System and method for positioning an aquatic vessel

Abstract

An aquatic vessel, illustratively a pontoon boat including a thruster system is disclosed. The aquatic vessel executes a process to automatically position the aquatic vessel relative to a target location such as a mooring implement. Exemplary mooring implements include a dock, a slip, or a lift.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A pontoon boat, comprising:
 a plurality of pontoons;   a deck supported by the plurality of pontoons;   a thruster system including at least one water inlet in the plurality of pontoons and a plurality of water outlets in the plurality of pontoons;   a plurality of sensors supported by the plurality of pontoons; and   at least one controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the thruster system, the at least one controller configured to:
 localize, using the plurality of sensors, the pontoon boat at a current location within an environment; 
 initiate an auto-docking procedure by generating a global path from the current location to a target docking location, wherein the global path comprises a waypoint between the current location and the target docking location; 
 operate, as part of the auto-docking procedure and based on the plurality of sensors, the thruster system to maneuver the pontoon boat to each waypoint of the global path; and 
 operate the thruster system to maneuver to pontoon boat from a last waypoint of the global path to the target docking location. 
   
     
     
         27 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to update a waypoint of the global path during the auto-docking procedure. 
     
     
         28 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to, in response to determining the pontoon boat has arrived at the target docking location, enter a mooring configuration to maintain a relative location of the pontoon boat with respect to the target docking location. 
     
     
         29 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein operating the thruster system to maneuver the pontoon boat comprises:
 evaluating at least one of a weight distribution or a trajectory of the pontoon boat; and   operating the thruster system based on at least one of the weight distribution or the trajectory of the pontoon boat.   
     
     
         30 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein the global path is generated based on a current trajectory of the pontoon boat when the auto-docking procedure is initiated. 
     
     
         31 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more of:
 a wind sensor;   a water current sensor;   a global positioning system sensor;   an inertial measurement unit; or   a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.   
     
     
         32 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to automatically identify the target docking location based on input from the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         33 . The pontoon boat of  claim 26 , further comprising a user control supported by the plurality of pontoons that is operable to detect user input, wherein the at least one controller is configured to stop the auto-docking procedure based on the user control. 
     
     
         34 . A method of automatically docking a pontoon boat relative to a target docking location, the method comprising:
 localizing, using a plurality of sensors of the pontoon boat, the pontoon boat at a current location within an environment;   initiating an auto-docking procedure by generating a global path from the current location to a target docking location within the environment, wherein the generated global path comprises a waypoint between the current location and the target docking location;   operating, as part of the auto-docking procedure and based on the plurality of sensors, a thruster system of the pontoon boat to maneuver the pontoon boat to each waypoint of the global path; and   in response to determining the pontoon boat has arrived at the target docking location, entering a mooring configuration to maintain a relative location of the pontoon boat with respect to the target docking location.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising updating a waypoint of the global path during the auto-docking procedure. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein operating the thruster system to maneuver the pontoon boat comprises:
 evaluating at least one of a weight distribution or a trajectory of the pontoon boat; and   operating the thruster system based on at least one of the weight distribution or the trajectory of the pontoon boat.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the global path is generated based on a current trajectory of the pontoon boat when the auto-docking procedure is initiated. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to automatically identify the target docking location based on input from the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more of:
 a wind sensor;   a water current sensor;   a global positioning system sensor;   an inertial measurement unit; or   a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.   
     
     
         40 . A method of automatically docking an aquatic vessel relative to a target docking location, the method comprising:
 localizing, using a plurality of sensors of the aquatic vessel, the aquatic vessel at a current location within an environment;   initiating an auto-docking procedure by generating a global path from the current location to a target docking location within the environment, wherein the generated global path comprises a waypoint between the current location and the target docking location;   operating, as part of the auto-docking procedure and based on the plurality of sensors, a thruster system of the aquatic vessel to maneuver the aquatic vessel to each waypoint of the global path; and   in response to determining the aquatic vessel has arrived at the target docking location, entering a mooring configuration to maintain a relative location of the aquatic vessel with respect to the target docking location.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising updating a waypoint of the global path during the auto-docking procedure. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein operating the thruster system to maneuver the aquatic vessel comprises:
 evaluating at least one of a weight distribution or a trajectory of the aquatic vessel; and   operating the thruster system based on at least one of the weight distribution or the trajectory of the aquatic vessel.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the global path is generated based on a current trajectory of the aquatic vessel when the auto-docking procedure is initiated. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to automatically identify the target docking location based on input from the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more of:
 a wind sensor;   a water current sensor;   a global positioning system sensor;   an inertial measurement unit; or   a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.