Vessel performance optimization reporting tool

• US 8,634,975 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chen, Henry, Ballou, Philip J, Deng, Lang, Cheng, Willie Z., Elkin, Jonathan David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US12/762,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20110257819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/82 where the sensing device takes the initiative of sending data
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a sensor system, a computer system, and a satellite transceiver. The sensor system is configured to generate data about a vessel and an environment around the vessel. The computer system is connected to the sensor system. The computer system is configured to receive the data from the sensor system, generate vessel information about the data, and send the vessel information to a remote location. The satellite transceiver is connected to the computer system. The satellite transceiver is configured to send the vessel information to and receive other information from the remote location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor system configured to generate data about a vessel and an environment around the vessel, wherein the sensor system is configured to detect information about a position, a heading, a speed of the vessel, environmental conditions around the vessel, and information about an orientation, a rotation, and an acceleration of the vessel associated with the apparatus;

a computer system connected to the sensor system, wherein the computer system is configured to receive the data from the sensor system, generate vessel information about the data, and send the vessel information to a remote location for performance analysis and preparation of instructions to the vessel regarding a change in a speed and a route;

a satellite transceiver connected to the computer system, wherein the satellite transceiver is configured to send the vessel information to and receive other information from the remote location;

an automatic identification system; and

an analysis system configured to receive a first number of short data packets transmitted by the computer system, analyze the data collected from the sensor system, make a determination whether to update a reporting schedule, and, responsive to the determination, generate a second number of short data packets to update the reporting schedule; and

wherein the satellite transceiver is configured to send the vessel information in short data packets, the short data packets configured for short data bursts over a satellite network, the satellite network comprising a low earth orbit satellite constellation, the low earth orbit satellite constellation comprising a number of satellites at a number of altitudes between approximately 160 and 2000 kilometers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analysis system is further configured to receive from a number of other vessels connected to the analysis system alerts of piracy occurring in a local vicinity of the vessel, and alarms of storms and of extreme waves, and responsive to receiving the alerts and the local alarms to transmit instructions to the vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises:

a number of sensors configured to detect a presence and movement of other vessels in an environment around a vessel associated with the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further comprises:

a number of sensors configured to detect at least one of engine status, engine performance, fuel flow, temperature, through-water velocity, local radar, wave radar, sea surface temperature, single strain factors, and multiple strain factors for the vessel associated with the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer system is further configured to acquire, integrate, compress, and encode the data collected from the sensor system to form a first number of short data packets.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the computer system is further configured to manage the transmission of the first number of short data packets to the remote location.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the computer system is further configured to manage the reception of a second number of short data packets from the remote location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote location further comprises:

an analysis system configured to receive a first number of short data packets transmitted by the computer system of the apparatus, analyze the data collected from the sensor system of the apparatus, determine whether a response is needed, and, responsive to a determination that the response is needed, generate a second number of short data packets in response to the data collected, wherein the second number of short data packets include emergency weather reports, routing advisory information, notices that a large file is waiting to be downloaded a next time the vessel has access to a broadband connection, and alerts of extreme weather conditions and of piracy activity.

9. A method for vessel communication, the method comprising:

determining whether a satellite communication system is available for data transmission;

collecting data about an environment and a vessel in the environment using a vessel reporting tool, wherein the data includes information about a position, a heading, a speed of a vessel, environmental conditions around the vessel, an orientation, a rotation, and an acceleration of the vessel;

encoding the data to form a first number of short data packets;

determining whether a report is needed; and

responsive to a determination that a report is needed, transmitting the first number of short data packets to a remote server using a satellite transceiver;

wherein the satellite transceiver is configured to send the vessel information in short data packets, the short data packets configured for short data bursts over a satellite network, the satellite network comprising a low earth orbit satellite constellation, the low earth orbit satellite constellation comprising a number of satellites at a number of altitudes between approximately 160 and 2000 kilometers.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

monitoring the transmission of the number of short data packets for accuracy and completeness.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

decoding a second number of short data packets received from the remote server to retrieve information, wherein the second number of short data packets is received using the satellite transceiver, wherein the second number of short data packets contain data collected from the sensor system;

analyzing the data collected from the sensor system;

making a determination whether to update a reporting schedule; and

responsive to the determination, generating a second number of short data packets to update the reporting schedule.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

processing the information retrieved for at least one of issuing alerts and storing the information into a structured database.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the report is needed further comprises:

determining at least one of whether a reporting schedule indicates the report is needed, whether a request for an unscheduled report has been received, and whether an unscheduled automated alert is triggered that requires a report.

14. A computer program product having non-transitory computer usable program code stored on a computer readable storage medium, the computer usable program code executed by a computer to:

receive collected data about an environment and a vessel in the environment from a sensor system of a vessel reporting tool, wherein the data includes information about a position, a heading, a speed of a vessel, environmental conditions around the vessel, an orientation, a rotation, and an acceleration of the vessel;

encode the data to form a first number of short data packets;

determine whether a report is needed;

responsive to a determination that the report is needed, transmit the first number of data packets to a remote server using a satellite transceiver;

receive the first number of data packets from the vessel using a satellite transceiver;

decode the first number of data packets to retrieve collected data; and

analyze the collected data using a number of policies, wherein the satellite transceiver is configured to send the vessel information in short data packets, the short data packets configured for short data bursts over a satellite network, the satellite network comprising a low earth orbit satellite constellation, the low earth orbit satellite constellation comprising a number of satellites at a number of altitudes between approximately 160 and 2000 kilometers.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the non-transitory computer usable program code further executed by the computer to:

decode a second number of short data packets received from the remote server to retrieve information, wherein the second number of short data packets is received using the satellite transceiver, wherein the second number of short data packets contain data collected from the sensor system;

analyzing the data collected from the sensor system;

making a determination whether to update a reporting schedule;

responsive to the determination, generating a second number of short data packets to update the reporting schedule.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, the non-transitory computer usable program code further executed by the computer to:

determine at least one of whether a reporting schedule indicates the report is needed, whether a request for an unscheduled report has been received, and whether an unscheduled automated alert is triggered that requires a report.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, the non-transitory computer usable program code further executed by the computer to:

generate at least one of instructions, information, requests, and alerts in response to the collected data to form a second number of short data packets; and

transmitting the second number of short data packets to the vessel using the satellite transceiver, wherein the second number of short data packets include emergency weather reports, routing advisory information, notices that a large file is waiting to be downloaded a next time the vessel has access to a broadband connection, alerts of extreme weather conditions and of piracy activity.