Method and system for continuously determining vessel draft and amount of cargo in a vessel undergoing loading
First Claim
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1. A system for continuously determining the draft of a waterborne floating vessel as the vessel is being loaded comprising:
- a. a plurality of fixed base devices stationed off the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices configured to produce electronic signals containing positional elevation data;
b. a plurality of markers attached to the vessel, the markers configured to produce electronic signals containing positional elevation data;
c. a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors configured to produce electronic signals relating to the measured distance of the fixed base devices from the water level;
d. a computing system configured to receive the electronic signals from the fixed base devices, the markers, and the water freeboard level monitors, to compute the draft of the vessel therefrom.
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Abstract
The present invention discloses an improved method and system to continuously acquire, record, and analyze data with the goal of determining the draft of a water-borne vessel and/or the amount of cargo currently loaded.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for continuously determining the draft of a waterborne floating vessel as the vessel is being loaded comprising:
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a. a plurality of fixed base devices stationed off the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices configured to produce electronic signals containing positional elevation data; b. a plurality of markers attached to the vessel, the markers configured to produce electronic signals containing positional elevation data; c. a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors configured to produce electronic signals relating to the measured distance of the fixed base devices from the water level; d. a computing system configured to receive the electronic signals from the fixed base devices, the markers, and the water freeboard level monitors, to compute the draft of the vessel therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for continuously determining the draft of a waterborne floating vessel as the vessel is being loaded:
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a. a plurality of markers attached to the vessel; b. a plurality of fixed base devices stationed off the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices configured to produce electronic signals containing optical data relating to the position of the markers; c. a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors configured to produce electronic signals relating to the distance of the fixed base devices from the water level; d. a computing system configured to receive the electronic signals from the fixed base devices, and the water freeboard level monitors, to compute the draft of the vessel therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for continuously determining the draft of a waterborne floating vessel as the vessel is being loaded comprising:
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a. a plurality of fixed base devices stationed off the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices configured to produce radio frequency signals; b. a plurality of markers attached to the vessel, the markers configured to produce radio frequency signals; c. a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors configured to produce electronic signals relating to the measured distance of the fixed base devices from the water level; d. a computing system configured to receive the signals from the fixed base devices, the markers, and the water freeboard level monitors, to compute the draft of the vessel therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of continuously determining the draft of a waterborne floating vessel as the vessel is being loaded comprising the steps of:
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a. attaching a plurality of fixed base devices off of the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices producing electronic signals containing positional elevation data; b. attaching a plurality of markers to the vessel, the markers producing electronic signals containing positional elevation data; c. providing a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors producing electronic signals relating to the measured distance of the fixed base devices from the water level; d. monitoring the signals and continuously determining the corresponding draft of the vessel therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of automatically loading a waterborne floating vessel with material comprising:
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a. attaching a plurality of fixed base devices off of the vessel at a fixed known location, the fixed base devices producing electronic signals containing positional elevation data; b. attaching a plurality of markers to the vessel, the markers producing electronic signals containing positional elevation data; c. providing a plurality of water freeboard level monitors in known proximity to the fixed base devices, the monitors producing electronic signals relating to the measured distance of the fixed base devices from the water level; d. monitoring the signals and continuously sensing the corresponding draft of the vessel therefrom; e. delivering materials into the vessel in response to the sensing; f. repeating steps d) and e) until the vessel has reached a selected draft; g. terminating the delivery of the materials when the vessel has reached the selected draft.
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Specification