Technical Field

The present invention relates to an unmanned life-saving surface vehicle that can move autonomously and be remotely controlled by an operator in order to prevent people from losing their lives as a result of drowning in areas such as sea, river, lake, barrage.

State of the Art

Technically, drowning is an incidence of not getting enough oxygen to the tissues in the body and deterioration of tissues as a result of not being able to breathe. This phenomenon is also called anoxemia. Drowning with obstruction of the respiratory tract is also defined as asphyxia. In most cases of drowning, large amounts of water reaches into the lungs.

Approximately 360.000 people all over the world and approximately 800 people in Turkey die by drowning every year according to the data published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat) on deaths of accidental drowning.

Today, under the current conditions, there are lifeguards, lifebuoy rings, and medical attention equipment at public beaches with blue flag and pools owned by private enterprises. However, the lifeguard's time to reach a drowning incident takes minutes for an far incident. For this reason, in many cases, loss of life occurs before the lifeguard can reach the drowning person. In addition, it is a very difficult and time-consuming practice for the lifeguard to pull the person shore in order to respond to the drowning person.

Additionally, in current systems, disposable directional lifebuoy rings with RF connection are used.

Although there are some studies for collecting the water data with unmanned vehicles, these data are completely for academic purposes and are not shared with the public. In the state of the art, the patent application numbered US5597335 (A) relates to a laser, radar, thermal or GPS guided autonomous or semi autonomous, self-propelled autonomous marine vehicle (AMV) comprising solar panel, telemetry, camera and audio warning. Patent application numbered CN1 10239678 (A) relates to the rescue of drowned persons, approach and observation of dangerous areas, and submarine scanning. The utility model document application numbered 2014/14998 relates to lifesaver on which life vest, lifebuoy, inflatable boats and similar equipment can be positioned, which can help people in danger of drowning during rescue, positioned on the advertising object in the appearance of the products that people consume or use in daily life, and comprising material, movement mechanism that enables the person to go to help, the grab ring that allows the person to hold on, and the remote control that allows the lifeguard system to reach the person.

Said invention relates to an unmanned life-saving surface vehicle that can move autonomously and be remotely controlled by an operator in order to prevent people from losing their lives as a result of drowning in areas such as sea, river, lake, barrage, in which the disadvantages in the state of the art are eliminated.

Brief Description and Objects of the Invention

The present invention discloses an unmanned life-saving surface vehicle that can move autonomously and be remotely controlled by the operator.

One object of the present invention is to provide a holding platform for people who are in danger of drowning, with specially designed handles located on the outside of the vehicle. The person holds on to the pressure-sensitive handle structure and transmits a holding on signal to the computer system, and upon the incoming signal, the computer system is directed to the nearest shore point or a previously determined point with the autonomous driving feature.

Another object of the present invention is to rotate around its own axis as a result of the design of the outer structure thereof and the integration of the water propulsion engine based on the water jet system and the rotation system directly into the propulsion system.

Another object of the present invention is to be able to go to the desired coordinate by itself by means of the remote control mechanism and the GPS compass sensor, and advanced computer system on the vehicle, and to have the ability to monitor all of these movements with remote cameras and telemetry systems.

Another object of the present invention is to inform the people around with the visual and audible warning systems on the vehicle during any drowning or search and rescue operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to perform modeling by continuously scanning the water surface and the bottom by means of the ultrasonic and lidar sensor systems on the vehicle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to continuously monitor the water and air quality in the region with the sensors used in the field of pH, temperature, pressure and meteorology located on the vehicle.

By means of the present invention, the vehicle can maneuver or stop by controlling the current conditions with the artificial intelligence mechanism without hitting any living thing (swimming human or large fish species) in the water.

Description of the Figures Illustrating the Invention

Figure 1 : illustrates the schematic view of the life-saving surface vehicle.

Figure 2: illustrates the side view of the life-saving surface vehicle.

Figure 3: illustrates the rear view of the life-saving surface vehicle.

Figure 4: illustrates the schematic view of the controller.

Figure 5: illustrates the rear view of the controller.

Figure 6: illustrates the view of the bottom of the controller.

Description of Elements/Parts/Components of the Invention

The parts and components in the figures are enumerated for a better explanation of the unmanned life-saving surface vehicle developed with the present invention, and correspondence of every number is given below:

1. Main Computer Unit

2. Versatile Wide Angle Lidar Scanning Sensor

3. Spot Scanning Lidar Scanning Sensor 4. Close Range Optical and Sonar Scanning Sensor Group

5. Camera Group

6. Handle

7. Solar Cells

8. Battery Group

9. Audio System

10. LED Warning System

1 1 . Steering System

12. Communication System

13. Compass Sensors

14. Meteorological Sensor

15. Aerodynamic Blade System

16. Water Quality Sensor Group

17. Composite Outer Case

18. Remote

18.1. Communication Antenna Group

18.2. Touch screen

18.3. Direction Controller

18.4. Gas Controller

18.5. On Off Button

18.6. Battery

18.7. Ethernet Port

18.8. USB A Port

18.9. HDMI Output

18.10. Status Light

18.1 1 . Power Supply Input

Detailed Description of the Invention

Unmanned life-saving surface vehicle that can move autonomously and be remotely controlled by the operator comprises; main computer unit (1 ) that processes signals receiving from sensors, solar energy cells (7), each of which are located in the upper part of the vehicle and connected to the main computer unit (1 ), and provides energy for the power required for the operation of the vehicle to the battery group (8) that is in constant interaction with each other, and in which lithium-based energy is stored and energy management is carried out, close range optical and sonar scanning sensor group (4), versatile wide angle lidar scanning sensor (2) in order to implement autonomous movement, spot scanning lidar scanning sensor (3), steering system (1 1 ) that provides directing the vehicle for movement and has a BLDC (brushless DC) electric motor, a servo motor and a water jet propulsion system, water quality sensor group (17), which determines ph, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen amount for the measurement of water quality, communication system (12) that includes RF, GSM and GPS units and provides communication between the vehicle and the user, plurality of pressure-sensitive handles (6) to carry people and for them to hold on to, and camera group (5) with night vision and thermal vision that allows the user to see and evaluate the location and person to be rescued, a user remote (18) that enables using the vehicle.

The main movement mechanism of the system starts with the transmission and storage of the electrical energy receiving over from the solar energy cells (7) to the energy management system in the battery group (8) that is used for energy storage by means of being regulated with the MPPT (maximum power point tracking) system. The stored energy is waiting to be transferred to the steering system (1 1 ) again, in which the motor is located by means of the energy management system. As a result of the motion signal receiving from the user to the main computer unit (1 ), the electronic motor steering system (1 1 ) starts to consume energy from the battery group (8) in order to rotate the motor at the appropriate speed and start the motion in line with the data receiving from the user to create motion. Right and left turn and braking request from the user and right and left turn, braking operations of the system, which proceeds at the speed determined by the user in the direction of the incoming signal, is provided by the steering system (1 1 ) over the servo motor.

The control of the device, which can be directed in this manner to the person in danger of drowning, is provided by the images transmitted to the user remote (18) from the camera group (5) thereon. By transmitting the signal to the device from the user remote (18) to start the movement, the sound system (9) and the LED warning systems (10) are automatically activated, thereby stimulating and attracting the attention of the animates in the environment. Thus, it is aimed to reach the person who asks for help. A remote (18) that enables the user to view the data receiving from the main computer unit (1 ) and is used to steer the vehicle comprises;

- Communication antenna group (18.1 ) that provides communication with the surface vehicle on the communication system,

- Touch screen (18.2), on which images transmitted from the camera group (5) on the surface vehicle to the remote (18) are displayed,

- Direction controller (18.3) used for the surface vehicle to move in the desired direction,

- Gas controller (18.4), which provides the necessary gas output for the surface vehicle to move,

- On-off button (18.5), which is used to turn the remote (18) on and off,

- a battery (18.6), which is the power unit of the remote (18),

- Ethernet port (18.7), in which the Internet connection of the remote (18) is provided,

- USB A Port (18.8) for the images on the remote (18) can be taken with the USB connection,

- HDMI Output (18.9), which allows to transfer the image or sound in the control (18) as it is without compressing,

- Status light (18.10), which is active in case of emergency,

- Power supply input (18.1 1 ) used to charge the battery (18.6).

The versatile wide-angle lidar scanning sensor (2), point scanning lidar scanning sensor (3), close-range optical and sonar scanning sensor group (4) on the device perform continuous scanning in the environment in order to prevent possible accidents during movement. In case an object is detected below the determined threshold value, the computer unit (1 ) stops the driving or it is provided to travel around the object with the autonomous driving algorithm.

The water quality sensors (16) on the vehicle transmit the data regarding the oxygen amount and content of the water to the user remote (18) via RF communication, and to the server systems over the communication system (12) with 4.5G technology. Meteorological sensors (14) perform measurements such as rain and temperature and transmit the data to the user remote (18) again. These data stored on the servers can be interpreted again later. The vehicle directed by the user to the person in danger of drowning receives the signal from the user that the person in danger of drowning is approaching, and approaches the person at the safest possible speed with the spot scanning lidar scanning sensor (3) and the close range optical and sonar scanning sensor group (4), and provides the person to hold the handles (6).

10 seconds after the pressure sensors on the handles (6) realize that the person is holding, they interpret the data receiving from the compass sensors (13), lidar scanning sensors (2,3), sonar scanning sensor group (4) on the vehicle in the main computer unit (1 ), direct towards the nearest coastal point with safe speed limits and start the movement process. It is ensured that the vehicle can move in the desired coordinate by itself and that all these movements can be monitored remotely with the compass sensors (13) and the advanced computer system (1 ). At this point, the vehicle performs the continuous scanning process and safely reaches the nearest coastal point by constantly updating its route without contacting foreign objects and animates within its autonomous movement capabilities.

The main computer unit (1 ) transmits the location information of that the vehicle reaches to the person in danger of drowning, with the data coming from the GPS sensors in the communication system (12) to the data centers that provide server service in order to be kept and stored. This data accumulated on the servers is used to create the main points on the route to be created for autonomous patrol drivings based on the points where drowning events occur.

The aerodynamic blade system (15) ensures increasing the downforce rate of the lifesaving device in high waves and at high speeds, whose weight balance is well distributed on the water, thereby providing the propulsion system is in the water continuously. Thus, the driving force of the vehicle operates at full power without consuming any energy.

Data coming from GPS sensors in the communication system (12) and versatile wide- angle lidar scanning sensor (2), point scanning lidar scanning sensor (3) in order to keep the vehicle stable on the specified coordinates is transmitted to the main computer (1 ) for use of the water jet propulsion system, and the motion cycle of the BLDC motor, its direction and the servo motor angles of the steering mechanism are automatically adjusted by the algorithm in the steering system (11 ).

The vehicle is resistant to water and adverse weather conditions by means of its composite outer case (17).

By means of the present invention, the specially designed handles (6) located on the outside of the vehicle provide a holding platform for people who are in danger of drowning. It has become possible for people facing the danger of drowning to reach land quickly and reliably.