Autonomous sailing vessel
First Claim
1. An unmanned ocean-going vessel comprising;
- a primary hull comprising a primary axis;
a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein said rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing;
a controller configured to maintain a desired heading;
a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element, wherein said controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element based on said control surface angle;
wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a plurality of control surface angles in real time during navigation to at least one waypoint location and generate a plurality of signals to position said control surface element based on said plurality of control surface angles;
a rudder, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said rudder position; and
a keel coupled with said primary hull at a first end of said keel, wherein said keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause said primary hull to passively right from any position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An unmanned ocean-going vessel including a primary hull, a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull where the rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of the rigid wing, a controller configured to maintain a desired heading, a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a position of the control surface element, where the controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position the control surface element based on the control surface angle, a rudder, where the controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position, and a keel including ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause the primary hull to passively right from any position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An unmanned ocean-going vessel comprising;
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a primary hull comprising a primary axis; a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein said rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing; a controller configured to maintain a desired heading; a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element, wherein said controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element based on said control surface angle; wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a plurality of control surface angles in real time during navigation to at least one waypoint location and generate a plurality of signals to position said control surface element based on said plurality of control surface angles; a rudder, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said rudder position; and a keel coupled with said primary hull at a first end of said keel, wherein said keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause said primary hull to passively right from any position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An unmanned ocean-going vessel comprising;
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a primary hull comprising a primary axis; a rigid wing rotationally coupled with said primary hull, wherein said rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of said rigid wing; a controller configured to maintain a desired heading; a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of said rigid wing based on a position of said control surface element, wherein said controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position said control surface element based on said control surface angle; a rudder, wherein said controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position said rudder to said rudder position; and a keel coupled with said primary hull at a first end of said keel, wherein said keel comprises ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause said primary hull to passively right from any position; wherein said first end of said boom extends from a leading edge of said rigid wing, and wherein said first end of said boom is coupled with a counterweight configured to dynamically balance a wing system comprising said rigid wing, said boom, and said tail with respect to said rotational axis of said rigid wing.
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Specification