Sonar location monitor
US6327220A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 4, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B13/02
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system is disclosed for locating swimmers who could be in danger of drowning, as determined by preset parameters such as the time duration that they remain at a depth where breathing is impossible. In this system, each individual swimmer wears a SONAR Swimmer Location Monitor (SSLM). This is a miniature electronic device that not only determines the extent of the swimmer's danger but also emits an ultrasonic alarm signal whenever such danger exists. At each occurrence, an alarm, which may be audible and/or visual, is sounded on the surface. Meanwhile the swimmer's location is tracked in real time from the signals received on a hydrophone array deployed along the perimeter of the swimming area. These signals are combined in a central processor and the computed real-time location is displayed graphically on a monitor to guide the guard personnel in rescue operations. The invention is intended for use in pools, beaches, water parks, and other swimming areas.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.