Marine Threat Monitoring and Defense System

• US 20140067249A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concrete Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
• Inventors: Gagliardi, Joseph R., Flynn, Des, Grant, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,032,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/06 Operation in ice-infested waters
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/086 Vessels for displacing icebergs, or related methods tugs in general B63B35/66
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/18 preventing collision or grounding; reducing collision damage reducing pollution by collision B63B25/082
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

A marine threat monitoring and defense system and method protects a target vessel in icy or other marine regions. The system uses communications, user interfaces, and data sources to identify marine obstacles (e.g., icebergs, ice floes, pack ice, etc.) near a target vessel performing set operations (e.g., a stationed structure performing drilling or production operations or a seismic survey vessel performing exploration operations with a planned route). The system monitors positions of these identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target vessel and predicts any potential threats. When a threat is predicted, the system plans deployment of support vessels, beacons, and the like to respond to the threat. For example, the system can direct a support vessel to divert the path or break up ice threatening the target vessel.

Claims

1. A marine threat monitoring method for a target marine structure, comprising:

identifying with a computer system one or more marine obstacles in a vicinity of the target marine structure as the target marine structure conducts set operations in a body of water;

monitoring with the computer system position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure;

predicting with the computer system a threat to the target marine structure based on the monitored position of the one or more identified marine obstacles; and

planning with the computer system a response to the predicted threat to the target marine structure by the one or more identified marine obstacles.