Decompression plan device

Claim 2

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 3

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. time at working depth control means for controlling said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a chosen expected time at the working depth; and d. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 4

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. time at working depth control means for controlling said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a chosen expected time at the working depth; and d. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 5

The decompression plan device specified in claim 2 including means for providing a signal corresponding to the initial tissue pressure of a diver and for combining the initial pressure signal with the output signal of said computing means, with the combined signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure.

Claim 6

The decompression plan device specified in claim 2 wherein said display means also displays the amount of time required at the decompression stop depth before the diver may safely ascend to the surface if the surface can be reached without additional decompression stops.

Claim 7

The decompression plan device specified in claim 2 including means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen supersaturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 8

The decompression plan device specified in claim 2 wherein said computing means computes the simulated tissue pressure signal in scaled time at a rate faster than the actual dive time rate and wherein said time at working depth control means controls said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure for a period of time corresponding to a scaled expected time at the working depth.

Claim 9

The decompression time calculator specified in claim 2 wherein said computing means receives a signal P w corresponding to the working depth pressure and a signal P i corresponding to the initial tissue pressure, and computes a signal P ei corresponding to the tissue pressure according to the equation P.sub.ei 32 T.sub.u ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure P w is greater than the tissue pressure P i , and according to the equation P.sub.ei = T.sub.e ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure P w is less than the tissue pressure P ei , and wherein T u is a chosen time constant of uptake and T e is a chosen time constant of elimination of inert gases and T u and T e are not equal.

Claim 10

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal from the output of said integrator means, and including 1. first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal; and 2. second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; and d. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 11

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal from the output of said integrator means, and including 1. first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal; and 2. second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; and d. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 12

The decompression plan device specified in claim 8 including means for providing an initial tissue pressure signal and for combining such signal with the output signal from said integrator means to provide a simulated tissue pressure signal.

Claim 13

The decompression plan device specified in claim 8 wherein said display means also displays the amount of time required at the decompression stop depth displayed before a diver may safely ascend to the surface if the surface can be reached without additional decompression stops.

Claim 14

The decompression plan device specified in claim 8 including means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen supersaturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 15

The decompression plan device specified in claim 8 wherein said pressure monitor means includes means for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive and for providing such signal to said circuit means, and also including time at working depth control means for controlling said integrator means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a chosen expected time at the working depth.

Claim 16

The decompression plan device specified in claim 12 wherein said integrator means integrates the input signal provided thereto in scaled time at a rate faster than the actual dive time and wherein said time at working depth control means controls said integrator means to integrate the input signal thereto for a period of time corresponding to a scaled expected time at the working depth.

Claim 17

The decompression plan device specified in claim 8 wherein said display means includes a meter having an indicator the deflection of which is proportional to the electrical signal provided to said meter, with said meter having a decompression stop scale thereon and wherein the markings on said decompression stop scale cooperate with said indicator such that for a simulated tissue pressure signal P ei provided to said meter, the decompression stop depth reading indicated by said indicator will be determined as being equal to 2.326 divided by S times P ei minus K, wherein S is a chosen supersaturation ratio numerical value and K is a constant numerical value equal to the depth of water below the surface which is equivalent in pressure to the atmospheric pressure at the surface.

Claim 18

The decompression plan device specified in claim 14 wherein said meter also includes a time scale and wherein the time scale readings are indicated by said indicator and are related to the decompression stop depth reading d sl such that the time scale readings will give the required time at the decompression stop depth equal to ##EQU8## where T e is a chosen elimination time constant.

Claim 19

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal, and including, 1. first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal, and

Claim 20

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal, and including, 1. first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal, and

Claim 21

second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; d. time at working depth control means for controlling said integrator means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to the expected time at the working depth; and e. display means for receiving said tissue pressure signal and displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 22

second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; d. time at working depth control means for controlling said integrator means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to the expected time at the working depth; and e. display means for receiving said tissue pressure signal and displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 23

The decompression plan device specified in claim 16 including means for providing an initial tissue pressure signal and for combining such signal with the output signal from said integrator means to provide a simulated tissue pressure signal.

Claim 24

The decompression plan device specified in claim 16 wherein said display means also displays the amount of time required at the decompression stop depth displayed before the diver may safely ascend to the surface if the surface can be reached without additional decompression stops.

Claim 25

The decompression plan device specified in claim 16 wherein said integrator means integrates the input signal provided thereto in scaled time at a rate faster than the actual dive time and wherein said time at working depth control means controls said integrator means to integrate the input signal thereto for a period of time corresponding to a scaled expected time at the working depth.

Claim 26

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and computing an electrical output signal corresponding to a simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. means for providing a signal corresponding to the initial tissue pressure of a diver and for combining the initial tissue pressure signal with the output signal of said computing means, with the combined signal corresponding to the diver's simulated tissue pressure; and d. display means for receiving the diver's simulated tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 27

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and computing an electrical output signal corresponding to a simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. means for providing a signal corresponding to the initial tissue pressure of a diver and for combining the initial tissue pressure signal with the output signal of said computing means, with the combined signal corresponding to the diver's simulated tissue pressure; and d. display means for receiving the diver's simulated tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 28

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio and also displaying the amount of time required at the decompression stop depth before the diver may safely ascend to the surface if the surface can be reached without additional decompression stops.

Claim 29

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio and also displaying the amount of time required at the decompression stop depth before the diver may safely ascend to the surface if the surface can be reached without additional decompression stops.

Claim 30

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen supersaturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 31

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen supersaturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 32

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. computing means for receiving a working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; b. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive and for providing such signal to said computing means, and also including time at working depth control means for controlling said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a chosen expected time at the working depth; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 33

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. computing means for receiving a working depth pressure signal and for computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; b. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for producing an electrical signal proportional to the expected working depth pressure of a dive and for providing such signal to said computing means, and also including time at working depth control means for controlling said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a chosen expected time at the working depth; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 34

The decompression plan device specified in claim 23 wherein said computing means computes the simulated tissue pressure signal in scaled time at a rate faster than the actual dive time and wherein said time at working depth control means controls said computing means to compute the simulated tissue pressure signal for a period of time corresponding to a scaled expected time at the working depth.

Claim 35

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal P w corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal P w and a signal p i corresponding to the initial tissue pressure, and for computing a signal P ei corresponding to the tissue pressure according to the equation P.sub.ei = T.sub.u ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure P w is greater than the tissue pressure P ei , and according to the equation P.sub.ei = T.sub.e ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure is less than the tissue pressure P ei , wherein T u is a chosen time constant of uptake and T e is a chosen time constant of elimination of inert gas and T u and T e are not equal; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 36

A decompression plane device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal P w corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal P w and a signal p i corresponding to the initial tissue pressure, and for computing a signal P ei corresponding to the tissue pressure according to the equation P.sub.ei = T.sub.u ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure P w is greater than the tissue pressure P ei , and according to the equation P.sub.ei = T.sub.e ∫ (P.sub.w - P.sub.ei) dt + P.sub.i when the working depth pressure is less than the tissue pressure P ei , wherein T u is a chosen time constant of uptake and T e is a chosen time constant of elimination of inert gas and T u and T e are not equal; and c. display means for receiving the tissue pressure signal and for displaying a safe decompression stop depth corresponding to the tissue pressure signal and to a chosen supersaturation ratio.

Claim 37

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. means for providing a signal corresponding to the initial tissue pressure of a diver and for combining the initial tissue pressure signal with the output signal of said computing means, with the combined signal corresponding to the diver's simulated tissue pressure; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen super-saturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 38

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. computing means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and computing an electrical output signal corresponding to the simulated tissue pressure due to the uptake and elimination of inert gases at the working depth pressure in a single simulated tissue having an uptake time constant and a different elimination time constant; c. means for providing a signal corresponding to the initial tissue pressure of a diver and for combining the initial tissue pressure signal with the output signal of said computing means, with the combined signal corresponding to the diver's simulated tissue pressure; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen super-saturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 39

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal from the output of said integrator means, and including

Claim 40

A decompression plan device for an underwater diver comprising: a. pressure monitor means for sensing the ambient working depth pressure of a diver and for providing an electrical signal corresponding thereto; b. integrator means having input and output terminals for providing a simulated tissue pressure output signal at the output terminal thereof that is the time integral of the signal provided to the input terminal thereof; c. circuit means for receiving the working depth pressure signal and the simulated tissue pressure signal from the output of said integrator means, and including

Claim 41

first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal; and 2. second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen super-saturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.

Claim 42

first circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen uptake time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is greater than the tissue pressure signal; and 2. second circuit means for providing a signal to said integrator means input terminal equal to a chosen elimination time constant times the difference of the working depth pressure signal minus the simulated tissue pressure signal when the working depth pressure signal is less than the tissue pressure signal; and d. means for comparing the tissue pressure signal and the working depth pressure signal and for indicating a warning if the tissue pressure signal is greater than a chosen super-saturation ratio times the working depth pressure signal.