System and method for controlling a marine vessel through a waterway

• US 8,626,366 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Noffsinger, Joseph Forrest, Cooper, Jared, Samuels, Mason, Houpt, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US13/417,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 701/21, 701 23- 26, 701/41, 701/123, 701/410, 701/411, 440/12.5
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/00 Traffic control systems for marine craft marking of navigational route B63B22/16, B63B51/00

Abstract

A system for controlling a marine vessel includes a processor, a propulsion system, and a directional system. The processor is disposed onboard the marine vessel and obtains a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of the marine vessel for a trip along a waterway. The propulsion system is communicatively coupled with the processor and generates propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan. The directional system is communicatively coupled with the processor and steers the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan. Operating the propulsion system and the directional system according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to be disposed onboard a marine vessel, the processor also configured to obtain a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of the marine vessel for a trip along a waterway;

a propulsion system of the marine vessel that is configured to be communicatively coupled with the processor, the propulsion system configured to generate propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan; and

a directional system of the marine vessel that is configured to be communicatively coupled with the processor, the directional system configured to steer the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan, wherein the propulsion system propelling the marine vessel and the directional system steering the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan,

wherein the processor is configured to monitor at least one of a direction of water current flow in the waterway, a speed of the water current flow, a direction of wind movement, or a speed of the wind movement along a portion of a designated path of the trip plan, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the trip plan such that the marine vessel travels in a common direction as the at least one of the direction of water current flow or the direction of wind movement for at least a portion of a designated path of the trip plan when one or more of the speed of the water current flow or the speed of the wind movement exceeds a designated threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to monitor actual operational conditions of the marine vessel as the marine vessel travels along the waterway and to compare the actual operational conditions to the designated operational settings of the trip plan, the processor also configured to modify the trip plan into a modified trip plan when a difference between one or more of the actual operational conditions and the designated operational settings exceeds a designated threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to modify the trip plan into the modified trip plan when movement of the marine vessel deviates from the designated path by more than a threshold distance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to at least one of generate or modify the trip plan when at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement exceeds a designated threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to periodically compare an actual location of the marine vessel with a designated location of the trip plan and to modify the trip plan when a difference between the actual location and the designated location exceeds a designated threshold, further wherein a frequency at which the processor periodically compares the actual location to the designated location is based on the at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to switch to an emergency mode upon occurrence of one or more detected emergency events, the processor configured to change the trip plan to direct the propulsion system and the directional system to guide the marine vessel to a designated location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to determine the designated location to which the marine vessel travels in the emergency mode based on a current location of the marine vessel.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transfer control of the propulsion system and the directional system to a remote facility when the marine vessel travels within a designated range of a docking location, and the propulsion system and the directional system are configured to be controlled by the remote facility to dock the marine vessel at the docking location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a docking plan when the marine vessel travels within a designated range of a docking location, the docking plan including designated operational settings of the marine vessel for controlling the propulsion system and the directional system to dock the marine vessel at the docking location.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to autonomously control the propulsion system and the directional system according to the docking plan.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the designated operational settings of the docking plan are based on a time of arrival of the marine vessel at the docking location when space is available for the marine vessel to dock at the docking location.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to communicate control signals to an output device disposed onboard the marine vessel to present an operator of the marine vessel with instructions on how to manually control the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings.

13. A method comprising:

obtaining a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of a marine vessel for a trip along a waterway;

monitoring at least one of a direction of water current flow in the waterway, a speed of the water current flow, a direction of wind movement, or a speed of the wind movement along a portion of a designated path of the trip plan;

controlling a propulsion system of the marine vessel to generate propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan; and

controlling a directional system of the marine vessel to steer the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan, wherein the propulsion system propelling the marine vessel and the directional system steering the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan,

wherein obtaining the trip plan includes generating the trip plan such that the marine vessel travels in a common direction as the at least one of the direction of water current flow or the direction of wind movement for at least a portion of a designated path of the trip plan when one or more of the speed of the water current flow or the speed of the wind movement exceeds a designated threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring actual operational conditions of the marine vessel as the marine vessel travels along the waterway;

comparing the actual operational conditions to the designated operational settings of the trip plan; and

modifying the trip plan into a modified trip plan when a difference between one or more of the actual operational conditions and the designated operational settings exceeds a designated threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein modifying the trip plan into the modified trip plan occurs when movement of the marine vessel deviates from the designated path by more than a threshold distance.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising at least one of generating or modifying the trip plan when at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement exceeds a designated threshold.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

periodically comparing an actual location of the marine vessel with a designated location of the trip plan; and

modifying the trip plan when a difference between the actual location and the designated location exceeds a designated threshold, further wherein a frequency at which the processor periodically compares the actual location to the designated location is based on the at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising changing the trip plan to direct the propulsion system and the directional system to guide the marine vessel to a designated location upon occurrence of one or more detected emergency events.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining the designated location to which the marine vessel travels in the emergency mode based on a current location of the marine vessel.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising transferring control of the propulsion system and the directional system from onboard the marine vessel to a remote facility when the marine vessel travels within a designated range of a docking location, wherein the propulsion system and the directional system are controlled by the remote facility to dock the marine vessel at the docking location.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a docking plan when the marine vessel travels within a designated range of a docking location, the docking plan including designated operational settings of the marine vessel for controlling the propulsion system and the directional system to dock the marine vessel at the docking location.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising autonomously controlling the propulsion system and the directional system according to the docking plan.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of controlling the propulsion system or controlling the directional system includes autonomously controlling the propulsion system or the directional system according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of controlling the propulsion system or controlling the directional system includes presenting instructions to an operator of the marine vessel, the instructions representative of the designated operational settings of the trip plan so that the operator can manually control at least one of the propulsion system or the directional system according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan.

25. A system comprising:

a processor configured to be disposed onboard a marine vessel, the processor also configured to obtain a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of the marine vessel for a trip along a waterway;

a propulsion system of the marine vessel that is configured to be communicatively coupled with the processor, the propulsion system configured to generate propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan; and

a directional system of the marine vessel that is configured to be communicatively coupled with the processor, the directional system configured to steer the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan, wherein the propulsion system propelling the marine vessel and the directional system steering the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan,

wherein the processor is configured to monitor at least one of a direction of water current flow in the waterway, a speed of the water current flow, a direction of wind movement, or a speed of the wind movement along a portion of a designated path of the trip plan, and

wherein the processor is configured to periodically compare an actual location of the marine vessel with a designated location of the trip plan and to modify the trip plan when a difference between the actual location and the designated location exceeds a designated threshold, further wherein a frequency at which the processor periodically compares the actual location to the designated location is based on the at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement.

26. A method comprising:

obtaining a trip plan that includes designated operational settings of a marine vessel for a trip along a waterway;

monitoring at least one of a direction of water current flow in the waterway, a speed of the water current flow, a direction of wind movement, or a speed of the wind movement along a portion of a designated path of the trip plan;

controlling a propulsion system of the marine vessel to generate propulsion to move the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan;

controlling a directional system of the marine vessel to steer the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan, wherein the propulsion system propelling the marine vessel and the directional system steering the marine vessel according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan reduces at least one of fuel consumed or emissions generated by the marine vessel relative to the marine vessel being propelled or steered according to one or more plans other than the trip plan;

periodically comparing an actual location of the marine vessel with a designated location of the trip plan; and

modifying the trip plan when a difference between the actual location and the designated location exceeds a designated threshold, further wherein a frequency at which the processor periodically compares the actual location to the designated location is based on the at least one of the direction of water current flow, the speed of the water current flow, the direction of wind movement, or the speed of the wind movement.