WO2008129088A1

WO2008129088A1 - Portable, electronic vessel-tracking device

Info

Publication number: WO2008129088A1
Application number: PCT/ES2008/000204
Authority: WO
Inventors: Juan Poyatos Oliver; Julia Egle
Original assignee: Juan Poyatos Oliver; Julia Egle
Priority date: 2007-04-20
Filing date: 2008-04-01
Publication date: 2008-10-30
Also published as: ES1065832Y; ES1065832U

Abstract

The invention relates to the construction of a portable electronic device for tracking vessels from anywhere in the world, combining satellite tracking with wireless telephone networks. The invention is characterised in that the device comprises a single device that combines the following elements: 1) satellite positioning receiver, 2) microprocessor, 3) antenna, 4) wireless telephone emitter/receiver, 5) battery, 6) non-volatile memory, 7) hard disk, and 8) case. All of the aforementioned elements are managed by a specific software program.

Description

Portable electronic vessel tracking device.

DESCRIPTION

Technical sector

This utility model is framed in the sector of new computer technologies, wireless communications and global positioning via satellite. State of the art

Although all the elements that are used in this utility model already exist in the market, we have not found any device that has the same characteristics. The most similar existing device is a device called radio beacon, which when activated emits a signal that is picked up by a remote receiver via radio waves. The control center knows the moment of activation of the radio beacon and that, therefore, an alarm has occurred, also the position from which it emits and the ship's code. This system is currently mandatory in Spain for pleasure boats that cross over 25 nautical miles off the coast. Navigation in type C area.

This is the radiomergency system most similar to ours that currently exists for pleasure boats, the so-called radio beacon.

Detailed description of the utility model

The present utility model wants to complement and constitute at the same time an advance in the alarm systems in pleasure boats, and not replace the current radio beacons, which with worldwide coverage, for working in shortwave emission, are ideal for boats that sail more than 25 nautical miles from the coast, that is, outside the reach of wireless networks installed on the mainland. The first current technical problem is based on the fact that radio beacons can only be activated from the vessel itself. With our device this technical problem is solved, since the new device now presented, in addition to being able to be activated from the boat itself such as radio beacons, can also be activated remotely from land, thanks to the wireless telephone network.

The second technical problem of radio beacon is that its activation necessarily implies the rescue request, since it does not give option to different levels of emergency. Our device solves this deficiency, since the device now presented allows activating several levels of emergency: monitoring, water man, fire, etc. With what the rescue media know what kind of incident they have to face. The third problem of radio beacon technicians is that they affect international emergency channels (which are automatically detected by airplanes and ships), so that they cannot be used other than an emergency.

Our device, when working with mobile telephony waves, can be used for other tasks that are not only those of emergency, for example, regatta monitoring, control of children's school boats, small boats such as canoes, boats and even swimmers or underwater fishers .

Another advantage of the new device is that the owner of the boat, when his boat is rented, on a transport route, when he loses it, due to theft or shipwreck or is stranded after an accident, will be able to know his position via the Internet without having to activate a Rescue alarm and from anywhere in the world.

In the case of the model that is now presented, the device takes advantage of existing wireless telephony networks on land to send position signals. The issuance of the position may be constant or at a specific time at the request of the user. The position of the vessel and its defeat can be known by third parties or bodies located on land, if so decided by the owner of the device. On the other hand, it should be noted here that the confidentiality of the information on the position of the ship is guaranteed, since only the owner of the device will know the access code to the Internet portal where the position is displayed.

This device, by means of the specific computer program, when it loses "coverage" due to lack of transmission or reception signal, will store in its memory the route it has taken "in the shadow zone", so that when it reaches a new zone of coverage, will issue data on the route made in the area without coverage.

The server, taking into account the last positions, the memory and the new position, will rewrite the complete defeat followed by the vessel in the shadow zone. In this way, the device, which will be watertight, submersible and unbreakable, can be used as a "black box" in case of accident or protest in regatta, since it will have stored all the data of the route. Speed, directions, distances, etc., data that can be downloaded by the user at any time on a computer.

This system, evidently conditioned by the range of wireless networks located on land, will allow to increase considerably the safety of most pleasure boats, since 90% of pleasure boats never move away from the coast more than 25 miles ( approximately the coverage of the telephone network) allowing users of this device to be displayed if necessary and instantly, by Salvage services

Maritime, Port Authorities, Maritime Captaincy, Civil Guard of the Sea, family, friends or Regatta Committees.

For this, the following elements have been unified in a single device:

1) Satellite positioning receiver 2) Microprocessor

3) Antenna

4) Wireless telephone transmitter / receiver device

5) Battery 6) Non-volatile memory

7) Hard disk

8) box.

All managed by a specific software. Method of implementation All the electronic elements of the device will be housed inside a waterproof shockproof case. The components start from a motherboard that is powered by a rechargeable and replaceable internal battery. The board hosts the satellite location device or chip, the mobile telephone signal emitter-receiver, the antennas and the non-volatile memory. A computer processor regulates the relationship between the different electronic elements so that they all work in synergy. On the outside of the waterproof case there may be several buttons specially prepared to withstand the weather. This way you can also activate the device manually.

The schematic operation of the device would be as follows: The device continuously receives satellite signals that allow it to know its position.

Next, the device issues this situation to the server computer via the mobile telephone network. The position information will finally be transferred from the server to the screen of any computer connected to the Internet, detailing it on a satellite map. (See scheme Fig.

one).

Description of the figures Figure 1

1) Satellite positioning receiver

2) Microprocessor

3) Antenna 4) Wireless telephone misor / receiver device

5) Battery

6) Non volatile memory

7) Hard disk

8) box.

Claims

1. The model consists in the construction of a portable electronic device for the location of vessels from anywhere in the world combining satellite location with wireless telephone networks.

It is characterized by the unification in a single device of the following elements: 1) Satellite positioning receiver

2) Microprocessor

3) Antenna

4) Wireless telephone transmitter / receiver device

5) Battery 6) Non-volatile memory

7) Hard disk

8) Box.

All managed by a specific software.