Autonomous sailing vessel
US9003986B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 2013 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E70/30
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An unmanned ocean-going vessel including a primary hull, a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull where the rigid wing freely rotates about a rotational axis of the rigid wing, a controller configured to maintain a desired heading, a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a position of the control surface element, where the controller is configured to determine a control surface angle and generate a signal to position the control surface element based on the control surface angle, a rudder, where the controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position, and a keel including ballast sufficient to provide a positive righting moment sufficient to cause the primary hull to passively right from any position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.