Abstract:
An observational apparatus has a remote controlled housing that can be controlled proximate the housing or from various points around the world via a global communications network. A camera cluster mounted to the remote controlled housing has a signal output. A monitor to receive the signal output can be located proximate the remote controlled housing or distant from the remote controlled housing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to observation systems and, more particularly to, a remote controlled system to monitor and navigate a marine vessel in a variety of environmental conditions.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Marine vessels can cost from several thousand dollars to several million dollars. The owners of these vessels, consequently, have an interest in protecting the vessels and their contents from loss. Maritime loss typically occurs because a vessel strikes an object or intruders, such as vandals or thieves, target the vessel.  
           [0003]    Many objects such as other boats, small islands, floating debris, or docks, for example, are hazards that may cause damage to a vessel. Nighttime or foggy conditions further increase the possibility that a vessel will strike one of these hidden hazards. Nightvision, radar and low-light video systems have been used to help navigate vessels but none of these systems offer an effective solution for the multitude of adverse conditions that a vessel may encounter.  
           [0004]    Additionally, these systems are typically useless against intruders. Intrusion may occur while a vessel is at sea or while the vessel is docked at port. A vessel is most susceptible to intruders at sea during the night because a vessel may be anchored and the passengers and crew are usually sleeping. Although intruder attacks may be especially dangerous if passengers and crew are on board, the potential for loss when the vessel is not manned is also great. Regardless of whether the vessel is at sea or at port, most navigation systems lack the ability to monitor the vessel to warn the owner, crew or passengers of intruders or other security threats to the vessel.  
           [0005]    Owners may also simply want to monitor their vessel for entertainment or information. For example, the vessel may be berthed in the Bahamas while the owner is working in Dallas. During breaks from work, the owner may be interested in viewing the vessel as a diversion. The owner may also need to monitor activities on the vessel if, for example, the crew is performing a specific repair or preparation. The owner might also want to check the weather or the general condition of the vessel before departing on a vacation to the vessel. Currently available navigation systems do not allow the owner to monitor the vessel or the conditions around the vessel from a location other than on the vessel.  
           [0006]    It would, therefore, be desirable to have observational system that is not limited to providing images in a single environmental condition. Additionally, there is a need for an observational system that is not powerless against intruder attacks. There is also a need for an observational system that does not limit an owners&#39; ability to monitor the vessel from remote locations.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, an observational apparatus has a remote controlled housing. The remote controlled housing can be controlled proximate the housing or from various points around the world via a global communications network. A camera cluster mounted to the housing has a signal output. A monitor to receive the signal output can be located proximate the housing or distant from the housing.  
           [0008]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, a system for monitoring a marine vessel has a remote controlled gimbal mount. A camera cluster is attached to the gimbal mount. A remote monitor displays an image captured by the camera cluster. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a marine vessel having an observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an observation system that depicts an embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]    Although making and using various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not delimit the scope of the invention.  
         [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, a marine vessel  10  has a housing  12 , which may be mounted to an elevated surface of the marine vessel  10 . Although this embodiment of the invention is described in conjunction with the marine vessel  10 , the housing  12  may also be mounted to other vessels such as airplanes or recreational vehicles, or to stationary structures such as homes, buildings, restaurants, or vacation properties, for example.  
         [0014]    The housing  12  may be aimed in any direction an operator desires. One or more motors (not shown) may tilt and pan the housing  12  through a range of motion. A gimbal mount  14  allows the housing  12  to be moved about or along one or more axis. For example, the housing  12  may be panned about a vertical axis  16  or tilted about a horizontal axis  18 . The housing  12  may also be raised or lowered along the vertical axis  16  to change the elevation of the housing  12 . The housing  12  may also be moved along a z-axis (not shown), which may be generally normal to the horizontal axis  18 . For example, if an operator wants to aim the housing  12  over the gunwale of the marine vessel  10 , the housing  12  may be extended along a boom (not shown) and rotated into the desired orientation.  
         [0015]    A camera cluster  20  may be mounted within the housing  12 . The camera cluster  20  and housing  12  may be waterproof and weatherproof according to a particular application. The camera cluster  20  may also have damping and vibration isolation members (not shown) to prevent damage to the camera cluster  20  and improve operation in rough conditions.  
         [0016]    The camera cluster  20  may have one or more cameras  22 ,  24 . For example, the camera cluster  20  may include a conventional analog video camera, a digital video camera, a low-light video camera, an infrared camera or other night vision device, or a combination of one or more of these cameras  22 ,  24  for example. The cameras  22 ,  24  may capture an image individually or a lens  26  may capture the image and distribute the image to one or more of the cameras  22 , 24  in the camera cluster  20 .  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram depicts how components of one embodiment of the invention may interact to observe an object  28 . The object  28  may be a buoy, a natural obstacle or hazard, storm clouds, another marine vessel, an intruder, or the scenery around the vessel  10 , for example. The cameras  22 , 24  in the camera cluster  20  may capture one or more images of the object  28 . The image or images of the object  28  may be transmitted to a computer processor  30 .  
         [0018]    The computer and/or processor  30  may control the orientation of the housing  12  and the operation of the cameras  22 ,  24  within the camera cluster  20 . For example, an operator may instruct the computer processor  30  to operate the housing  12  from a remote control console  32 . The operator may tilt, pan, raise, lower, or extend the housing  12  from the remote console  32 . The operator may also select an image from an individual camera  22 ,  24  or fuse images from multiple cameras  22 ,  24 .  
         [0019]    The computer processor  30  may also perform other tasks for safety and convenience. For example, the computer processor  30  may analyze and evaluate multiple images from the camera cluster  20 . The computer processor  30  may then select the best available image to transmit to the console  32 . The computer processor  30  may also fuse multiple images from the camera cluster  20  and send a fused image to the console  32 . In certain lighting conditions, a fused image may provide the operator with an image of the object  28  that has better resolution or definition than an image from one of the individual cameras  22 ,  24 .  
         [0020]    The computer processor  30  may also automatically detect and track an object  28 . Automatic tracking may allow the computer to navigate the marine vessel  10  to avoid collisions with the object  28 . For security purposes, the computer processor  30  may also be configured to detect the object  28  and trigger an alarm.  
         [0021]    For example, the computer processor  30  may be configured to detect an intruder or other object  28  while the crew and passengers are sleeping. The computer processor  30  may be configured to continuously pan the housing  12  during the night to monitor infrared radiation from an intruder, for example. If an object  28  that emits infrared radiation is located, the computer processor  30  may then track the object  28  and sound an alarm.  
         [0022]    The console  32  may include a monitor, a keyboard, and a control device such as a joystick or a mouse, for example. The monitor may be a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal diode (LCD) display, a digital micromirror device (DMD) display, a plasma display, for example. Multiple consoles  32  may be located throughout the marine vessel  10 . The consoles  32  may be wired to the computer processor  30  or the consoles  32  may communicate with the computer processor  30  through a wireless connection such as by radio frequency (RF) or an infrared wireless transmissions or through a wireless modem  34 , for example. The operator may carry a wireless console  32  as he moves about the marine vessel  10 , which allows the operator to continuously monitor the object  28  and control the housing  12  while tending to other tasks.  
         [0023]    The console  32  may provide features in addition to those described above. For example, the console  32  may be adapted to receive and display signals from sources such as a global positioning system (GPS), a weather satellite, a radar antenna, a sonar transponder, or broadcast or cable television. Images from these sources may be displayed in conjunction with images from the camera clusters  20 .  
         [0024]    The housing  12  may be remote controlled from multiple locations around the marine vessel  10  or around the world. A captain may aim and control the housing from the helm, for example, for navigational purposes. Additionally, the housing  12  may also be controlled from a cabin for general observational purposes or for security.  
         [0025]    The housing  12  may also be controlled through a global communications network  36 , such as the Internet, a cellular network, or satellite network, for example. A remote operator may activate and operate the observation system from a remote console  38 , which may be connected to the computer processor  30  through the global communication network  36  and the wireless modem  34 . This connection allows a user to control the operation of the housing  12  from any point where the user can access the global communication network  36 .  
         [0026]    The remote console  38  may be a personal computer in the remote operator&#39;s office, which may include a monitor  40 . The monitor  40  may be a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal diode (LCD) display, a digital micromirror device (DMD) display, a plasma display, for example.  
         [0027]    In one embodiment, multiple housings  12 , which contain individual camera clusters  20 , may be mounted in various locations throughout the vessel  10 . Some housings  12  may be mounted on remote controllable gimbal mounts  14  and other housings  12  may be mounted in a fixed orientation. Each housing  12  may be individually remote controlled to aim the camera cluster  20  in the desired direction. All images from the camera clusters  20  may be sent to the computer processor  30 .  
         [0028]    The computer processor  30  allows the user to select a single image from an individual camera cluster  20  or simultaneously display one or more images from one or more of the camera clusters  20 . For example, a night vision image from a camera cluster  20  on the bow of the vessel  10  may be simultaneously displayed with an image from a camera cluster  20  in the engine room. The computer processor may distribute the images to one or more consoles  32  at different locations on the vessel  10 . The images may also be sent to the remote console  38  and displayed on the monitor  40 .  
         [0029]    Although this invention has been described in reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is therefore intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.