Systems and methods for electronic dive table planner

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure include an easy to use electronic no-decompression table for use in recreational dive planning in order to avoid decompression sickness. In one embodiment, the electronic no-decompression calculator is a portable handheld unit. The user is requested to enter at least one relevant piece of information about a dive and that information is used to automatically compute depth, bottom time, and surface interval time limits as well as pressure group categorizations. In one embodiment, an information tablet is provided with information relevant to planning a dive.

1 . An automated method of planning an underwater dive, the method comprising:
 entering a first pressure group;   entering a depth;   automatically determining a no decompression time limit using the first pressure group and the depth;   automatically displaying the no decompression time limit on a user readable display;   entering a first time period corresponding to an actual bottom time;   automatically determining a second pressure group using the first pressure group, the depth and the time;   automatically displaying the second pressure group on the user readable display;   entering a second time period corresponding to a surface interval;   automatically determining a third pressure group using the first pressure group, the first depth, the first time period and the second time period; and   automatically displaying the third pressure group on the user readable display.   
   
   
       2 . The automated method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically determining at least one warning message; and   automatically displaying the at least one warning message on the user readable display.   
   
   
       3 . The automated method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 entering a second depth;   automatically determining a second no decompression time limit using the third pressure group and the second depth; and   automatically displaying the second no decompression time limit on the user readable display.   
   
   
       4 . The automated method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 entering a third time period corresponding to an actual bottom time;   automatically determining a fourth pressure group using the third pressure group, the second depth and the third time period; and   automatically displaying the fourth pressure group on the user readable display.   
   
   
       5 . The automated method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 entering a fourth time period corresponding to a surface interval;   automatically determining a fifth pressure group using the third pressure group, the second depth, the third time period and the fourth time period.   automatically displaying the fifth pressure group on the user readable display.   
   
   
       6 . An automated method of planning an underwater dive, the automated method comprising:
 entering a depth;   entering a first time period;   automatically determining a no decompression time limit using the depth and the first time period;   automatically displaying the no decompression time limit on a user readable display.   
   
   
       7 . The automated method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 automatically determining and displaying a warning message; and   automatically displaying the warning message on the user readable display.   
   
   
       8 . The automated method of  claim 6 , further comprising using a handheld electronic device configured to automatically determine and display the no decompression time limit using the depth and the first time period. 
   
   
       9 . An automated method of determining a surface interval between underwater dives, the method comprising:
 entering a first depth;   entering a first time period corresponding to a bottom time associated with the first depth;   entering a second depth;   entering a second time period corresponding to a bottom time associated with the second depth;   automatically computing a third time period corresponding to a surface interval using the first and second depths and the first and second time periods; and   automatically displaying the third time period on a user readable display.   
   
   
       10 . The automated method of  claim 9 , further comprising automatically determining and displaying a first no decompression time limit using the first depth. 
   
   
       11 . The automated method of  claim 9 , further comprising automatically determining and displaying a second no decompression time limit using the first and second depths and the first time period. 
   
   
       12 . The automated method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining and displaying at least one warning message. 
   
   
       13 . An automated method of determining a maximum depth in preparation for an underwater dive, the method comprising:
 entering a first time period;   automatically determining and displaying a maximum depth using the first time period; and   automatically displaying the maximum depth on a user readable display.   
   
   
       14 . The automated method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 entering a first pressure group; and   wherein automatically determining a maximum depth further comprises using the first pressure group.   
   
   
       15 . The automated method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining and displaying at least one warning message. 
   
   
       16 . A handheld electronic no-decompression underwater dive planner comprising:
 a housing;   a display operably connected to the housing;   a user input control for entering one or more user inputs; and   a processor configured to output to the display information relevant in planning an underwater dive based on the user input control.   
   
   
       17 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein the user input control comprises alphanumeric buttons. 
   
   
       18 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display. 
   
   
       19 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein the housing is water resistant. 
   
   
       20 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein information comprises at least one of a no-decompression time limit, a pressure group, a surface interval, and a depth. 
   
   
       21 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein user inputs comprises at least one of a pressure group, a depth, an at depth time period, and a surface interval time period. 
   
   
       22 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , further comprising a tablet operably connected to the housing. 
   
   
       23 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 22 , wherein the tablet comprises written information relevant to planning an underwater dive. 
   
   
       24 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein the housing is less than about ½ inch thick. 
   
   
       25 . The handheld electronic no-decompression planner of  claim 16 , wherein the housing is less than about ⅜ inch thick. 
   
   
       26 . A kit comprising an electronic no-decompression planner and instructions for use. 
   
   
       27 . The kit of  claim 26 , further comprising a package which contains the electronic no-decompression planner and instructions for use. 
   
   
       28 . An automated system of determining a surface interval between underwater dives, the system comprising:
 means for entering a first depth;   means for entering a first time period corresponding to a bottom time associated with the first depth;   means for entering a second depth;   means for entering a second time period corresponding to a bottom time associated with the second depth;   means for automatically computing a third time period corresponding to a surface interval using the first and second depths and the first and second time periods; and   means for automatically displaying the third time period on a user readable display.   
   
   
       29 . An automated system of determining a maximum depth in preparation for an underwater dive, the system comprising:
 means for entering a first time period;   means for automatically determining and displaying a maximum depth using the first time period; and   means for automatically displaying the maximum depth on a user readable display.   
   
   
       30 . A method of automating an underwater dive table comprising:
 entering information relevant in planning an underwater dive;   automatically determining at least one factor useful in planning a dive; and   automatically displaying the at least one factor on a user readable display.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein information comprises at least one of a depth; a bottom time period; a surface interval time period; and a pressure group. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one factor comprises at least one of a depth; a bottom time period; a surface interval time period; a pressure group; and a warning message. 
   
   
       33 . A device for determining parameters useful in planning multiple underwater dives, the device comprising:
 a storage area configured to store information relevant in determining dive parameters;   a user input configured to receive a first plurality of parameters relevant in planning multiple dives;   a processor configured to determine a second plurality of dive parameters using the first plurality of dive parameters and at least a portion of the stored information; and   a user readable display configured to display at least one of the second plurality of dive parameters.   
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the first plurality of parameters comprises at least one of a pressure group, a depth, a surface interval time period, and an at depth time interval. 
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the second plurality of parameters comprises at least one of a pressure group, a depth, a surface interval time period, and an at depth time interval. 
   
   
       36 . A method for planning an underwater dive using a computing device, the method comprising:
 electronically storing information relevant in planning an underwater dive;   entering a first plurality of parameters useful in planning multiple underwater dives onto an computing device;   determining a second plurality of parameters useful in planning an underwater dive using the first plurality of parameters and at least a portion of the stored information;   wherein the step of determining the second plurality of parameters is done by a processor; and   displaying the second plurality of parameters on a user readable display.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising electronically storing at least a portion of the first plurality of parameters. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising electronically storing at least a portion of the second plurality of parameters.