Abstract:
An underwater surveillance apparatus includes a watertight housing having a transparent part and a video tube received in the watertight housing. The video tube has a light receiving end positioned to view through the transparent part of the watertight housing. A video cable extends from the video tube to a video monitor disposed above a surface of the body of water. The watertight housing is configured such that the transparent part of the watertight housing is urged in a direction downstream when the watertight housing is submerged in a body of fluid moving relative to the watertight housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/813,363 filed Mar. 7, 1997, entitled “Fishing Surveillance Device”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/013,125, filed Mar. 11, 1996. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to fishing and, more particularly, to an apparatus for viewing fish during fishing and a method for using the apparatus.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    In recent years, fishermen have taken advantage of technological advances to improve their performance. These advances include, for example, satellite services that provide up-to-the-minute ocean currents and water temperatures to better locate fish. Utilizing this information, modified radar systems are utilized to detect exact locations on the water and modified sonar is utilized to detect the exact location of fish in the water. Fishing poles are made out of space age materials for strength and sensitivity and computer designed lures imitate the exact motions of the prey they are modeled after.  
           [0006]    In spite of these advances, fishermen still lack specific real time information regarding the fishing environment and the actions of any fish that are present. More specifically, there is no provision for detecting the presence and/or desirability of fish, the attractiveness of bait or lure to the fish, whether the rig is configured properly, whether the fish are striking the bait or merely taking investigatory nibbles, the proper time of applying a hooking yank, whether the fish is hooked and how aggressively the fish should be reeled in.  
           [0007]    Heretofore, prior art solutions have been utilized to locate fish. However, these prior art devices do not enable a fisherman to obtain accurate information about the foregoing real time variables.  
           [0008]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a submersible camera that is utilized with a fishing line to detect the presence and desirability of fish, the attractiveness of bait or lure to the fish, whether the rig is configured properly, whether the fish is striking the bait or lure or merely taking investigatory nibbles, the proper time to apply a hooking yank, whether the fish is hooked and how aggressively the fish should be reeled in. It is an object of the present invention to provide a submersible camera that is easily attachable to a fishing line and is easy and entertaining to use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fishing apparatus that enables a visual record of a fishing catch to be recorded. Still other objects will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Accordingly, I have invented an underwater surveillance apparatus comprising a watertight housing having a transparent part and a video tube received in the watertight housing. The video tube has a light receiving end positioned to view through the transparent part of the watertight housing. A video cable extends from the video tube to a video monitor disposed above the surface of the water. The watertight housing is configured such that the transparent part of the watertight housing is urged in a direction downstream when the watertight housing is submerged in a body of fluid moving relative to the watertight housing.  
           [0010]    An optical lens can be attached to the light receiving end of the video tube and the transparent part of the watertight housing can be disposed at an end thereof.  
           [0011]    A positioning means can be used for positioning the watertight housing in the body of fluid moving relative to the watertight housing. Preferably, the positioning means includes one or more fins attached to the watertight housing for orienting the watertight housing in a body of fluid moving relative to the watertight housing.  
           [0012]    I have also invented a submersible camera for use in viewing fish in a body of water. The camera includes a watertight housing having a transparent end and a video tube received in the watertight housing. The video tube has a light receiving end positioned to view through the transparent end of the watertight housing. A video cable extends from the video tube to a video monitor disposed above a surface of the water. The camera is configured such that, in response to relative movement between the water of the body of water and the watertight housing, the light receiving end of the video tube orients to view in a direction downstream of the watertight housing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a submersible camera;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 2 a - 2   c  are side sectional views of the submersible camera of FIG. 1 attached to a video cable and an adjustment cable for adjusting the angle of the submersible camera;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is an illustration of the submersible camera of FIG. 1 attached to a fishing line and suspended in a body of water behind a moving boat; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is an illustration of the submersible camera of FIG. 1 attached to a fishing line and suspended in a body of moving water behind a stationary boat. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    A submersible camera  2  is connected to a video monitor  4  via a video cable  6 . A video recorder  8  is optionally attached to the video monitor  4  for recording visual images displayed thereon. A microphone (not shown) is optionally attached to video recorder  8  to record narration of a human operator.  
         [0018]    The submersible camera  2  includes a torpedo-shaped housing  9  having a support eyelet  10  attached adjacent one end thereof for attaching the housing  9  to the video cable  6 . A fin  12  is attached to the end of the housing  9  opposite the support eyelet  10 . The fin  12  extends radially outward from the housing  9 . Attached to an edge of the fin  12  positioned away from the housing  9  is a swivel eyelet  14 .  
         [0019]    The side of the fin  12  adjacent the end of the housing  9  includes a slot  15  adapted to receive a light source  16  therein. The light source  16  is a submersible lightbulb or a lightbulb contained in a transparent housing (not shown).  
         [0020]    A video tube or camera  18  is positioned inside the housing  9  with the longitudinal axis of the video tube  18  parallel with the longitudinal axis of the housing  9 . Housing  9  is adapted to be watertight so that fluid, and in particular water, does not enter the housing  9  and come into contact with the video tube  18 . The video tube  18  contains processing electronics (not shown) to convert video images received thereby to electronic signals. The electronic signals from the video tube  18  are transmitted to the video monitor  4  via the video cable  6 . The video cable  6  is also utilized to provide power to the video tube  18  from a power supply  19  positioned remote from the housing  9 . Alternatively, a power supply  19 ′ is positioned in the housing  9  to provide power to the video tube  18 . The power supply  19  or  19 ′ can also provide power to the light source  16  and other gauges or devices carried by housing  9 .  
         [0021]    The end of the video tube  18  adjacent the fin  12  has a lens assembly  20  positioned thereon. The lens assembly  20  may include a fixed or replaceable lens for focusing the light received thereby onto a receiving array and/or an adjustable iris for controlling the amount of light received by the receiving array. The lens, adjustable iris and receiving array are omitted from FIG. 1 for simplicity. The end of the housing adjacent the lens assembly  20  is transparent so that light can pass therethrough from outside the housing  9  for receipt by the lens assembly  20 .  
         [0022]    With reference to FIGS. 2 a - 2   c , an adjustment cable  22  is attached between a position on the video cable  6  between the support eyelet  10  and the video monitor  4  and the swivel eyelet  14 . The length of the adjustment cable  22  and the attachment of the adjustment cable  22  to the video cable  6  may be fixed. Alternatively, the adjustment cable  22  can be extended between the swivel eyelet  14  and an adjustment position above the surface of the water via a cable eyelet  24  attached to the video cable  6  between the support eyelet  10  and the video monitor  4 . In this embodiment, the angle of the camera  2  to view the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30  (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the adjustment cable  22  between the cable eyelet  24  and the swivel eyelet  14 .  
         [0023]    With reference to FIG. 3, the submersible camera  2  is suspended in a body of water via the video cable  6  attached to a downrigger  28  which is attached to a boat B. Also suspended in the water is a fishing line  30  having a lure or bait  31  received at a bait receiving end thereof. Attached between swivel eyelet  14  and the fishing line  30  is a release clip  34 . The release clip  34  releasably secures the submersible camera  2  to the fishing line  30  so that the submersible camera  2  can observe the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30  when the camera  2  and the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30  are submerged. The release clip  34  enables the submersible camera  2  and fishing line  30  to be separated. More specifically, the release clip  34  separates the fishing line  30  from the submersible camera  2  in response to the application of a hooking yank to the fishing line  30 . In this manner, once a fish is hooked to the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30 , the submersible camera  2  can be disengaged from the fishing line  30  to avoid potential damage to the submersible camera  2  or entanglement with the video cable  6  by the fish F trying to free itself from the fishing line  30 .  
         [0024]    By observing the video monitor  4 , the fisherman can determine the appropriate moment to apply a hooking yank. Moreover, by observing the bait  31 , the fisherman can assess the desirability of the lure or live bait  31  to the fish F. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing  9  of the submersible camera  2  may include additional fins  12 ′ which enable the angle of the camera  2  to be controlled. These extra fins  12 ′ may be fixed in position on the housing  9  or may be adjustable on the housing  9  to enable the angle of the housing  9  to be adjusted to suit a desired fishing environment, trolling speed or water current speed.  
         [0025]    With reference to FIG. 4, boat B is held stationary on the surface of the water via anchor A. The submersible camera  2  is suspended in the body of water via the video cable  6  attached to the downrigger  28 . A sinker S attached to support eyelet  10  is utilized to help maintain the position of the submersible camera  2  in the body of water. The fishing line  30  is also suspended in the body of water. The fishing line  30  has a lure or bait  31  attached to a bait receiving end thereof and is connected to a fishing pole  32  at an end opposite the bait receiving end. In this embodiment, the adjustment cable  22  is connected between the swivel eyelet  14  and a position on the boat B via cable eyelet  24 . The release clip  34  is releasably attached between the submersible camera  2  and the fishing line  30 . A release line  40  is attached between the release clip  34  and a position above the surface of the water and, preferably, on the boat B. Applying tension of a sufficient extent to the release line  40  causes the release clip  34  to release the fishing line  30  from the submersible camera  2 . In the absence of tension of sufficient extent on the release line  40 , the submersible camera  2  and the fishing line  30  remain connected via the release clip  34 . In this manner, when a fish F is hooked on the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30 , the struggle of the fish F against the fishing line  30  can be observed and/or recorded as desired.  
         [0026]    In use, the fishing line  30  is releasably connected to the submersible camera  2 . The camera  2  and the fishing line  30  are submerged so that the submerged camera  2  orients under the influence of water current C to view the bait receiving end of fishing line  30  and, more specifically, the lure or bait  31  attached to the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30 . The submersible camera  2  transmits visual pictures of the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30  to the video monitor  4  for observation by a fisherman. At an appropriate time, a hooking yank is applied to the fishing line  30  to hook a fish thereon and the fishing line  30  is released from the submersible camera  2 . The fishing line  30  is released from the submersible camera  2  by the application of the hooking yank to the fishing line  30  or by a fish F striking the lure or live bait  31  received on the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30 . Alternatively, the fishing line  30  is released from the submersible camera  2  by applying tension to a release line  40  connected to the release clip  34  attached between the submersible camera  2  and the fishing line  30 . Visual images displayed on the video monitor  4  can be recorded by a video recorder  8 . Moreover, the angle of the submersible camera  2  relative to the bait receiving end of the fishing line  30  can be adjusted via the adjustment cable  22 .  
         [0027]    As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention provides a visual indication of the presence and desirability of fish F, the attractiveness of the lure or bait  31  to the fish F, whether the fish F is striking the lure or bait  31  or merely taking investigatory nibbles, the proper time to apply the hooking yank, whether the fish F is hooked, and how aggressively the fish F should be reeled in.  
         [0028]    The above invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obvious modifications, combinations and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. For example, the housing  9  can be permanently attached to the fishing line  30 . Moreover, the present invention can be utilized to fish from freestanding structures such as a pier or bridge. Moreover, if an undesirable fish F approaches the lure or bait  31 , the fisherman can move the lure or bait  31  in an undesirable manner to scare the undesirable fish F away. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.