Environmental data collection ocean buoy and hurricane eye tracking
OwnerJames C. Wang, Jane Wojcik +2inventors
InventorsJames C. Wang, Jane Wojcik, Michael Wojcik, Y.S. Hsu
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Abstract
A buoyancy control system, GPS sensor and data analysis engine, a wind direction sensor, and a controller to detect significant wind direction changes. Upon calculation that the desired location within the eye wall has been reached the buoy descends to depths where ocean currents are reduced, preventing drift from the hurricane eye. A solar sensor triggers ascent when sunlight indicates reentry into the eye.
Claims19
A buoy for collecting real-time atmospheric and oceanic data from a hurricane, comprising:
- a housing configured to float on a water surface;
- a buoyancy control system housed within the housing;
- a solar sensor for detecting light;
- a controller adapted for determining when the buoy is substantially near a predetermined location in the hurricane in order to command the buoyancy control system to descend, and thereafter the controller commands the buoyancy control system to ascend when the controller detects a return to an eye of the hurricane based on light detection from the solar sensor.
A buoy for collecting real-time atmospheric and oceanic data from a hurricane, comprising:
- a housing configured to float on a water surface;
- a buoyancy control system housed within the housing;
- a solar sensor for detecting sunlight;
- a controller in communication with the solar sensor, a GPS sensor, and the buoyancy control system to:
- (i) determine, based on GPS data and information about a diameter and speed of an eye of the hurricane received from a hurricane tracking source when the buoy is near a front of any eye wall of the hurricane;
- (ii) command the buoyancy control system to descend when the buoyancy control system is determined to be near the front of the eye wall;
- and (iii) command the buoyancy controls system to ascend when the solar sensor detects sunlight indicating a return to the eye of the hurricane.
A method for maintaining a position of a buoy within or near an eye of a hurricane, comprising:
- deploying a buoy into the eye of a hurricane;
- using hurricane location, eyewall diameter, wind speed and current speed data from a hurricane tracking source;
- calculation of path around the eye of the hurricane using GPS data;
- detecting a significant change in wind direction relative to an expected rotational path of the hurricane;
- confirming when the buoy is at a front (F) of an eye wall of the hurricane by comparing a wind direction at F with a wind direction at a back (B) of the eye wall of hurricane, wherein the wind direction at F is opposite the wind direction at B;
- determining whether the buoy is drifting outward from an eye of the hurricane;
- activating a buoyancy control system to descend the buoy to a depth where ocean currents are reduced, upon detecting the significant change in wind direction;
- monitoring ambient light levels using a solar sensor to detect when the buoy has re-entered the eye;
- and
- activating the buoyancy control system to ascend the buoy to the surface upon detecting sunlight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.