ES2241397A1 - Homing beacon positioning system for use in e.g. marine rescue zone, has computer connected to global positioning system reader, specific software and transmission/receiving station - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a computer connected to a global positioning system (GPS) reader, specific software and a transmission/receiving station.

Description

Navigation system with external control base and self-guided beacon.

Technical field

Marinas, navigable areas, surveillance and port security, sea rescue and transportation of small goods

State of the art

Next, we pass a quick vision at various possibilities of using the navigation system with external control base and self-guided beacon and the state is analyzed of the technique of each one of them.

Sport ports

The state of the art analysis concludes that currently there is no suitable solution to solve the main problem that a passerby encounters when arriving at a little known port, to locate the berth that has been assigned by captaincy (for example through communication radio). Especially in marinas with high offers of mooring and high traffic of passing ships (sports, sailboats, motorboats and canoes cars ...) which in some ports are immense, the user (navigator) of passage, completely ignores the distribution of said port, and in search of mooring designated, by default can cause traffic congestion Maritime and accidents.

Currently, this operation of locating the site berthing, in some ports it is done manually, indicating the ships their mooring place through the help of an operator who Wait in that place. The drawback of this solution is among others the need to hire personnel which increases the maintenance costs

It is known that some boats have a device called "plotter", which points to the screen The possible route to take. This solution is also not successful. for technical and economic reasons.

Navigable areas

Currently navigation in zones navigable as for example in all types of navigable channels, bays, lakes, rivers, etc., is done with the help of letters nautical. The drawback of these letters is the need to have to update them periodically to reflect possible changes in depth, new obstacles, etc.

Port Surveillance and Security

Port surveillance, today, requires an operator in charge of performing said operations. This type of Surveillance is unreliable, uncomfortable, hard and dangerous.

Sea rescue

The maritime rescue device present in Most of the coasts (especially Spanish) are composed by a base port to cover a large area of territory. He inconvenient is among others the very excessive response time in certain emergencies It also endangers the life of the crew and the ship itself in some performances.

Small goods transport

Currently the transport of small goods, the courier and mail service in those areas where there is a large group of islands (for example Balearic Islands), is Performs using manned vessels. This type of transport it requires an increase in the number of ships, labor (crew), and consequently cost increase, fuel costs etc.

The navigation system with external base of self-guided control and beacon allows to avoid these inconveniences and precisely eliminate manned vessels, decrease the fuel consumption, improve the environment, etc.

Brief description of the present invention patent

The present invention patent, as expressed in the statement of this specification, refers to a navigation system with external control and beacon base self-guided representing a completely new solution. its movement is controlled from an external base unit of control.

The main objective of this Patent of Invention is to provide a guided floating artifact, that is a self-guided beacon to facilitate:

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The search of the mooring assigned by captaincy to a navigator passing In a port he doesn't know.

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Simplify surveillance and security of ports

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Provide more reliable piloting in navigable areas.

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Increase rescue efficiency maritime.

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Offer a water transport of Small merchandise

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Etc.

Another peculiarity, also important of the This Patent of Invention is based on:

- Independence and self-reliance during Assignment of assigned work.

- Low maintenance and pollution.

- Easy implementation for any use and location.

- Avoid personal risks in carrying out Assigned tasks

The navigation system with external base of self-guided control and beacon consists basically of the following parts:

1 The self-guided beacon is basically composed of the following elements:

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Beacon housing whose dimensions and forms will vary depending on the application for which use, ensuring its navigability and buoyancy. The material used for its manufacture must have a high resistance to impact and abrasion. One possible solution would be the high density polyethylene "anti U.V.A." unsinkable and containing foam.

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Engine electric for a lower environmental impact and that guarantees a proper speed of the beacon.

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Unity radio receiver / radio station that will establish communication through An antenna with an external control base.

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Pilot automatic to follow a previously set course, the position of the helm, the deviation from the programmed heading, movements pendulums and accelerations. Also governs the boat exactly according to the route programmed by the device location and positioning (such as: GPS, Galileo, etc.).

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Bombs electro-hydraulic to connect a pilot automatic to a hydraulic control. The direction of rotation of the pump electro-hydraulic is electrically governed by the autopilot; this one conducts the oil of the pump in the direction indicating the electric compass of the autopilot. So then, if the self-guided beacon departs from the established course, the electro-hydraulic pump, pilot driven automatic, will immediately take care of sending the oil to the left or right side of the cylinder, so that the self-guided beacon return to the desired heading.

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Rudder with measures to ensure the government and manufactured of a material that have a low degree of corrosivity (such as aluminum).

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Media Power supply Service batteries for power of electrical equipment and semi-motor batteries for motor power

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Camcorder for observations and surveillance.

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Energy consumption meter for Know exactly the state of charge of the batteries.

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Hour meter that allows you to perform A control of operating time.

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First aid kit for the maritime rescue case.

2 The external control base unit consisting basically from:

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Unity location and positioning device reader (GPS, Galileo, etc.)

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Computer connected to said GPS, to Know at all times the position and layout of the beacon.

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Sender / receiver station to be established communication through an antenna with the beacon self-guided

The function of the external base unit of control will interact between beacon and external base and also:

\ ding {51} Keep the beacon located at all time

\ ding {51} Guide the beacon along a route previously established.

All this through a specific software.

Operation of the navigation system with external base of self-guided control and beacon

The different tasks to be performed by the navigation system have very different characteristics and they force to modify certain conformations in each case, according to the specific needs, although the basic scheme of operation It remains the same.

In any application for which it is used, the navigation system will be able to trace a trajectory defined by the user from an external control base equipped with specific software and a communications base that connects a location system (for example, GPS, GALILEO technology, etc.), positioning and monitoring with a pilot system Automatic boat and can correct possible deviations caused by sea currents, wind, etc.

Example of an embodiment of the invention

For a correct interpretation, a then a case of practical realization, by way of example, not limited, of the present Invention Patent, accompanied by the drawings Figure 1 (Schematic drawing of the self-guided beacon), Figure 2 (Rear view of the self-guided beacon), Figure 3 (View side of the self-guided beacon), Figure 4 (Example of operation), with which you can clearly justify your feasibility of manufacturing and application.

The navigation system with external base of self-guided control and beacon, described below as an example, It is intended to guide incoming vessels in a port, until its mooring.

Detailed description of the invention

As shown in figure 1, this beacon It would have the following main characteristics:

- Length: 1.52 m.

- Width: 1.05 m.

- Total Height: 2.03 m.

- Height from water plane: 1.90 m.

As can be seen in figure 1, the beacon It consists of a small door (1) for maintenance and repair electric

The base of the beacon is provided with some pins (2) to facilitate engine repairs, since this It will be housed inside and at the water level.

A ring (3) surrounds the beacon protection and at the same time help the operator to be able to take it out and put it afloat, either manually or mechanically, depending on the scale of it.

At the top you can distinguish the communication antenna (4) with a light pilot (5).

The beacon will be provided with an autopilot (8) housed inside, with hydraulic steering (6), a possible video camera (9) and placement area of first aid kit (10), as well as two floats (7) that guarantee its buoyancy and navigability.

Next, in Figure 2, it is shown to This example the rear view, where you can observe:

- The propeller (14)

- The helm (13)

- Hydraulic steering (6)

- Pins (2)

- Engine (11)

- Floats (7)

- Batteries (12)

It is also shown in Figure 3 (removing one of the floats), the arrangement of the rudder (13), provision of the propeller (14), arrangement where the motor is housed (11) and the batteries (12), hydraulic steering arrangement (6) and float (7).

The engine in this example should ensure a speed equal to or less than 3 knots inside port enclosures to overcome possible currents against, since the legislation of ports prohibits a speed greater than 3 knots within said enclosure.

Once the appropriate beacon has been described Below is a graph of how to use or operation of it.

It should be clarified that previously the enclosure port must be fully "parameterized" that is through multiple input-output waypoints in one  GPS that together with the software would be installed in the base external control

So each mooring number would have a number determined of waypoints of entry plus ones of exit, which would be transmitted to the beacon by communication external control beacon base. The beacon upon receipt the waypoints of said external control base, will put in engine and autopilot operation, which should be set towards these entry points, and go checking and completing one by one until reaching the last one, which would indicate the place of tie up

It cannot be said that the closer find the waypoints of each other, the smaller the deviation of the beacon

Once the berth of the The beacon must return to its place of origin, with the exit / return waypoints supplied by the base, without any trouble.

In Figure 4, a possible example of entry and exit of the beacon before the entry of a ship to port, where the black dots would be the entry waypoints until the mooring (numbered from 1 to 15), and marked on white-black would be the waypoints of exit until the base (numbered 16 to 30).

It is possible to say that the locations of the Waypoints would be multiple, depending on the possible entries and outputs depending on wind direction, congestion traffic, weather conditions, etc. being able to combine all in a simple / special input and simple / special output, etc.

Finally, it is not considered necessary to do more extend this description so that any subject matter expert understand the scope of the invention and the advantages thereof They derive. It is also understood that how many variables will be finishing and construction details do not alter, change or modify The essentiality of the invention.

The object of the Invention Patent, which is declared as new and of its own invention.

Claims (2)

1. Navigation system with external control base and self-guided beacon whose beacon is characterized in that it has floats (7) (Fig. 1) to guarantee its buoyancy and navigability, and that has an automatic pilot (8) installed, communication antenna ( 4) with pilot light (5), camcorder (9), first aid kit (10), electric motor (11) (Fig. 3), hydraulic steering (6), electric batteries (12) and whose external control base is characterized by It has a location and positioning device unit, a computer connected to said device to know at all times the position and layout of the beacon and a transmitter / receiver station that will establish communication with the self-guided beacon. 2. Navigation system with external control base and self-guided beacon according to claim 1, whose external control base is characterized in that it has a specific software that keeps the beacon located at all times, controls it and guides it according to a route previously established in the software, by assigning coordinates of reference points used for navigation (waypoints).