Boat Camera Display Layout for Forward and Aft Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Boat operators face challenges in maintaining visibility and awareness of their surroundings, particularly when engaging in water sports, due to obstructed views of participants behind the boat and the high angle of attack during activities like wake surfing, which reduces forward visibility.
Innovation Solution
The integration of cameras positioned on the boat to capture images of the environment behind and in front of the vessel, with a display system at the control console to provide live feeds, allowing operators to select relevant camera views based on the activity, enhancing visibility without diverting attention from the boat's path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the operator looks behind the boat to check on water sports participants, then awareness of participants is improved, but attention is diverted from the boat's path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cameras to create visual copies (images) of the environment behind and in front of the boat, which are then displayed on screens at the control console. This allows the operator to view participant positions and environmental conditions without physically turning to look, thereby maintaining focus on the boat's path while gaining situational awareness through the displayed images.
2Loss of information
If cameras are installed to provide views of the environment, then visibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera and display system is designed to serve multiple functions: monitoring water sports participants, providing forward environmental awareness, and potentially recording video. The system can display different camera feeds based on operational needs, making a single integrated system versatile for various boating activities and situations.
3Loss of information
If the operator takes eyes off the path to check surroundings, then awareness of environment is improved, but safety is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The display screens act as intermediaries between the operator and the surrounding environment. Instead of directly observing the environment by turning the head, the operator views processed visual information through the display screens, which present relevant information (participant positions, environmental conditions) while allowing the operator to maintain direct observation of the boat's path and controls.
Data Source
AI summary
A boat includes at least one camera and a display screen communicatively coupled to the camera to selectively display images from the camera. The camera may be positioned on the boat to have a field of view of an environment external to a hull of the boat, such as a forward-facing camera positioned to have a field of view of an environment forward of the bow of the boat or an aft-facing camera positioned to have a field of view of an environment aft of the stern of the boat. In response to the selection of a user-selectable element configuring the boat for an activity, such as a water sport, or in response to an operation of a control, such as a reverse control, the display screen displays images from the camera, such as a live video feed from the camera.