PERIMETER RANGING SENSOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20190359300A1
• Filed: 08/06/2019
• Published: 11/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Mark, Hawker, Oliver, Jales, Richard, Yeomans, Christopher, Rull, Marcelo, Rivers, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 11,505,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/009 Wind propelled vessels comprising arrangements, installations or devices specially adapted therefor, other than wind propulsion arrangements, installations, or devices, such as sails, running rigging, or the like, and other than sailboards or the like or related equipment
• 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: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/426 Scanning radar, e.g. 3D radar G01S13/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/937 of marine craft

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide perimeter ranging for navigation of mobile structures. A navigation control system includes a logic device, a perimeter ranging sensor, one or more actuators/controllers, and modules to interface with users, sensors, actuators, and/or other elements of a mobile structure. The logic device is configured to receive perimeter sensor data from the perimeter ranging system. The logic device determines a range to and/or a relative velocity of a navigation hazard disposed within a monitoring perimeter of the perimeter ranging system based on the received perimeter sensor data. The logic device then generates a display view of the perimeter sensor data or determines navigation control signals based on the range and/or relative velocity of the navigation hazard. Control signals may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a perimeter ranging system configured to be mounted to a mobile structure; and

a logic device configured to communicate with the perimeter ranging system, wherein the logic device is configured to;

receive perimeter sensor data from the perimeter ranging system; and

determine a range to and/or a relative velocity of a navigation hazard disposed within a monitoring perimeter of the perimeter ranging system based, at least in part, on the received perimeter sensor data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more imaging modules mounted to the mobile structure and configured to capture images of corresponding one or more areas proximate to a perimeter of the mobile structure and including at least a portion of the perimeter of the mobile structure, and to provide the captured images as the perimeter sensor data to the logic device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic device is configured to:

detect the navigation hazard in the perimeter sensor data; and

determine a range from the perimeter of the mobile structure to the navigation hazard based, at least in part, on the perimeter sensor data and mounting heights corresponding to the one or more imaging modules.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more ultrasonic sensor elements mounted to the mobile structure, each implemented with its own microcontroller and configured to measure and digitally communicate perimeter ranges and/or range profiles as perimeter sensor data to the logic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more fixed radar antenna array assemblies each mounted to the mobile structure and configured to generate a vertically steered radar beam, wherein the perimeter ranging system is configured to derive the perimeter sensor data from the one or more vertically steered radar beams; and

the logic device is configured to control each fixed antenna array assembly to generate its corresponding vertically steered radar beam according to a desired absolute elevation angle based, at least in part, on an absolute orientation of the mobile structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the determining the range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard comprises determining the range to the navigation hazard is within a safety perimeter for the mobile structure; and

the logic device is configured to determine one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to the navigation hazard, wherein the one or more navigation control signals are configured to cause a navigation control system for the mobile structure to maneuver the mobile structure to evade the navigation hazard by maintaining or increasing the range to the navigation hazard.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the determining the range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard comprises determining the relative velocity of the navigation hazard towards the mobile structure is greater than a hazard velocity limit; and

the logic device is configured to determine one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to the navigation hazard, wherein the one or more navigation control signals are configured to cause a navigation control system for the mobile structure to maneuver the mobile structure to evade the navigation hazard by decreasing the relative velocity of the navigation hazard towards the mobile structure.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to:

determine one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard; and

provide the one or more navigation control signals to a navigation control system for the mobile structure.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the navigation control system comprises one or more of a steering actuator, a propulsion system, and a thrust maneuver system; and

the providing the one or more navigation control signals to the navigation control system comprises controlling the one or more of the steering actuator, the propulsion system, and the thrust maneuver system to maneuver the mobile structure according to a target linear and/or angular velocity or a target docking position and/or orientation.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to communicate with the logic device, wherein the logic device is configured to:

generate a view of an area proximate to a perimeter of the mobile structure on a display of the user interface based, at least in part, on the received perimeter sensor data; and

receive user input from the user interface indicating a target linear and/or angular velocity or a target docking track and/or a target docking position and/or orientation within the generated view of the area proximate to the perimeter of the mobile structure.

11. A method comprising:

receiving perimeter sensor data from a perimeter ranging system mounted to a mobile structure; and

determining a range to and/or a relative velocity of a navigation hazard disposed within a monitoring perimeter of the perimeter ranging system based, at least in part, on the received perimeter sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more imaging modules mounted to the mobile structure and configured to capture images of corresponding one or more areas proximate to a perimeter of the mobile structure and including at least a portion of the perimeter of the mobile structure, and to provide the captured images as the perimeter sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting the navigation hazard in the perimeter sensor data; and

determining a range from the perimeter of the mobile structure to the navigation hazard based, at least in part, on the perimeter sensor data and mounting heights corresponding to the one or more imaging modules.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more ultrasonic sensor elements mounted to the mobile structure, each implemented with its own microcontroller and configured to measure and digitally communicate perimeter ranges and/or range profiles as the perimeter sensor data.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the perimeter ranging system comprises one or more fixed radar antenna array assemblies each mounted to the mobile structure and configured to generate a vertically steered radar beam, wherein the perimeter ranging system is configured to derive the perimeter sensor data from the one or more vertically steered radar beams; and

the method further comprises controlling each fixed antenna array assembly to generate its corresponding vertically steered radar beam according to a desired absolute elevation angle based, at least in part, on an absolute orientation of the mobile structure.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the determining the range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard comprises determining the range to the navigation hazard is within a safety perimeter for the mobile structure; and

the method further comprises determining one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to the navigation hazard, wherein the one or more navigation control signals are configured to cause a navigation control system for the mobile structure to maneuver the mobile structure to evade the navigation hazard by maintaining or increasing the range to the navigation hazard.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the determining the range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard comprises determining the relative velocity of the navigation hazard towards the mobile structure is greater than a hazard velocity limit; and

the method further comprises determining one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to the navigation hazard, wherein the one or more navigation control signals are configured to cause a navigation control system for the mobile structure to maneuver the mobile structure to evade the navigation hazard by decreasing the relative velocity of the navigation hazard towards the mobile structure.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining one or more navigation control signals based, at least in part, on the determined range to and/or the relative velocity of the navigation hazard; and

providing the one or more navigation control signals to a navigation control system for the mobile structure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the navigation control system comprises one or more of a steering actuator, a propulsion system, and a thrust maneuver system; and

the providing the one or more navigation control signals to the navigation control system comprises controlling the one or more of the steering actuator, the propulsion system, and the thrust maneuver system to maneuver the mobile structure according to a target linear and/or angular velocity or a target docking position and/or orientation.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a view of an area proximate to a perimeter of the mobile structure on a display of a user interface based, at least in part, on the received perimeter sensor data; and

receiving user input from the user interface indicating a target linear and/or angular velocity or a target docking track and/or a target docking position and/or orientation within the generated view of the area proximate to the perimeter of the mobile structure.