Military Watercraft Sensor Architecture for Secure Real-Time Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Military watercraft face integration challenges due to their complex, heterogeneous composition of components from various manufacturers, with limited testing of component interactions and a need for data protection, preventing comprehensive data utilization and analysis.

Innovation Solution

A military watercraft system that integrates sensors to record measured values, stores them securely in a database with timestamps, and uses an electronic automation system for real-time control, along with a computer cluster and container management software for orchestration, enabling analysis modules to operate independently and securely access data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If comprehensive sensor data collection and analysis is implemented across heterogeneous military watercraft components, then operational optimization and critical state prediction are improved, but data security and protection from unauthorized access deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational optimizationVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data access by creating separate analysis modules, each authorized to access only specific sensor data from particular components or manufacturers. This segmentation allows comprehensive data collection across the entire watercraft while maintaining security through isolated, controlled access paths for each analysis module.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If diverse components from multiple manufacturers are integrated into the military watercraft, then system functionality and versatility are improved, but integration complexity and testing requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem functionalityVSAvoidintegration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a universal data access architecture where standardized interfaces and communication protocols enable diverse components from multiple manufacturers to integrate seamlessly. The analysis modules are designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle data from various sensor types and manufacturers through a common framework, reducing integration complexity despite system diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Speed

If real-time automation control is maintained while enabling comprehensive data analysis, then operational responsiveness is improved, but system complexity and computational load worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational responsivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary data processing and analysis by the specialized analysis modules before real-time automation control decisions are made. This preliminary action prepares optimized control recommendations in advance, allowing the real-time automation system to make rapid decisions based on pre-processed information rather than raw sensor data, thus maintaining responsiveness while managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4090586B1Military watercraft with sensors
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 THYSSENKRUPP MARINE SYST GMBH
  • EP4090586B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4090586B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4090586B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a military watercraft (100) containing: - multiple vehicle components (104-110), each of which includes one or more sensors (112-120), wherein at least some of the vehicle components are part of a weapon system (102), a propulsion unit (104), and a navigation system (106), and the sensors are designed to detect measurement values, which indicate operating states of the vehicle components that include the sensors detecting the measurement values and/or states of the watercraft or the surroundings thereof; - a database (122), said database storing a history of measurement values of the sensors in a persistent and protected manner in connection with a time stamp; and - an electronic automation system (124), said automation system being designed to automatically and/or semi-automatically control at least one of the vehicle components in real-time on the basis of the measurement values and/or on the basis of an input of a user, said input being entered via a user interface in response to an output of the measurement values.