U.S. patent application number 14/058979 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-23 for drowning detection and response system.
The applicant listed for this patent is James Ng. Invention is credited to James Ng.
Application Number | 20150107015 14/058979 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52824871 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150107015 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ng; James |
April 23, 2015 |
Drowning Detection and Response System
Abstract
A system for detecting and responding to potential drowning
situations in particularly adapted to shallow pools and bathing
tubs for infants and small children. One or more motion sensors
detect potential drowning patterns based on intervals of
above-water movements followed by cessation of such movements. Upon
detection of a potential drowning pattern, the system implements a
succession of responsive modes, including an alarm mode and
culminating in a rescue mode, in which the water is rapidly drained
from the pool/tub to prevent a submerged child from drowning.
Inventors: |
Ng; James; (Mendham,
NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ng; James |
Mendham |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52824871 |
Appl. No.: |
14/058979 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/504 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B 21/086 20130101;
E04H 4/1236 20130101; E04H 4/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/504 |
International
Class: |
E04H 4/06 20060101
E04H004/06; E04H 4/12 20060101 E04H004/12 |
Claims
1. A system for detecting and responding to a situation of
potential drowning, comprising: a volume of water contained within
an enclosure, which defines an interior and an exterior, wherein
the volume of water fills the interior of the enclosure up to a
waterline; one or more motion sensors positioned to detect movement
above the waterline and able to distinguish intervals of movement
above the waterline from intervals of movement cessation above the
waterline; one or more drain outlets, which fluidly communicate
between the interior and the exterior of the enclosure, wherein
each drain outlet has a releasable drain plug, and wherein each
drain plug has an unreleased closed position, in which the volume
of water is retained within the interior of the enclosure, and
wherein each drain plug has a released open position, in which the
volume of water freely flows from the interior of the enclosure
through a drain opening to the exterior of the enclosure; and
wherein the motion sensors electrically communicate with the drain
outlets, such that a detection by the motion sensors of a potential
drowning pattern, comprising one or more intervals of movement
above the waterline followed by one or more intervals of movement
cessation above the waterline, causes the motion sensors to send
one or more electrical signals to the drain outlets to effect a
release of the drain plugs to the open position, thereby preventing
the potential drowning by emptying the volume of water from the
interior of the enclosure.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more audible or
visual alarms, or one or more combinations of audible and visual
alarms, wherein the motion sensors electrically communicate with
the alarms, such that the detection of the potential drowning
pattern causes the motion sensors to send one more electrical
signals to the alarms to effect an activation of the alarms.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a system
microprocessor, which interfaces with the motion sensors and with
the drain outlets and with the alarms, and which triggers the
release of the drain plugs and the activation of the alarms.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the closed position and the open
position of the drain plugs is controlled by a solenoid-activated
mechanism.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor initiates one
or more system modes in response to the detection by the motion
sensors of the potential drowning pattern.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system modes include an alarm
mode, in which the alarms are activated, followed by a rescue mode,
in which the drain plugs are released.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the drain opening is sized so as
to achieve a design rescue discharge rate, at which rate the volume
of pool water will be completely evacuated from the interior of the
enclosure within a specified overall rescue interval, not to exceed
two minutes.
8. The system of claim 7, further comprising one or more video
cameras, wherein the video cameras, in conjunction with the motion
sensors, distinguish movements of multiple individuals within the
enclosure, and wherein the microprocessor initiates one or more of
the system modes in response to the detection by the motion sensors
and the video cameras of the potential drowning pattern with
respect to one or more individuals.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor includes a
wireless telephonic component, wherein the wireless telephonic
component is activated in the alarm mode to send a warning message,
by voice or text or a combination of voice and text, to
pre-selected contacts.
10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an application
software, wherein the application software enables a mobile
telephone to remotely monitor the system modes in real time and to
remotely view real-time streaming video from the video cameras.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the application software also
enables the mobile telephone to remotely initiate and terminate the
alarm mode or the rescue mode of the system.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of systems for
monitoring swimming and wading pools to detect and prevent
drowning. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
monitoring system for small pools and tubs, which not only provides
visual and audible warnings of potential drowning situations, but
also implements automatic responsive action to prevent a drowning
by quickly draining the water from the pool/tub.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of accidental
death in the U.S. Of these drowning victims, 20% are children under
the age of 14. Even nonfatal drowning incidents can result in
severe brain damage and long-term disabilities. While children are
usually supervised in larger swimming pools, children in small
"kiddie" pools and infant bathing tubs are sometimes left
unattended. Even a few inches of water may be enough to drown an
infant or small child who has fallen in face down.
[0003] While devices exist to monitor pools and set off visual
and/or audible alarms when a potential drowning is detected, these
systems all depend upon the proximity of an adult rescuer to
see/hear and respond to the alarms. But there is a very tight
rescue timeframe of about two minutes, after which time the chances
of saving the child and avoiding serious brain damage rapidly
diminish.
[0004] "Kiddie" pools and infant bathtubs are small enough that
it's feasible to fully drain and empty them within the two-minute
rescue window. This requires that the drain opening be enlarged
from the 3/4'' to 1'' drain plugs commonly provided in such
pools/tubs. It also requires a system that will automatically open
the drain once a potential drowning has been discovered. It's the
purpose of the present invention to provide such a system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention comprises an enclosure for a small
volume of water, such as a "kiddie" pool or infant bath tub, with
one or more drain outlets sized to completely empty the pool, by
gravity flow alone, within two minutes of the onset of a potential
drowning situation.
[0006] The pool/tub has one or more motion sensors, which are
interfaced with a microprocessor and are configured and aligned to
monitor activity above the water line. When motion indicative of a
child in the pool/tub has been detected for a specified "pre-alert"
period of time, for example 30 seconds, the microprocessor puts the
system into an "alert" mode, such that if motion ceases for more
than a pre-determined "pre-alarm" period, such as 30 seconds, the
microprocessor initiates an "alarm" mode, in which visual and
audible alarms are activated.
[0007] If detected above-water motion resumes within another
pre-defined incremental "pre-rescue" period, such as 30 seconds,
the alarms are de-activated and the system resets to "alert" mode.
But if above-water motion does not resume within the "pre-rescue"
period, the microprocessor initiates the system's "rescue" mode, in
which the visual/audible alarms continue and the drain outlet(s)
is/are opened, allows the water to freely discharge and flow out of
the pool/tub.
[0008] The discharge rate in "rescue" mode will determine the size
of the drain outlet(s). The design discharge rate is based on an
overall two-minute "rescue" interval, which includes the programmed
"pre-alarm" and "pre-rescue" periods. Therefore, for the example in
which both "pre-alarm" and "pre-rescue" periods are set at 30
seconds, the net discharge interval must be no more than one
minute. If the subject pool/tub contains 12 cubic feet of water, a
minimum discharge rate of 0.2 cubic feet per second (cfs) is
required. With a safety factor of two, a design discharge rate of
0.4 cfs is appropriate. Applying Bernoulli's equation, based on an
initial water depth of one foot, the area of the discharge outlet
needed to achieve the design discharge rate is about 20 square
inches, which could, for example, be a 5-inch diameter round outlet
or a 41/2-inch square outlet.
[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the opening and
closing of the drain outlet(s) is controlled by a
solenoid-activated latch mechanism. Optionally, the systems "alarm"
includes a telephonic and/or text warning message to pre-selected
contacts. Another optional feature is an application software for
"smart" mobile telephones, which allows a remote party to monitor
the system's status, activate one or more peripheral video cameras
to view streaming real-time video of the incident, initiate the
system's "rescue" mode, or reset the system to "alert" mode.
[0010] The foregoing summarizes the general design features of the
present invention. In the following sections, specific embodiments
of the present invention will be described in some detail. These
specific embodiments are intended to demonstrate the feasibility of
implementing the present invention in accordance with the general
design features discussed above. Therefore, the detailed
descriptions of these embodiments are offered for illustrative and
exemplary purposes only, and they are not intended to limit the
scope either of the foregoing summary description or of the claims
which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary child's wading
pool with a drowning detection and response system in the "alert"
mode, according to the preferred embodiments of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary child's wading
pool with a drowning detection and response system in the "rescue"
mode, according to the preferred embodiments of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of an exemplary
discharge outlet in the closed position with a exemplary
solenoid-actuated latch mechanism, according to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of an exemplary
discharge outlet in the open position, according to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a process flowchart of exemplary operative system
modes according to the preferred embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary "kiddie" pool is depicted
with an exemplary drowning detection and response system, according
to the preferred embodiments of the present invention 10. The pool
enclosure 11 contains a volume of water 12 filling it to a certain
waterline 13. Two motion sensors 14 are positioned to detect motion
above the waterline 13 on either side of the pool 11.
[0017] A drain outlet 15 in the side of the pool enclosure 11 has a
drain opening 16 into which tightly fits a drain plug 17. The drain
plug 17 is rotably attached to the outer wall of the pool enclosure
11 by a lower hinge 18, and it is secured in the closed position by
a latch mechanism 19. As best seen in FIG. 3, the latch mechanism
19 is actuated by a solenoid 20, such that the solenoid, when
energized, holds the latch 19 in place, thereby keeping the drain
plug 17 in a closed position. When de-energized, solenoid 20
releases the latch 19 to retract or rotate so as to allow the drain
plug 17 to freely rotate downward into an open position, as
depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The drain plug 17 has around its
periphery a flexible water-tight plug gasket 21 that seals tightly
with a conjugate drain gasket 22 around the periphery of the drain
opening 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the drain opening 16 is preferably
protected by a screen 29 to prevent objects inside the pool
enclosure 11, such as toys and floats, from entering the drain
opening 16 and blocking it. Enclosing panels 30 are preferably also
placed around the drain outlet 15, so as to prevent objects or
structures near the drain outlet 15 from interfering with the
opening of the drain plug 17.
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the system also comprises an
alarm light 23 and an alarm horn 24, as well as a manual reset
button 25, and an optional video camera 26, which is aimed at or
scans the interior of the pool 11. The motion sensors 11, the
solenoid 20, the alarm light 23 and horn 24, the reset button 25,
and the video camera 26 are all interfaced with and controlled by a
system microprocessor 27.
[0019] In programmed operation, as illustrated in the flowchart of
FIG. 4, the motion sensors 14 are initially in a default
"pre-alert" mode 101 until motion above the waterline 13 has been
detected for a specified "pre-alert" interval 102, as in the case
of the child depicted in FIG. 1. Upon such initial detection 102,
the microprocessor 27 puts the system into an "alert" mode 103, in
which a detected cessation of motion above the waterline 13 for a
specified "pre-alarm" interval 104 will cause the microprocessor 27
to initiate a system "alarm" mode 105.
[0020] In the "alarm" mode 105, the alarm light 23 is flashing and
the alarm horn 24 sounds. The motion sensors 14 continue to scan
for motion above the waterline 13, and if such motion resumes
within a specified "pre-rescue" interval 106, the alarms 23 24 are
de-activated and the microprocessor resets the system to "alert"
mode 105. If detected above-waterline motion does not resume within
the "pre-rescue" interval 106, the microprocessor initiates the
system's "rescue" mode 107, as depicted in FIG. 2. In the "rescue"
mode 107, the alarms 23 24 continue and the solenoid 20 is
de-energized so that it releases the latch 19, thereby causing the
drain plug 17 to rotate downward under the pressure of the pool
water 12 so as to open the drain outlet 15 and allow the water 12
to flow freely out of the drain opening 16.
[0021] As previously discussed, the drain outlet is sized so as to
achieve a design "rescue" discharge rate, at which rate the pool
water 12 will be completely evacuated within a specified overall
"rescue" interval, which includes the programmed "pre-alarm" 104
and "pre-rescue" 106 intervals. As discussed previously, the
overall "rescue" interval, during which a child is potentially
submerged, should not exceed a maximum of two minutes.
[0022] The manual reset button 15 serves to restore the system to
the "pre-alert" mode 101 once the child has left the pool 11, or to
terminate an initiated "alarm" or "rescue" mode 108 once an adult
responder has arrived on the scene.
[0023] In another embodiment, multiple motion sensors 14, in
conjunction with the video camera 26, monitor the individual
movements of multiple children using the same pool 11, so that
cessation of above-waterline motion for one or more of the children
will cause the microprocessor to initiate the "pre-alarm" mode 104
and subsequent responsive modes as described above, regardless of
continued movement of remaining children in the pool 11.
[0024] In yet another embodiment, the system microprocessor 27
includes a wireless telephonic component 28, which is activated in
the system's "alarm" mode 105 to send a warning message by voice
and/or text to pre-programmed contacts. Another optional system
feature is a remote monitoring application software for "smart"
mobile telephones, which enables a remote user to monitor the
system's status and view real-time streaming video from the
system's video camera 26. The remote monitoring application
software can also enable the remote user to initiate the system's
"alarm" and "rescue" modes 105 107, or remotely reset the system to
the "alert" or "pre-alert" modes 103 101.
[0025] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that many additions, modifications and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the present invention as defined by the accompanying
claims.
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