US3690767A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical tanker-docking system
Assignee: Systron Donner Corp
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Filing: 1970-10-01
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Granted: 1972-09-12
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Expires: 1990-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A docking system for large ocean-going vessels, which comprises a laser pulse range radar system having a laser transmitter and receiver, a retroreflector, and receiving and transmitting optics. Two such systems are disposed on a dock. The retroreflectors are disposed on the bow and stern of a vessel. The laser systems share a time interval meter, a computer, and a display panel. The lasers track the retroreflectors as the ship approaches the dock, and the time interval between the transmitted and received pulses is measured. Computations are made and the velocity of the approaching vessel, its distance from the dock, and the vessel position with reference to the dock are continually displayed. This information is then transmitted to the ship''s captain.
Inventors
- 👤 Danilo V Missio
- 👤 Herbert Wollman
- 👤 Irving G Englander
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:12
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/08; G01S17/10; G01S17/14; G01P; G01P3/00; G01P3/36; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/50; G01S13/58; G01S13/60; G01S17/87; G01S17/875; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/0206
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A docking system for vessels wherein the distance between the vessel and dock varies with time, which system comprises: a first optical assembly which includes means to transmit a plurality of pulses to the target whereby the pulses are reflected back to the optical assembly, the assembly including means to receive the reflected pulse; a second optical assembly which includes means to transmit a plurality of pulses to a second target said second optical assembly spaced apart from the first optical assembly and said second target spaced apart from said first target whereby the pulses may be reflected back to the second optical assembly, and which assembly includes means to receive the reflected pulses; a time interval unit which includes means to measure the time delay between the transmitted and received pulses of the first and second optical assemblies, means to produce digitized numbers which represent said time delays, means to average the numbers received from the first and second optical assemblies to provide an average number which average number is representative of the ship''s berthing position in reference to the dock at some point intermediate of the positions of the first and second optical assemblies and first and second targets, means to display the averaged numbers to indicate the ship''s relative position to its berth; and a computer interfaced with the time Interval unit to program the time interval unit, to store data received from the time interval unit, to control the computation of the data in the time interval unit relating the ship''s position relative to the dock, and to control the separation of data from the first and second optical assemblies.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A docking system for vessels wherein the distance between the vessel and dock varies with time, which system comprises: a first optical assembly which includes means to transmit a plurality of pulses to the target whereby the pulses are reflected back to the optical assembly, the assembly including means to receive the reflected pulse; a second optical assembly which includes means to transmit a plurality of pulses to a second target said second optical assembly spaced apart from the first optical assembly and said second target spaced apart from said first target whereby the pulses may be reflected back to the second optical assembly, and which assembly includes means to receive the reflected pulses; a time interval unit which includes means to measure the time delay between the transmitted and received pulses of the first and second optical assemblies, means to produce digitized numbers which represent said time delays, means to average the numbers received from the first and second optical assemblies to provide an average number which average number is representative of the ship''s berthing position in reference to the dock at some point intermediate of the positions of the first and second optical assemblies and first and second targets, means to display the averaged numbers to indicate the ship''s relative position to its berth; and a computer interfaced with the time Interval unit to program the time interval unit, to store data received from the time interval unit, to control the computation of the data in the time interval unit relating the ship''s position relative to the dock, and to control the separation of data from the first and second optical assemblies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second optical assemblies include means to determine an angle between the first optical assembly and the first target and means to determine an angle between the second optical assembly and the second target, and means to determine the range of the ship with reference to the dock and its berthing position along x and y coordinates and means to display the relative position of the ship to the dock along the x and y coordinates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 which includes means to utilize the averaged numbers to compute the velocity of the ship with reference to the dock and its berthing position along x and y coordinates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the optical assemblies are spaced apart on the dock and the reflectors are disposed on the bow and stern of the vessel, and further wherein the time interval delay means, the display means, and the computer are common to both the first and second optical assemblies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the time interval delay means includes means to average the digitized numbers received from both first and second optical assemblies to provide an average number whereby said average number is used for computation purposes for range and velocity.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for docking a vessel which comprises: transmitting a first pulsed beam from a first position to a first reflector; reflecting said pulsed beam back to a receiver; measuring the time difference between the transmitted and received pulses; transmitting a second pulsed beam from a second position spaced apart from the first position to a second reflector, the second reflector spaced apart from the first reflector; reflecting said pulsed beam back to a receiver; measuring the time difference between the transmitted and received pulses; digitizing the time delays between the first set of transmitted and received pulses and between the second set of transmitted and received pulses; averaging the first and second sets of digitized numbers to produce an averaged number corresponding to said first and second sets of digitized numbers, respectively, representative of the position of the ship with reference to points intermediate of the reflectors and intermediate of the first and second positions; and displaying this number to reflect the relative position of the vessel to the dock.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for docking a vessel which comprises: transmitting a first pulsed beam from a first position to a first reflector; reflecting said pulsed beam back to a receiver; measuring the time difference between the transmitted and received pulses; transmitting a second pulsed beam from a second position spaced apart from the first position to a second reflector, the second reflector spaced apart from the first reflector; reflecting said pulsed beam back to a receiver; measuring the time difference between the transmitted and received pulses; digitizing the time delays between the first set of transmitted and received pulses and between the second set of transmitted and received pulses; averaging the first and second sets of digitized numbers to produce an averaged number corresponding to said first and second sets of digitized numbers, respectively, representative of the position of the ship with reference to points intermediate of the reflectors and intermediate of the first and second positions; and displaying this number to reflect the relative position of the vessel to the dock.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 6 which includes: measuring an angle between the first position and the first reflector and measuring an angle between the second position and the second reflector; computing the range between the vessel and the dock in reference to the first and second positions; computing the velocity of the vessel as it approaches the dock between the vessel and the dock in reference to the first and second positions; averaging the range components to provide an intermediate range; averaging the velocity components to provide an intermediate velocity; displaying an average range of the vessel with reference to the dock as x and y coordinates of the range; and displaying the average velocity of the vessel as x and y coordinates of velocity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 7 which includes determining the attitude of the ship''s position by determining the difference between the y coordinates of the first and second optical assemblies and displaying said difference.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 6 which includes: adding said average numbers to a register as stored numbers, said register containing a plurality of previously stored numbers; subtracting a stored number previously stored in said register; Averaging the stored numbers in said register; and displaying said numbers in digital form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3188631A
Cited
US3503680A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-12 | 1976-03-13 | 1976-09-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-12 | 1980-03-13 | 1980-09-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-12 | 1984-03-13 | 1984-09-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |