AU2019100960B4

AU2019100960B4 - Collision warning system for a boat

Info

Publication number: AU2019100960B4
Application number: AU2019100960A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Glen Terlick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-08-27
Filing date: 2019-08-27
Publication date: 2020-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2027-08-27
Also published as: AU2019100960A4

Abstract

Abstract A system for sensing the position of a tugboat relative to a larger vessel. The system uses proximity sensors on either side of the tugboat to gauge the distance between the two vessels and is capable of providing warning signals and/or a visual indication of the distance.

Description

COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM FOR A BOAT

Field [0001] The present invention relates to a collision warning system for a boat.

Background [0002] Tugboats are commonly used to tow and berth large vessels. When a tugboat approaches a large vessel, the vessel’s hull may tower over the tugboat. The tugboat’s bridge typically comprises an upwardly extending mast assembly which is occasionally referred to in the art as the bridge “infrastructure”. The mast assembly forms the topmost part of the tugboat and may have one or more attached mast poles, antennas, flags, lights and radar equipment that are out of sight of the tugboat’s operator.

[0003] The mast assembly can easily come into contact with the vessel’s hull when the tugboat and vessel are moving around independently in the water, particularly in large swell conditions and when visibility is reduced due to poor weather. This can damage the mast assembly and present a hazard to the tugboat’s operator and crew.

[0004] It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.

Summary [0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a collision warning system for a boat, comprising:

first and second proximity sensors that are attachable to the boat relative to a mast assembly upwardly projecting from a bridge of the boat, wherein the first and second proximity sensors are positioned and orientated such that they measure relative distances between the mast assembly and objects or vessels located on, respectively, first and second opposed hull sides of the boat;

at least one electronic visual display mountable inside of the bridge for displaying first and second distance measurements obtained by the, respectively, first and second proximity sensors; and an audio device for generating a plurality of different audible warnings corresponding to, respectively, a plurality of different threshold distances, wherein each

2019100960 26 Mar 2020 of the audible warnings is generated by the audio device when one of the distance measurements is less than or equal to the relevant threshold distance.

[0006] Each of the threshold distances may be modifiable by an operator of the system.

[0007] The proximity sensors may comprise radar distance sensors.

[0008] The proximity sensors may comprise ultrasonic distance sensors.

[0009] The collision warning system may further comprise one or more user interface controls for muting or modifying a volume of the audible warnings generated by the audio device.

Brief Description of Drawings [0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a vessel and tugboat as known in the art;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the vessel and tugboat; and

Figure 3 is a rear view of a tugboat that comprises a boat collision warning system according to an example embodiment of the invention.

Description of Embodiments [0011] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is depicted a tugboat 10 of the type that is commonly used fortowing and berthing large vessels. The tugboat 10 is shown alongside a vessel 12 in a body of water. The tugboat 10 is approaching a bow of the vessel 12 and a concave hull of the vessel 12 is towering over the tugboat 10. The tugboat 10 comprises an upwardly extending mast assembly 14 attached to a roof of its bridge. Skilled persons will appreciate that the mast assembly 14 may comprise one or more mast poles, antennas, flags, lights and radar equipment that are out of sight of the tugboat’s operator. The mast assembly 14 forms the topmost part of the tugboat 10 and can easily come into contact with the hull of the vessel 12 when the tugboat 10 and vessel 12 are moving relative to one another in the water.

2019100960 26 Mar 2020 [0012] Referring to Figure 3, an example embodiment of the present invention provides a collision warning system for a boat 16. The collision warning system comprises first and second proximity sensors 18, 20 that are attachable to the boat 16 relative to a mast assembly 22 that upwardly projects from a bridge 24 of the boat 16. The first and second proximity sensors 18, 20 are positioned and orientated such that they measure relative distances between the mast assembly 22 and objects or vessels located on, respectively, first and second opposed hull sides 26, 28 of the boat 16. The collision warning system also comprises at least one electronic visual display 30 mountable inside of the bridge 24 for displaying first and second distance measurements obtained by the, respectively, first and second proximity sensors 18, 20. The collision warning system also comprises an audio device 32 for generating a plurality of different audible warnings corresponding to, respectively, a plurality of different threshold distances. Each of the audible warnings is generated by the audio device 32 when one of the distance measurements obtained by the proximity sensors 18, 20 is less than or equal to the relevant threshold distance.

[0013] More particularly, in the example depicted the boat 16 is a tugboat and its bridge 24 is disposed above a hull 34 of the tugboat 16 with its mast assembly 22 attached to a roof of the bridge 24. The proximity sensors 18, 20 may be mounted on the roof of the bridge 24 and may comprise any suitable sensor devices capable of measuring distances. For example, the proximity sensors 18, 20 may comprise radar distance sensors or ultrasonic distance sensors. The first sensor 18 may be positioned and oriented such that it measures a relative distance between the mast assembly 22 and any objects or vessels that are located near to the tugboat 16 on the port hull side 26 of the tugboat 16. The second sensor 20 may be positioned and oriented such that it measures a relative distance between the mast assembly 22 and any objects or vessels located near to the tugboat 16 on the starboard hull side 28 of the tugboat 16. The proximity sensors 18, 20 may each be orientated and configured to measure a relative distance between the mast assembly 22 and a section of a hull of a vessel that is proximal to the tugboat 16, when the hull section is located above the bridge 24 of the tugboat 16 and, therefore, out of sight of the operator of the tugboat 16 from inside the bridge 24.

[0014] In one example, the audio device 32 may generate (i) a first type of audible warning when a distance measured by one of the proximity sensors 18, 20 is less than or equal to a first threshold distance, (ii) a second type of audible warning when a distance measured by one of the proximity sensors 18, 20 is less than or equal to a second threshold distance

2019100960 26 Mar 2020 less than the first threshold distance, and (Hi) a third type of audible warning when a distance measured by one of the proximity sensors 18, 20 is less than or equal to a third (critical) threshold distance less than the second threshold distance. Each of the relevant threshold distances may be modifiable by an operator of the system so that the distances may be customised to suit the particular use case for the system. The system may also comprise one or more user interface controls that allow the operator to modify the volume of the audible warnings (and/or mute the audible warnings) generated by the audio device 32.

[0015] The visual display 30 may comprise a single electronic display screen that is capable of showing both of the first and second distance measurements on the screen simultaneously in suitable units of length, such as in metres or feet. In other examples, the system may comprise a pair of electronic display screens mounted inside of the bridge 24 that display, respectively, the first and second distance measurements.

[0016] For the purpose of this specification, the word “comprising” means “including but not limited to”, and the word comprises has a corresponding meaning. It is to be understood that, if any prior art is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

[0017] The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

Claims

1. A collision warning system for a boat, comprising:

first and second proximity sensors that are attachable to the boat relative to a mast assembly upwardly projecting from a bridge of the boat, wherein the first and second proximity sensors are positioned and orientated such that they measure relative distances between the mast assembly and objects or vessels located on, respectively, first and second opposed hull sides of the boat;

at least one electronic visual display mountable inside of the bridge for displaying first and second distance measurements obtained by the, respectively, first and second proximity sensors; and an audio device for generating a plurality of different audible warnings corresponding to, respectively, a plurality of different threshold distances, wherein each of the audible warnings is generated by the audio device when one of the distance measurements is less than or equal to the relevant threshold distance.
2. The collision warning system according to claim 1, wherein each of the threshold distances are modifiable by an operator of the system.
3. The collision warning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the proximity sensors comprise radar distance sensors.
4. The collision warning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the proximity sensors comprise ultrasonic distance sensors.
5. The collision warning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collision warning system further comprises one or more user interface controls for muting or modifying a volume of the audible warnings generated by the audio device.