GB2511731B - Autonomous Vessel Robot AI System - Google Patents

Description

PATENT DESCRIPTION: AUTONOMOUS VESSEL ROBOT Al SYSTEM

SUMMARY or OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a truly autonomous platform for ocean going marine unmanned vehicles which platform addresses the limited performance of prior art unmanned surface vehicles proposed for: research exploration, warfare, other persistent monitoring applications at sea and cargo or passenger vehicles. The platform is to provide extended endurance at practical speeds, 365 days a year and 24 hours a day operation or as required, programmed or reprogrammed en-route, taking advantage of the collision regulation compliant navigation system and artificial intelligence for superior navigation and course keeping.

BACKGROUND FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to manned robot assisted vehicles (RAVs) and unmanned, autonomous, waterborne vehicles for marine use, herein referred to as unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) or unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to unmanned surface ocean vehicles utilising renewable energy, sourced in a manner which enables extended periods of operation at respectable velocity, for remote ocean surface and subsurface surveillance and survey, as may also be developed for, or applicable to cargo and passenger vessels, which requires a level of artificial intelligence.

DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND ART

Ships, boats and other waterborne navigable vehicles frequently sink or run aground due to poor course or expedition planning and monitoring. In particular human error is to blame for many sinkings, such as the Costa Concordia and Baltic Ace tragedies in 2012, both of which were caused by human error.

The bridge of most modem ships and many larger yachts and fishing boats are well equipped with: radio, gps, sonar, radar, chart plotter, autopilot, weatherfax and the like, some of which is integrated, but still vehicles that are so well equipped fail to follow the best navigable course to their destination and worse, collide with other waterborne vehicles.

Even with so many electronic aids to navigation, captains of ships do not know where other ships are headed and cannot react to the discovery of a vessel on a collision course or the fact that an intended harbour destination may not have a berthing place for them, until discovery by radio lookouts, direct radio communications or radar contact. Such discovery is dependent on a vessels crew noticing electronic warnings or radio communications and taking/making the appropriate course correction, or speed reduction, to include giving appropriate signals according to the collision at sea regulations.

Commercial shipping in particular would benefit from a higher degree of automation aboard their vessels; such that the vessel itself might take the appropriate avoidance action, speed adjustment, or course correction autonomously for the safety of the vessel, should for any reason the human crew fail to respond. At the very least an artificially intelligent computer based system might give powerful visual and audible warning to any human crew, alerting them to any impending danger. Such a system may he optionally engaged by the human operators or owners. The problem being that no such system exists at this time where traditional navigation instruments/aids and engine controls are not designed for the purpose of autonomous running.

Military, governmental and commercial civilian uses for US Vs in warfare, exploration, research and monitoring applications at sea are manifold. The ability of conventional platforms, such as boats, ships and buoys, to gather data and information in these applications is limited by the platform’s endurance, typically limited by diesel fuel capacity and/or battery capacity, particularly when compared to the vastness of the world's oceans. Ships are expensive to build, crew, fuel and operate. Buoys, free-floating or tethered, provide only local Ocean monitoring coverage. Oceanographic data may be gathered remotely by expensive earth orbiting satellites but the information gathered thereby is limited in definition and scope.

Sensors and instruments commercially available today to gather oceanographic and hydrographic data and information as deployed on conventional military and civilian scientific survey vessels and UUVs are well developed and capable. Modem radio and satellite communications and information technology may be used to fully exploit such onboard instruments and sensors, as described in U.S. Patent Number: 5,894,450, attributed to Schmidt et al. However, it will benefit such exploratory missions if the cost of such operations is reduced by incorporating said sensors and instruments onto a vehicle platform that is inexpensive to run by virtue of the ability to utilise free energy from nature effectively.

Conventional unmanned surface vehicles, such as that described in U.S. Patent Number: 5,713,293 attributed to Shiffler et al., or the Spartan "scout" vehicle proposed by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Centre of Newport, Rhode Island, USA, typically employ conventional fossil fuelled power units that limit range and endurance to the size of a vehicle’s onboard fuel tanks. Conventional unmanned surface vehicles and drones operating in a semi-autonomous mode are also subject to the threat posed by collision or close encounters with larger vessels and cannot provide other vessels they encounter with the correct international collision warning signals as prescribed by file Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996, bringing into force the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972), as amended by the International Maritime Organisation with Resolution A.910(22), the latest amendments coming into force internationally in November 2003.

The use of solar energy to supplement conventional energy sources, such as fossil fuels or wind energy, for marine vessels has been demonstrated by International Patent Publication Numbers: WO 98/21089 and W02005/012079 attributed to Robert Dane et al, which describes rigid wings that are used as sails incorporating on their foil surfaces photovoltaic solar panel arrays. This/these system(s) though is/are constrained as to effectiveness by incorporating the wind and solar energy collector elements as one in a solar/wing inclined pivotally along one axis. Such a system cannot fully harness the separate energy factions in nature to maximum advantage, where the wind angle may not allow the solar collectors to operate efficiently by pointing them toward the sun at 90 degrees, and vice versa, where the ideal sun angle may not allow the sail function of the solar/wing to orient itself at the correct angle to the wind for good sail efficiency.

At this time designs for vessels powered by photovoltaic arrays alone have proven themselves to be incapable of continuous cruising speeds above 3 knots. The latest solar ship, the “Turanor PlanetSolar,” is also the largest and most advanced, but even using sliding wing panel extensions and electronic (immovable) solar panel monitoring, this vessel could not better 3 knots average during a circumnavigation. Nor could the “Transatlantic Sun21” before it during a transatlantic crossing. The performance of such vessels is not attractive to commercial or military operators. The power to weight ratio of these vehicles is less than 1 kilowatt per ton. The design of the hull and electric motor propulsion system in relation to the energy collectors is therefore of paramount importance and needs to be addressed.

Vessels using the “Walker Wingsail” system as described in US Patent Numbers US4467741 and US4856449 attributed to John G Walker, or Harbor Technologies Steerable Wing system as described in US Patent Number US7461609 attributed to Mark T Ott et al, cannot provide truly autonomous navigation, because they harness wind energy as physical force rather than electrical energy, so would need considerable additional energy collection devices onboard to provide energy for electrical instruments and other necessary operational equipment to be able to carry out surveying missions, requisite communications and as may be required, operation of weaponry. Additionally, when the wind dies down the vehicles so propelled have no means to store energy as a buffer for operation when becalmed.

Artificial intelligence requires a high level of autonomy, which must include the ability to engage with the environment locally optically, audibly and in the case of shipping, using sonar, radar, laser and infrared sensors.

Take for example a human; a human must be able to harvest energy from nature to be able to cany out his (hisHiis/her) mission. A human requires sensors to be able to interact with his environment and to be able to use gathered information to direct himself to carry out his mission - which may be nothing more than survival of the species.

Since this patent relates to waterborne vehicles, consider a dolphin. A dolphin uses energy derived from nature (fish), which it converts to propel itself, to be able to find more energy, detect and evade predators and find a mate to perpetuate the species.

The mission of the dolphin as an autonomous subject may differ from the missions of the present patent subject, but the concept is the same, to include magnetic sensing of the earth’s magnetic field for the purpose of navigation.

Logic dictates that for Intelligence to have developed in any organism, mobility is essential, and the two are interlinked. An immobile organism like a tree, for example, does not need to be intelligent, as we understand the meaning of intelligence, to exist. Combining mobility and energy collection from nature together, is a step forward in the evolution of man made artificial intelligence.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

This/these present invention(s) or combination of inventions, overcome(s) the identified shortcomings of existing technology as follows:- HULL-1.

To overcome the problems identified, the hull of a vessel, especially an autonomous vessel is arranged as two or three hulls, with the main hull running below the surface waves to reduce wave drag and enjoy relatively undisturbed linear water flow as skin friction in submarine fashion, in combination with one or two additional hulls moveable in relation to the main hull transversely and placed a distance from the main buoyancy hull, to be able to effect angular and displacement changes to be able to compensate for sea state, winds, and other factors, as dictated by electronic feedback from onboard sensors that calculate overall vehicle drag and make adjustments to the running trim, actively, to keep the vehicle at the ideal velocity, after consideration of the available stored energy and the incoming energy from the collectors as described elsewhere in this patent specification, also comparing such information with the mission parameters that the vehicle has been programmed to carry out.

The main hull is connected to the superstructure by a foil or foils, fore and aft, to provide superior control of pitching in any seaway.

In addition to the above, the design of the hull is such that solar panel collector arrays may be mounted high above the waves on lightweight frames, such frames optionally forming part of the superstructure, so too any wind generating turbines. The submerged main hull and outrigger provision, provides a high degree of stability both in pitch and roll, which is essential for some survey monitoring functions, so too the task of keeping solar panel arrays aimed at the sun, and to thereby minimising the energy that may be required to be expended for the purpose of directing the PV arrays at the sun as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, taking into account any changes in course from north to south, west to east (and vice versa) and any combination of course headings, such as south, south-west, north, north-east and so on. ENERGY - 2.

Energy is to be collected from nature using solar panel arrays that may track the sun along one or two hinged, or pivotal axes. Care should be taken is the design to ensure that the mechanical complications of a dual axis tracking system does not add to the mass of the arrays such, that the vehicle will become unrealistically heavy, such additional mass increasing hull drag, thereby negating any advantage from sun tracking. The tracking is to be electronically and/or digitally controlled by comparator sensors and computer program, as part of the vehicle’s onboard energy management system.

Complimenting the photovoltaic panel collectors, it is necessary to include an array of wind generators, comprised of one or more turbine electricity generators mounted on the hull or superstructure in such a manner as not to obscure the solar panel arrays. In addition and by means of enhancing the energy collected from the prevailing wind, it is desirous to be able to position the wind generators to best collect energy and at times, when the weather poses a potential risk of damage to the wind generators, to be able to move and/or fold, or lock the generators away, such as to present less of a frontal area for a high wind such as a hurricane to bite on. ONBOARD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - 3.

The electrical energy collected by the above means is managed by an onboard computer, which monitors charge of the vehicle’s batteries, so to store sufficient energy for periods when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing, but also compares and calculates the energy that is required for the longer term mission and either reduces consumption, or allows an increase in the consumption of energy, to the best advantage of the vehicle in terms of journey speed and voyage planning. Put into human terms, using this onboard management system the vehicle knows when it is hungry or about to go hungry, or when it is fat and can afford to expend energy.

The onboard computer(s) collect information from the vehicle’s navigation instruments: radar, optical, audible, wind speed and direction, and other environmental sensors, audio, radar reflectors and satellite, or other radio communications (data) and applies a logical solution to the situation in real time, to be able to carry out the vehicle’s navigational or survey mission (journey), safely, with especial regard to collision avoidance.

The vessel is equipped with compliant lighting, audio, radio, radar and radar reflector equipment such as to be able to give the appropriate warning signals and other communications to approaching ships, or vessels which it is deemed by the Onboard Artificially Intelligent management system may in the near future threaten the safety of the vehicle.

Information that is gathered by the Onboard Artificial Intelligence (OAJ) is shared between shore based databases and other vehicles that are able to communicate while navigating a course. In human terms this information sharing increases the chances that other people will pilot their vessels safely, and also allows governments who elect to share such information, to plan for the inevitable increase in marine traffic in coming years. Especially for the safe operation of certain congested sea routes, such as the English Channel (Dover straits - the world’s first traffic separation scheme), Baltic region and North Atlantic, by way of limited example, with reference to the SOLAS Convention of 1960 and the International Maritime Organization’s function.

Where the present invention applies to pre-existing vehicles wishing to utilise the artificial onboard intelligence to manage navigation, it is desirable to engineer the OAI system for backward integration utilising legacy navigation instrumentation as may be present on existing boats and ships, to be supplemented where necessary with diesel and steam turbine engine management add-ons by way of accessory sensors and controls, retro-connectable to the OAI via a compatible breakout box from the OAI.

Secondary to good navigational course management, the Onboard Artificial Intelligence of this present invention uses data collected to adjust the hull trimming of the vehicle, and running speed to be able to travel as quickly as possible between navigations waypoints, provided that speed is a desirable mission requirement.

It should be understood that the above embodiments are provided only by way of example as to application and that further modifications and/or improvements thereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the present invention defined on the claims which follow:-

Claims (3)

GB1301488.1 PATENT CLAIMS - AUTONOMOUS VESSEL ROBOT Al SYSTEM THE INVENTION CLAIMED IS:

1. An autonomous or robotic marine vessel system incorporating onboard navigational instruments, environmental sensors, lighting, radar reflectors and autopilot steerage equipment to steer the vessel automatically, operated by onboard computers via computer programs to ensure that the vessel avoids colliding with other vessels that it detects via onboard sensors, radar, optical, audio, radio and satellite, and monitors other vessel positions via radar, optical and audio sensors, for signs of a collision course the object being to avoid making contact with other vessels at sea by making course alterations or corrections in real time to be able to take avoiding action designed to prevent accidents, also giving appropriate warnings signals and other communications to approaching vessels as the computer system deems may in the near future threaten the safety of the autonomous or robotic marine vessel, thereafter resuming any pre-programmed or re-programmed auto-piloted mission parameters once any potential danger of colliding is past, where the autonomous or robotic marine vessel harvests solar energy from the sun using photovoltaic arrays that may move to track the sun for increased solar photovoltaic energy harvesting and reduced shaded area in combination with wind energy harvesting using wind turbines that are positioned on the vessel such as not to shade the solar arrays, such energy harvesting apparatus being to store energy in onboard batteries to provide energy for propulsion motors, navigation instruments, sensors, computers and mechanical steerage and control equipment, where the wind turbines are not rigidly deck fixed, are moveable to a position where maximum wind energy may be converted to generated electricity and where the wind turbines are foldable from the best energy collection position to protect the turbine generators from bad weather that would otherwise damage the harvesting equipment, so complementing the solar panel arrays to maximise energy collection, the purpose of such energy collection system being to propel the vessel using electric motors and batteries to make the vessel energy self-sufficient, hence a long endurance or autonomously operable vessel, incorporating as part of a system, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic actuators, computers, computer programs, electronic navigational instruments, object detection sensors, sonar and radar, autopilot steerage, radio and satellite communications such that the robotic marine vessel is able to navigate from waypoint to waypoint as pre-programmed or reprogram-able mission parameters en-route in unmanned fashion, autonomously, and where such command and control instructions may be provided from a shore base in drone fashion, with the robot vessel autonomously reporting back to a shore based mission control at intervals, but remaining artificially intelligent concerning mission parameters in the absence of such communications.

2. An autonomous marine vessel system substantially as described in any Claim or Claims herein, whereby solar panels are motorised such as to move to track incoming solar radiation for optimum energy harvesting as the vessel moves on the earth’s surface such as to align the panels horizontally to the near vertical or overhead incoming solar radiation or as close as possible to that ideal as may be achieved with a dual-axis solar panel array, as flat on to the incoming solar radiation while the vessel remains horizontal with sea level.

3. A vessel substantially as claimed in any preceding Claim or Claims with a hull form comprised of a central submerged or semi submerged hull with a raised superstructure clear of the waves supported on fore and aft foils, working with the onboard autonomous systems via computers, sensors and computer programs in combination with a stabilising transverse outrigger or stabilising transverse outriggers that are actively adjustable mechanically in relation to the angle or height of the main hull for the purpose of trimming the hull for stability in any sea condition, and also to be able to minimise operational hydrodynamic drag and surface wave drag, such that the transit performance of the artificially intelligent autonomous vessel may be optimised in terms of propulsive energy requirement.