Abstract:
A monitoring system is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the monitoring system may include a sensor mounted upon a submersible probe to detect sensor data at a depth within a water body, and a mobile device in communication with the sensor to receive the sensor data. The mobile device may be in communication with the Internet cloud to communicate data with the Internet cloud, the data comprising the sensor data and additional sensor data from additional probes geographically disposed about the water body at known GPS locations. An app may be operably engaged with the mobile device and with the Internet cloud to control the communication of data between the mobile device and the Internet cloud, and the app may integrates the data for on the mobile device in real time. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to systems for the monitoring of temperature and other conditions in water bodies. 
         [0003]    Background 
         [0004]    A natural body of water may have a temperature structure due to variations in the water temperature between the surface and the bottom. In a lake, for example, the temperature structure may be divided into three zones, the epilimnion, the thermocline, and the hypolimnion. The epilimnion, which is the zone of water generally proximate the water surface, generally has a warmer water temperature than the other zones. The water temperature may be generally evenly distributed throughout the epilimnion, as the water in the epilimnion may be generally well mixed by turbulence resulting from wind and wave action. The zone adjacent the bottom is the hypolimnion. Water in the hypolimnion is colder than water in the epilimnion. A transition zone known as the thermocline separates the epilimnion from the hypolimnion. The water temperature in the thermocline is characterized by a water temperature gradient as the water temperature in the thermocline varies from the warm water temperature of the epilimnion to the cool water temperature of the hypolimnion. Fish may gather about the thermocline or proximate the boundary between the epilimnion and the thermocline. 
         [0005]    The temperature structure of the water body may be obtained by measuring the water temperature at various depths between the water surface and the bottom to determine the temperature profile. The depth of the epilimnion, thermocline, and hypolimnion, for example, may be obtained from the water temperature profile. 
         [0006]    A water body such as a lake or reservoir may have other water temperature structures depending upon the time of the year and the climate of the region. Rivers may have various temperature structures, and estuaries or the ocean may have various thermal strata, water temperature currents, and other temperature structures. In addition, there may be various currents within the water body, for example, due to inflows, outflows, or tides. 
         [0007]    Various species of fish may live in a preferred water temperature range, which may be quite limited. Some species of fish travel along the thermocline or break or will prefer other zones or water temperature structures. Accordingly, in order to fish effectively for a certain species of fish, it may be important to locate the thermocline or other strata having the water temperature the that species prefers. Furthermore, various species of fish may prefer a current or lack of current (stagnant). Certain fish may prefer certain water clarity conditions. Other hydrologic, celestial, or meteorological conditions may be important to the fisherman. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is a need for improved system for monitoring temperature and other conditions in water bodies, as well as related methods and compositions of matter. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    These and other needs and disadvantages may be overcome by the apparatus and related methods and compositions of matter disclosed herein. Additional improvements and advantages may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of the present disclosure. 
         [0010]    A monitoring system is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the monitoring system may include a sensor mounted upon a submersible probe to detect sensor data at a depth within a water body, and a mobile device in communication with the sensor to receive the sensor data. The mobile device may be in communication with the Internet cloud to communicate data with the Internet cloud, the data comprising the sensor data and additional sensor data from additional probes geographically disposed about the water body at known GPS locations. An app may be operably engaged with the mobile device and with the Internet cloud to control the communication of data between the mobile device and the Internet cloud, and the app may integrates the data for on the mobile device in real time. 
         [0011]    This summary is presented to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein as a prelude to the detailed description that follows below. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  illustrates an exemplary implementation of a monitoring system by a side view in combination with a schematic diagram; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1B  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary monitoring system of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates by schematic diagram portions of the exemplary monitoring system of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates by schematic diagram the exemplary monitoring system of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4A  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary monitoring system of  FIG. 1A ; and, 
           [0017]      FIG. 4B  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary monitoring system of  FIG. 1A . 
       
    
    
       [0018]    The Figures are exemplary only, and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the Figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. Use herein of relative terms such as generally, about, approximately, essentially, may be indicative of engineering, manufacturing, or scientific tolerances such as ±0.1%, ±1%, ±2.5%, ±5%, or other such tolerances, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Apparatus, methods, and compositions of matter disclosed herein are directed toward a monitoring system for monitoring conditions of a water body in real time. In various aspects, the apparatus comprises a number of submersible sensors towed about a water body to collect data comprising depth and corresponding temperature at known GPS locations over a period of time. The sensors may be secured to fishing boats and may be employed by users during the course of fishing to detect thermal or other structures in the water body conducive to fish. The data may further include a log of fish catch data at the known GPS locations that may be input by the user(s). The sensors, in various aspects, are in communication with the Internet cloud through mobile devices. An app is in operable communication with the Internet cloud and with the mobile devices to display the data collected by the number of sensors on the mobile devices, in various aspects. The data may be shared between the mobile devices through the Internet cloud under the control of the app as determined by the user, in various aspects. 
         [0020]    The apparatus and related methods and compositions of matter disclosed herein may be implemented, at least in part, in software having the form of computer readable instructions adapted to execute upon one or more computers to cause the one or more computers to function as the apparatus or to implement the steps of the methods. The methods disclosed herein may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software, in various aspects. Compositions of matter disclosed herein include non-transient computer readable media operably received by a computer to cause the computer to cause the one or more computers to function as the apparatus or to implement the steps of the methods. As used herein, the term system may refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. 
         [0021]    Mobile device, as used herein, includes smartphones, computers, tablets, and other microprocessor enabled communication devices and computers. Internet cloud may include networks including cellular networks as well as other networks of local to global scope. Internet cloud may include, for example, data storage devices, input/output devices, routers, databases, computers including servers, mobile devices, wireless communication devices, cellular networks, optical devices, cables, and other hardware and operable software, as would be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. App, as used herein, refers to software operably received, at least in part, by a mobile device, and the app may implement at least portions of the apparatus and related methods disclosed herein. The app may be operably received by at least portions of the Internet cloud including additional mobile devices, in various aspects. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1A  illustrates an implementation of monitoring system  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , monitoring system  10  includes probe  20  connected to boat  405  by cable  30 . Probe  20  is immersed in water body  400  that may, for example, be a lake, reservoir, river, estuary, or the ocean. Probe  20  includes sensor  22  that generates sensor data  23  (see  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 ). The sensor data  23  may be indicative, for example, of water temperature, depth, such as depth  408 , or water velocity with respect to the probe  20  as detected by sensor  22 . The sensor data  23 , for example, may be a voltage or other analogue measurement, an 8 bit digital value, or a 16 bit digital value. Probe  20  may collect sensor data  23  as a single measurement by sensor  22 , as a periodic burst of measurements by probe  22 , or as continuous measurements by sensor  22 . 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , receiver  40  is attached to boat  405  and extends into water body  400  generally proximate surface  402  of water body  400 , so that probe  20  may communicate sensor data to receiver  40  via sound waves  45 . Probe  20 , which is at depth  408  in the illustration, generates sound waves  45  that are detected by receiver  40  to communicate sensor data  23  generated at depth  408  from sensor  22  of probe  20  to receiver  40 . The sound waves  45  generated by probe  20 , in some implementations, have a frequency of about 70 kHz. 
         [0024]    Receiver  40  communicates with transponder  50  via communication pathway  37  to communicate the data received from probe  20  to transponder  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Communication pathway may be either wired or wireless, in various implementations. Wired communication may be either electrical or optical. 
         [0025]    Transponder  50  may processes sensor data  23  transmitted by probe  20 , for example, to convert the sensor data  23  into data  43  (see  FIG. 3 ) having selected units (e.g. British or SI) and at selected depths, times, and other such attributes. Transponder  50  may smooth data  23  during processing of data  23  into data  43 , and transponder  50  may, for example, remove outliers or eliminate noise from data  23  during processing of data  23  into data  43 . 
         [0026]    Transponder  50  may display the data  43  on display  51 . Probe  20  may include a microprocessor, memory, power source, sound generator to generate sound waves  45 , and receiver  40 , transponder  50 , or both receiver  40  and transponder  50  may include a microprocessor, memory, analogue to digital convertor, power source, and so forth, as would be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Transponder  50  may further include global positioning system (GPS) hardware and associated operable software to determine the GPS location  61  (see  FIG. 1B ) of the transponder  50  and to display the GPS location  61  on display  51 . In other implementations, probe  20  may include a microprocessor to, at least in part, convert the sensor data  23  into data  43 . In still other implementations, receiver  40  may include a microprocessor to, at least in part, convert the sensor data  23  into data  43 . 
         [0027]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , monitoring system  10  includes mobile device  60  and mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . Transponder  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , communicates with mobile device  60  by wireless channel  55  to display the data  43  on display  165  of mobile device  60  using app  110 . (see  FIG. 1B ). Wireless channel  55  may conform, for example, to either the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) standards. Transponder  50  includes the hardware and software operably received by the hardware of transponder  50  to support communication between transponder  50  and mobile device  60  by wireless channel  55 . 
         [0028]    App  110 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , may allow the user to input data  46  into mobile device  60 . Data  46  may include, for example, the number of fish caught, time of catch, specie(s), type of bait, depth at which fish was caught, or size of fish. Data  46  input by the user into mobile device  60  using app  110  may include conditions observed by the user such wind direction, wind speed, wave height, water clarity, or other meteorological conditions or hydrologic conditions. User interface  130  (see  FIG. 1B ) may allow the user to input data  46  into app  110 . Data  63  includes data  43  combined with data  46 , in this exemplary implementation. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , app  110  may include mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  that may be in communication with Internet cloud  100  by networks  65 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148 , respectively. Network  65 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148  may include a cellular network component of the Internet cloud  100 . Mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  may communicate with one another through Internet cloud  100  by networks  65 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148  to allow data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  to be communicated between mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . Internet cloud  100  may include cellular networks as well as other networks of local to global scope, and these networks may form at least a portion of networks  65 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148 . App  110  may include Internet cloud  100 . 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  are situated geographically about water body  400  at GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 , respectively, as displayed on display  165  of mobile device  60  by app  110 . App  110  may include software operatively received by mobile device  60 , by Internet cloud  100 , or both mobile device  60  and Internet cloud  100 . 
         [0031]    App  110  may include information set  160  (see  FIG. 3 ) accessed through the Internet cloud  100 . Information set  160  may be stored on various storage devices included in Internet cloud  100 . Information set  160  may include information indicative of the geography of water body  405  such as boundaries of water body  405 , geographic features proximate water body  405 —e.g. hills, mountains, valleys, rivers entering water body  405 , political boundaries (i.e. borders). Information set  160  may include information related to navigation of water body  405 —e.g. depth contours, bottom type, obstructions, shipwrecks, reefs, bars, buoys, navigation channels, correction of magnetic north, lighthouses. Information set  160  may include various meteorological, hydrographic, geologic, or astronomical information such as observed or forecast weather conditions, tide, time of sunrise or sunset, time of moon rise or moonset, or moon phase. Information in information set  160  may be indexed to GPS locations so that app  110  may correlate information set  160  to GPS location, such as GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 . 
         [0032]    App  110 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , may include data  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  (see  FIG. 3 ). Data  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  may be similar to data  63 . For example, data  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  may include data from a probe, such as data  23  from probe  20 , as processed by a transponder, such as transponder  50 , at GPS locations  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 . Data  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  may include data input into mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 , respectively, by the corresponding users, such as data  46 . The data input into mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  by the corresponding users may include, for example, number of fish caught, time of catch, specie(s), type of bait, depth at which fish was caught, size of fish, or observations such as wind direction and speed, wave height, water clarity. Data, such as data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158 , may be stored in the Internet cloud  100  and various computers included in Internet cloud  100  may process the data and the data may be integrated in various ways. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates data flow in exemplary monitoring system  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , sensor data  23  is communicated from probe  20  to transponder  50 , and transponder  50  processes sensor data  23  into data  43 . Transponder  50  communicates data  43  to mobile device  60 . Under control of app  110 , mobile device  60  may allow the user to input data  46 , and data  43  may be combined with data  46  to form data  63 . 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  communicate with Internet cloud  100  by networks  65 ,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148 , respectively, to share data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  with Internet cloud  100  as controlled by app  110 . Information set  160  is in communication with Internet cloud  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0035]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , app  110  may integrate data, such as data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  from mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 , respectively, and information from information set  160 , and then display the data integrated with the information on display  165  of mobile device  60 . The data may be displayed on display  165  in various graphs, charts, maps, may be organized in one or more windows, as would be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. 
         [0036]    App  110  may indicate the data, such as data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158 , available for display, and app  110  may allow the user to select the data to be displayed or the user to select the manner in which the data is displayed. For example, app  110 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , includes user interface  130  that may include various user selectable controls (e.g. drop down selectable menus, radio buttons, slides, spin boxes, text boxes, toggles) to allow the user to control the behavior of app  110  including the display of data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  by app  110  on display  165  of mobile device  60  or on display  51  of transponder  50 . It should be understood that display  51  of transponder  50  may replicate the display  165  of mobile device  60  and visa versa—the same information may be displayed in the same way on both display  51  of transponder  50  and display  165  of mobile device  60 . 
         [0037]    For example, the user may select to display data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  from mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  at GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 . The GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129  may be displayed on a map, as illustrated, with the map formed by the app  110  from an information set  160  with app  110  integrating the GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129  with information set  160 . 
         [0038]    In various implementations, the user may use the user interface  130  to select data to be displayed on display  165 , such as data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  from mobile devices  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . The user may use the user interface  130  to select information from information set  160  to be displayed on display  165 . The user may use the user interface  130  to select various combinations of data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and information set  160  to be displayed by app  110  on display  165  and the manner in which the various combinations of data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and information set  160  are displayed. 
         [0039]    The user, in various implementations, may use the user interface  130  to select the portions of data  63  to be communicated to Internet cloud  100  and thence with mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . The user may use the user interface  130  to prevent the communication of portions of data  63  to Internet cloud  100  and thence with mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . For example, using user interface  130 , the user may allow sensor data  43  portion of data set  63  to be communicated to Internet cloud  100  and thence with mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 , and the user may prevent the communication of some or all of data  46  to Internet cloud  100  and thence with mobile devices  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . 
         [0040]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , app  110  may combine data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and information set  160  and processed mathematically (e.g. smoothing, interpolation, geostatistical techniques) to generate maps including other representations based upon data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  for display in real time on display  165  of mobile device  60 . Real time, for the purposes of this disclosure, may be within  15  minutes or less of the measurement of the probe data, such as probe data  23 , by the probe, such as probe  20 . 
         [0041]    For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , app  110  generates in real time a series of temperature contours T 1 , T 2 , T 3  . . . at corresponding depths D 1 , D 2 , D 3  . . . superimposed upon map  167  from data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and information set  160 . T 1 , T 2 , T 3  . . . and corresponding depths D 1 , D 2 , D 3  may be indicative of the temperature and depth of the epilimnion, the temperature and depth of the thermocline, the temperature and depth of the hypolimnion, or other such temperature features or combinations of features of water body  400 . 
         [0042]    As a further example, app  110  generates in real time a series of velocity vectors V 1 , V 2 , V 3  . . . superimposed upon map  167  from data  63 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  158  and information set  160 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4B . Velocity vectors V 1 , V 2 , V 3  . . . may be indicative of currents in water body  400  caused by, for example, tides, river inflows, or river outflows. 
         [0043]    In operation, a monitoring system, such as monitoring system  10 , may detect sensor data, such as sensor data  23 , using a sensor, such as sensor  22 , attached to a probe, such as probe  20 . The assembly of probe and sensor may be submersible to traverse various depths between the surface and the bottom of a water body, such as water body  400 . The sensor may be in communication with a mobile device, such as mobile device  60 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  and the mobile device may be in communication with other mobile devices through the Internet cloud. 
         [0044]    An app, such as app  110  may be operatively received on the mobile devices, the Internet cloud, or both the mobile devices and Internet cloud. The app, in various implementations, controls the communication of data between the sensor probe assembly and the mobile device, the communication of data between the mobile device and the Internet cloud, and the communication of data between the Internet cloud and other mobile devices. 
         [0045]    A number of mobile devices may be in communication with one another via the Internet cloud as directed by the app with the mobile devices located at known GPS locations, such as GPS locations  61 ,  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 . The known GPS locations may be stationary, may move, for example, when the boats to which the sensor probe assemblies are attached move about, or some combination of stationary and moving GPS locations. 
         [0046]    The probes may measure water temperatures, water velocities, and corresponding depths at the known GPS locations through which the probes are traversed. The app may allow the mobile devices to share data, such as data  43 , among themselves. For example, the data shared between the mobile devices may include the water temperatures, water velocities, and corresponding depths at the known GPS locations among the mobile devices through the Internet cloud. 
         [0047]    The app may allow users of the mobile devices to input additional data, such as data  46 , that may be shared among the mobile devices through the Internet cloud. The additional data may include data including the catching of a fish, time of catch, specie, type of bait, depth at which fish was caught, size of the fish, conditions observed currently by the user such wind direction, wind speed, wave height, and water clarity. 
         [0048]    The app may allow data sharing among the mobile devices in real time, in some implementations. The app may allow storage of the data in the Internet cloud for sharing among the mobile devices so that the data shared among the applications may be cumulative over some period of time that may be specified by the user. In some implementations, the data shared among the mobile devices include data from other mobile devices no longer in communication with the Internet cloud. 
         [0049]    The app may process the data in various ways for display of the data upon a display of the mobile device, such as display  165 . For example, the app may integrate the data with information sets in communication with the Internet cloud such as, for example map information, and the integration of the data with the information set(s) displayed upon the display. The app may, for example, integrate temperature—depth—GPS location data with user data indicative of fish caught or of observed weather or water conditions to give the user an indication of current conditions of the water body. 
         [0050]    The foregoing discussion along with the Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. These implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Upon study of this disclosure and the exemplary implementations herein, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.