IP Library › Granted Patent US 12669335

Granted Patent B2

US 12669335 · App. 18/743,040 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Passage planning and navigation systems and methods

Inventors: Mark Johnson (Vannes, FR); William M. Sayer (Hampshire, GB); Mark Rivers (Winchester, GB); Brian L. Jensen (Madison, WI); Marcel Tremblay (Goleta, CA); Christopher D. Gatland (Fareham, GB)

Assignee: Raymarine UK Limited

G01C21/203 B60L50/60 B60L58/12 B63B49/00 B63B79/40 B60L8/003 B60L15/2045 B60L2200/32 B60L2240/12 B60L2240/62 B60L2240/66 B60L2250/10 B60L2250/16 B60L2260/52 B60L2260/54

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12669335
App. No.: 18/743,040
Granted: Jun 30, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide passage planning for a mobile structure. A passage planning system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a user interface associated with the mobile structure and at least one operational state sensor mounted to or within the mobile structure. The logic device determines an operational range map based, at least in part, on an operational state of the mobile structure, potential navigational hazards, and/or environmental conditions associated with the mobile structure. Such operational range map and other control signals may be displayed to a user and/or used to generate a planned route and/or adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.

Claims (66)

1 . A method comprising:

aggregating ranging sensor data provided by a ranging sensor system mounted to a mobile structure into a passage database, wherein the ranging sensor system comprises an imaging system implemented as a perimeter ranging system for the mobile structure;

determining a set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database, wherein the determining comprises processing imagery provided by the imaging system according to a region-differentiated image processing strategy using a fixed frame convolutional neural network (CNN) having a fixed frame pixel size that is smaller than a frame pixel size of the imagery provided by the imaging system; and

determining a set of hazard priorities corresponding to the set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the set of potential navigation hazard contacts comprises:

detecting and classifying one or more navigation hazards within a preselected range of the mobile structure based, at least in part, on the passage database; and

identifying at least one of the one or more navigation hazards as the set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on a projected course of the mobile structure and a position and/or a projected motion of the at least one navigation hazard.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the passage database comprises the ranging sensor data and a regulatory navigation ruleset, user navigation preferences, passage criteria associated with a planned route for the mobile structure, and/or navigation control signals provided to a navigation control system of the mobile structure; and

the method further comprising, if the at least one of the one or more navigation hazards comprises a vessel, applying the regulatory navigation ruleset to project a motion of the vessel.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the set of hazard priorities comprises:

determining an immediacy for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on an estimated time for the mobile structure to reach the corresponding navigation hazard;

determining a severity for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on a size, shape, velocity, and/or type of the corresponding navigation hazard; and

determining the set of hazard priorities based on a combination of the immediacy and severity for each potential navigation hazard contact in the corresponding set of potential navigation hazard contacts.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a user alert for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on its corresponding priority and a preselected minimum priority threshold, wherein the generating the user alert comprises:

rendering a navigation alert identifying one or more potential navigation hazard contacts with corresponding hazard priorities above the preselected minimum priority threshold on a display of a user interface associated with the mobile structure; and/or

generating an audible alert via a speaker of the user interface for at least one of the one or more potential navigation hazard contacts with corresponding hazard priorities above the preselected minimum priority threshold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting, using an operational state controller coupled to or within the mobile structure, the operational state of the mobile structure based, at least in part, on the set of potential navigation hazard contacts, the corresponding set of hazard priorities, and a preselected minimum priority threshold, wherein:

the operational state of the mobile structure comprises a target heading, speed, and/or route for the mobile structure; and

the adjusting the operational state of the mobile structure comprises adjusting the target heading, speed, and/or route for the mobile structure to avoid one or more potential navigation hazard contacts with corresponding hazard priorities above the preselected minimum priority threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the passage database comprises a fishing compendium, the method further comprising:

aggregating environmental sensor data provided by one or more environmental sensors mounted to or within the mobile structure into the passage database;

determining a set of potential fishing locations based, at least in part, on the passage database; and

determining a set of fishing location priorities corresponding to the set of potential fishing locations based, at least in part, on the passage database.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising rendering navigation information and/or identifiers for each of the set of potential fishing locations with the corresponding fishing location priorities above a preselected minimum fishing priority threshold.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying international regulations for preventing collisions at sea (COLREGs) to project a motion of at least one vessel identified as a potential navigation hazard contact.

10 . A method comprising:

determining a set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database, wherein the determining comprises processing imagery provided by the imaging system according to a region-differentiated image processing strategy characterized by a fixed frame pixel size that is smaller than a frame pixel size of the imagery provided by the imaging system, wherein the processing the imagery comprises:

processing a first portion of the imagery to detect and classify far off objects, wherein the first portion comprises an area just at or below a horizon of a scene associated with the mobile structure; and

processing a second portion of the imagery to detect and classify close-up objects using down sampling; and

determining a set of hazard priorities corresponding to the set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database.

11 . A system comprising:

a logic device configured to communicate with a ranging sensor system mounted to a mobile structure and comprising an imaging system implemented as a perimeter ranging system for the mobile structure, wherein the logic device is configured to:

aggregate ranging sensor data provided by the ranging sensor system into a passage database;

determine a set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database, wherein to determine the set of potential navigation hazard contact, the logic device is configured to process imagery provided by the imaging system according to a region-differentiated image processing strategy using a fixed frame convolutional neural network (CNN) having a fixed frame pixel size that is smaller than a frame pixel size of the imagery provided by the imaging system; and

determine a set of hazard priorities corresponding to the set of potential navigation hazard contacts based, at least in part, on the passage database.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing the imagery using the fixed frame CNN comprises:

processing a second portion of the imagery to detect and classify close-up objects using down sampling.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the determining the set of potential navigation hazard contacts comprises:

detecting and classifying one or more navigation hazards within a preselected range of the mobile structure based, at least in part, on the passage database; and

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the logic device if further configured to, if the at least one of the one or more navigation hazards comprises a vessel, applying the regulatory navigation ruleset to project a motion of the vessel.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the determining the set of hazard priorities comprises:

determining an immediacy for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on an estimated time for the mobile structure to reach the corresponding navigation hazard;

determining a severity for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on a size, shape, velocity, and/or type of the corresponding navigation hazard; and

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the logic device is further configured to:

generate a user alert for each potential navigation hazard contact based, at least in part, on its corresponding priority and a preselected minimum priority threshold, wherein the generating the user alert comprises:

17 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising an operational state controller coupled to or within the mobile structure, wherein the logic device is further configured to:

adjust, using an operational state controller coupled to or within the mobile structure, the operational state of the mobile structure based, at least in part, on the set of potential navigation hazard contacts, the corresponding set of hazard priorities, and a preselected minimum priority threshold, wherein:

the operational state of the mobile structure comprises a target heading, speed, and/or route for the mobile structure; and

18 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising one or more environmental sensors mounted to or within the mobile structure, wherein the passage database comprises a fishing compendium, and wherein the logic device is further configured to:

aggregate environmental sensor data provided by one or more environmental sensors mounted to or within the mobile structure into the passage database;

determine a set of potential fishing locations based, at least in part, on the passage database; and

determine a set of fishing location priorities corresponding to the set of potential fishing locations based, at least in part, on the passage database.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising a display of a user interface, wherein the logic device is further configured to render on the display navigation information and/or identifiers for each of the set of potential fishing locations with the corresponding fishing location priorities above a preselected minimum fishing priority threshold.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the logic device is further configured to apply international regulations for preventing collisions at sea (COLREGs) to project a motion of at least one vessel identified as a potential navigation hazard contact.