US 6856250 B2
A remotely-locatable tracking device and system is presented for use with a projectile that contacts a mobile target. The device is particularly useful with hunting arrows that contact a target animal. The device detaches from the arrow and attaches to the animal upon impact. The device is preferably comprised of a passive transponder and the system preferably uses a handheld transceiver to locate the transponder attached to the target animal.
1. A remotely-locatable tracking device comprised of:
a transponder assembly:
said assembly being releasably affixed adjacent to a shaft of an arrow by a structure, said structure being an adjustable friction device selected from the group consisting of a detent ball spring or a peg-and-hole configuration; and
means for attaching said assembly to a target upon impacting the target with the arrow.
2. The tracking device of
3. The tracking device of
4. The tracking device of
5. The tracking device of
6. The tracking device of
7. The tracking device of
8. A remotely-locatable tracking device comprised of:
a transponder assembly;
said assembly being releasably affixed adjacent to a shaft of an arrow by a structure, said structure being a break-away connector selected from the group consisting of a washer insert with a snap-joint, a washer insert with a spring clip, a washer insert with a stretch tube or an adhesive bond, and;
means for attaching said assembly to a target upon impacting the target with the arrow.
9. The tracking device of
10. The tracking device of
11. The tracking device of
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for locating a target that has been struck by a projectile, and more particularly, to a device that is carried by an arrow, is detachable from the arrow upon contacting a target, and is attachable to the target. The system can include a combination of integral and detachable transponders. A standard hunting arrow fitted with a transponder that attaches to a game animal upon impact is provided. A system and method for detecting the transponder and thereby locating the game animal is also presented.
2. Background Information
Hunting game animals with a bow and arrow has a long tradition in many parts of the world. When an arrow is shot from a bow, it can often be difficult to determine whether it hits its target or not. If the arrow misses the target, it often disappears in the brush. The loss of arrows is a matter of one expense that the hunter would ideally like to avoid. Further, if the shot is successful and the arrow hits and fatally wounds a target animal, the animal sometimes travels a significant distance before it succumbs. Depending on the terrain and the weather conditions, it can often be difficult to quickly locate an animal that has been dispatched with an arrow. Under all circumstances, it would be desirable to locate a targeted game animal that has been struck by an arrow and to do so in an expeditious and efficient manner.
While the arrow sometimes remains embedded in the game animal, in many other instances (especially with relatively small game such as white-tail deer) the arrow passes completely through the animal. Therefore, a tracking system that solely relies upon a device that is integral to the arrow and that remains with the arrow would be of little use in this instance.
Various approaches to aid in locating wayward arrows or game animals that retain the arrows after impact, are represented in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,000 provides an arrow with an integral attachment that can be activated to emit an audible signal to facilitate location of the arrow and/or animal.
Many of the “integral arrow” devices presented in the prior art are directed to altering the structure, and consequently the aerodynamic properties, of the arrow wherein, for example, the shaft of the arrow contains a radio transmitter that allows later location of the arrow.
When a radio transmitter is incorporated as part of the structure of the arrow itself, it is not only important that the arrow contact the animal, it is also essential that the arrow remain with the animal until the animal succumbs. Often, after being struck by an arrow, an animal can break off a part of the arrow (e.g., disabling the device) or dislodge the arrow entirely, thus limiting the utility of a locator device that is incorporated into the arrow itself. In addition, if the arrow passes entirely through the animal, an integral arrow tracking device will only allow location of the arrow and not the animal. An additional disadvantage of a transmitter that is built into a shaft of an arrow is the expense of designing and building customized arrows. It would therefore be desirable if a tracking device were provided that is adaptable for use with standard arrows and therefore does not entail the expense of designing and building customized arrows.
Some other approaches are directed to the attachment of radio transmitter to a “standard arrow” of a type that a majority of archery hunters would commonly own. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,614 provides a jacket-like radio receiver that slips over the shaft of a standard arrow. Another approach has been to insert a radio transmitter between the arrowhead (e.g., broadhead) and the shaft of the arrow, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,800. Alternatively, a transmitter may be secured along the length of the shaft as is shown in U.S. Pat. No 5,167,417. All of these prior art solutions suffer from the same limitations described above, namely that the arrow may pass completely through the game animal taking the transmitter with it, or an arrow that remains embedded in the animal may become broken off and disable the device, thus failing to aid in the location of the animal. These devices may also cause an undesirable change in the aerodynamic properties of the arrow.
Still another approach allows for a detachable radio transmitter to be attached to the shaft of the arrow. Upon the arrow penetrating the animal, the electronic signaling device is detached from the arrow and is embedded into the hide of the wounded game animal. However, location of the transmitter along the shaft could affect the trajectory of the arrow. Affixing a detachable tracking device at the front of a conventional arrow, for example, as part of the broadhead itself, or as a releasable insert between the broadhead and shaft, could eliminate most if not all of the above described limitations and difficulties.
Radio transmitters have been the device of choice in this field. A radio transmitter actively generates a signal that can typically be received by a hand-held location device (i.e., a receiver) carried by the hunter. However, the use of a radio transmitter presents several problems.
A radio transmitter requires a energy source, such as a battery, to generate the radio signals. Batteries add both weight and expense to the device. Also, because battery life is limited, some type of switch is typically employed to activate the radio transmitter so that the battery does not run down prior to being utilized.
One approach to conserve battery life has been to use an inertia switch to activate the radio transmitter upon shooting the arrow. One distinct disadvantage of using such a switched transmitter is the added weight of the battery and switch. To maintain accuracy over conventional distances, the hunter must somehow compensate for the heavier projectile.
Another problem with using a battery powered transmitter relates to the finite life of the battery. If the transmitter is turned on too soon (e.g. prior to contacting the animal) or if the animal is not located soon enough after contact (e.g. before the battery expires) there is no way to locate the transmitter once the battery power has drained and a signal is no longer being generated.
Thus, while the above-presented body of art describes arrows with detachable radio transmitters, these references do not teach or suggest a conventional arrow having a detachable radio transponder located at the front of the arrow wherein upon impact the transponder is attachable to the target. Such an invention would improve the state of the art significantly.
The present invention provides a tracking device that is releasably affixed to a standard arrow. The device incorporates a transponder and releases from the arrow at impact and attaches itself to the target upon contact. The transponder may be either active or passive, but is preferably passive such that it does not require its own source of power. A system and method for locating the transponder using various detection means such as a hand held transceiver, either with or without GPS technology is contemplated.
A transponder is a piece of electronic equipment that is designed to receive a specific signal and automatically transmit a specific reply. A transponder is able to take a high energy signal from an external source and utilize a portion of the energy of that signal to generate a responsive signal, albeit often a weaker signal than the signal received. In this sense, a transponder does not require a dedicated energy source. All that is required is a receiver that is capable of detecting the signal generated by the transponder in response to the energy received by the transponder from the external source. Therefore, a lightweight device that generates radio signals in response to a signal received is presented. Neither a battery nor a power switch is required in the most-preferred embodiments of the present invention which employ a transponder.
A passive transponder is basically a wire coil and capacitor surrounded in a protective envelope or covering. This unit (i.e. transponder and covering) can then be associated with a projectile. It is contemplated that upon impacting a target, the unit can detach from the projectile and attach to the target. The transponder may be self-contained, (i.e. with no external accessible connections) or it may be designed to connect with an external element, such as an antenna.
Passive transponders are activated by an external source that radiates a signal (i.e. transmits) in the area where the transponder is expected to be found. This may be done, for example, by use of a transceiver. The signal may be emitted via an inductive coil (e.g. the transmitter portion of a transceiver) that is held in the general vicinity of the transponder. When the transmitter's coil is near the passive transponder (which itself may be an inductive coil), the transponder accepts energy within its bandpass and stores it, reaching a sustained amplitude during the transmission cycle. When the transmission cycle ends, the transponder re-emits the energy at the transponder's resonant frequency with an exponentially decaying amplitude. A second coil within the transceiver unit (i.e. the receiver portion of the transceiver) acts as a receiving antenna which detects the re-radiated energy, alerting the operator, for example, with an audible tone or other indication of the transponder's presence and/or location.
Certain types of “active” transponders that could work with the present invention may include a power source such as a battery, which is incorporated into the circuitry. In this instance, the battery is used to power the signal processing circuit during operation of the transponder. An example of a battery powered radio transponder appears in U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,977, incorporated herein by reference.
Other types of transponders, such as “Half Duplex” (“HDX”) transponders, may include an element for receiving energy from the transmitter, such as a coil, and an element for storing energy, for example a capacitor. In an HDX system, when the signal from the transmitter is turned off the capacitor discharges into the circuitry of the transponder to power the transponder so it can emit or generate a signal. The circuit designs for both active and HDX transponders are known in the art and therefore they are not described in detail herein. (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,977).
A “Full Duplex” (“FDX”) transponder generally does not include either a battery or an element for storing energy. Instead, energy is induced into the antenna or coil and used to power the signal processing circuitry of the transponder and generate the response concurrently with the emission of the emitted signal from the transmitter. FDX transponder circuits are also known in the art, an early example being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,072.
For each of the types of transponders presently in use, there are circumstances whereby the entire transponder must be encased in a sealed member so as to allow protection from, inter alia, environment elements. For example, in the present invention, prior to impact with a target the transponder may be exposed to a wide variety of temperatures and/or precipitation. After impact with a target, the transponder may need to be protected from various biological elements associated with the game animal. Accordingly, various references, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,262,632; 5,025,550; 5,211,129; 5,223,851 and 5,281,855, disclose methods of completely encapsulating the circuitry of various transponders within a ceramic, glass or plastic cylinders. Further, there are numerous commercial applications that teach enclosing transponders in protective coatings (such as plastic polymers or fiberglass) and therefore they are not described in detail herein.
The present invention is directed to the manufacture, method, and use of a remotely-locatable tracking device comprising a transponder housed within a device that is releasably affixed to an arrow. The transponder may be encased in a protective material to protect it from environmental and target specific elements. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the transponder generally attaches to a target upon impact of a projectile with the target.
The structural mechanism that releasably affixes the transponder device adjacent to an arrow shaft preferably includes either, an adjustable friction device, a break-away connector, a cone-shaped cylinder, or a fragmentation broadhead. The adjustable friction devices contemplated include, for example, a detent ball and spring, or peg-and-hole configuration. The break-away connector employed may include a washer-type insert with a snap-joint, an insert with a spring clip, an insert with stretch tubing, a breakable membrane or an adhesive bond between the transponder and the arrow. The structure that connects the transponder device to a target upon impact of the arrow with the target may include, for example, implantation by a sharpened barb, insertion of a portion of the broadhead, or a similar attaching structure. Adherence of the transponder to the target may also be accomplished through the use of an adhesive, or for example, by a chemical reaction that is catalyzed upon contact with the target (e.g. two-part epoxy).
After shooting the arrow, the transponder may generally be located by the use of a hand-held transceiver. The transceiver is preferably tuned to transmit a signal of a particular frequency and intensity such that the transponder is capable of generating a detectable signal. The transceiver is capable of detecting the return signal from the transponder such that the location of the transponder may be determined. The transponder that generates the detectable return signal may be active but is preferable passive. The transceiver may integrate GPS technology as part of the overall detection system or methodology to help determine the location of the transponder. Alternatively, a separate GPS device can be used in conjunction with the hand-held transceiver. The system and methodology of transceiver and transponder preferably operate to assist a user (e.g. a hunter) in locating the transponder within a distance of less than 300 yards, more preferably within a distance of less than 600 yards, even more preferably, within a distance of up to 1000 yards, and most preferably, at distances in excess of 1000 yards.
Before explaining various exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways that would be clear to one skilled in the projectile art as well as those skilled in the electrical art.
The features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
While specific embodiments and methods for practicing this invention are described in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize various manifestations and details that could be developed in light of the overall teachings herein. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only.
In general, the present invention is directed to a tracking device that is releasably attached to a hunting arrow. In a preferred embodiment, the tracking device is mounted to an arrow using an insert that is adaptable to affix the device to any type or variety of hunting arrow (e.g., standard or customized). In some embodiments, the tracking device is comprised of a passive transponder incorporated into a carrying mechanism such that the device releases from the insert upon impact and attaches to the target. In certain embodiments the carrying mechanism may also serve as an antenna for the transponder to receive and or transmit signals. In other embodiments, more than one transponder may be utilized such that one detaches from the arrow upon impact and one remains with the arrow.
With reference to
The tubular tracking device 218 shown in
With respect to
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment displayed in
With respect to
A break-away barb assembly is shown in
One embodiment of this concept as shown in
A second embodiment represented is an arrangement using more than one transponder. For example, with reference to
A graphical depiction of a transponder unit 800 (i.e., transponder assembly) that may be used with the present invention is shown in FIG. 8. The transponder unit 800 consists of a transponder chip 802, at least one capacitor 804, and a coil 806, all of which are integrated within a housing 808 to form a unit. As discussed previously, this unit 800 is assembled within its housing 808 to withstand various elements and external forces that are anticipated by the practice of this invention.
An example of a circuit layout of the transponder unit (absent the housing) is shown in FIG. 9. The transponder unit preferably includes a coil 922 to receive a signal, and a 1-bit transponder chip 920 that operates in the microwave frequency range of about 2.45 GHz to process the received signal and emit a return signal. Regardless of the frequency chosen, the transponder can preferably be “tuned” or matched for receiving a signal from a transmitter. Further, the transponder may be uniquely identifiable, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,491,483, and 5,764,156, both incorporated herein by reference for this teaching. The transponder unit may include two capacitors 914 that are wired in parallel with each other and in series with a diode 926. A circuit diagram displaying an example of the connections between electronic components that may be used to make a passive transponder unit in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 9.
The signal may be generated, transmitted, received and detected by a device that is constructed in accordance with the exemplary circuit diagram shown in FIG. 10. The device of
The transceiver of
Also shown in
Preferably the transponder is tuned to receive the signal sent from the transceiver. The transceiver may also function to provide the operator with an indicator of direction, preferable by means of a visual cue such as a light array. Similarly, the transceiver unit will preferably function to output an indicator of distance, for example, by showing the relative strength of the return signal being received from the transponder.
In addition to bilateral signal generation, transmission, receipt, retransmission and detection as described, the use of triangulation methods are also contemplated. For example, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology could easily be incorporated into the methods of the present invention. One example of augmenting the present invention with GPS technology would be for the operator to carry a separate GPS unit to record his position prior to beginning signal transmission to locate a tracking device previously imbedded in a target. Upon sending and receiving an initial signal, the operator could use the GPS reading to establish a “search zone” where the target is most likely to be found. This zone could be established from a combination of signal direction (as indicated by the transceiver unit) and distance (as indicated by a known range of detection or an indicator of signal strength, for example). Upon conducting the search, the operator could record his movement using the output from the GPS unit to thereby conduct a systematic search for the target.
While specific embodiments and methods for practicing this invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize various manifestations and details that could be developed in light of the overall teachings herein. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and the following claims are to be given their full breadth.