Remotely actuated marker buoy

Abstract

The remotely actuated marker buoy is releasably tethered to, or immediately adjacent to, a maritime animal trap (e.g., crab trap, lobster pot, etc.) or other submerged object requiring recovery. The operator (fisherman, etc.) uses a transmitter to send a signal to a receiver at the trap to release the buoy when trap recovery is desired. The buoy is tethered to the trap, enabling the fisherman to sight the buoy when it rises to the surface and thus recover the trap by drawing up the tether. The transmitter may include an authentication code requirement to prevent another party from recovering the trap if the transmitter is stolen. The system may include a reply transmitter at the trap to provide a signal if the trap is empty and cancel the release of the buoy. The operator may override this recovery cancellation, if desired.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A remotely actuated marker buoy, comprising:
 a submersible object;   a tether line selectively extendible from the submersible object, the tether line having a distal end;   a marker buoy attached to the distal end of the tether line, the marker buoy being selectively secured adjacent to the submersible object;   a receiver and actuator attached to the submersible object, the receiver and actuator being adapted to release the marker buoy from the submersible object upon receiving an appropriate signal; and   a transmitter remotely disposed from the receiver and actuator, the transmitter being configured to selectively send a signal to the receiver and actuator, the transmitter including an authentication code therewith, the authentication code precluding signal transmission from the transmitter when an incorrect authentication code is entered into the transmitter.   
     
     
         2 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 1 , wherein the submersible object comprises a fish trap, the fish trap having an entryway, the buoy further comprising a catch entry counter disposed at the entryway of the fish trap, the catch entry counter being configured to count the number of marine animals entering the fish trap. 
     
     
         3 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 2 , wherein said receiver and actuator further includes means for canceling a signal received from the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         4 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 3 , further comprising means for sending notification from the receiver and actuator to the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         5 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitter further includes means for overriding the means for canceling the signal received from the transmitter. 
     
     
         6 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 1  wherein the transmitter further includes a GPS receiver therewith, the GPS receiver being adapted to determine the geographic position of the transmitter. 
     
     
         7 . A remotely actuated marker buoy, comprising:
 a fish trap having an entryway;   a tether line selectively extendible from the fish trap, the tether line having a distal end;   a marker buoy attached to the distal end of the tether line, the marker buoy being selectively secured to the fish trap;   a receiver and actuator attached to the fish trap, the receiver and actuator having means for releasing the marker buoy from the fish trap upon receiving an appropriate signal;   a transmitter remotely disposed from the receiver and actuator, the transmitter being configured to selectively send a signal to the receiver and actuator;   a catch entry counter disposed at the entryway of the fish trap, the catch entry counter counting the number of marine animals entering the fish trap; and   means for canceling the signal received from the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number.   
     
     
         8 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 7 , further comprising means for sending notification from the receiver and actuator to the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         9 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmitter further includes means for overriding the means for canceling the signal received from the transmitter. 
     
     
         10 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmitter further includes an authentication code therewith, the authentication code precluding signal transmission from the transmitter when an incorrect authentication code is entered into the transmitter. 
     
     
         11 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmitter further includes a GPS receiver incorporated therein, the GPS receiver being adapted to determine the geographic position of the transmitter. 
     
     
         12 . A remotely actuated marker buoy, comprising:
 a submersible object;   a tether line selectively extendible from the submersible object, the tether line having a distal end;   a marker buoy attached to the distal end of the tether line, the marker buoy being selectively secured adjacent to the submersible object;   a receiver and actuator attached to the submersible object, the receiver and actuator having means for releasing the marker buoy from the submersible object upon receiving an appropriate signal; and   a transmitter remotely disposed from the receiver and actuator, the transmitter including a GPS receiver incorporated therein for determining the geographic position of the transmitter.   
     
     
         13 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 12 , wherein the transmitter further includes means for requiring entry of an authentication code, the transmitter precluding signal transmission when an incorrect authentication code is entered into the transmitter. 
     
     
         14 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 13 , further comprising means for precluding actuation of the receiver and actuator and release of the marker buoy from the submersible object when a predetermined number of authentication code signals are received by the receiver and actuator from the transmitter. 
     
     
         15 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 12 , wherein the submersible object comprises a fish trap, the fish trap having an entryway, the buoy further comprising a catch entry counter disposed at the entryway of the fish trap, the catch entry counter being configured to count the number of marine animals entering the fish trap. 
     
     
         16 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 15 , wherein said receiver and actuator further includes means for canceling a signal received from the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         17 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 16 , further comprising means for sending notification from the receiver and actuator to the transmitter when the catch entry counter has recorded a number of marine animals fewer than a predetermined number. 
     
     
         18 . The remotely actuated marker buoy according to  claim 16 , wherein the transmitter further includes means for overriding the means for canceling the signal from the transmitter.