Dual mode personal locator beacon
US7492251B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 2008 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08B21/088
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), supporting two operation modes local monitoring and remote monitoring. The apparatus includes a PLB that supports the present operation mode, as well as a local monitoring mode, employing the same transmitter, and automatically switching between modes. Upon activation, the PLB first tries to communicate with a local monitoring station, at a low transmission power, and at a high repetition rate, in purpose of dealing with the PLB call locally, without involving the remote monitoring station. Then, if not acknowledged by a local monitoring station, the PLB increases its transmission power, enabling access to a remote monitoring station. In a preferred embodiment, the PLB is carried by a person onboard a vessel, to alarm upon a Man Overboard (MOB) accident, the local monitoring station is installed onboard the same vessel, and the remote monitoring station is part of a satellite Search and Rescue (SAR) system, as Cospas-Sarsat.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.