Remote marine craft system and methods of using same

Abstract

A remote user-operated, user-transporting marine craft system is disclosed that includes a marine craft having a hull and a propulsion device and including a wireless receiving device adapted and configured to receive a signal component that operates and controls the propulsion device, and a remote control device that is operatively and wirelessly associated with the wireless receiving device for transmitting a signal component, wherein the user controls movement of and is transported by the marine craft using the remote control device to generate and transmit the signal component to the receiving device to operate and control the propulsion device. Also disclosed are methods of water-skiing solo; water-skiing kits; a remote, user-operated marine craft drone system that carries a goal-specific device intended to carry out a task; remote control automatic retrieval device; remote control retrieval system and methods; remote-control, user-transporting combination; and the like.

1 . A remote user-operated, user-transporting marine craft system comprising: 
 a marine craft having a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device and including a wireless receiving device adapted and configured to receive a signal component that operates and controls the propulsion device; and    a remote control device that is operatively and wirelessly associated with the wireless receiving device for transmitting a signal component selected from the group consisting of the very low frequency band, low frequency band, medium frequency band, high frequency band, very high frequency band, super high frequency band, extremely high frequency band, the infrared radiation band, and a combination thereof,    wherein the user remotely controls movement of and is remotely transported by the marine craft using the remote control device to generate and transmit the signal component to the receiving device to operate and control the propulsion device.    
   
   
       2 . The marine craft system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote user is a water-skier and the propulsion device comprises a jet-pump engine combination.  
   
   
       3 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the remote control device and marine craft are positioned at least about 10 feet apart during operation of the jet-pump engine combination.  
   
   
       4 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the user is connected to the marine craft by a flexible connector device attached at a first end to the marine craft and adjacent the user at a second end.  
   
   
       5 . The marine craft system of  claim 4 , wherein the connector device further comprises a handle at the second end which the user can hold, a harness disposed about a portion of the user that is releasably connected to the second end, a ski chair at the second end in which the user can sit, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The marine craft system of  claim 5 , wherein the remote control device is disposed adjacent the handle, disposed adjacent the harness, disposed adjacent the ski chair, worn by the user, or any combination thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the very low frequency band is from about 3 kHz to 30 kHz, the low frequency band is from about 30 kHz to 300 kHz, the medium frequency band is from about 300 kHz to 3 MHz, and the high frequency band is from about 3 MHz to 30 MHz, the very high frequency band is from about 30 MHz to less than 300 MHz, the super high frequency band is from greater than 3 GHz to about 30 GHz, the extremely high frequency band is from about 30 GHz to 300 GHz, and the infrared radiation band is from about 300 GHz to 430 THz.  
   
   
       8 . The marine craft system of  claim 7 , wherein the very high frequency band is selected for transmitting signals to the marine craft and has a frequency range of about 30 MHz to 290 MHz.  
   
   
       9 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the remote control device is grasped by at least one hand and comprises a kill switch, left and right turn controls, and a throttle to control the speed.  
   
   
       10 . The marine craft system of  claim 9 , wherein the kill switch is configured to be automatically activated when the at least one hand releases the remote control device, the kill switch is triggered as desired, or both.  
   
   
       11 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the hull has a bottom portion comprising starboard and port sponson portions, a central tunnel portion, a propulsion water discharge portion having a water discharge opening portion that on average is substantially centered across a width of the hull transverse to the direction of forward marine craft movement.  
   
   
       12 . The marine craft system of  claim 11 , wherein the water discharge opening comprises at least one multiple directional nozzle positioned about the centered propulsion water discharge portion.  
   
   
       13 . The marine craft system of  claim 2 , wherein the remote control device is operatively associated with flotation materials and external waterproofing materials sufficient to maintain the remote control device at least essentially free of water and floatable.  
   
   
       14 . A remote user-operated, user-transporting marine craft system comprising: 
 a marine craft having a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device and including a receiving device adapted and configured to receive a signal component that operates and controls the propulsion device;    a control device that is operatively and wirelessly associated with the receiving device for transmitting a signal component, and a combination thereof;    a collision avoidance device that assists the marine craft to avoid one or more other objects and that comprises: 
 radar adapted and configured to detect the location and speed of each object in a traveling path of the marine craft; and  
 an automatic propulsion control-device that receives the location and speed information from the radar and is configured and adapted to automatically control the speed or direction, or both, of the hull to avoid each object in the traveling path of the marine craft,  
   wherein the user remotely controls movement of and is remotely transported by the marine craft using the control device to generate and transmit the signal component to the receiving device to operate and control the propulsion device.    
   
   
       15 . The marine craft system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless receiving device is associated with a removable component that releasably and electrically connects into a pre-wired electrical control system associated with the propulsion system, and wherein the removable component further comprises one or more indicators that can be adapted and configured to provide a diagnostic capability to the marine craft.  
   
   
       16 . A method of water skiing solo which comprises remotely controlling movement of a marine craft that is transporting a water skier by wirelessly transmitting from a skier-operated remote control device one or more control signals in the very low frequency band, low frequency band, medium frequency band, high frequency band, very high frequency band, super high frequency band, extremely high frequency band, the infrared radiation band, or a combination thereof, to control a propulsion device that provides movement to the marine craft so that the user exclusively controls movement of and is transported by the marine craft.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the very low frequency band is from about 3 kHz to 30 kHz, the low frequency band is from about 30 kHz to 300 kHz, the medium frequency band is from about 300 kHz to 3 MHz, and the high frequency band is from about 3 MHz to 30 MHz, the very high frequency band is from about 30 MHz to less than 300 MHz, the super high frequency band is from greater than 3 GHz to about 30 GHz, the extremely high frequency band is from about 30 GHz to 300 GHz, and the infrared radiation band is from about 300 GHz to 430 THz.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the very high frequency band is selected for transmitting signals to the marine craft and has a frequency range of about 30 MHz to 290 MHz.  
   
   
       19 . A solo water-skiing kit comprising: 
 a marine craft having a hull and comprising a propulsion device and a wireless receiving device adapted and configured to receive a signal component that controls the propulsion device;    a remote control device for wirelessly and remotely transmitting the signal component which is selected from the group consisting of one or more signals in the very low frequency band, low frequency band, medium frequency band, high frequency band, very high frequency band, super high frequency band, extremely high frequency band, the infrared radiation band, and a combination thereof;    a flexible tether of sufficient length to permit the skier to connect to the marine craft and of sufficient strength to permit water-skiing by the skier; and    a handle connected to the flexible tether which the skier grasps, wherein the remote control device is associated with the handle for remote operation by the skier.    
   
   
       20 . The kit of  claim 19 , which further comprises one or more water skis, a ski chair, a ski board, a trailer adapted and configured for transporting the marine craft on land, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       21 . A remote, user-operated marine craft drone system comprising: 
 a goal-specific device intended to carry out a task;    a marine craft drone comprising: 
 a propulsion device for providing movement to the marine craft drone;  
 a wireless receiving device adapted and configured to receive a radio-frequency-based signal component that remotely controls the propulsion device and the goal-specific device;  
 a hull sized sufficiently to contain the propulsion device and the goal-specific device wherein the hull is not adapted to carry a seated passenger; and  
   a remote control device that is operatively and wirelessly associated with the receiving device to transmit the signal component to remotely operate and control the propulsion device to impart movement to the marine craft drone and to operate the goal-specific device.    
   
   
       22 . The drone system of  claim 21 , wherein the goal-specific device comprises a plurality of containers adapted and configured to collect and retain a plurality of water samples from adjacent the marine craft, or an attitudinally-inclinable nozzle operatively associated with a pump capable of collecting water from adjacent the marine craft and directing it through the nozzle in an upwardly inclined fashion at an adjacent work surface.  
   
   
       23 . The drone system of  claim 22 , wherein the pump and nozzle are of sufficient power and diameter to facilitate fire suppression when the adjacent work surface comprises a burning object.  
   
   
       24 . The drone system of  claim 22 , wherein the goal-specific device further comprises a collision avoidance device that assists the marine craft to avoid one or more other objects and that comprises: 
 radar adapted and configured to detect the location and speed of each of the one or more objects in a traveling path of the marine craft; and    an automatic propulsion control-device that receives the location and speed information from the radar and is configured and adapted to automatically control the speed and direction of the propulsion device to avoid each object in the traveling path of the marine craft.    
   
   
       25 . A remote control automatic retrieval device comprising: 
 a wireless radio frequency emitter that transmits a homing signal associated with automatic retrieval of a marine craft having a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device; and    an initiation trigger that initiates the homing signal upon the occurrence of at least one pre-selected condition.    
   
   
       26 . The retrieval device of  claim 25 , wherein the homing signal is selected from the group consisting of the very low frequency band, low frequency band, medium frequency band, high frequency band, very high frequency band, super high frequency band, extremely high frequency band, the infrared radiation band, and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       27 . The retrieval device of  claim 25 , which further comprises an attachment device associated therewith that permits a user to wear the device.  
   
   
       28 . The retrieval device of  claim 25 , wherein the pre-selected condition comprises a manual trigger, a release device, termination of an associated control signal, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       29 . A remote control retrieval system which comprises: 
 the remote control retrieval device of  claim 25;  and    a marine craft that is adapted and configured to receive the homing signal and comprises a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device.    
   
   
       30 . The retrieval system of  claim 29 , wherein the marine craft is adapted and configured to, upon a second pre-selected condition, activate or maintain an active propulsion system with sufficient power to return the marine craft to within a pre-selected distance from the homing signal.  
   
   
       31 . The retrieval system of  claim 30 , wherein the homing signal operates at a first radio frequency and an associated remote control device having a control signal, which a user operates to control the marine craft, operates at a second radio frequency that is sufficiently different to minimize or avoid interference between the signals.  
   
   
       32 . A method of remotely retrieving a marine craft automatically to within a pre-set distance, which comprises: 
 transmitting a radio frequency-based homing signal upon the occurrence of at least one pre-selected condition, wherein the homing signal is associated with the marine craft having a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device; and    automatically activating, or maintaining the operating, propulsion device to move the marine craft toward the homing signal.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the propulsion system is deactivated when the marine craft reaches the pre-set distance from the homing signal.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the propulsion system operates at an idle state during retrieval to propel the marine craft at a sufficiently slow speed to ensure a user adjacent the homing signal remains safe.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the propulsion system comprises an inboard jet-pump engine combination.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the pre-selected condition comprises a water-skier-down event or a skier-initiated event to return the marine craft to a pre-set distance from the homing signal.  
   
   
       37 . A remote-control, user-transporting combination comprising: 
 a marine craft that remotely transports a user and comprises a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device; and    a wireless, remote control article comprising a remote control device having a plurality of controls that is adapted and configured to be disposed adjacent to the user's hand and that is operatively and wirelessly associated with the marine craft, wherein the remote control device is capable of transmitting one or more signal components using one or more radio frequencies when each of the controls is operated by the user to remotely operate and control the propulsion system on the marine craft so as to move the marine craft as desired.    
   
   
       38 . The remote control article of  claim 37 , wherein the controls comprise speed, direction, and failsafe controls to operate the marine craft.  
   
   
       39 . The remote control article of  claim 37 , wherein the controls comprise a user-initiated warning component associated with at least an aural or visual signal adjacent the marine craft, a user-initiated fire suppression component associated with a fire suppression system aboard the marine craft, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       40 . The remote control article of  claim 37 , wherein the remote control article further comprises a flotation material and external waterproofing material sufficient to maintain the remote control device at least essentially free of fluids and floatable on adjacent fluids.  
   
   
       41 . A user-transporting, remote operation system which comprises: 
 a wireless, remote control article that includes a remote control device that is adapted and configured to be disposed adjacent to a user's hand and that is operatively and wirelessly associated with a marine craft that transports the user and comprises a hull that is moved through water using a propulsion device, wherein the remote control device transmits a signal component using one or more first radio frequencies; and    a remote control retrieval device comprising: 
 a wireless radio frequency emitter that transmits a homing signal associated with automatic retrieval of the marine craft; and  
 an initiation trigger that initiates the homing signal upon the occurrence of at least one pre-selected condition,  
   wherein the remote control retrieval device is configured and adapted so that the propulsion device will direct the marine craft to a pre-determined distance from the homing signal and automatically cease operation when reaching that distance.