Overboard Tracking Patch Passive RFID Antenna Marine Radar Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) face challenges in locating individuals overboard in large bodies of water due to limited visibility and high costs associated with implementing advanced tracking technologies, such as GPS, which are impractical for widespread use on marine vessels.
Innovation Solution
A passive RFID antenna integrated into PFDs, which operates at various radio frequencies and includes a fluorescent outer layer for enhanced visibility, allowing detection by standard marine radars and electro-optical systems, along with a hybrid passive-active configuration for extended functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS and advanced tracking technologies are implemented on PFDs, then tracking precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking function from complex GPS systems and implements it using a simple passive RFID antenna that can be integrated into PFDs. This allows marine vessels to track PFDs using existing radar systems, achieving tracking capability without the complexity and cost of GPS receivers in each PFD.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a passive RFID antenna as an intermediary element that enables tracking without requiring active electronics in the PFD. The antenna reflects radar signals from vessel-mounted radars, allowing tracking through an intermediary passive tag rather than requiring complex active tracking devices in each PFD.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If visibility features are added to PFDs, then detectability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies fluorescent material to the outer layer of the PFD that emits visible light under radar illumination. This causes the PFD to appear to change color or glow when scanned by radar, significantly improving detectability without requiring active electronics, power sources, or complex visibility enhancement systems.
3Reliability
If more PFDs are provided on marine vessels, then safety is improved, but cost and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The passive RFID antenna requires no power source, battery replacement, or electronic maintenance. It automatically responds to radar signals and continues to function indefinitely without human intervention, eliminating ongoing maintenance costs while maintaining safety functionality across large numbers of PFDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive RFID antenna is an extremely low-cost component that can be easily manufactured and integrated into PFDs. Its simplicity allows for mass production at minimal cost, making it economically feasible to equip every PFD on a vessel with tracking capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly improves the visibility and tracking of individuals overboard, enhancing survivability and simplifying maintenance and inspection processes, while being cost-effective and practical for widespread implementation on marine vessels.
Implementation Method 1
a passive, long-range Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antenna designed to transmit at various radio frequencies, either two to four Megahertz (MHz) (S-band) or eight to twelve MHz (X-band) when interrogated by a marine surface search radar
Implementation Method 2
an outer layer coated in a material which fluoresces extremely brightly in Infrared (IR) light, such as Trivalent Chromium ions encased in Zinc Gallogermanate
Data Source
AI summary
An overboard tracking patch is an apparatus which increases the visibility and tracking capabilities of Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) for more efficient tracking of overboard individuals. In a passive embodiment, the apparatus includes an outer layer, an intermediate layer, an attachment layer, and a processor. The outer layer increases the visibility of PFDs during both daytime and nighttime conditions. The intermediate layer provides radio identification capabilities for the remote tracking of PFDs using search radars. The attachment layer enables users to attach the present invention to a PFD. The processor stores PFD information and other identification data. In a hybrid active-passive embodiment, the apparatus also comprises a thermionic layer and a power-storage layer. The thermionic layer generates power due to the heat exchange between the body of the user and the thermionic layer. The power-storage layer serves to store power generated by the thermionic layer to power up the processor.