Person Overboard Detection in Automatic Marine Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine vessel control systems fail to promptly detect and respond to a person falling overboard, particularly in automatic navigation modes, risking the vessel from traveling too far away from the incident point.
Innovation Solution
A marine vessel system with a controller enabling an automatic navigation mode that includes a person overboard detection algorithm, which disables the mode upon detecting an abrupt change in signal strength or acceleration of a portable device carried by an individual, causing the vessel to backtrack or reduce thrust.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automatic navigation mode is enabled, then the vessel can operate autonomously without constant operator intervention, but the system fails to promptly detect when a person falls overboard
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the position of portable devices carried by individuals on the vessel by comparing their locations against the vessel's geographic boundaries. When a device is detected outside the vessel's perimeter, the system automatically triggers an alarm and notifies the operator, providing real-time feedback about safety conditions without requiring constant manual supervision.
Solution Approach 2:
The person overboard detection system operates autonomously by automatically tracking device positions, determining whether individuals are outside vessel boundaries, and triggering alerts without requiring continuous operator intervention. The system serves itself by maintaining constant surveillance and independently making safety determinations.
2Speed
If the vessel operates in automatic navigation mode, then it can maintain course automatically, but it may travel too far away from the incident point before detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring and tracking the positions of all portable devices on the vessel before any incident occurs. This ongoing surveillance ensures that when a person falls overboard, the system has already established baseline position data and can immediately detect the deviation, enabling rapid response without waiting for manual observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual monitoring and mechanical observation methods with electronic tracking and automated geographic boundary analysis. Portable devices with position sensors continuously report locations to the control system, which automatically determines whether individuals are outside vessel boundaries, eliminating the delay associated with human observation and mechanical alarm systems.
3Reliability
If manual monitoring methods are used, then the system can detect overboard incidents, but it requires constant operator attention and may not respond promptly
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system operates autonomously by automatically tracking device positions, comparing them against vessel geographic boundaries, and triggering alerts without requiring continuous operator attention. The system monitors itself and independently makes safety determinations, freeing the operator from constant manual surveillance while maintaining reliable detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides automatic feedback to the operator through alarms and notifications when a person is detected outside the vessel's geographic boundaries. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures prompt detection and immediate operator awareness without requiring the operator to continuously monitor device positions or interpret data manually.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for a marine vessel (10) propelled by a propulsion device (12, 14) includes a controller (20, 50, 213, 402) operable in an automatic navigation mode in which the controller (20, 50, 213, 402) automatically controls a thrust of the propulsion device (12, 14) to propel the marine vessel (10) through a body of water. A portable device (38, 54, 56, 408, 414) is carried on an individual on the marine vessel. The controller (20, 50, 213, 402) enables a person overboard detection algorithm in response to enablement of the automatic navigation mode. The person overboard detection algorithm disables the automatic navigation mode in response to detecting a given status of the portable device (38, 54, 56, 408, 414).