Articulating device for mounting transducers
View Patent ↗A transducer mounting device for positioning and orienting a transducer is disclosed that can pivot the transducer about multiple axes and readily provide information regarding a direction which the transducer is pointing when the transducer detects a submerged mass. The disclosed device includes a rotatable pole to which a microcontroller, transmission module, and articulating sensor module are attached. Each of the transmission module and articulating sensor module include motors for positioning and orienting the transducer.
1. An apparatus for under water sensor positioning comprising:
a pole comprising a first end and a second end;
a transmission module comprising a transmission module motor, the transmission module structurally attached to the pole between the first end and the second end;
an articulating sensor module comprising an adapter motor, an arm motor, and a sensor connector, the articulating sensor module structurally attached to the pole proximate the second end; and
a microcontroller configured to control positioning of the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor;
wherein:
the microcontroller is in communication with the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor;
the communication is based on input to the microcontroller from a user-operated controller;
the sensor connector is mounted to an outside of the articulating sensor module and configured to facilitate attachment of a sensor;
the transmission module motor is operably connected to the pole facilitating rotation of the pole substantially 360° around a longitudinal axis of the pole based on the communication;
the adapter motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a first axis perpendicular to a perimeter of the sensor connector based on the communication; and
the arm motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole based on the communication such that the first axis ranges from substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole to substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the pole.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronics module structurally connected to the pole proximate the first end and comprising the microcontroller.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting arm, the mounting arm at least in part facilitating the rotation of the sensor connector around the second axis.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input to the microcontroller is obtained via a wireless communication.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to, responsive to the input from the user-operated controller, selectively place the first sensor module adapter motor and the second sensor module arm motor in one of each of a down view position, a forward view position, and a perspective view position via the communication.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS module communicating with the microcontroller.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, based on GPS module input to the microcontroller, the microcontroller controls positioning the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor to obtain a GPS lock on a specific location.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS module communicating with the microcontroller and a compass module communicating with the microcontroller.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein, based on GPS module input to the microcontroller and compass module input to the microcontroller, the microcontroller controls positioning the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor to obtain a GPS lock on a specific location.
10. An apparatus for under water sensing position indication comprising:
a pole comprising a first end and a second end;
a transmission module comprising a transmission module motor, the transmission module structurally attached to the pole between the first end and the second end;
an articulating sensor module comprising an adapter motor, an arm motor, and a sensor connector, the articulating sensor module structurally attached to the pole proximate the second end;
a microcontroller configured to control positioning of the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor; and
an electronics module comprising a light array;
wherein:
the microcontroller is in communication with the light array, the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor;
the communication is based on input to the microcontroller from a user-operated controller;
the sensor connector is mounted to an outside of the articulating sensor module and configured to facilitate attachment of a sensor; the transmission module motor is operably connected to the pole facilitating rotation of the pole;
the adapter motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a first axis based on the communication;
the second sensor module arm motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a second axis based on the communication; and
the light array indicates placement of the adapter motor and the arm motor in each of a down view position, a forward view position, and a perspective view position via the communication.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a mounting arm, the mounting arm at least in part facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around the second axis.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the input to the microcontroller is obtained via a wireless communication.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a GPS module communicating with the microcontroller.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an electronics module structurally connected to the pole proximate the first end, the electronics module comprising the microcontroller and the light array.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the light array comprises an array of LEDs capable of emitting a plurality of colors.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising an indicator cap proximate the first end, wherein the indicator cap comprises the array of LEDs.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the array of LEDs are arranged in a ring around a diameter of the indicator cap.
18. An apparatus for under water sensing comprising:
a pole comprising a first end and a second end;
a transmission module comprising a transmission module motor, the transmission module structurally attached to the pole between the first end and the second end;
an articulating sensor module comprising a an adapter motor, a an arm motor, and a sensor connector, the articulating sensor module structurally attached to the pole proximate the second end; and
an electronics module structurally connected to the pole proximate the first end, the electronics module comprising:
an array of LEDs arranged in a ring around a diameter of the electronics module, and
a microcontroller configured to control positioning of the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor;
wherein:
the microcontroller is in communication with the array of LEDs, the transmission module motor, the adapter motor, and the arm motor;
the communication is based on input to the microcontroller from a user-operated controller;
the sensor connector is mounted to an outside of the articulating sensor module and configured to facilitate attachment of a sensor;
the transmission module motor is operably connected to the pole facilitating rotation of the pole substantially 360° around a longitudinal axis of the pole based on the communication;
the adapter motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a first axis perpendicular to a perimeter of the sensor connector based on the communication;
the arm motor is operably connected to the sensor connector facilitating rotation of the sensor connector around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole based on the communication such that the first axis ranges from substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pole to substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the pole; and
the array of LEDs indicates placement of the adapter motor and the arm motor in each of a down view position, a forward view position, and a perspective view position via the communication.