MARITIME CONTROLS SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110279673A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frechette, Allen, Richardson, Patrick B., Frank, Jeffrey D., Richards, Austin A., Woolaway, James T., Teich, Andrew C., Högasten, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/973,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20110279673A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for various embodiments of maritime control components. For example in one embodiment, a control component, adapted to be used with a watercraft, includes a mounting feature adapted to mount the control component to a steering wheel of the watercraft, and a mode selector of the control component adapted to receive and transmit a first user input signal corresponding to a user selected mode of operation from a plurality of selectable modes of operation including a map mode, a sonar mode, a fishfinder mode, a radar mode, an autopilot pattern mode, an entertainment mode, and/or a maritime mode. The control component further includes an increase/decrease actuator adapted to receive and transmit a second user input signal corresponding to a user selection within the user selected mode of operation. Embodiments of a watercraft and a method of display control are also provided.

Claims

1. A control component adapted to be used with a watercraft having at least one image capture component to capture images, a memory component adapted to store the captured images, a processing component adapted to process the captured images according to a plurality of modes of operation to provide processed images, and a display component adapted to display the processed images, the control component comprising:

a mounting feature adapted to mount the control component to a steering wheel of the watercraft;

a mode selector adapted to receive a user'"'"'s input to select from the plurality of modes of operation to provide a first user input signal, wherein the control component is configured to transmit the first user input signal to the processing component, and wherein the modes of operation for selection comprise a map mode, a radar mode, and an autopilot pattern mode; and

an increase/decrease actuator adapted to receive a user'"'"'s input, to adjust a feature of the processed image to display for the selected mode of operation, to provide a second user input signal, wherein the control component is configured to transmit the second user input signal to the processing component.

2. The control component of claim 1, wherein the modes of operation comprise a fishfinder mode, a sonar mode, an entertainment mode, and a maritime mode.

3. The control component of claim 2, wherein the increase/decrease actuator increases or decreases an amount of zoom displayed for the map mode or sonar mode selected, increases or decreases a sensitivity for the fishfinder mode, increases or decreases an amount of range and/or gain for the radar mode, and tightens or loosens a pattern for the autopilot pattern mode.

4. The control component of claim 2, wherein the increase/decrease actuator is adapted to cycle through a plurality of maritime modes if the maritime mode is selected, and wherein the second user input signal corresponds to one of the plurality of maritime modes selected.

5. The control component of claim 4, wherein the plurality of maritime modes includes a night cruising mode, a day cruising mode, a man overboard mode, a night docking mode, a hazy conditions mode, and a shoreline mode.

6. The control component of claim 1, wherein the mounting feature includes one of straps, tabs, and/or buttons, and wherein the increase/decrease actuator includes a positive button and a negative button, an up button and a down button, a toggle switch, a knob, or a slide bar.

7. The control component of claim 1, wherein the mode selector and the increase/decrease actuator are positioned on a protrusion from the steering wheel, and wherein the protrusion is configured to be held by a user to aid in rotating the steering wheel of the watercraft.

8. A watercraft, comprising:

at least one image capture component coupled to the watercraft to capture images;

a memory component adapted to store the captured images;

a processing component adapted to process the captured images according to a plurality of modes of operation to provide processed images;

a display component adapted to display the processed images; and

a control component configured to communicate with the processing component and/or the display component, the control component comprising;

a mode selector adapted to receive a user'"'"'s input to select from the plurality of modes of operation to provide a first user input signal, wherein the control component is configured to communicate the first user input signal to the processing component and/or the display component, and wherein the modes of operation for selection comprise a map mode and a radar mode; and

an increase/decrease actuator adapted to receive a user'"'"'s input to provide a second user input signal to adjust a feature of the processed image to display for the selected mode of operation, wherein the control component is configured to transmit the second user input signal to the processing component and/or the display component.

9. The watercraft of claim 8, wherein the increase/decrease actuator includes a positive button and a negative button, an up button and a down button, a toggle switch, a knob, or a slide bar, and wherein the control component is mounted to a steering wheel of the watercraft.

10. The watercraft of claim 8, wherein the modes of operation comprise a fishfinder mode, a sonar mode, an entertainment mode, an autopilot pattern mode, and a maritime mode.

11. The watercraft of claim 10, wherein the increase/decrease actuator increases or decreases an amount of zoom displayed for the map mode or sonar mode selected, increases or decreases a sensitivity for the fishfinder mode, increases or decreases an amount of range and/or gain for the radar mode, and tightens or loosens a pattern for the autopilot pattern mode.

12. The watercraft of claim 11, wherein the plurality of maritime modes includes a night cruising mode, a day cruising mode, a man overboard mode, a night docking mode, a hazy conditions mode, and a shoreline mode, and wherein the increase/decrease actuator is adapted to cycle through to select one of the plurality of maritime modes.

13. The watercraft of claim 10, wherein the processing component is further adapted to receive the first and second user input signals and process captured images according to the first and second user input signals, and wherein the at least one image capture component comprises an infrared camera, a radar, and a sonar.

14. The watercraft of claim 8, wherein the processing component is further adapted to colorize the image.

15. The watercraft of claim 8, wherein the display component is adapted to display the processed image in a red color palette or a green color palette.

16. The watercraft of claim 8, further comprising a sensing component adapted to provide environmental information to the processing component.

17. The watercraft of claim 8, further comprising a steering wheel of the watercraft, and wherein the control component has a form factor of a knob protruding from the steering wheel of the watercraft, and wherein the knob is configured to be held by a user to aid in rotating the steering wheel of the watercraft.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving a first user input signal corresponding to a user selected mode of operation from a plurality of selectable modes of operation including a map mode, a sonar mode, a fishfinder mode, a radar mode, an autopilot pattern mode, an entertainment mode, and a maritime mode;

transmitting the first user input signal to a processing component to control a display component in accordance with the first user input signal;

receiving a second user input signal corresponding to an increase or decrease selection for a function of the display component corresponding to the user selected mode of operation; and

transmitting the second user input signal to the processing component to control the display component in accordance with the second user input signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second user input signal corresponds to increasing or decreasing an amount of zoom displayed for the map mode or sonar mode selected, increasing or decreasing a sensitivity for the fishfinder mode, increasing or decreasing an amount of range and/or gain for the radar mode, and tightening or loosening a pattern for the autopilot pattern mode.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second user input signal corresponds to selecting one of a plurality of maritime modes including a night cruising mode, a day cruising mode, a man overboard mode, a night docking mode, a hazy conditions mode, and a shoreline mode.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmitting comprises a wireless transmission.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

cycling through the plurality of selectable modes of operation via a mode selector; and

cycling through a plurality of maritime modes via an increase/decrease actuator in an event that the maritime mode is selected.