Patent Application
20200140044
The present disclosure relates to boat stabilization and, more particularly, to a boat stabilizer system that uses radar to monitor waves that are approaching the boat.
Seasickness, also known as kinetosis and travel sickness, is the state of being dizzy or nauseated due to motions that occur while traveling in or on a moving vehicle. Seasickness is caused by a disagreement between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement. Seasickness is worsened when the waves around a boat contact the boat in the direction of the beam (at the sides of the boat).
Several conventional systems exist to minimize the rocking of the boat that causes seasickness. Such systems are based on gyroscope, Magnus effect or can include stabilizing fins. These conventional systems however, are reactive, meaning that the waves need to first contact the boat for the system to begin to compensate for the side-to-side rocking.
Thus, there is a need to provide a boat stabilizer system that uses radar to monitor waves prior to the waves striking the boat so as to better compensate for side-to-side rocking of the boat once the waves contact the boat.
An objective of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of an embodiment, this objective is obtained by providing a boat stabilization system including a first radar unit constructed and arranged to be associated with a port side of a boat so as to obtain wave data of a port side wave prior to the port side wave contacting the port side of the boat. A second radar unit is constructed and arranged to be associated with a starboard side of the boat so as to obtain wave data of a starboard side wave prior to the starboard side wave contacting the starboard side of the boat. A control unit is connected with each of the first and second radar units and is constructed and arranged to develop, based on the wave data of the port side wave and the starboard side wave, a three-dimensional wave map. The control unit is constructed and arranged to control a boat stabilizing device based on the wave map.
In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, a method stabilizes a boat that is experiencing waves contacting the boat. The method provides a first radar unit at a port side of the boat and a second radar unit at a starboard side of the boat. Wave data of a port side wave is obtained with the first radar unit prior to the port side wave contacting the port side of the boat. Wave data of a starboard side wave is obtained with the second radar unit prior the starboard side wave contacting the starboard side of the boat. A processor circuit develops a three-dimensional wave map based on the wave data of the port side wave and the starboard side wave. Based on the wave map, a boat stabilizing device is controlled to counteract effects of the port side wave and the starboard side wave when the waves contact the boat.
Other objectives, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and the functions of the related elements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics of manufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements.
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Thus, with two or more radar units 12, 12′, the stabilizer system 10 is predictive since wave data is obtained prior to waves contacting boat. Thus, the system 10 can better compensate for waves contacting the beam of the boat 14, thus reducing seasickness.
The operations and algorithms described herein can be implemented as executable code within the control unit 16 having the processor circuit 18 as described, or stored on a standalone computer or machine readable non-transitory tangible storage medium that are completed based on execution of the code by a processor circuit implemented using one or more integrated circuits. Example implementations of the disclosed circuits include hardware logic that is implemented in a logic array such as a programmable logic array (PLA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or by mask programming of integrated circuits such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Any of these circuits also can be implemented using a software-based executable resource that is executed by a corresponding internal processor circuit such as a micro-processor circuit (not shown) and implemented using one or more integrated circuits, where execution of executable code stored in an internal memory circuit causes the integrated circuit(s) implementing the processor circuit to store application state variables in processor memory, creating an executable application resource (e.g., an application instance) that performs the operations of the circuit as described herein. Hence, use of the term “circuit” in this specification refers to both a hardware-based circuit implemented using one or more integrated circuits and that includes logic for performing the described operations, or a software-based circuit that includes a processor circuit (implemented using one or more integrated circuits), the processor circuit including a reserved portion of processor memory for storage of application state data and application variables that are modified by execution of the executable code by a processor circuit. The memory circuit 19 can be implemented, for example, using a non-volatile memory such as a programmable read only memory (PROM) or an EPROM, and/or a volatile memory such as a DRAM, etc.
While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited, since those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.
