MARINE VESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20100138104A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yacht Watchman International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yacht Watchman International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dalrymple, Melvin L., Williams, William D., Knoska, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

The marine vessel monitoring system of the present invention enables marine vessel owners to monitor their vessels when they are unable or unavailable to personally do so. The system of the present invention provides an efficient method for inspecting and repairing a designated marine vessel at periodic intervals and for reporting the results of such inspections and repairs to the vessel'"'"'s owner in a timely manner for the owner'"'"'s review and consideration.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitoring system for enabling a plurality users to monitor a plurality of movable vehicles, said vehicle monitoring system comprising:

an electronic memory device configured to store data for each vehicle, said data for each vehicle including;

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

historical vehicle location data,

current vehicle location data,

historical vehicle battery condition data,

current vehicle battery condition data,

historical vehicle entry data,

current vehicle entry data,

historical vehicle remote power connection data,

current vehicle remote power connection data,

historical vehicle engine related data,

current vehicle engine related data,

historical vehicle smoke or fire data,

current vehicle smoke or fire data,

historical vehicle interior compartment data,

current vehicle interior compartment data,

historical vehicle repair data, and

current vehicle repair data;

a processor configured to operate with the memory device, said processor configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store said

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

historical vehicle location data,

current vehicle location data,

historical vehicle battery condition data,

current vehicle battery condition data,

historical vehicle entry data,

current vehicle entry data,

historical vehicle remote power connection data,

current vehicle remote power connection data,

historical vehicle engine related data,

current vehicle engine related data,

historical vehicle smoke or fire data,

current vehicle smoke or fire data,

historical vehicle interior compartment data,

current vehicle interior compartment data,

historical vehicle repair data, and

current vehicle repair data;

a receiver configured to, for each vehicle, receive data regarding said vehicle through a data network from a data transmitter on the vehicle at regular fixed intervals, said data transmitter configured to;

transmit signals to the receiver at said regular fixed intervals, and

transmit alarm event data when a component monitored by a sensor on the vehicle enters an undesired state; and

a transmitter configured to, for each vehicle, send data stored in the memory device for said vehicle through the data network to an owner computer to enable the owner computer to display an electronic page for said vehicle which includes data stored in said memory device relating to historical and current conditions of said vehicle, said electronic page configured to display;

vehicle identifier information,

historical vehicle location information,

current vehicle location information,

historical vehicle battery condition information,

current vehicle battery condition information,

historical vehicle entry information,

current vehicle entry information,

historical vehicle remote power connection information,

current vehicle remote power connection information,

historical vehicle engine related information,

current vehicle engine related information,

historical vehicle smoke or fire information,

current vehicle smoke or fire information,

historical vehicle interior compartment information,

current vehicle interior compartment information,

historical vehicle repair information, and

current vehicle repair information.

2. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the vehicles are boats and the data includes, for each boat, historical bilge pump data and current bilge pump data.

3. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data network is an internet.

4. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic memory device is configured to, for each vehicle, store historical manual inspection data for said vehicle.

5. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 1, wherein, for each vehicle, the data transmitter on the vehicle is a cellular telemetry unit.

6. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said data for each vehicle includes:

historical vehicle remote water connection data, and

current vehicle remote water connection data;

said processor is configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store said

historical vehicle remote water connection data, and

current vehicle remote water connection data; and

said electronic page is configured to display;

historical vehicle remote water connection information, and

current vehicle remote water connection information.

7. A vehicle monitoring system for enabling a plurality users to monitor a plurality of movable vehicles, said vehicle monitoring system comprising:

an electronic memory device configured to store data for each vehicle, said data for each vehicle including;

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

current vehicle location data,

current vehicle battery condition data,

current vehicle entry data,

current vehicle remote power connection data,

current vehicle engine related data,

current vehicle smoke or fire data,

current vehicle interior compartment data, and

current vehicle repair data;

a processor configured to operate with the memory device, said processor configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store said

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

current vehicle location data,

current vehicle battery condition data,

current vehicle entry data,

current vehicle remote power connection data,

current vehicle engine related data,

current vehicle smoke or fire data,

current vehicle interior compartment data, and

current vehicle repair data;

a receiver configured to, for each vehicle, receive data regarding said vehicle through a data network from a data transmitter on the vehicle at intervals, said data transmitter configured to;

transmit signals to the receiver at said intervals, and

transmit alarm event data when a component monitored by a sensor on the vehicle enters an undesired state; and

a transmitter configured to, for each vehicle, send data stored in the memory device for said vehicle through the data network to an owner computer to enable the owner computer to display an electronic page for said vehicle which includes data stored in said memory device relating to current conditions of said vehicle, said electronic page configured to display;

vehicle identifier information,

current vehicle location information,

current vehicle battery condition information,

current vehicle entry information,

current vehicle remote power connection information,

current vehicle engine related information,

current vehicle smoke or fire information,

current vehicle interior compartment information, and

current vehicle repair information.

8. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the vehicles are boats and the data includes, for each boat, current bilge pump data.

9. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.

10. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the electronic memory device is configured to, for each vehicle, store manual inspection data for said vehicle.

11. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 7, wherein, for each vehicle, the data transmitter on the vehicle is a cellular telemetry unit.

12. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said data for each vehicle includes current vehicle remote water connection data, said processor is configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store said current vehicle remote water connection data, and said electronic page is configured to display said current vehicle remote water connection information.

13. A vehicle monitoring system for enabling a plurality users to monitor a plurality of movable vehicles, said vehicle monitoring system, comprising:

an electronic memory device configured to store data for each vehicle, said data for each vehicle including;

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

historical vehicle location data,

historical vehicle battery condition data,

historical vehicle entry data,

historical vehicle remote power connection data,

historical vehicle engine related data,

historical vehicle smoke or fire data,

historical vehicle interior compartment data, and

historical vehicle repair data;

a processor configured to operate with the memory device, said processor configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store said

vehicle owner data,

vehicle owner contact data,

vehicle identifier data,

vehicle owner login data,

vehicle owner password data,

historical vehicle location data,

historical vehicle battery condition data,

historical vehicle entry data,

historical vehicle remote power connection data,

historical vehicle engine related data,

historical vehicle smoke or fire data,

historical vehicle interior compartment data, and

historical vehicle repair data;

a receiver configured to, for each vehicle, receive data regarding said vehicle through a data network from a data transmitter on the vehicle at intervals, said data transmitter configured to;

transmit signals to the receiver at said intervals, and

transmit alarm event data when a component monitored by a sensor on the vehicle enters an undesired state; and

a transmitter configured to, for each vehicle, send data stored in the memory device for said vehicle through the data network to an owner computer to enable the owner computer to display an electronic page for said vehicle which includes data stored in said memory device relating to historical conditions of said vehicle, said electronic page configured to display;

vehicle identifier information,

historical vehicle location information,

historical vehicle battery condition information,

historical vehicle entry information,

historical vehicle remote power connection information,

historical vehicle engine related information,

historical vehicle smoke or fire information,

historical vehicle interior compartment information, and

historical vehicle repair information.

14. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the vehicles are boats and the data includes, for each boat, historical bilge pump data.

15. The vehicle, monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

16. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the electronic memory device is configured to, for each vehicle, store historical manual inspection data for said vehicle.

17. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 13, wherein, for each vehicle, the data transmitter on the vehicle is a cellular telemetry unit.

18. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 13, wherein said data for each vehicle includes historical vehicle remote water connection data, said processor is configured to receive and operate with the memory device to store historical vehicle remote water connection data, and said electronic page is configured to display historical vehicle remote water connection information.