A system for determining the location of the sinking of a vessel by providing a seaworthy box that is automatically ejected from the vessel at the time of sinking and that has a battery aboard the box for powering a radio transmitter that sends distress signals that enable a rescue vessel to locate the ejected box. The system employs a water-activated release mechanism and a stationary box with which the ejected box mates. When the release mechanism operates the box is ejected and at the same time the radio transmission commences. The release mechanism can also be used to release life savers and life boats. The ejected box has a printing system for registering any faults that may have occurred prior to sinking. The vessel may be provided with fire detectors, for example, and operation of a detector is registered along with the time of detector operation to thus provide a chronological log of all important events. An important part of the system is the automatic sea compass which continuously records longitude and latitude position. This information, particularly at the time of sinking, is recorded on the printing system in the ejected box so that when the box is located there is an immediate visual indication of longitude and latitude at the time of sinking.
In an emergency locator transmitter of a type wherein a standard distress signal is transmitted following a distress incident, the distress signal is encoded with data identifying the absolute time of the incident or the amount of time that has elapsed since the incident occurred. Distress waveform modulation of the carrier is periodically interrupted for insertion of the time signal. In a preferred embodiment, wherein the distress signal includes information burst signals that are periodically transmitted, e.g., every 50 seconds, timing pulses generated synchronously with the burst signals are supplied to a divider circuit for division by a predetermined integer to develop extended time base pulses, e.g., one hour pulse intervals. The extended pulses are accumulated in a binary counter and combined with the information burst signals.
A method and apparatus for use in combination with a communications system, such as, a two-way radio which will simulate human voice at the level of a common microphone has been devised wherein the host radio has a transmit and receive mode for the transmission and reception of voice messages. The system has a memory device with at least one pre-encoded message permanently stored therein and a voice generator operative to convert the pre-encoded message into electrical analog voice signals which simulate the human voice. The device is programmable to extract one message from the memory and repetitively transmit the message at spaced time intervals to the voice generator. A relay control interconnects the voice generator and host radio for broadcasting the voice signals from the voice generator and is also capable of automatically converting the host radio to the receive mode for the reception of messages from an external source during the spaced time intervals between the transmission of the voice signals.
A method and apparatus for determining the position of a vessel in distress and transmitting an auditory distress message containing the position of the vessel. The apparatus obtains the position of the vessel as determined by a LORAN-C type receiver from either a cassette or directly from the LORAN-C receiver and generates a "Mayday" message including the identification of a vessel, the position of the vessel and the nature of the emergency. The "Mayday" message is synthesized into an auditory human or Morse code message. The language of the auditory message is preferably chosen to correspond with the most likely language used by a possible receiver of the "Mayday" message. Also preferably, the apparatus determines whether the primary distress radio frequency is clear; should the primary distress frequency be in use, the apparatus automatically shifts to a secondary frequency and transmits the "Mayday" message. During transmission on the secondary frequency the apparatus continues to monitor primary frequency; when the primary frequency clears, the "Mayday" message is transmitted thereon.
An alarm system, particularly a radio transmitter alarm system in which an alarm condition causes the propulsion of an alerting radio transmitter to a high altitude, thereby significantly increasing the reliable working distance between a protected location and a staffed, alarm-receiving point.
A mobile printer having features particularly suited for use in a mobile conveyance such as an airplane. The printer stores a first data set in a memory that is accessed under control of a programmable controller. The printer then receives a second data set via a communications transceiver. Data from the first and second data sets are combined to form a composite bit mapped image which is printed by means of a thermal printhead controlled by the programmable controller.
