Dynamic easyrouting utilizing onboard sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12584745-B2
Application number	US-202217871835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2022
Priority date	Jul 22, 2022
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A system for making dynamic routing decisions for a watercraft is provided. The system includes sensor(s) located on the watercraft that are configured to provide sensor data. The system also includes a processor and a memory including computer program code. When executed, the computer program code is configured to cause the processor to receive the sensor data; create a weather profile based on the sensor data, with the weather profile being specific to a current position of the watercraft; and determine watercraft operation change(s) based on the weather profile. The watercraft operation change(s) includes, for example, a change in speed for the watercraft, a change in power level at a motor, a change in direction of the watercraft, a change in direction for the motor, rotation of a rudder, raising the motor, lowering the motor, rotation of a sail, raising other underwater components, or lowering the other underwater components.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1 . A system for making dynamic routing decisions for a watercraft, the system comprising:
one or more sensors located on the watercraft that are configured to provide sensor data while the watercraft is actively being used in a first voyage, wherein the sensor data includes at least one of a pitch of the watercraft, a heave of the watercraft, a roll of the watercraft, a yaw of the watercraft, G-forces of the watercraft, an autopilot drive activity, a drive load, or a rudder angle, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a radar, a direction sensor, a sonar transducer element, an air temperature sensor, a water temperature sensor, a current sensor, a light sensor, or a wind sensor; a processor located on the watercraft; and a memory located on the watercraft, wherein the memory includes computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the processor to: receive the sensor data; create a weather profile based on the sensor data from the one or more sensors located on the watercraft, and without using any external data, wherein the weather profile is specific to a current position of the watercraft; make a determination of one or more watercraft operation changes based on the weather profile, wherein the one or more watercraft operation changes includes at least one of a change in power level at a motor, a change in direction of the watercraft, a change in direction for the motor, rotation of a rudder, raising the motor, lowering the motor, rotation of a sail, raising other underwater components, or lowering the other underwater components; generate, as part of the weather profile, a current ride-comfort characteristic value using the sensor data and a model developed through artificial intelligence, the model being formed based on historical correlations between sensor data from the one or more sensors and a ride-comfort characteristic value indicative of passenger comfort or sea-sickness risk; compare the current ride-comfort characteristic value to a predetermined comfort threshold; and make, when the current ride-comfort characteristic value exceeds the comfort threshold, the one or more watercraft operation changes based on the determination while the watercraft is actively being used during the first voyage.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the processor to:
cause an alert to be created, wherein the alert is related to the one or more watercraft operation changes.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a display; wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the processor to: cause the alert to be presented on the display.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display, wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the processor to: generate weather profile data related to the weather profile; and cause presentation on the display of the weather profile data.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the processor to receive external data from a data source that is not located on the watercraft.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the processor to create the weather profile using the sensor data and the external data.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the external data includes at least one of external humidity data, external temperature data, external pressure data, external precipitation data, external water current data, external weather data, external sonar data, external GPS data, external compass data, external heading sensor data, external position data from a second watercraft, external directional data from a second watercraft, external directional data from a motor or a rudder of a second watercraft, external image data from a camera, external data regarding the date or time, external navigational data, or external geographical data.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the external data is received from a second watercraft, via a mesh network that is formed using at least one of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), WiFi, or a VHF data exchange system.

9 . A marine electronic device for making dynamic routing decisions for a watercraft, the marine electronic device comprising:
a processor; and a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the processor to: receive sensor data from one or more sensors located on the watercraft while the watercraft is actively being used in a first voyage, wherein the sensor data includes at least one of a pitch of the watercraft, a heave of the watercraft, a roll of the watercraft, a yaw of the watercraft, G-forces of the watercraft, an autopilot drive activity, a drive load, or a rudder angle; create a weather profile based on the sensor data from the one or more sensors located on the watercraft, and without using any external data, wherein the weather profile is specific to a current position of the watercraft; make a determination of one or more watercraft operation changes based on the weather profile, wherein the one or more watercraft operation changes includes at least one of a change in power level at a motor, a change in direction of the watercraft, a change in direction for the motor, rotation of a rudder, raising the motor, lowering the motor, rotation of a sail, raising other underwater components, or lowering the other underwater components; generate, as part of the weather profile, a current ride-comfort characteristic value using the sensor data and a model developed through artificial intelligence, the model being formed based on historical correlations between sensor data from the one or more sensors and a ride-comfort characteristic value indicative of passenger comfort or sea-sickness risk; compare the current ride-comfort characteristic value to a predetermined comfort threshold; and make, when the current ride-comfort characteristic value exceeds the comfort threshold, the one or more watercraft operation changes based on the determination while the watercraft is actively being used during the first voyage, wherein the marine electronic device is located on the watercraft.

10 . The marine electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a radar, a direction sensor, a sonar transducer element, an air temperature sensor, a water temperature sensor, a current sensor, a light sensor, or a wind sensor.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate display data by:
receiving sensor data from one or more sensors located on the watercraft while the watercraft is actively being used in a first voyage, wherein the sensor data includes at least one of a pitch of the watercraft, a heave of the watercraft, a roll of the watercraft, a yaw of the watercraft, G-forces of the watercraft, an autopilot drive activity, a drive load, or a rudder angle; creating a weather profile based on the sensor data, wherein the weather profile is specific to a current position of the watercraft; making a determination of one or more watercraft operation changes based on the weather profile, wherein the one or more watercraft operation changes includes at least one of a change in power level at a motor, a change in direction of the watercraft, a change in direction for the motor, rotation of a rudder, raising the motor, lowering the motor, rotation of a sail, raising other underwater components, or lowering the other underwater components;

Assignees

• Navico Inc

Inventors

• Hooper Mathew J
• Armstrong Leigh

Classifications

• B63B49/00

  Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids (nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) · CPC title

• B63B79/10

  using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers · CPC title

• B63B79/40

  for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules · CPC title

• G05D1/0206

  specially adapted to water vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title