Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular coupling link
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-20
2001-09-04
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular coupling link
C340S573600, C340S984000, C342S357490
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285281
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of emergency message transmitting systems in general, and in particular to a system that transmits positional data to the Coast Guard upon depression of the talk button on a marine radio when the radio is transmitting on an emergency channel.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,305,143; 5,274,359; 5,886,635; 5,933,080; and 5,945,912, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse emergency position transmission systems for use in a marine environment.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical emergency data signaling system that is automatically actuated when the operator of a marine vessel sends out a verbal emergency call on a marine radio.
In the past E.P.I.R.B.'s, or emergency position indicating radio beacons, were only activated when a vessel sank or when someone on board would manually actuate the device. In addition, there also existed “man-overboard” systems that would radio the position of a mariner who had the misfortune to become separated from their vessel. However, none of these prior art arrangements took advantage of the very first action that any sailor or seaman would take in a time of crisis.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among mariners for a new and improved fail safe marine locator system that would immediately notify the Coast Guard of the positional location of a vessel simultaneously with the first broadcast of an emergency message on the marine radio, and the provision of such an arrangement is a stated objective of the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the fail safe marine locator system that forms the basis of the present invention comprises an interface unit that is coupled to a marine radio and a Global Positioning System or L.O.R.A.N., hereinafter GPS, to transmit both emergency voice and data messages to a Coast Guard facility so that the Coast Guard will immediately be informed of the vessels location as soon as an emergency signal is sent from the vessel.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the interface unit is specifically designed such that the registration of the marine radio dial on one of a selected number of emergency broadcasting frequencies or channels will automatically download positional data from a GPS relative to the vessel's current location which when the talk button on the marine radio is depressed, will transmit digital data corresponding to the vessels current location as well as other pertinent information such as the vessels name, owner, certified number of passengers, size, make, model and year.
It should further be noted that the digital information will be transmitted in such a way that it will not interfere with the voice transmission over the radio and that the data signal is designed to be continuously broadcast for a selected period of time after the termination of a voice message to insure that the Coast Guard or other emergency response vessels can come directly to the aid of the stricken vessel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4305143 (1981-12-01), Simms et al.
patent: 4833477 (1989-05-01), Tendler
patent: 5274359 (1993-12-01), Adams
patent: 5517199 (1996-05-01), DiMattei
patent: 5649059 (1997-07-01), Tendler et al.
patent: 5748147 (1998-05-01), Bickley et al.
patent: 5886635 (1999-03-01), Landa et al.
patent: 5933080 (1999-08-01), Nojima
patent: 5945912 (1999-08-01), Guldbrand
patent: 6144336 (2000-11-01), Preston et al.
Henderson & Sturm LLP
Hofsass Jeffery
Previl Daniel
LandOfFree
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