Apparatus and methods for routing

• US 10,179,633 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navionics SRL (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Navionics SRL (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Carnevali, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/207,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 701533, 701527, 701400, 701 21, 440 6, 367 99, 367131, 34099519
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 Maritime or waterways transport

Abstract

An electronic navigational system may automatically develop nautical routes, may retrieve previously-developed nautical routes, or may combine previously developed route(s) or route segment(s) with an automatically developed route or route segment(s).

Claims

1. An electronic navigational system, comprising:

a graphical user interface including an input device and a display;

a processor coupled with the graphical user interface, the processor configured to develop a navigational marine route based on a characteristic of a vessel for which the marine route is to be developed,

wherein the processor employs a navigational aid in developing the marine route; and

wherein the marine route provides a clearance from a navigational marine hazard based on the characteristic and includes a start point and end point and at least one intervening waypoint when a navigational obstruction exists between the start point and end point.

2. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the vessel is the vessel'"'"'s draft.

3. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the vessel is the vessel'"'"'s beam.

4. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the navigational aid is a buoy.

5. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the processor employs water depth information obtained from a SONAR log to develop the navigational route in consideration of the vessel'"'"'s characteristic.

6. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to save a developed navigational route locally.

7. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to save a developed navigational route remotely.

8. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to save a developed navigational route in the form of a navigated track.

9. The electronic navigational system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to save an automatically developed navigational route.

10. An electronic navigational system, comprising:

a processor configured to receive and store in a memory nautical navigation routes derived from SONAR logs by a plurality of marine electronic systems, each navigation route developed using water depth measurements produced by a plurality of independent measuring devices and providing a clearance for a vessel according to a characteristic of the vessel;

wherein the water depth measurements include information from at least one measurement device independent of the electronic navigational system; and

wherein the processor responds to requests by providing stored nautical navigation routes to a marine electronic system for use in navigation.

11. The electronic navigational system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to provide a stored nautical navigation route to a marine electronic system other than the marine electronic system from which the nautical navigation route was received.

12. A marine electronic system, comprising:

a processor configured to retrieve a stored nautical navigational route that has been developed using measurements of water depth from SONAR logs obtained from a plurality of independent marine electronic systems, wherein the water depth measurements include information from at least one measurement device independent of the electronic navigational system;

the processor configured to edit the retrieved route according to a characteristic of a vessel with which the navigational route is to be employed; and

the processor configured to control a display to generate and display the edited route along with marine cartographic information.

13. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to retrieve a stored navigational route from a remote location.

14. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route by truncating a retrieved route.

15. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route by leaving it intact.

16. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route by linking a plurality of retrieved routes.

17. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route according to the location of a buoy.

18. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route to provide a minimum clearance from a hazard.

19. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route to employ the draft of a vessel with which the route is to be used to provide a minimum clearance from a hazard.

20. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route to employ the beam of a vessel with which the route is to be used to provide a minimum clearance from a hazard.

21. The marine electronic system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to edit a route to employ the height above water line of a vessel with which the route is to be used to provide a minimum clearance from a hazard.