Paddle-integrated communication device

Abstract

A paddle apparatus for use by a user, of a vessel, to propel the vessel through water may include a shaft having a first end and a second end that is opposite of the first end; a first blade that is attached to the first end; a handle or a second blade that is attached to the second end; and an electronic communication device that is integrated within or attached to the handle, the shaft, or the second blade. The electronic communication device may enable the user to communicate with another user or authorities via a network or over the air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paddle apparatus for use by a user, of a vessel, to propel the vessel through water, the paddle apparatus comprising:
 a shaft having a first end and a second end that is opposite of the first end,   a blade that is attached to the first end,   a handle that is attached to the second end, and   a communication device, the communication device being included within the handle or the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the communication device includes at least one of:
 a whistle;   a horn;   an air horn;   a speaker; or   an electric horn.   
     
     
         3 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a power supply that is connected to the communication device when the communication device includes the speaker or the electric horn.   
     
     
         4 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the communication device includes a whistle that is formed by, or integrated into, material on which the handle is based. 
     
     
         5 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where a first shape, of the handle that includes the communication device, is approximately the same as a second shape, of the handle, if the handle did not include the communication device. 
     
     
         6 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the communication device is an electronic communication device that corresponds to at least one of:
 a radio device,   a Global Positioning System (GPS) device,   a smartphone,   an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB),   a light source,   an electric horn, or   a loud speaker.   
     
     
         7 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the communication device corresponds to a whistle and where the handle further comprises at least one of:
 an input aperture into which the user can blow air to cause the whistle to make a sound,   a hollow channel of a dimension or shape through which the blown air can flow from the input aperture to cause a vibration, acoustic wave, or the sound to occur, or   an output aperture from which the blown air, the vibration, the acoustic wave, or sound exits the handle.   
     
     
         8 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the communication device corresponds to an air horn, the air horn including a canister to store compressed gas, a trigger, and a horn through which compressed air flows to make a sound when the trigger is pulled, and
 where the handle or the shaft further comprises at least one of:
 a cavity in which the air horn can be inserted when the handle is removed from the second end of the shaft, 
 a button that, when pressed by the user, enables the trigger to be pulled, or 
 an output aperture from which the compressed air or sound exits the handle. 
   
     
     
         9 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the shaft includes a different communication device, the different communication device including at least one of:
 a whistle;   a horn;   an air horn;   a speaker; or   an electric horn.   
     
     
         10 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a power supply that is connected to the communication device when the communication device includes the speaker or the electric horn.   
     
     
         11 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , where the shaft further comprises:
 a segment that corresponds to a portion of a length of the shaft, the segment including at least one of:   a water-tight storage compartment,   a communication device to enable the user to communicate wirelessly with another communication device,   a floatation system that provides sufficient buoyancy in water to enable the user to remain afloat when in distress,   one or more first flares that can be launched by the user, or   one or more second flares that can be launched via one or more apertures within segment.   
     
     
         12 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 11 , where the segment includes a first diameter, associated with the portion of the shaft, that is greater than a second diameter of a remaining portion of the length of the shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 11 , where the floatation system includes at least one of:
 a bladder that can be inflated with gas or foam when removed or deployed from the segment,   a canister to store gas or foam under pressure, or   a lanyard, that when pulled by the user, causes the gas or the foam to flow to the bladder to enable the bladder to be removed or deployed from the segment to inflate.   
     
     
         14 . A paddle apparatus for use by a user, of a vessel, to propel the vessel through water, the paddle comprising:
 a shaft having a first end and a second end that is opposite of the first end,   a first blade that is attached to the first end,   a handle or a second blade that is attached to the second end, and   an electronic communication device that is integrated within or attached to the handle, the shaft, or the second blade,
 the electronic communication device enabling the user to communicate with another user or authorities via a network or over the air. 
   
     
     
         15 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 14 , where the electronic communication device corresponds to at least one of:
 a radio device,   a Global Positioning System (GPS) device,   a smartphone,   an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB),   a light source,   an electric horn, or   a loud speaker.   
     
     
         16 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 14 , where the electronic communication device further comprises:
 a power supply to provide electrical power to the processor,   a processor that is programmed to execute one or more instructions or logic to:
 receive an instruction to communicate, 
 generate a first signal based on the instruction, and 
 output the first signal; and 
   an output component to:
 receive the first signal from the processor, and 
 output a second signal based on the first signal. 
   
     
     
         17 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 15 , where the output component includes at least one of:
 a speaker to output a sound, the sound corresponding to the second signal,   an antenna to output a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency signal corresponding to the second signal, or   a light source to output light, the light corresponding to the second signal based on the received signal.   
     
     
         18 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a control panel to enable the user to communicate with the processor to:
 power up or power down the electronic communication device, 
 to turn a light source on or off, 
 to select a communication mode, the communication mode corresponding to at least one of a light mode, a sound mode, a radio mode, or a cellular communication mode, or 
 transmit a distress signal. 
   
     
     
         19 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 14 , where the shaft further comprises:
 a floatation device that can be deployed by the user in case of distress, the deployment of the floatation device causing the electronic communication device to transmit a distress signal.   
     
     
         20 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a communication device that corresponds to at least one of:
 a whistle;   a horn;   an air horn; or   an electric horn.   
     
     
         21 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 20 , where the communication device is integrated in the handle, the shaft or the blade. 
     
     
         22 . The paddle apparatus of  claim 14 , where the electronic communication device includes a beacon that can alert authorities in the event of distress. 
     
     
         23 . A manual marine propulsion apparatus, comprising:
 a shaft,   a handle that is attached to one end of the shaft, and   one or more communication devices that are included within, or are attached to, the shaft, the handle, or a combination of the shaft and the handle.   
     
     
         24 . The manual marine propulsion apparatus of  claim 23 , where the one or more communication devices include at least one of:
 a whistle,   a horn,   an air horn,   a speaker,   an electric horn,   a radio device,   a Global Positioning System (GPS) device,   a smartphone,   an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB),   a light source, or   a loud speaker.   
     
     
         25 . The manual marine propulsion apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising a segment of the shaft that includes one of:
 a floatation device, or   one or more flares that can be launched from the segment.