther reduces the cost invOlved in using the beacon of the pie sent inventipn. 121.5MHz an be detected from about 13 to 28km (7 to 15 nautical miles) by a helicopter at about.300m (1000 feet).

Benefióiatly the beacon may further comprise. ylsual andk.r audibe signalling : means. By Hp:rm/idihg addthonal signal sources the chances. pi.bcting the.

beacOn:are further enhan�^ced.

The present inventiOn provides a surfa.de: rharkeF buoy (.S:MB.) corrp.ri.Eihg means fo,rretaining.a radiotransmi:tter.with.anaerialthat, in use., broadcasts a signal that indicates. the location of the SM B Preferably the surface marker buoy has an elongate form and in use., the aerial extends alOng at least. part of the length of the elongate surface marker buoy.

In a prefened embodiment of the present invention the beacon may take the form of.a Surface Marker Buoy (3MB'). Preferably the 8MB further comprises con necbng means to tether the SMB to an object or a diver This enables the underwater location of an object or diver to be tracked from the surface of the watSr The present invention also provids.a diver's lifting bag comprising means for receiving a radio transmitter that, in use, broadcasts a signal that. i.ildidates the location of the diver's lifting bag..

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the, beacon may take the form of a diver's lifting bag Preferably the diver's lifting bag ôbn'pri.ses tO'hnebtin mëäris to sedure' an.otject for liftin.g tO. the surfade by the lifting bag.. Jn addition it will be appreciated that the buoyancy means is capable of receiving a volume of gas that is sufficient to lift both the beacon and any secured object to the surface., The present invention also provides a: diver/object locating system comprising an inflatable position-indicating radio beacon as already descnbed and a signal receiving means capable of receiving the signal being broadcast by the beacon. -5.-

The p'resênt invention also provides a radio transmitter for u in cprintiqn with *an inflatable surface marker buoy (S'MB) or a diver's lifting bag, wherein the: transmitter is at least water rSstant. Preferably the radio transmitter is wate.r proof.

Preferably the radio transmitter may: be powered by batteries anrf further p ref erab ly:sea Water batte riGS.

Alternatively the radio transmitter nay be powered by solar panels. In a further alternative the radio transmitter may be powered by kinetic energy generated by:thi motion of the sea

Bnef Description of the Drawings

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures, wherain: Figure 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, where th inflatable po:ition_indicating radio beacon S: in the form. of a surtEcé marker bUoy (SM B); Figure 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the inflatable position-indicating radio beacon is in the form of a divetS Ufthig bag; FigureS shows the SMU of figure 1 being used by a diver to identify his position to a support boat.

Detafid: Description of the Preferred Embodiments

It is envisaged that the inflatable position-indicating radio beacon of the present invention could be used by a variety of people that spend time in open water. The inflàtat.le' nature of the: radio beacon makes' it a convenient back-up iii cass of ethergency.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the beacon of the present invention which the inventor considers to be of particular merit. Figure 1 shows a: surface marker buoy (SM B) 1.

The SMB i. has a m a in body 2which s esserWally an ebngaté, aiMigtt bag.

Whilst other shapes of main body are envisaged, the elongate shape shown In figure 1 has the benefit of allowing the SMB I to project upwards from the surface of the water when the bag is inflated As can be seen from figure 3 the manner in which the infiated SMB extends from the surface of the water is such: that it provides a clear visual slgn'& to near-by vessels.

The main body of the 8MB shown in figure 1 has an open ing S at one end of the main bod.y 2. The opening 3 allows a diver to inflate the: main body 2. It is envisaged that the diver could use gas from the divers air tank to inflate the main body.

Alternatively the SMB could be supplied with its own gas supply to inflate the 8MB. For the sake of compact storage the: gas supply couk. be. compressed air. It is envisaged that further alternative ways of inflating the 8MB are possible,, such as the use of a,:lowdensity liquid rather than a gas..

In Order for the diver to ensure that the main body remains. inflated, the diver must hold The Opening 3 below the surface of the water when Inflating the SMB 1,. ltwill be appreciated that, bO:causethC main body is air-tight, adopting this approach will trap the inflation gas Within the mamn body 2.

In addition the 8MB 1 is provided with weighting means (not shown) that are located adjacent to and may, in use, hang down from the opening 3 so as to ensure that the opening 3 stays below the water line.. The weighting means also help the SMB to adopt its upright onentation on the surface of the water It is envisaged that a more sophisticated version of the 8MB of the present invention would be sealed at the. bottom and is instead provided wiTh an inflation valve (not shown) rather than an opening. This version of the 8MB, may still be provided witn some sort of weighting to ensure that the 8MB adapts. the preferred upright orientation when on the surface of the water* -.7-SMBs., and:jp pIartCUIr d&ayed surface marKer buoys (DS.MBs*), are: prcvick.d wfth totmecting means (see figure 3) wNch enabTes a diver to be attached to the SMB. This is particularty importantWhen: the dkier deploysthe: S:MB fçom deep below the:sutfac: çf ths tAater, 35 IS the Case With DS'MBs.

The 8MB 1 further comprises a radio transmitter 4 that is located on the main body 2. The. radio transmitter 4 has an aeriaF 5 whIch:eXtend$i a!ong 8t le:ast part of the Ten:gth. of the elongate main body. in order for the SME to be packed in to a small space when ft is not in use it is envisaged that the -aerial will be made of a suitable flexible material, such as a metal fofl strip or wire

for example,

Advantageously the aerial may be sewn into the main body 2: of the 8MB so that it is protected from the water It is aJso envisaged that an alternative form. of aerial could he telescopic, thereby enabling the aerial to be retracted when the SMB S not j use.

It is appreciated that another benefit of the elongate shape of the ma'ift body, and Lts piererred upright orientation at the surface is that the aerial 5 is perfectly aligned to broadcast a strong signal Whilst it is appreciated that the radiO transmitter 4 may be capable of broadcasting on various frequencies (including those used for Bluetooth and RFID51, the preferred frequency is considered to be 121 5/243 MHz This frequency, Which until February 2009 was used as a recoghised emergency frequency, is considered advantageous because virtually all sea-faring vessels and sea-rescue aircraft are already equipped to receive signals being broàdcást at this frequency, thus removing the need for specialised receiving equipment This greatly increases the number of potential tescuers that could respond to:at1 emergency' signal broac.cast..

It is envisaged that if asingle frequency radio transmitter is used:(whith could provIde cost savings) , such Miouki preferably broadcast at: I 21 51243.MH7.

I 21;5MHz transmits: a sliding tone: which' is. unmistakable tQ the trained ear..

Of QOUPSO it IS also appfficiatd that th*e radio trlansititter tmy b:readcast on the 403MHZ fiequency that is used by the international *sätéllite-bàsed emergency: system: QospasSarsat.

in situatia. S.. where a message is als� being sent by the ía.. dIo transmitter it is emfisaged that. a sliding tone cc.ud be s.. .ent seVeíä3. times (Sg.. I 0 tth.1S).

followed by a message (for example Morse code) and then the sliding tone repeats.. In this way potential rescuers can fiPst identify the emergency: signal and then receive and interpret the, message...

The radiO transmitter 4 is1 prc.vi.ded with. battery (hot. shown)' fo.r its pc.Wer.

Batteries capäblA of operating the.: radio transmitter for at least 24: hoUrs are considered suitable, although batteries with higner storage obviously provide additiOnal benefit.

It iS envisaged that. the radIo t.ran's.rnitter 4' might suitably: be powered. by a renewàbi.e powe source, such as. a solar panel or even a kinetic energy generator that harnesses the mcMn of the W?.Ve:5.

The: radio transmitter 4. may not be required at all times and therefore the SM 61 1, .01 fiçure us provided. with transmitter activation means in, the form..: of a pull tag 6'; The diver can then pull the. tag' 6 when. he wishes to. activate the radio transmitter Alternatively the transmitter activation means may be in the form of a water-proof submersible switch (not shown) It is appreciated that various. form.s of activation means are possible without departin.g from the genera concept of t:h.e: present invention..

It is also envisaged that, in more advanced designs, the transmitter activation means may be advantageously facilitate remote activation of the transmitter whetherwirelessly using ultrasound (which is transmittable through water) or via Wired tifl.ectlon that forms part f cpnnç*ctIn line: between the diver and the beaMn (such as that ShOwi, in figure 3).

In more advanced designs the transmitter activation means may also be provided with means for logging the depth at whch the ratho transmitter was activated. Such information could then be communicated to * the radio transmitter for broadcast with the radio signal perhaps in the foim of a text message or Morse code This would be extremely beneficial in situations where a dherhas become immobilized eta depth underwater.

Simi'iariy this more sophisticated system: could enable the diver to enter a text message: for broadcast in cases of emergency. it is envisaged that Bluetooth arid REID systems might be utiiis.e.d, tO broadcast such messages.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the beacon of the present invenhon which the inventor considers to be, of particular merit. Figure 2 shows a diverts lifting bag 11 Diverts lifting bags are well known and are primanly used in situations where a diver wants to transport an object to the surface of the water without having to carry it personally.

As.i. the case with. the SMB I shown, in,. figure 1 the lifting bag 11 has: an inataSe main bOdy 12 with an opening 13: located at one of its ends. It will be understood that the main body 12 is capable of retaining a greatei volume of gas (oi low density liquid) than a typical SMB so that the lifting bag has enough buoyancy to raise potenhally heavy objects to the surface of the water. The lifting bag 11 is provided with connecting means (not shown) to.

attach the object that a diver wants to be raised to the surface A radio transmitter 14 is located on the:, main body 12 of the liftin.g bag 11. As with the SMB described above the radio transmitter has an associated aerial that extends along at least some length of the lifting bag -ia-As with the aerial of the SMB already described above it may be beneficial for the aerIal to be sewn into the main body 12 of the ftfting bag so. that it is protacted from the water.

The radio transmitter 14 is provided wfth ac.thation means I Q, whch ft. figure 2 are in the form of pull tag 16. ft IS envisaged that the variations on the basic radio transmitter arrangement discussed in connection with figLire I are also a,pplicabi.e.to the lifting bag II cf figure 2..

Otis envisaged that a hard-wearing, water proof material such as a poly-vinyl would be suitable for constructing the main bodies of both the 3MB 1 of figure 1 andthè divefs lifting bag 1 I of figure' It. Of course other materials with the necessary strength flexibility and water-proofing that are capable of foiming an aii4ight tight container could suitably be used Figure 3 demonstrates the SMB 1 of figure 1. in use by a diver 20 who is under water. The diver.20 has attached the SME' to his wrist using a' ,connection line 21, activated the radio transmitter and then inflated the SMB I so as to render if buoyant Once. released., the 3MB 1 travels to the surface of the water where, it projects upwards from the surface: of the water.

The radio signal broadcast by the 5MB is. then received by receiving means 23 located on a passing boat 22. Th.e boat 22 can. then use the signal to identify the, location pt the. 3MB, and the ubmetged diver 20:.

-I 1 -

Claims

Claims: t. An: inflatable posftion-indicatihg radio beacon, .comprs.ing inflatable buoyancy means and broadcasting means that transmit a radio signal that indicates the position of the beacon.
2 The beacon of any of claims 1, wherein the beacon has an elongate shape.
3. The beacon of claim 2, wherein the inflated buO.yandy means gives the beacon an elohgate shape.
4 The beacon of claim 2 or 3 further comprising a weighting means located at one end of the elongate shape.
The beacon of claim 1, 2 3 or 4, wherein the inflatable buoyancy means cOmpries a flexible air-fight tamer with an inlet to. enable the buoyancy means to be inflated.
6. The. beacon.f any of claims I to 5, wherein the. inlet bomprises an Inflation valve.

7 The beacon of any of claims I to 5, wherein the inlet comprises an opening located at one end of the flexible air-tight container 8. The: beacon of claim 7, when dependant on any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the weighting means is provided adjacent to the opening to ensure that, when in use, the opening remains below the surface of the water at all times.9 The beacon of claim 7, wherein the opening is be provided with closure mean:sthat. close the opening as the volume.of contents of tb flexible air-tight container increases io The beacon of any of claims: 2 to 9. wherein at ISst part of the broadcasting means is, in usa, located on a portion of the: beacon w:hid'h prpjects away froni the sufface of the Water.11. The beacon of any of the preceding clai:ms, wherein the broadcasting means is a radio transmitter com.pris.in.g an aerial and a signal generator., 11 The beacon' of claim ii, Wherein the aerial extends albPg' at leest part of the ength of the beacon.13... The: beacon of claim Ii cr12,. wherein the. sign'..! generator is programmable to broadcast a simple message. in text., Morse code, other boded messae. or aUdio. SOund 14. The beacon of any of the preceding daim.s, wherein the bandwidth of the radio signal being broadcast hythe. broadcasting means "is.selected for the group contain!ng low frequency (LF), medium frequency (MF) hgh frequency (HF), Véqi high frequency (VHF), and ultra high freuency (UHF,).15. The beacon of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the broadcasting means is a, RFlD tag or a Bluetooth transmitter'.16... The beacon of ny ct claims 1 to 14, wherein the broadcasting, means' is a C.o.spas-'Sarsa't transmitter,.17 The beacon of any of claims: 1 tO: 14, wherein the radio signal is bwadcast'at 121. .5/243 M Hz 18.. The beacoft of any of the precedih.g claims, wherein the beacon further comprises: visual and/or audible signalling means.19,. A surface: marker buoy comprising m:eans for.rataih:ing: radio transmitter that., in. use., broadcasts a 5ignal that indicates the. :locatio.fl of' the: sUrface marker buO. -13.20. The sUrface marker buoy of cialiti 19 comprising a beacon aecording to any of the preceding claims.21.. The surface marker buoy of claim 19 or 20, furthe.r comprising connecting n'eans to tether the surface marker buoy to an object ora. diver.22. A diverYs lifting bag comprising means for receiving a radic transmitter that, in use, broadcasts a signal that indicates the location of the divers lifting bag 23. The dive(s lifting bag of dairn. 22 comprising a beacOn. according to any of clajm.s ito 18.24. The diyer lifting bag of claim 22. or 23 further comprising connecting means to secure an object for liftin.g by the lifting bag.25.; A dhverlobject locating system comprising an inflatable position-indicating radio beacon according to' any of claims I to 18 and a signal receiving means capable of receiving the: signal being broadcast by th.e beacon.26 A radio transmitter for use in combination with an inflatable surface marker buoy or a dlver. lifting hag, wherein the transmitter is at least water resistant and preferably waterproof.21. The radio transmitter of diaih 26, wherein the: radio trànsmittOr is powered by batterids and in particUlar seawater batteries.2& The radio transmitter of claim 26, where in the radio. transmitter is powered by solar panels.; 29. The: radio transmitter of claim 26 wherein the radio transmitter is powered by kinetic energy generated by the mc.Uon of the sea.