Marine vessel monitoring system and method

• US 20020158776A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beacon Marine Security Limited
• Original Assignee: Beacon Marine Security Limited
• Inventors: Lash, David M.C., Lash, Anthony B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,469,641 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/984
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2017/0009 Methods or devices specially adapted for preventing theft, or unauthorized use of vessels, or parts or accessories thereof, other than by using locks
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention comprises a remote marine monitoring and control system that compiles security information and statistics for on-board equipment on unattended boats, uses a wireless transmitter to send this data to a user over a communications network and allows a user to remotely operate the user'"'"'s boat in response. Boat operational data can be provided to a user on a variety of personal communication devices and/or through a monitoring web site. These devices can also be used by the user to send a user command to remotely control the operation of the boat. The remote marine monitoring system identifies normal operating conditions for on-board equipment and compares these conditions to current operating activity in order to detect unusual activity. Security information can also be compiled and reported relating to intrusion sensors, keyless entry and the boat'"'"'s physical location.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling the operation of a boat over a communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a warning condition on the boat;

(b) transmitting the warning condition to the user over the communication network;

(c) receiving the warning condition over the communication network and transmitting a user command in response; and

(d) operating the boat according to the user command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the voltage level of a boat battery, determining whether the voltage level of the boat battery is lower than a predetermined value, and if the determination is true, transmitting a low battery warning condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the open circuit condition of the bilge pump protector circuit, determining whether the bilge pump protector circuit is open and if the determination is true, transmitting a bilge pump warning condition.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bilge pump protection circuit is a fuse.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the bilge pump protection circuit is a circuit breaker.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the water level in a bilge, determining whether the bilge water level exceeds a high water level threshold, and if the determination is true, transmitting a high water warning condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the activity of a bilge pump, determining whether the bilge pump activity is abnormal, and if the determination is true, transmitting a bilge pump warning condition.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the activity of the bilge pump is determined to be abnormal if the duration of time that the bilge pump is on is less than a first predetermined duration of time, or greater than a second predetermined duration of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second predetermined durations of time are multiples of a running average of past instances of durations of time for which the bilge pump has been on.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user command includes instructions to alter said first and second predetermined durations of time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the activity of the bilge pump is determined to be abnormal if the number of times that the bilge pump moves from an off state to an on state is a predetermined period of time is less than first predetermined number of times, or greater than a second predetermined number of times.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second durations of time are multiples of a running average of the number of times that the bilge pump has moved from an off state to an on state for the predetermined period of time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user command includes instructions to alter said first and second predetermined number of times.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the occurrence of an unauthorized keyless entry and transmitting an entry warning condition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting fire conditions on the boat and transmitting a fire warning condition.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting the level of AC shore power, determining whether there is insufficient AC shore power, and if the determination is true, transmitting an insufficient power warning condition.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user command is to turn on a bilge pump associated with the boat.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user command is to select an alternate battery to provide power to the boat.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the user command is to disable a motor associated with the boat.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the user command is to enable a motor associated with the boat.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is selected from the group consisting of:

the Internet, the wireless telephone network, and the telephone network.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said warning condition is received over the communication network by a device selected from the group consisting of:

a personal digital assistant, a computer, a pager, a telephone and a facsimile machine.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said warning condition is transmitted over the communication network and displayed on a web site.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) and (b) comprise detecting an unauthorized starting of the engine and transmitting an engine start warning condition that includes positioning information for the boat and step (d) comprises disabling the engine in response to the user command to disable the engine.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the detector comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a fire detector, an unauthorized entry detector, a low battery voltage level detector, a high bilge water level detector, an abnormal bilge pump activity detector, a bilge pump fuse integrity detector, a bilge pump circuit breaker detector, an AC shore power disruption detector, an unauthorized ignition startup detector, an unauthorized engine operation detector, and an unauthorized change in position detector.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the user command is selected from the group consisting of:

a command to turn on a bilge pump associated with the boat, a command to select an alternate battery to provide power to the boat, a command to disable a motor associated with the boat, a command to enable a motor associated with the boat.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the second transceiver is associated with at least one of a computer, a personal computing device, a pager, a facsimile machine, and a telephone.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said first and second transceiver provides a voice and data communication link over the communication network.

25. A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of a boat, said system comprising:

(a) a communication network;

(b) a detector coupled to the boat for detecting a warning condition;

(c) a first transceiver coupled to the detector and to the communication network for transmitting the warning condition over the communication network;

(d) a second transceiver coupled to the communication network for receiving the warning condition from the first transceiver and for transmitting a user command to the first transceiver; and

(e) a controller coupled to the first transceiver and to the boat for affecting the operation of the boat in accordance with the user command.