Rescue beacon 10 comprises infra-red (IR) light source 140, and control circuitry 120 operable to deactivate the light source or reduce the intensity of the infrared light source in response to a trigger external to the rescue beacon. The trigger may be visible light, sound associated with a rescue vehicle, or a transmitted control signal. In a further aspect, the beacon further includes light sensor 160 and the control circuitry is operated based on an output of the sensor. The beacon may feature second source of light 150 which remains active during the deactivation of the infrared light source. The circuitry may operate when the amount of light detected by the sensor increases at greater than a threshold rate or increases between successive sensor readings by a predetermined amount. In an aspect, a search and rescue system comprises a beacon with an infrared light source and an emergency vehicle having a searchlight wherein light from the searchlight deactivates the infrared light source to protect night vision equipment.
Rescue beacon
2020-10-21
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
NTRS | 1968
|Rescue Beacon pinpoints crash victims
Engineering Index Backfile | 1953