US5355140A — Emergency reporting for marine and airborne vesse…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 153 words

A method for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the method comprising the steps of: receiving signals transmitted by three or more satellites in a Global Positioning System by a position-determining module located on the vessel; determining, from these received signals, the present position of the vessel and the quality of the present position fix that estimates the inaccuracy of the vessel present position fix at each of an ordered sequence of times; when an emergency event occurs, determining the approximate time of occurrence of such event, the position of the vessel and the quality of the position fix at approximately the time such event occurred; and broadcasting the approximate time and position and present position fix quality of the vessel when the emergency event occurs on a selected frequency in at least one of the Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 153 words

A method for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the method comprising the steps of: receiving signals transmitted by three or more satellites in a Global Positioning System by a position-determining module located on the vessel; determining, from these received signals, the present position of the vessel and the quality of the present position fix that estimates the inaccuracy of the vessel present position fix at each of an ordered sequence of times; when an emergency event occurs, determining the approximate time of occurrence of such event, the position of the vessel and the quality of the position fix at approximately the time such event occurred; and broadcasting the approximate time and position and present position fix quality of the vessel when the emergency event occurs on a selected frequency in at least one of the Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: determining the components of velocity heading of said vessel when an emergency event occurs; and broadcasting the vessel velocity heading information on said selected frequency in said Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: determining the type of said emergency event that has occurred; and broadcasting information identifying this type of said emergency event on said selected frequency in said Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of determining that an emergency event has occurred whenever vessel disablement, radio disablement, vessel sinking, vessel capsizing; vessel crash; fire on board; explosion on board; navigational position loss; person overboard; heart attack; or serious injury occurs on or adjacent to said vessel.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of continuing to broadcast the approximate time said emergency event occurred and the present position of said vessel after an initial broadcast is made in response to occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of continuing to broadcast the approximate time said emergency event occurred and the present velocity heading of said vessel after an initial broadcast is made in response to occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of continuing to broadcast the approximate time said emergency event occurred and the present quality of position fix of said vessel after an initial broadcast is made in response to occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of broadcasting said approximate time and position of said vessel on two or more selected frequencies lying in said Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 161 words

Apparatus for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the apparatus comprising: position determination means, carried on board the vessel, for receiving signals at one or more selected frequencies from three or more satellites that are part of a Global Positioning System, for determining from these signals the present position of the vessel and the quality of the present position fix that estimates the inaccuracy of the vessel present position fix, and for issuing the present position and present position fix quality as output signals; and transmitter means, carried on board the vessel, for receiving the present position and position fix quality output signals from the position determination means and, when the vessel or one of its occupants experiences an emergency event, for broadcasting a signal including the position of the vessel, the position fix quality and the time of occurrence of this event when this event occurs.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 161 words

Apparatus for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the apparatus comprising: position determination means, carried on board the vessel, for receiving signals at one or more selected frequencies from three or more satellites that are part of a Global Positioning System, for determining from these signals the present position of the vessel and the quality of the present position fix that estimates the inaccuracy of the vessel present position fix, and for issuing the present position and present position fix quality as output signals; and transmitter means, carried on board the vessel, for receiving the present position and position fix quality output signals from the position determination means and, when the vessel or one of its occupants experiences an emergency event, for broadcasting a signal including the position of the vessel, the position fix quality and the time of occurrence of this event when this event occurs.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said position determination means also determines the present velocity heading of said vessel and issues the present vessel velocity heading as an output signal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 61 words

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: event determination means for determining the type of said emergency event that occurs and for making information on this type of said event available to said transmitter so that said transmitter can also broadcast the type of said event at the time said vessel position and said time of emergency event occurrence are broadcast.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an emergency event is determined to have occurred whenever vessel disablement, radio disablement, vessel sinking, vessel capsizing, vessel loss of altitude, fire on board, explosion on board, navigational position loss, person overboard, heart attack, or serious injury occurs on or adjacent to said vessel.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said transmitter broadcasts on one or more selected frequencies in the Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said transmitter broadcasts on two selected frequencies in the Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said transmitter continues to broadcast said time of emergency event occurrence and the present position of said vessel after an initial broadcast made in response to occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 203 words

Apparatus for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the apparatus comprising: position signal receiver means, positioned on the vessel, for receiving a position-indicating signal from three or more satellites that are part of a Global Positioning System, and for decoding this signal to produce and issue a vessel position signal and a position fix quality signal that indicate the approximate present position of the vessel and an estimate of the inaccuracy of the present position fix of the vessel; emergency event sensing means for determining whether an emergency event has occurred on or adjacent to the vessel and, when an emergency event occurs, for issuing an event occurrence signal indicating the occurrence and time of occurrence of that emergency event; and emergency event transmitter means, connected to the position signal receiver means and to the emergency event sensing means, for receiving a vessel position signal and, when an event occurrence signal is received, for intermittently transmitting an emergency event signal including the vessel position, the position fix quality and the time of occurrence of that emergency event on at least one selected frequency lying in an Emergency Radiowave Band.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 203 words

Apparatus for reporting of an emergency event experienced by a marine or airborne vessel, or one of the occupants of the vessel, the apparatus comprising: position signal receiver means, positioned on the vessel, for receiving a position-indicating signal from three or more satellites that are part of a Global Positioning System, and for decoding this signal to produce and issue a vessel position signal and a position fix quality signal that indicate the approximate present position of the vessel and an estimate of the inaccuracy of the present position fix of the vessel; emergency event sensing means for determining whether an emergency event has occurred on or adjacent to the vessel and, when an emergency event occurs, for issuing an event occurrence signal indicating the occurrence and time of occurrence of that emergency event; and emergency event transmitter means, connected to the position signal receiver means and to the emergency event sensing means, for receiving a vessel position signal and, when an event occurrence signal is received, for intermittently transmitting an emergency event signal including the vessel position, the position fix quality and the time of occurrence of that emergency event on at least one selected frequency lying in an Emergency Radiowave Band.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising vessel position display means, positioned on said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal and for displaying said present position of said vessel as longitude and latitude coordinates of said vessel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising vessel position display means, positioned on said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal and for displaying said present position of said vessel as longitude, latitude and height coordinates of said vessel.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 112 words

The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means and for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position graphic display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for graphically displaying a map on a display screen that visually indicates said present position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emergency event sensing means also determines the type of said emergency event that occurs and said emergency event transmitter means either continuously or intermittently transmits the type of said emergency event as part of said emergency event signal.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said emergency event sensing means includes data entry means for manually entering information on said type of said emergency event that occurs into said sensing means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said emergency event sensing means includes data entry means for automatically entering information on at least one of said type of said emergency event that occurs into said sensing means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 128 words

The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means, for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal, said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal and said type of said emergency event that has occurred, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position graphic display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for graphically displaying a map on a display screen that visually indicates said present position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal, said time of occurrence of said emergency event and said type of emergency event that has occurred.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 122 words

The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means, for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal, said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal and said type of said emergency event that has occurred, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position alphanumeric display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for displaying the longitude and latitude coordinates for said present position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal, said time of occurrence of said emergency event and said type of said emergency event.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 107 words

The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means, for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position alphanumeric display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for displaying the longitude and latitude coordinates for said present position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emergency event signal includes a velocity heading output signal that indicates the approximate velocity components of said vessel at the time said emergency event occurs.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emergency event signal includes a velocity heading output signal that indicates the quality of this velocity heading output signal at the time said emergency event occurs.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising vessel position display means, positioned on said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal, for displaying said present position of said vessel as longitude, latitude and height coordinates of said vessel and for displaying said velocity components of said vessel.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 115 words

The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means, for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position graphic display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for graphically displaying a map on a display screen that visually indicates said present position and said velocity components of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 107 words

The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising: emergency signal receiver means, spaced apart from said vessel, for receiving said emergency event signal transmitted by said emergency event transmitter means, for determining said vessel position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and said time of occurrence of said emergency event signal, and for issuing this information as a vessel distress signal; and vessel position alphanumeric display means for receiving the vessel distress signal and for displaying the longitude, latitude and height coordinates for said present position of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal and time of occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said vessel position alphanumeric display means further displays said velocity components of said vessel that has transmitted said emergency event signal.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said type of said emergency event is selected from a class of events consisting of vessel disablement, radio disablement, vessel sinking, vessel capsizing, vessel loss of altitude, fire on board, explosion on board, navigational position loss, person overboard, heart attack, or serious injury occurs on or adjacent to said vessel.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emergency event transmitter means continues to broadcast said approximate time said emergency event occurred and said present position of said vessel after an initial broadcast is made in response to occurrence of said emergency event.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said emergency event signal is intermittently broadcast on two or more selected frequencies lying in said Emergency Radiowave Bands.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the date of occurrence of said emergency event and broadcasting this date when said approximate time of said emergency event is broadcast.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-10-10	1998-04-11	1998-10-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-10-10	2002-04-11	2002-10-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-10-10	2006-04-11	2006-10-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Emergency reporting for marine and airborne vessels

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