US 5,597,335 A · Marine personnel rescue system and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides for an air, sea, or land deployed rapid response, self-propelled, autonomous or semi-autonomous marine vehicle (AMV) possessing a pair of extendible hydraulic cylinders encased in a pneumatic inflation chute, with an ability to be directed toward, and to autonomously seek out and recover physically restricted persons in peril from an aqueous environment. The AMV uses video, thermal, and audio sensors to actively and autonomously detect persons floating in an aqueous environment, and can be directed to a person or persons in distress on the sea surface through an aircraft, ship, or shore mounted, GPS linked, laser targeting system. The present invention also possesses the ability to provide life support functions, propulsive mobility, and two way real-time radio frequency and satellite based voice, video and data telemetry with the rescue aircraft, ship, or shore based coordination center responsible for deploying, operating, or monitoring the AMV.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A marine personnel rescue system and apparatus for rescuing persons in peril comprising:

(a) an autonomous marine vehicle apparatus comprising:
a rigid hull shaped to form a concavity having first and second sides, the two sides being joined by a bow and a stern, and having an upper periphery around the first and second sides, and the bow and stern, the concavity forming an interior and an exterior, the interior forming an interior hull surface and forming at least one interior chamber;
a first and second foldable rigid hull wings hingedly attached to the first and second sides of the rigid hull;
an inflatable hull and weather hood assembly adhesively attached to the upper periphery of the rigid hull and the foldable rigid hull wings and forming an interior cabin space, the interior cabin space being defined by a generally vertical sidewall having a top, the generally vertical sidewall also having an interior hood surface and an exterior surface;
a power pack means attached to the interior hull surface in one interior chamber of the rigid hull;
a propulsion means coupled to the power pack means;
means for control including navigation and collision avoidance;
means for communication to and from the persons in peril;
means for electrical generation;
means for compressing air;
means for storing compressed air;
transom means;
(b) a personnel recovery means, proximately secured to the transom means of the autonomous marine vehicle apparatus, for recovery of the persons in peril;
(c) a targeting and sensor array means for detecting the persons in peril;
(d) a sensor array control means for controlling the targeting and sensor array means;
and
(e) a deployment means for launching the autonomous marine vehicle apparatus.

14 more elements

The marine personnel rescue system and apparatus as specified in claim one wherein the means for communication to and from the persons in peril comprise:

(a) a rigid antenna housing attached to the top of the inflatable hull and weather hood assembly, the rigid antenna housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being external to the autonomous marine vehicle apparatus and the bottom surface being internal to the autonomous marine vehicle apparatus;
(b) a photovoltaic cell array operably mounted to the external surface of the rigid antenna housing;
(c) antenna means for transmitting telemetry data operably mounted to the external surface of the rigid antenna housing;
(d) means for two-way audio communication operably mounted to the internal surface of the rigid antenna housing;
and
(e) means for two-way video communication operably mounted to the internal surface of the rigid antenna housing.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Marine personnel rescue system and apparatus

Life of this patent

Marine personnel rescue system and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23