Sail Flying Shape Reconstruction Using Distributed Orientation Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera-based systems for measuring sail shape and orientation in sailboats are unreliable due to environmental conditions like light and moisture, and finding an optimal mounting position is difficult, limiting accuracy and usability.
Innovation Solution
A system using a network of sail sensors and a reference sensor on the hull, combined with a processor, applies an orientation filter to estimate sensor orientations, calculates normal vectors, and interpolates these vectors to determine the sail's flying shape, providing accurate real-time data independent of environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If camera-based systems are used to measure sail shape, then the system can capture visual data of the sail, but the measurement reliability deteriorates under environmental conditions like light and moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical camera-based measurement system with a sensor-based system that uses accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to measure sail shape and orientation. This substitution of mechanical/optical sensing with inertial sensing eliminates the vulnerability to light and moisture conditions that plague camera systems, while maintaining measurement precision through direct physical measurement of sensor orientations on the sail.
2Measurement precision
If cameras are mounted to capture sail images, then visual data can be obtained, but finding an optimal mounting position is difficult which limits accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sail measurement task into multiple discrete sensor placements at specific locations on the sail (e.g., along the luff, leech, and foot). Each sensor provides localized orientation data, and the collective data from segmented sensor positions reconstructs the overall sail shape. This segmentation approach eliminates the need for finding a single optimal camera mounting position, as multiple simpler sensor placements achieve superior measurement accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If camera-based systems are used, then sail shape can be visualized, but the system becomes unusable during night or foggy conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the light-dependent camera system with inertial sensors that operate independently of optical conditions. The accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer measurements are unaffected by darkness or fog, enabling continuous sail shape monitoring across all environmental conditions. This substitution grants the system universal adaptability from daytime to nighttime and clear weather to foggy conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (400) for determining a first flying shape (152A, 252A, 352A, 150B) of a sail (150A, 150B) of a sailboat (140), the system comprising a set of sail sensors, wherein each sail sensor (110, 110A, 210, 310) of the set of sail sensors is attached on respective locations on the sail; a reference sensor (112, 212, 312, 412) attached to a hull (142) of the sailboat; a processor (114, 4128) configured to receive orientation data from each sail sensor and the reference sensor; apply an orientation filter to the orientation data to estimate the orientation of each of the sail sensors relative to the reference sensor; calculate normal vectors at each respective location on the sail based on the estimated orientation of each sail sensor; interpolate the normal vectors to create a continuous field of normal vectors across the sail's surface; determine the first flying shape of the sail using the interpolated normal vectors.