Docking information system for boats

• US 6,707,414 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Woodington, Walter Gordon, Russell, Mark E., Delcheccolo, Michael Joseph, Van Rees, H. Barteld, Lippert, Delbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, ISAM A
• Application Number:
  US10/054,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 342/23, 342/41
• US Class Current: 342/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track G01S13/64 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/937 of marine craft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2813 Means providing a modification of the radiation pattern for cancelling noise, clutter or interfering signals, e.g. side lobe suppression, side lobe blanking, null-steering arrays specially adapted to secondary radar systems G01S13/762; aerials or aerials systems H01Q21/29, H01Q25/00

Abstract

A docking information system disposed on a ship provides navigational information to the operator of the ship. The system includes a short range radar system and a display to provide a range between the ship and a dock or an obstacle and, optionally, a relative velocity between the ship and the dock or the obstacle.

Claims

1. A system for providing navigational information to an operator of a ship comprising:

a plurality of radar systems, each coupled to the ship;

a display processor coupled to each one of said plurality of radar systems, said display processor for receiving radar information from each one of said plurality of radar systems, and for providing navigational information; and

a display coupled to the display processor, wherein the display includes a fixed visual indication of the ship, having a fixed position, a fixed size, and a fixed shape for any ship, and wherein the display also includes a moveable visual indication of a dock or an obstacle at a range relative to the visual indication of the ship.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the navigational information further comprises:

relative velocity between the ship and the dock or the obstacle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of radar systems comprise:

an antenna system having one or more electrically steered antenna beams.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the antenna beams is provided having a generally conical shape.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the display processor is further coupled to one or more marine navigation systems.

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

a visual indication of the range between the ship and the dock.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises:

a visual indication of the relative velocity between the ship and the dock.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises:

a visual indication of navigational information from the one or more marine navigational systems.

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

a visual indication of the obstacle; and

a visual indication of a relative position of the ship with respect to the obstacle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the display further comprises:

a visual indication of the range between the ship and the obstacle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the display further comprises:

a visual indication of the relative velocity between the ship and the obstacle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the display further comprises:

a visual indication of navigational information from the one or more marine navigational systems.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the display range has a range limitation.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the display includes light emitting diodes that provide the moveable visual image of the dock or the obstacle.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of radar systems comprises an FMCW radar system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the range is one hundred feet or less.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of radar systems is adapted to provide range information having an accuracy of less than plus or minus one foot.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of radar systems is adapted to provide velocity information having an accuracy or less than plus or minus 0.2 knots.