Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular system function
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-24
2004-07-13
Pham, Toan N. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular system function
C340S539130, C340S539230, C340S573100, C367S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06762678
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to underwater location and communication technology, and more particularly to, a multi-function scuba diver communication device for use by dive partners and dive masters for locating divers, for communicating with divers within dive groups with check diver and alert signals, and for automatically alarming when divers become separated by more than a selectable safety distance.
2. Relevant Background
While underwater, it is very important for divers to keep track of each other. One of the most important rules for scuba divers is to, “always know where your dive buddy is”. Because of all the equipment, i.e. mask, snorkel, BCD and tank, scuba divers wear, it is very difficult for them to keep their dive buddy in sight. Scuba diving is an exciting, yet dangerous, sport. Divers can find themselves in several life threatening situations. They can encounter predators or get tangled up in seaweed, wrecks, or amongst their own equipment. It is not uncommon for divers to run out of air or get caught in an undertow. All of these situations can be deadly without the assistance of their dive buddies. Since divers cannot speak to each other underwater, it is often difficult or impossible for a diver to attract the attention of another diver.
Communicating between divers, such as between divers and a dive master or between dive partners, is a serious problem that has not been adequately addressed by current diving devices. Communications are made more difficult by the nature of the environment itself in that most forms of communication depend upon the transmission of light or electromagnetic energy through the surrounding water. Light and electromagnetic energy, however, do not propagate well or consistently through water. Light and electromagnetic energy are rapidly attenuated in water even in optimum conditions, usually within a few feet or even inches, and light is additionally blocked by dissolved or particulate matter in the water. Water varies significantly from location to location and even based on dive depths. Water typically does not provide a uniform acoustic transmission medium as the speed of sound propagation and other signal transmission characteristics vary with water temperature, salinity, and depth (or pressure) each of which may vary with dive location. The inhomogeneous nature of sound propagation in water thereby causes time varying variations in the transmission time between a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, even within a single layer. Therefore, the transmission time between a transmitting unit and a receiving unit vary with the location of a dive (i.e., based on the water chemical makeup) and sometimes even with a planned depth for a dive. These complex variances for the behavior of signals make communication difficult as communication techniques may be effective under certain conditions but prove very ineffective under differing dive and water conditions.
Hence, there remains a need for communication devices, systems, and methods that make it easier for divers to keep track of their fellow divers and to attract their attention when needed during a dive. Such devices, systems, and methods preferably would be adapted for use in varying dive locations and under different water conditions and would be readily adapted for use with multiple divers and dive groups of varying skills and experience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the need for underwater communications between dive partners and also between a dive master and divers in dive groups by providing a diver communication device worn or held by divers or attached to a diver buoyancy control device (BCD). The diver communication device includes transmitters, receivers, displays, controls, and data processors and software that enable it to provide a unique combination of communication and diver location functions not available in prior diving equipment. For example, the diver communication device allows two dive partners each using the device to set a dive separation or safety distance between the divers that is monitored by the device on an ongoing basis during the dive and when exceeded, the devices transmit alert signals and an audible, vibratory, and visible signal is provided to both diver communication devices. A tracking device with a display (such as a red, yellow, and green bar graph or light system or directional arrows) is included in each device to enable divers to determine the direction of each other. Diver communications are provided by the inclusion of a “check diver” function in which a signal can be sent by one diver to one or more divers in their group (i.e., operating on the same frequency or frequencies and using a single diver separation distance) and again an audible, vibratory, and visible display is provided to communicate the receipt of a check diver signal to the other diver or divers. Further, the diver communication device includes a manual “panic” function that allows a diver to manually transmit a panic or emergency signal to a dive partner(s) and/or dive master (e.g., a dive leader).
Because the experience and skill of divers varies and because dive conditions vary, the diver communication device is preferably adapted to allow the safety distance or separation range to be set for each set of dive partners and/or for each dive group (2 or more divers operating with a single safety range and communicating on one or more communication frequencies or settings assigned to that group of diver communication devices). For example, a safety distance may be set at 5 feet for unskilled divers or for dangerous conditions while a fifty-foot, hundred-foot, two hundred-foot, and often higher safety range may be set for skilled divers or relatively safe diving conditions. In one embodiment, each diver communication device is configured to support a plurality of safety ranges (such as 6 to 8 ranges (e.g., set at 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 250 and the like) or more ranges to provide a wider range of operation).
In one embodiment, a special form of diver communication device is provided for use by a dive master in communicating not just with one diver or dive group but also with multiple dive groups. Generally, the dive master communication device includes receivers and transmitters that enable it to transmit and receive at one or more frequencies utilized by each dive group (i.e., each diver communication device used by a diver assigned to a dive group). The dive master communication device can be operated to monitor separation of the divers in each of the dive groups from the dive master communication device to determine whether the divers are within a safety distance perimeter (or sphere) relative to the dive master. An alert can be automatically or manually transmitted to and from the dive master when the distance is exceeded. The dive master and divers can further communicate by the use of check diver-manual alert signals as discussed for diver communication devices used by dive partners. Typically, a check diver-manual alert signal would be transmitted by a dive master to all of the divers within a group concurrently (such as on a single frequency or multiple signals at multiple frequencies), and likewise, a check diver-manual alert signal transmitted by a diver within a group using their diver communication device would be received by the dive master communication device and by the divers within that diver's dive group using their diver communication devices.
More particularly, a communication device is provided for use underwater by a diver for communicating with and tracking the location of one or more other divers. The device includes a transmitter and receiver assembly with signal generators, transmitters, and receivers useful for transmitting location signals to and receiving location signals from another one of the communication devices. Significantly, the location signals are transmitted and received on a frequency or frequencies defined by a communication channel se
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Lembke Kent A.
Pham Toan N.
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