Automated anchor management

Abstract

A technique of managing an anchor in a surface vessel includes receiving, by a computerized apparatus aboard the surface vessel, a geographical bounding box within which an anchor of the surface vessel is to be dropped, and applying, by the computerized apparatus, a plurality of filters to the geographical bounding box, the plurality of filters excluding regions within the geographical bounding box at which conditions are unsuitable for anchoring. After the surface vessel has navigated to a region within the geographical bounding box that is not excluded by the plurality of filters, the technique further includes electronically initiating a drop-anchor procedure to drop the anchor automatically within said region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing anchoring in a surface vessel, comprising:
 receiving, by a computerized apparatus aboard the surface vessel, a geographical bounding box within which an anchor of the surface vessel is to be dropped;   applying, by the computerized apparatus, a plurality of filters to the geographical bounding box, the plurality of filters excluding regions within the geographical bounding box at which conditions are unsuitable for anchoring; and   after the surface vessel has navigated to a region within the geographical bounding box that is not excluded by the plurality of filters, electronically initiating a drop-anchor procedure to drop the anchor automatically within said region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drop-anchor procedure includes:
 measuring, via an electronic encoder operatively coupled to the computerized apparatus, an amount of anchor line dispensed from the USV when dropping the anchor; and   upon the measured amount of anchor line reaching a preset length, activating, by the computerized apparatus, an anchor stop that prevents the anchor line from being further dispensed.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein applying the plurality of filters includes:
 rendering the geographical bounding box as multiple rectangles of uniform dimensions; and   removing rectangles as candidates for anchoring based on unsuitable anchoring conditions within geographical regions represented by such rectangles.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the unsuitable anchoring conditions include a geographical region represented by a rectangle falling within a shipping lane where other vessels are known to travel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the unsuitable anchoring conditions include a predetermined swing circle around a geographical region represented by a rectangle intersecting land. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the unsuitable anchoring conditions include a predetermined swing circle around a geographical region represented by a rectangle intersecting shallow water. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein applying the plurality of filters is performed one filter at a time, with each filter excluding all rectangles that indicate unsuitable anchoring conditions with respect to that filter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, after performing the drop-anchor procedure, monitoring conditions around the surface vessel and raising the anchor upon detecting of an adverse condition. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the computerized apparatus releasing the anchor stop prior to raising the anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting the adverse condition includes detecting that the anchor is being dragged. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting the adverse anchoring condition includes detecting that another vessel has entered a swing circle of the USV. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the computerized apparatus, a tension of the anchor line;   in response to detecting a stuck-anchor condition based at least in part on the anchor line tension, directing, by the computerized apparatus, a saw to cut through and release the anchor line.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein monitoring the anchor line tension includes measuring a direction of tension based on a plurality of load cells coupled to an anchor port through which the anchor line passes. 
     
     
         14 . A surface vessel, comprising:
 a vessel hull;   an anchor coupled to an anchor line; and   a computerized apparatus aboard the surface vessel, the computerized apparatus constructed and arranged to:
 receive a geographical bounding box within which an anchor of the surface vessel is to be dropped; 
 apply a plurality of filters to the geographical bounding box, the plurality of filters excluding regions within the geographical bounding box at which conditions are unsuitable for anchoring; and 
 after the surface vessel has navigated to a region within the geographical bounding box that is not excluded by the plurality of filters, electronically initiate a drop-anchor procedure to drop the anchor automatically within said region. 
   
     
     
         15 . The surface vessel of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an electronic encoder operatively coupled to the computerized apparatus, the electronic encoder constructed and arranged to measure an amount of anchor line dispensed from the surface vessel when dropping the anchor; and   an anchor stop operatively coupled to the computerized apparatus, the anchor stop constructed and arranged to prevent the anchor line from being further dispensed once the measured amount of anchor line reaches a preset length.   
     
     
         16 . The surface vessel of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an anchor port formed in the vessel hull and providing a passageway through which the anchor line passes; and   a saw operatively coupled to the computerized apparatus and physically coupled to the anchor port, the saw constructed and arranged to cut through the anchor line in response to a command from the computerized apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The surface vessel of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of load cells coupled to the anchor port and to the computerized apparatus, the plurality of load cells enabling the computerized apparatus to determine an angle of tension of the anchor line. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product including a set of non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions which, when executed by control circuitry of a computerized apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to perform a method of managing anchoring of a surface vessel, the method comprising:
 receiving a geographical bounding box within which an anchor is to be dropped;   applying a plurality of filters to the geographical bounding box, the plurality of filters excluding regions within the geographical bounding box at which conditions are unsuitable for anchoring; and   after the surface vessel has navigated to a region within the geographical bounding box that is not excluded by the plurality of filters, electronically initiating a drop-anchor procedure to drop the anchor automatically within said region.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein applying the plurality of filters includes:
 rendering the geographical bounding box as multiple rectangles of uniform dimensions; and   removing rectangles as candidates for anchoring based on unsuitable anchoring conditions within geographical regions represented by such rectangles.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein applying the plurality of filters is performed one filter at a time, with an application of each filter excluding all rectangles that indicate unsuitable anchoring conditions with respect to that filter.