Cumulative Lateral Slide Indication

• US 20120059577A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory D. Dunkle
• Original Assignee: Gregory D. Dunkle
• Inventors: Dunkle, Gregory D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

A method for determining the cumulative lateral slip of a towboat or combination barge tow/towboat. The method comprises providing two positional sensor instruments mounted at either end of a combination barge tow, each positional sensor capable of determining its geographical location from radio transmissions from, e.g., GPS satellites. The velocities of each positional sensor, both parallel and lateral (perpendicular) to the bearing of the barge tow, are determined. The cumulative sum of the absolute differences of the lateral velocities of the two positional sensors over time is calculated, stored and displayed by a microcomputer.

Claims

1. a method for determining the cumulative lateral slip of vessel, comprising:

A. providing a first and a second positional sensor disposed at either end of the vessel, said positional sensors comprising a navigational radio receiver to receive navigational data, said positioning sensor adapted for using the navigational data to perform the sub-steps of;

i. periodically determining the terrestrial location of the positional sensor,

ii. determining the terrestrial velocity of the positional sensor, and

iii. transmitting the terrestrial location and the terrestrial velocity as formatted data;

B. providing a computer having a processing unit and memory, the memory having embedded thereon instructions to carry out the sub-steps of;

i. inputting the formatted data from the first and second positioning devices,

ii. determining the bearing of the combination barge tow/towboat,

iii. determining the lateral velocity component of the velocities of the first and second positioning devices relative to the heading of the combination barge tow,

iv. determining the cumulative sum of the absolute difference between the lateral components of the first and second positioning devices, and

v. outputting the cumulative sum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigational radio receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigational radio receiver is selected from the group consisting of a Global Positioning System receiver, an eLORAN receiver and an RDF receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a combination barge tow.

5. A method of determining the cumulative lateral slide of a vessel, comprising:

A. providing a first and second positional sensors disposed at either end of the vessel, said positioning sensors comprising a navigational radio receiver to receive navigational data, said positioning sensor adapted for using received navigational data to perform the sub-steps of periodically;

i. determining the terrestrial location of the positioning sensor;

i. determining the terrestrial velocity of the positional sensor;

ii. determining the bearing of the vessel; and

iii. transmitting the terrestrial location, the terrestrial velocity and the vessel heading;

B. providing a computer having a central processing unit and memory, the memory having recorded thereon instructions to carry out the sub-steps of;

i. inputting the determined terrestrial locations and terrestrial velocities of the positional sensors and the vessel heading,

ii. determining the lateral velocity components of the terrestrial velocities of the first and second positional sensors,

iii. determining the cumulative sum of the absolute differences between the lateral velocity components of the first and second positional sensors, and

iv. outputting the cumulative sum.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the navigational radio receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the navigational radio receiver is selected from the group comprising a global positioning system receiver, an eLORAN receiver and an RDF receiver.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the vessel is a combination barge tow.