IP Library Granted Patent US 12,632,049
Granted Patent B2
US 12,632,049 · App. 18/065,865 · Granted May 19, 2026

Autonomous marine autopilot system

Inventors: Ravinder Singh (Olathe, KS); Christopher J. Helms (Olathe, KS); Michael S. Ellebrecht (Olathe, KS)
Assignee: Garmin International, Inc.
G05D1/0206B63H25/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,632,049
App. No.
18/065,865
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A marine autopilot system configured to control a marine vessel through a marine environment is disclosed herein. The marine autopilot system may obtain data of the marine environment from charts and community shared data and generate a path from a first location to a destination location in the marine environment. The marine autopilot system may control the marine vessel along the path based on the marine vessel dynamics and weather and water current conditions. Sensors may detect hazards on and in the water and object detections systems may classify the hazards. The marine autopilot system may control the marine vessel to avoid the hazards based on the location and classification of the hazards. Furthermore, sensors may be utilized to generate detailed 3D maps that change with time to dock the marine vessel at known and unknown locations.

Claims (51)

1 . A marine autopilot system for controlling a marine vessel through a marine environment, the marine autopilot system comprising:

at least one storage device storing historic data indicative of the marine environment and computer-executable instructions;

one or more sensors for obtaining current data indicative of the marine environment and a state of the marine vessel; and

at least one processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

obtain a destination location;

calculate a path between a first location of the marine vessel and the destination location;

control the marine vessel along the path;

obtain the current data indicative of the marine environment by the one or more sensors,

wherein the current data comprises a location of a hazard;

generate a classification of the hazard based at least in part on a geometry and sound of the hazard;

update a trajectory of the marine vessel based on the location of the hazard, wherein the updated trajectory is based at least in part on the classification of the hazard, and wherein the updated trajectory avoids the location of the hazard and returns the marine vessel to the path; and

control the marine vessel along the trajectory.

2 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 , wherein the current data comprises data indicative of objects in the marine environment detected by the one or more sensors on the marine vessel.

3 . The marine autopilot system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise an optical camera, sonar, LIDAR, and an anemometer.

4 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 , wherein the current data comprises data indicative of a marine vessel location, a velocity, and an orientation of the marine vessel.

5 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to:

generate a virtual boundary around the marine vessel; and

control the marine vessel to avoid the hazard when the hazard crosses the virtual boundary.

6 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to:

generate a virtual boundary around the marine vessel;

generate a hazard virtual boundary around the hazard; and

control the marine vessel to avoid the hazard when the hazard virtual boundary crosses the virtual boundary.

7 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 ,

wherein the current data comprises a wind direction; and

wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to control one of a sail or a rudder of a sailboat based on the wind direction.

8 . The marine autopilot system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to:

obtain dock data of a dock by LIDAR; and

control the marine vessel into the dock based on the dock data.

9 . A marine autopilot system for controlling a marine vessel through a marine environment, the marine autopilot system comprising:

a display;

at least one storage device storing historic data indicative of the marine environment and computer-executable instructions;

one or more sensors for obtaining current data indicative of the marine environment and a state of the marine vessel; and

at least one processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

obtain a destination location;

calculate a path between a first location of the marine vessel and the destination location;

control the marine vessel along the path;

obtain the current data indicative of the marine environment by the one or more sensors,

wherein the current data comprises a location of a hazard,

generate a classification of the hazard based at least in part on a geometry and sound of the hazard; and

update a trajectory of the marine vessel by controlling speed and direction of the marine vessel based on stored dynamics of the marine vessel and the location of the hazard, the updated trajectory avoiding the location of the hazard and returning the marine vessel to the path, wherein the updated trajectory and path are presented on the display, and wherein the updated trajectory is based at least in part on the classification of the hazard.

10 . The marine autopilot system of claim 9 ,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise an optical camera, sonar, LIDAR, and an anemometer, and

wherein the current data comprises data indicative of a marine vessel location, a velocity, and an orientation of the marine vessel.

11 . The marine autopilot system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to:

generate a virtual boundary around the marine vessel; and

control the marine vessel to avoid the hazard when the hazard crosses the virtual boundary.

12 . The marine autopilot system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executed to:

generate a virtual boundary around the marine vessel;

generate a hazard virtual boundary around the hazard,

wherein the hazard virtual boundary is based on the classification of the hazard; and

control the marine vessel to avoid the hazard when the hazard virtual boundary crosses the virtual boundary.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2023
From: SINGH, RAVINDER; HELMS, CHRISTOPHER J.; ELLEBRECHT, MICHAEL S.
To: GARMIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 065613/0406 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63290468 · Dec 16, 2021
Related Publication 20230195118A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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