SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VESSEL POSITION REPORTING AND MONITORING

• US 20170001699A1
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exactearth Ltd (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Exactearth Ltd (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Balaji, Macikunas, Arunas G., Randhawa, Baljinder S., Short, Christopher M., Browning, Margaret J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,786,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/04 Nautical
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/00 Traffic control systems for marine craft marking of navigational route B63B22/16, B63B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for vessel position reporting and monitoring. Methods and systems for augmenting e-Navigation messages to provide ancillary information, such as a history of previous vessel positions. A compact representation is provided, in which transmitters may select among a plurality of possible position layouts to provide a compact representation. Transmitted messages are received by a satellite or other surveillance platform employing a compatible radio frequency receiver to collect message signals over a large area or great distance.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a message that identifies a geographical position, the method comprising:

encoding a track history to generate an encoded track history;

generating the message comprising the encoded track history; and

transmitting the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the track history based on the geographical position.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the track history based on course over ground.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a message type identifier, wherein the message further comprises the message type identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a transmitter identifier, wherein the message further comprises the transmitter identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the track history comprises one or more track history points based on prior geographical positions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the one or more track history points are separated by a preselected time interval.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the track history points is determined with reference to a predetermined point layout that has a plurality of predefined point positions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the track history points is selected by approximating the position associated with a previous message to one of the predefined point layout positions.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting the predetermined point layout from a plurality of possible point layouts.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined point layout is selected by computing minimum mean square error of the one or more track history points relative to the predefined point positions in each of the plurality of possible point layouts.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined point layout is selected by computing maximum error of the one or more track history points relative to the predefined point positions in each of the plurality of possible point layouts.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting a first dimensional component value array, wherein the first dimensional component value array defines the values of successive points in the predetermined point layout.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first dimensional component value arrays are defined in a first look up table having a first index.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each track history point in the track history is identified at least by a respective index value from the first index.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the respective index values is Huffman encoded in the track history.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting a second dimensional component value array, wherein the second dimensional component value array defines the values of successive points in the predetermined point layout.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second dimensional component value arrays are defined in a second look up table having a second index.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second indices are selected in a point layout look-up table.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the track history points comprises an alert flag tag.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoding comprises determining the track history is a partial track history that includes less than a preset number of track history points.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a binary payload and wherein the encoded track history is comprised in the binary payload.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the binary payload comprises at least one of an alert identifier, a course over ground indication, a latitude and longitude indication and a cyclic redundancy check code.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising error protection encoding the binary payload.

25. A method of processing a message, the method comprising:

receiving a first message, the first message comprising a track history, wherein each of the track history points is determined with reference to a predetermined point layout defined in the first message, the predetermined point layout having a plurality of predefined point positions; and

processing the first message to obtain the track history.

26. An apparatus for transmitting a message that identifies a geographical position, the apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores a track history;

a processor configured to;

encode the track history to generate an encoded track history;

generate the message comprising the encoded track history; and

a transmitter that transmits the message.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, for causing the computer processor to perform a method of transmitting a message that identifies a geographical position, the method comprising:

encoding a track history to generate an encoded track history;

generating the message comprising the encoded track history; and

controlling a transmitter to transmit the message.