Sailboat and crew performance optimization system

• US 6,308,649 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Condatis LLC (The Medici Portfolio LLC)
• Original Assignee: Steven A. Gedeon
• Inventors: Gedeon, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BASINGER, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/482,142
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 114/39.11, 114/102.1, 114/102-6-1, 114/102.22, 114/102.12, 701/21
• US Class Current: 114/39.11
• 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

Abstract

A sailboat and crew performance optimization system includes a modular system of sensors, data acquisition, computational analysis, graphical display and optional feedback control for optimizing sailboat and crew performance. The system acquires data relating to external factors (e.g. wind speed, wind direction, variations in wind speed, variations in wind direction, sea state, and wave conditions), performance parameters (e.g. boat speed, time to reach a specified destination and velocity made good, safety parameters and sailboat comfort parameters), dependent variable setpoints (e.g. sail shape, sail pressure distribution, etc.), and control variables (e.g. line tensions, rudder angle, sail plan, etc.) and correlates or analyzes the data to determine or predict the optimum setpoint targets and control variables. The system displays information and relationships to the sailboat crew in order to optimize sailboat performance and crew performance. The system also provides benchmark measures of sailboat performance and crew performance to compare performance at different times or under different conditions or to measure progress or improvement in performance. Optionally, the system can be used for automatic feedback control of sailboat operation. The system may utilize a computer or an artificial intelligence system, such as a neural network system, a fuzzy logic system, a genetic algorithm system or an expert system, to analyze and predict optimum setpoint targets and control variables.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring and evaluating performance data of a sailboat, the system comprising:

at least one sailboat performance sensor for acquiring data indicative of a performance parameter of the sailboat;

at least one control variable sensor for acquiring data indicative of a control variable of the sailboat;

at least one external factor sensor for acquiring data indicative of an external factor of the sailboat; and

correlating means for correlating the performance parameter with the control variable and the external factor for determining an optimized setpoint of the control variable for operating the sailboat under conditions indicated by the external factor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the correlating means comprises a computer for correlating the performance parameter with the control variable for determining an optimized setpoint of the control variable for operating the sailboat.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the correlating means comprises an artificial intelligence system for correlating the performance parameter with the control variable for predicting an optimized setpoint of the control variable for operating the sailboat based on previously acquired data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the artificial intelligence system comprises a neural network system, a fuzzy logic system, a genetic algorithm system or an expert system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

multiple sailboat performance sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple performance parameters of the sailboat;

multiple control variable sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple control variables of the sailboat;

multiple external factor sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple external factors of the sailboat;

and wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameters with the control variables and the external factors for determining an optimized setpoint for at least one of the control variables for operating the sailboat under conditions indicated by the external factors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

multiple sailboat performance sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple performance parameters of the sailboat;

multiple control variable sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple control variables of the sailboat;

multiple external factor sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple external factors of the sailboat;

and wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameters with the control variables and the external factors for determining an optimized setpoint for each of the control variables for operating the sailboat under conditions indicated by the external factors.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one dependent variable sensor for acquiring data indicative of a dependent variable of the sailboat, and wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameter with the dependent variable and the control variable for determining an optimum setpoint target of the dependent variable for operating the sailboat and an optimized setpoint of the control variable for achieving the optimum setpoint target of the dependent variable.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the dependent variable of the sailboat is chosen from a group of dependent variables consisting of sail pressure distribution, sail shape, boat heel, sail draft depth, maximum sail draft location, angle of attack of sails, angle of attack of boat, angle of attack of rudder, angle of attack of trim tabs, water pressure differential over different portions of the hull, keel, rudder and trim tabs and air pressure differential over different potions of the sails and mast.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

multiple sailboat performance sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple performance parameters of the sailboat;

multiple control variable sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple control variables of the sailboat;

multiple dependent variable sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple dependent variables of the sailboat;

multiple external factor sensors for acquiring data indicative of multiple external factors of the sailboat;

and wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameters with the dependent variables, the control variables and the external factors for determining an optimum setpoint target of the dependent variables for operating the sailboat under conditions indicated by the external factors and an optimized setpoint of the control variables for achieving the optimum setpoint target of the dependent variables under conditions indicated by the external factors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter of the sailboat is chosen from a group of sailboat performance parameters consisting of boat speed, time to reach a specified destination and velocity made good.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter of the sailboat is chosen from a group of crew performance parameters consisting of tacking time, variation in rudder position, time to jibe, time to change sails, deviation from optimized conditions, and time of deviation from optimized conditions.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter of the sailboat is chosen from a group of sailboat comfort parameters consisting of sailboat heel, roll, pitch, and yaw.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter of the sailboat is chosen from a group of sailboat safety parameters consisting of mast strain, boom strain, sail strain, bow strain, hull strain, rudder strain, rudder linkage strain, and rigging strain.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the external factor of the sailboat is chosen from a group of external factors consisting of wind speed, wind direction, variations in wind speed, variations in wind direction, sea state, and wave conditions.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the control variable of the sailboat is chosen from a group of control variables consisting of forestay sag, mast bend, sheet tension, halyard tension, backstay tension, sheeting angle, rudder angle, mast twist, traveller position, jib car position, outhaul tension, guy tension, downhaul tension, topping lift tension, spinnaker pole position, and sail plan.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one sail shape sensor for acquiring data indicative of at least one sail shape variable of the sailboat.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameters with the sail shape variable for determining an optimized setpoint for at least one of the control variables for operating the sailboat.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for calculating at least one indirect variable of the sailboat that is not directly measurable.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the indirect variable of the sailboat is chosen from a group of indirect variables consisting of true wind direction, true wind speed, sea state, boat leeway, true boat heading, true boat speed, passenger comfort level, boat safety factor, angle of attack of sails, angle of attack of boat, angle of attack of rudder, and angle of attack of trim tabs.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for selectively plotting and displaying a first chosen parameter or variable against a second chosen parameter or variable.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

adaptive feedback control means for operating a control input of the sailboat associated with the control variable.

21. A system for acquiring and evaluating performance data of a sailboat, the system comprising:

at least one sailboat performance sensor for acquiring data indicative of a performance parameter of the sailboat;

at least one sail shape sensor for acquiring data indicative of at least one sail shape variable of the sailboat;

at least one external factor sensor for acquiring data indicative of an external factor of the sailboat; and

correlating means for correlating the performance parameter with the sail shape variable at a given external factor level.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

at least one control variable sensor for acquiring data indicative of a control variable affecting sail shape;

and wherein the correlating means correlates the performance parameter with the control variable and the sail shape variable for determining an optimized setpoint of the control variable for operating the sailboat.