Programmable buoy system

• US 9,927,529 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robobuoy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kevin J. Morin, Matthew P. Morin
• Inventors: Morin, Matthew P., Morin, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US15/194,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20160378107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/008 remotely controlled
• 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 22/16 specially adapted for marking a navigational route signalling or lighting devices B63B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0208 dynamic anchoring

Abstract

A programmable buoy system having one or more buoys capable of connecting through the internet to a buoy command server. The buoy command server relays commands to each of the one or more buoys in response to user commands sent from a buoys command interface application on a mobile device. The programmable buoy system includes one or more buoys each having a hull with two or more pontoons where the hull has a top side and bottom side. A stationary rudder extends downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use. A motor is pivotably connected on each one or more buoys, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull. The propeller and motor move the select one of the one or more buoys in the body of water.

Claims

1. A programmable buoy system comprising:

one or more buoys each comprising;

a hull having two or more pontoons, the hull having a top side and bottom side;

a stationary rudder extending downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use;

a motor contained in a motor housing that is pivotably connected to the buoy, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull, wherein the propeller moves the one or more buoys in the body of water

a shaft having a first end connected to the motor housing and a connection point on the one or more buoys, where the shaft, the motor housing with the motor and the propeller are configured to rotate about the axis of the shaft;

a maximum motor height that is defined by the distance between the connection point and a bottom surface of the motor housing;

a buoy height defined by the distance between the bottom surface of the two or more pontoons to a top surface of the two or more pontoons, wherein a ratio of the maximum motor height to the buoy height is one selected from the group consisting of at least 2;

1, at least 2.25;

1, at least 2.5;

1, at least 2.75;

1, at least 3.0;

1, at least 3.25;

1, at least 3.5;

1, at least 3.75;

1, at least 4.0;

1, at least 4.25;

1, at least 4.5;

1, and at least 4.75;

1;

a global positioning controller connected to the motor, and having a communication port;

a computer with a wireless internet communicator having an Internet connection using a wireless network, wherein the computer is hard wired to the communication port of the global positioning controller and the computer is configured to connect to the Internet through the wireless internet communicator for receiving one or waypoints, the one or more waypoints are stored and then inputted in a desired sequential order through the communication port to the global positioning controller, wherein the global controller uses a navigational system to navigate the one or more buoys to one or more waypoints in response to an input received at the communication port, wherein the global positioning controller also controls the movement of the select one of one or more buoys to maintain position at the one or more waypoints;

a power source connected to the computer, motor and global positioning controller;

a buoy command server connected to the Internet for hosting a buoy command website used to register the one or more buoys belonging to the user, and allows communicating the one or more waypoints to each of the one or more buoys by using the buoy command website to transmit the one or waypoints to the computer through the Internet using the wireless internet communicator and the mobile network; and

a buoy command interface application on a mobile device that connects to the buoy command website on the buoy command server, wherein the interface application is used by a user to set and communicate the one or more waypoints to the buoy command website.

2. The programmable buoy of claim 1 wherein the global positioning controller stores only a single waypoint and will maintain position at last one of the one or more waypoints in the event failure of the wireless internet transmitter receiver.

3. The programmable buoy of claim 1 wherein the mobile device further includes an electronic compass application that is accessed by the buoy command interface application, wherein a user of the buoy command interface application directs the buoy command interface application to access the compass while the user holds the mobile device in the direction of the wind, the buoy command interface application then calculates one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys.

4. The programmable buoy of claim 3 wherein the location of the mobile device running the buoy command interface application defaults to a race committee designation mark and the one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys are preprogrammed distances distance from the race committee designation for a particular race.

5. The programmable buoy of claim 4 wherein the one or more waypoints, one or more suggested waypoints and the race committee designation mark each have a specific latitude and longitude.

6. The programmable buoy of claim 1 further comprising a preprogrammed dock waypoint programmed into the buoy command interface application that a user can select and command the one or more buoys to travel to, wherein the dock waypoint is a specific latitude and longitude.

7. The programmable buoy of claim 1 further comprising a sonar system connected each one or more buoys, wherein the sonar system is connected to the power source and receives commands from the computer, which are received through the buoy command server, wherein the sonar, when activated continuously transmits depth data to the computer which then records the depth at a specific waypoint;

and

wherein the buoy command server or the buoy command interface application commands the one or more buoys to activate the sonar and travel a select path.

8. The programmable buoy of claim 1 further comprising an actuator connected to the shaft, the computer and the power source, wherein the actuator raises and lowers the shaft to adjust the motor height in response to a command from the computer to the actuator.

9. The programmable buoy of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more buoys has a vessel volume one selected from the group consisting of less than 0.90 m³, less than 0.80 m³, less than 0.70 m³, less than 0.60 m³, less than 0.50 m³, and less than 0.40 m³.

10. A programmable buoy system comprising:

one or more buoys each comprising;

a hull having two or more pontoons, the hull having a top side and bottom side;

a stationary rudder extending downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use;

a motor contained in a motor housing that is pivotably connected to the buoy, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull, wherein the propeller moves the one or more buoys in the body of water;

a shaft having a first end connected to the motor housing and a connection point on the one or more buoys, where the shaft, the motor housing with the motor and the propeller are configured to rotate about the axis of the shaft;

a maximum motor height that is defined by the distance between the connection point and a bottom surface of the motor housing;

a buoy height defined by the distance between the bottom surface of the two or more pontoons to a top surface of the two or more pontoons, wherein a ratio of the maximum motor height to the buoy height is one selected from the group consisting of at least 2;

1, at least 2.25;

1, at least 2.5;

1, at least 2.75;

1, at least 3.0;

1, at least 3.25;

1, at least 3.5;

1, at least 3.75;

1, at least 4.0;

1, at least 4.25;

1, at least 4.5;

1, and at least 4.75;

1;

a global positioning controller connected to the motor, and having a communication port;

a computer with a wireless internet communicator having an Internet connection using a wireless network, wherein the computer is hard wired to the communication port of the global positioning controller and the computer is configured to connect to the Internet through the wireless internet communicator for receiving one or waypoints, the one or more waypoints are stored and then inputted in a desired sequential order through the communication port to the global positioning controller, wherein the global controller uses a navigational system to navigate the one or more buoys to one or more waypoints in response to an input received at the communication port, wherein the global positioning controller also controls the movement of the select one of one or more buoys to maintain position at the one or more waypoints and will maintain position at last one of the one or more waypoints in the event failure of the wireless internet transmitter receiver;

a power source connected to the computer, motor and global positioning controller;

a buoy command server connected to the Internet for hosting a buoy command website used to register the one or more buoys belonging to the user, and allows communicating the one or more waypoints to each of the one or more buoys by using the buoy command website to transmit the one or waypoints to the computer through the Internet using the wireless internet communicator and the mobile network; and

a buoy command interface application on a mobile device that connects to the buoy command website on the buoy command server, wherein the interface application is used by a user to set and communicate the one or more waypoints to the buoy command website.

11. The programmable buoy of claim 10 wherein the mobile device further includes an electronic compass application that is accessed by the buoy command interface application, wherein a user of the buoy command interface application directs the buoy command interface application to access the compass while the user holds the mobile device in the direction of the wind, the buoy command interface application then calculates one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys.

12. The programmable buoy of claim 11 wherein the location of the mobile device running the buoy command interface application defaults to a race committee designation mark and the one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys are preprogrammed distances distance from the race committee designation for a particular race.

13. The programmable buoy of claim 12 wherein the one or more waypoints, one or more suggested waypoints and the race committee designation mark each have a specific latitude and longitude.

14. The programmable buoy of claim 10 further comprising a preprogrammed dock waypoint programmed into the buoy command interface application that a user can select and command the one or more buoys to travel to, wherein the dock waypoint is a specific latitude and longitude.

15. The programmable buoy of claim 10 further comprising an actuator connected to the shaft, the computer and the power source, wherein the actuator raises and lowers the shaft to adjust the motor height in response to a command from the computer to the actuator.

16. The programmable buoy of claim 10 wherein each of the one or more buoys has a vessel volume one selected from the group consisting of less than 0.90 m³, less than 0.80 m³, less than 0.70 m³, less than 0.60 m³, less than 0.50 m³, and less than 0.40 m³.

17. A programmable buoy system comprising:

one or more buoys each comprising;

a hull having two or more pontoons, the hull having a top side and bottom side;

a stationary rudder extending downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use;

a motor contained in a motor housing that is pivotably connected to the buoy, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull, wherein the propeller moves the one or more buoys in the body of water;

a shaft having a first end connected to the motor housing and a connection point on the one or more buoys, where the shaft, the motor housing with the motor and the propeller are configured to rotate about the axis of the shaft;

a maximum motor height that is defined by the distance between the connection point and a bottom surface of the motor housing;

a buoy height defined by the distance between the bottom surface of the two or more pontoons to a top surface of the two or more pontoons, wherein a ratio of the maximum motor height to the buoy height is one selected from the group consisting of at least 2;

1, at least 2.25;

1, at least 2.5;

1, at least 2.75;

1, at least 3.0;

1, at least 3.25;

1, at least 3.5;

1, at least 3.75;

1, at least 4.0;

1, at least 4.25;

1, at least 4.5;

1, and at least 4.75;

1;

a global positioning controller connected to the motor, and having a communication port;

a computer with a wireless internet communicator having an Internet connection using a wireless network, wherein the computer is hard wired to the communication port of the global positioning controller and the computer is configured to connect to the Internet through the wireless internet communicator for receiving one or waypoints, the one or more waypoints are stored and then inputted in a desired sequential order through the communication port to the global positioning controller, wherein the global controller uses a navigational system to navigate the one or more buoys to one or more waypoints in response to an input received at the communication port;

a power source connected to the computer, motor and global positioning controller;

a buoy command server connected to the Internet for hosting a buoy command website used to register the one or more buoys belonging to the user, and allows communicating the one or more waypoints to each of the one or more buoys by using the buoy command website to transmit the one or waypoints to the computer through the Internet using the wireless internet communicator and the mobile network; and

a buoy command interface application on a mobile device that connects to the buoy command website on the buoy command server, wherein the interface application is used by a user to set and communicate the one or more waypoints to the buoy command website, wherein the mobile device further includes an electronic compass application that is accessed by the buoy command interface application, wherein a user of the buoy command interface application directs the buoy command interface application to access the compass while the user holds the mobile device in the direction of the wind, the buoy command interface application then calculates one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys.

18. The programmable buoy of claim 17 wherein the global positioning controller stores only a single waypoint and will maintain position at last one of the one or more waypoints in the event failure of the wireless internet transmitter receiver.

19. The programmable buoy of claim 17 wherein the location of the mobile device running the buoy command interface application defaults to a race committee designation mark and the one or more suggested waypoints for the one or more buoys are preprogrammed distances distance from the race committee designation for a particular race, wherein the one or more waypoints, one or more suggested waypoints and the race committee designation mark each have a specific latitude and longitude.

20. The programmable buoy of claim 17 further comprising a preprogrammed dock waypoint programmed into the buoy command interface application that a user can select and command the one or more buoys to travel to, wherein the dock waypoint is a specific latitude and longitude.

21. The programmable buoy of claim 17 further comprising an actuator connected to the shaft, the computer and the power source, wherein the actuator raises and lowers the shaft to adjust the motor height in response to a command from the computer to the actuator.

22. The programmable buoy of claim 17 wherein each of the one or more buoys has a vessel volume one selected from the group consisting of less than 0.90 m³, less than 0.80 m³, less than 0.70 m³, less than 0.60 m³, less than 0.50 m³, and less than 0.40 m³.