Navigation warning system and method
First Claim
1. A navigational warning system comprising in combination:
- an earth satellite positioned in orbit above the earth,first means located with said satellite for scanning and receiving information indicative of the locations of vessels traveling a body of water on which navigation is conducted,second means connected to said first means for generating output information signals which are indicative of locations of a pluraluty of vessels traveling said body of water,third means for processing said output information signals,fourth means including an electronic computer for performing data processing operations with respect to signals generated by said third means,a memory associated with said computer containing recordings of information defining the locations of certain fixed navigational hazards, such as shoals, reefs, wrecks and other hazards existing within said body of water,said computer being operable to compare the locations of vessels detected by said first means with the locations of said navigational hazards defined by the information recorded in said memory and including means operable to generate output signals indicative of the navigation hazards which exist in the paths of vessels traveling said body of water,fifth means for short wave transmitting said output signals to earth, andshort wave receiving means located on vessels traveling said body of water for receiving short wave signals transmitted by said short wave transmitting means of said earth satellite, andwarning means connected to said shortwave receiving means of said vessels receiving said shortwave signals which are indicative of specific hazards, for providing a warning indication of hazardous conditions along the route of each of said vessels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation warning system and method for vessels includes one more earth satellites which electro-optically scan whole bodies of water whose signals are analyzed by a computer either on a satellite or at a ground location. The analyzing computer includes a memory which contains coordinates of hazardous ocean conditions. The computer automatically analyzes images generated by vessels travelling within the scanned area and detects when two vessels are on a collision course. Automatic visual and sound indication including a voice recording reproduction unit alerts vessel operators of impending collision conditions. The system may include automatic control of the vessel in response to signals generated by the computer for either modifying the control signals or supplying the computer with information transmitted thereto from the satellite and generated either by analyzing computer in the satellite or by the ground location which is in communication with the satellite and receives information generated by the electro-optical scanner.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A navigational warning system comprising in combination:
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an earth satellite positioned in orbit above the earth, first means located with said satellite for scanning and receiving information indicative of the locations of vessels traveling a body of water on which navigation is conducted, second means connected to said first means for generating output information signals which are indicative of locations of a pluraluty of vessels traveling said body of water, third means for processing said output information signals, fourth means including an electronic computer for performing data processing operations with respect to signals generated by said third means, a memory associated with said computer containing recordings of information defining the locations of certain fixed navigational hazards, such as shoals, reefs, wrecks and other hazards existing within said body of water, said computer being operable to compare the locations of vessels detected by said first means with the locations of said navigational hazards defined by the information recorded in said memory and including means operable to generate output signals indicative of the navigation hazards which exist in the paths of vessels traveling said body of water, fifth means for short wave transmitting said output signals to earth, and short wave receiving means located on vessels traveling said body of water for receiving short wave signals transmitted by said short wave transmitting means of said earth satellite, and warning means connected to said shortwave receiving means of said vessels receiving said shortwave signals which are indicative of specific hazards, for providing a warning indication of hazardous conditions along the route of each of said vessels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A navigation and warning system for use in guiding and warning ocean going vessels of hazardous conditions comprising in combination:
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an earth satellite disposed in stationary orbit above the earth, scanning means supported by said satellite for scanning and receiving information defining the locations of vessels traveling an ocean and generating information signals representative of the respective locaions of said vessels, computer analyzing means for receiving said information signals and generating output signals which are indicative of the locations of ocean going vessels traveling the ocean under surveillance, shortwave transmitting means for receiving and shortwave transmitting said information signals, and indicating means on said vessels connected to the receiving means thereof for indicating the relative positions of the vessels in the vicinity of the vessels which receive shortwave signals transmitted from said satellite in accordance with the shortwave signals received. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of warning ships at sea of hazardous navigating conditions comprising:
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recording information defining certain hazardous navigating conditions existing within a particular navigatable portion of a body of water in a memory together with recordings of the locations of such hazardous conditions, electronically generating information signals indicative of the locations and movements of vessels traveling such body of water, presenting said information signals to a computer and processing same in said computer in accordance with information recorded in said memory in a manner to determine when a vessel traveling said body of water is on a course such that it will be subject to a hazardous condition existing enroute along such course, automatically generating a warning signal indicative of such hazardous condition, shortwave transmitting such warning signal from a location remote from said vessel, receiving the shortwave transmitted warning signal by a shortwave receiver located on said vessel traveling said course, and applying the received warning signal to activate a warning device for warning personnel on the vessel of the hazardous condition. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of navigating comprising:
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recording in a memory information defining the locations of generally stationary objects and terrestrial conditions defining hazards to navigation of a vessel when traveling in the general vicinity of said generally stationary objects and terrestrial conditions, causing a vessel to initiate travel in a first path and direction such that it may intersect or collide with an object or terrestrial condition, the location of which is recorded in said memory, periodically scanning a select portion of the surface of the earth with a detector located in an earth satellite and generating electrical signals containing information defining the locations of such generally stationary objects and terrestrial conditions and said vessel, computer processing such signals and comparing the results of such processing with information derived from said memory and defining the locations of such hazardous conditions, generating warning signals when the immediate path of travel of said vessel is such as to cause the vessel to be subject to the hazardous condition, and applying such warning signals to effect correction in the path of travel of the vessel to avoid the hazardous condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification