Automatic location placement system

• US 9,778,657 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maid IP Holdings P/L
• Original Assignee: Bradley Tyers
• Inventors: Tyers, Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Venne, Daniel V
• Application Number:
  US15/479,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20170205829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• Field of Search: 440 1, 440 2, 440 3, 440 84, 440 86, 701 1, 701 2, 701 21, 701200, 701300, 114144 RE, 114144 R, 114144 B, 342 41, 348113
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/00 Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring of buoys B63B22/04; dynamic anchoring B63H25/00 ; equipment for shipping on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures, e.g. for landing purposes, E02B
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/045 making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles

Abstract

A method of automatically moving, by an automatic location placement system, a marine vessel includes receiving, by a central processing unit, from a vision ranging photography system, at least one optical feed including data providing a mapping of an environment surrounding a marine vessel. The method includes displaying, by the central processing unit, on a touch screen monitor, the mapping of the environment. The method includes receiving, by the central processing unit, from the touch screen monitor, target location data. The method includes directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of a propulsion system of the marine vessel, to move the marine vessel to the targeted location, using the mapping.

Claims

1. A method of guiding a marine vessel to move, by a location placement system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a central processing unit, from a vision ranging photography system, at least one optical feed including data providing a 3D pose costmap mapping of an environment surrounding a marine vessel;

displaying, by the central processing unit, on a touch screen monitor, the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel;

receiving, by the central processing unit, from the touch screen monitor, target location data; and

automatically directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of a propulsion system of the marine vessel, to move the marine vessel to the targeted location, using the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an overlay of a geometry of an environment surrounding the marine vessel, over the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel received via the at least one optical feed, wherein the optical feed provides live video of the environment surrounding the marine vessel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one optical feed further comprises automatically receiving at least one update of the data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the central processing unit, from an infrared vision system, transmitted data including a second mapping of the environment surrounding a marine vessel.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying, on the touch screen monitor, an output received from the infrared vision system.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying, on the touch screen monitor, the second mapping.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying, on the touch screen monitor, the second mapping as an overlay over the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel received from the vision ranging photography system via the at least one optical feed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving a touch on the touch screen monitor identifying a targeted location for the marine vessel, the targeted location being between two aft external objects.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising validating a selected location area identified in the target location data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein validating further comprises confirming that the selected location area will accommodate the marine vessel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises:

engaging, by the central processing unit, at least one aft ranger laser scanner;

receiving, by the central processing unit, from the at least one aft ranger laser scanner, data including at least one of distance, velocity, and dimensional area information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises automatically providing, by the central processing unit, the at least one element of the propulsion system of the marine vessel, a path of travel to the selected targeted location, upon receiving the targeted location data from the touch screen monitor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises automatically controlling, by the central processing unit, at least one steering system of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel into the targeted location, upon receiving the targeted location data from the touch screen monitor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises automatically controlling, by the central processing unit, at least one drive system of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel into the targeted location, upon receiving the targeted location data from the touch screen monitor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises automatically engaging, by the central processing unit, a thruster of the marine vessel.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises automatically engaging, by the central processing unit, a drive system of the marine vessel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises determining to engage a plurality of elements of the propulsion system of the marine vessel substantially simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein directing further comprises determining, by the central processing unit, an instruction to provide to the at least one element in response to the received 3D pose costmap mapping.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a position of the marine vessel in relation to the target location.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining the position based on data included in the at least one optical feed.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining the position based on the target location data.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein directing further comprises determining, by the central processing unit, an instruction to provide to the at least one element in response to the position of the marine vessel in relation to the target location.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing an expected behavior of the marine vessel with a response of the marine vessel to the direction.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting, by the central processing unit, that a human operator has manually interfered with operation of the marine vessel; and

disengagement, by the central processing unit, of the automatic location placement system based upon the detection of manual interference.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of a propulsion system of the marine vessel, to automatically maintain a location of the marine vessel at the targeted location.

26. A location placement system for guiding a marine vessel to move, the system comprising:

a vision ranging photograph system generating at least one optical feed;

at least one infrared vision system;

at least one ranger laser scanner;

at least one inertial measurement unit;

at least one global positioning system unit;

a touch screen control monitor;

a propulsion system of a marine vessel including at least one thruster, at least one drive system, and at least one actuator; and

a central processing unit located on the marine vessel and operatively connected to the propulsion system, the central processing unit;

receiving, from the vision ranging photography system, the at least one optical feed, the feed including data providing a 3D pose costmap mapping of an environment surrounding the marine vessel;

displaying, by the central processing unit, on a touch screen monitor, the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel;

receiving, from the touch screen monitor, target location data; and

automatically directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of the propulsion system of the marine vessel, to move the marine vessel to the targeted location, using the 3D pose costmap mapping of the environment surrounding the marine vessel.