Life-saving system

Abstract

When a person 55 having a portable transmitter 41 hanging from his neck happens to fall into water, the self-contained sensor detects invasion of water into the transmitter 41 to send a water-detection signal to the on board transmitter-and-receiver system 42 . The engine drive control 45 is connected to the on board transmitter-and-receiver system 42 A, controlling the engine 47 so as to make the boat 46 retrace the way to the accidental point at which the transmitter wearer 55 fell into water, so that the boat 46 may stop close to him on water. The transmitter-and-receiver system 42 is equipped with a GSP system, so that it may inform selected people of predetermined addresses of the time and the place at which the person fell into water via a selected local station 202 by wireless. A life-saving article such as a life belt is made to fall onto water, and a rope ladder may be hang on the side of the boat 46 to permit the person to return to the boat by climbing the rope ladder.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A life-saving system characterized in that it comprises: 
 a portable transmitter means including, in its body, a detector for detecting water, a transmitter section responsive to detection of water by the detector for sending a predetermined water-detection signal by wireless, and a power supply for putting the transmitter means in operation, and means for wearing the portable transmitter means to the body of a person; and    an engine stopping means responsive to the water-detection signal for stopping the engine of an on water transporting means.    
     
     
         2 . A life-saving system characterized in that it comprises: 
 a portable transmitter means including, in its body, a detector for detecting water, a power supply for putting the transmitter means in operation, a remaining power quantity detecting means for detecting the lowering of the remaining power quantity of the power supply below a certain threshold, a wireless transmitter section responsive to detection of water by the detector for sending a water-detection signal, and responsive to detection of the lowering of the remaining power quantity of the power supply below the certain threshold for sending a power shortage signal, and means for wearing the portable transmitter means to the body of a person; and    an engine stopping means responsive to the water-detection signal and the power shortage signal for stopping the engine of an on water transporting means.    
     
     
         3 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the portable transmitter means sends the water-detection signal only while the water detection is being made.  
     
     
         4 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the portable transmitter means prevents the water-detection signal from being sent for a predetermined length of time while the water detection is being made.  
     
     
         5 . A life-saving system according to  claim 3  or  4  wherein the water-detection signal is sent intermittently.  
     
     
         6 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the engine stopping means comprises analytical means for determining analytically how the engine is to be controlled to make the on water transporting means return to the position at which the on water transporting means received the water-detection signal, and an engine drive control means for controlling the engine according to the analytical determination.  
     
     
         7 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein it further comprises an emergency wireless-communication means responsive to the water-detection signal from the portable transmitter for informing people of predetermined addresses by wireless.  
     
     
         8 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein it further comprises a warning sound generating means responsive to the water-detection signal from the portable transmitter means for informing people of occurrence of an accident with sound.  
     
     
         9 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein it further comprises a warning light projecting means responsive to the water-detection signal from the portable transmitter means for informing people of occurrence of an accident with light.  
     
     
         10 . A life-saving system according to  claim 3  wherein the portable transmitter means has an extra button provided thereon, depression of which extra button permits the portable transmitter to send a signal similar to the water-detection signal.  
     
     
         11 . A life-saving system characterized in that it comprises: 
 a portable transmitter means including, in its body, a detector for detecting water, a transmitter section responsive to detection of water by the detector for sending a predetermined water-detection signal by wireless, and a power supply for putting the transmitter means in operation, and means for wearing the portable transmitter means to the body of a person; and    means responsive to the water detection signal for making at least one life-saving article fall onto water from an on water transporting means.    
     
     
         12 . A life-saving system according to  claim 11  wherein the life-saving article is a life belt and a length of rope, one end of which is fastened to the life belt and the other end of which is fastened to the on water transporting means.  
     
     
         13 . A life-saving system according to  claim 12  wherein it further comprises an engine stopping means responsive to the water-detection signal for stopping the engine of the on water transporting means, the length of the rope being longer than the distance from the point of position at which the life belt fell to the point of position at which the on water transporting means stops after the engine is made to begin stopping.  
     
     
         14 . A life-saving system according to  claim 11  wherein the on water transporting means comprises a life-saving article withdrawing means responsive to a predetermined signal for withdrawing the life-saving article.  
     
     
         15 . A life-saving system according to  claim 14  wherein the life-saving article withdrawing means comprises means for winding the length of rope fastened to the life-saving article.  
     
     
         16 . A life-saving system according to  claim 11  wherein the means for making at least one life-saving article fall onto water from the on water transporting means makes a plurality of life-saving articles fall onto water.  
     
     
         17 . A life-saving system according to  claim 1 ,  2  and  11  wherein the on water transporting means has a ladder means provided thereon, the ladder means being responsive to the water-detection signal from the portable transmitter means for falling onto water, thereby permitting a person falling into water to return to the on water transporting means.