Predictive Sea State Mapping for Ship Motion Control

• US 20140114509A1
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Naiad Maritime Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Benton H. Schaub Jr
• Inventors: Venables, John D., Pappas, Christopher M., Schaub, Benton H. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,259,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/00 Equipment to decrease pitch, roll, or like unwanted vessel movements; Apparatus for indicating vessel attitude for amphibious vehicles B60F3/0038
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/06 to decrease vessel movements by using foils acting on ambient water constructional aspects of bilge keels B63B3/44 ; foils mounted on the housing of outboard motors B63H20/34
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/15 for monitoring environmental variables, e.g. wave height or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/20 using models or simulation, e.g. statistical models or stochastic models
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/30 for diagnosing, testing or predicting the integrity or performance of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/40 for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0875 specially adapted to water vehicles

Abstract

A motion control system for a ship has one or more sensors generating sea condition data and at least one ship control system. Analyzer software receives the sea condition data and predicts a sea condition event. Calculator software calculates one or more commands in preparation for the sea condition event. Interface software communicates the one or more commands to the at least one ship control system and the at least one ship control system implements a command in advance of the event. The at least one ship control system may comprise a ride control system having one or more motion control devices. The at least one ship control system may also comprise an auto pilot system.

Claims

1. A motion control system for a seafaring vessel, comprising:

one or more sensors generating sea condition data;

at least one control system; and

a computer having;

an analyzer receiving the sea condition data and determining a predicted sea condition;

a calculator calculating one or more commands in preparation for the predicted sea condition; and

an interface communicating the one or more commands to the at least one control system;

wherein the at least one control system automatically implements at least one of the one or more commands in in response to the predicted sea condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one control system comprises a motion control system having one or more motion control devices;

and the one or more commands comprises activating the one or more motion control devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more motion control devices comprises at least one of the following:

fin, foil, interceptor, trim tab, T-foil, lifting foil, rotor, rudder, steerable water jet, internal stabilizer, movable weight, anti-roll tank, gyroscope.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is on the ship.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predicted sea condition comprises at least one of the following:

wind, waves, current.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors measure sea conditions in the seafaring vessel'"'"'s far field to characterize sea conditions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the far field comprises a distance of 1 kilometer from the seafaring vessel.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors measure sea conditions in the seafaring vessel'"'"'s near field to characterize wave mapping over an area adjacent to the seafaring vessel.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the area adjacent to the seafaring vessel is less than 10 times a wave length.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more commands comprises configurations for one or more of the seafaring vessel'"'"'s mechanical systems in preparation for the predicted sea condition.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more commands comprises configurations for one or more of the seafaring vessel'"'"'s hydraulic systems in preparation for the predicted sea condition.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more commands comprises configurations for one or more of the seafaring vessel'"'"'s electrical systems in preparation for the predicted sea condition.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one control system comprises an auto pilot system.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors comprises a motion sensor pack.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors measures sea conditions in the seafaring vessel'"'"'s encounter quadrant.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a storage having vessel data concerning a vessel'"'"'s ability to respond to the predicted sea condition, wherein the one or more commands are based at least in part on the vessel data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the vessel data comprises historical vessel motion data.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising a storage having historical sea condition data, wherein the one or more commands are based at least in part on the historical sea condition data.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the slope and extent of an encounter wave is used as a predictor of the resulting severity of vessel motion.

20. A method for controlling stabilization of a seafaring vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing a control system;

detecting sea conditions using one or more sensors;

determining a predicted sea condition, on a computer, using the detected sea conditions;

calculating one or more commands, on a computer, using the predicted sea condition; and

sending the one or more commands to the control system;

wherein the control system automatically implements at least one of the one or more commands in advance of the predicted sea condition.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sea condition data comprises sea conditions in both the seafaring vessel'"'"'s far field and near field.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing a storage having historical vessel motion data and historical sea condition data, wherein the one or more commands are based at least in part on the historical vessel data and the historical sea condition data.

23. A motion control system for a seafaring vessel, comprising:

a plurality of sensors generating sea condition data, the sea condition data including sea conditions in both the seafaring vessel'"'"'s far field and near field;

a motion control system having one or more motion control devices; and

a computer having;

an analyzer receiving the sea condition data and determining a predicted sea condition;

a calculator calculating one or more commands in preparation for the predicted sea condition; and

an interface communicating at least one of the one or more commands to the motion control system;

wherein the motion control system automatically activates the one or more motion control devices in response to the predicted sea condition using the at least one of the one or more commands.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the near field sea condition data is used to characterize wave mapping over an area adjacent to the seafaring vessel.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising an auto pilot system, wherein the one or more commands comprise a new heading for the seafaring vessel.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising a storage having historical vessel motion data and historical sea condition data, wherein the one or more commands are based at least in part on the historical vessel data and the historical sea condition data.