Systems and methods for wave sensing and ship motion forecasting with operational period indicators

A ship motion forecasting system comprising:

• at least one radar;
• at least one display;
• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• and
• a ship motion forecasting program residing in the memory and being executed by the processor to:
• receive radar data from the at least one radar reflecting signals off a body of water;
• generate ocean wave components from the received radar data;
• generate ship motion forecasts from the generated ocean wave components;
• and
• generate on the at least one display a graphical indication of the ship motion forecasts over a future time period,
• where the graphical indication includes a first operational period indicator for ship motion forecasts under at least one motion threshold for a first future time period exceeding a time threshold;
• where the graphical indication includes a second operational period indicator for ship motion forecasts not under the at least one motion threshold for a second future time period exceeding the time threshold;
• wherein the first operational period indicator is indicated as a first rectangular bar in a first color, where the first rectangular bar extends along an axis to represent a first future time period for which ship motion forecasts are under the at least one motion threshold for the first future time period exceeding the time threshold, and wherein the second operational period indicator is indicated as a second rectangular bar in a second color different from the first color, where the second rectangular bar extends along an axis to represent the second future time period for which ship motion forecasts are not under the at least one motion threshold for the second future time period exceeding the time threshold;
• and
• wherein the first operational period indicator and the second operational period indicator is updated with each cycle of generating the ship motion forecasts.

A method of providing a forecast of future ship motion, comprising:

• receiving radar data from at least one radar reflecting signals off a body of water;
• generating ocean wave components from the received radar data;
• generating ship motion forecasts from the generated ocean wave components;
• and
• generating a graphical indication of the ship motion forecasts over a future time period for display to a user, where the graphical indication includes a first operational period indicator for ship motion forecasts under at least one motion threshold for a first future time period exceeding a time threshold, where the first operational period indicator extends along an axis to represent the first future time period for which ship motion forecasts are under the at least one motion threshold for the first future time period exceeding the time threshold, and
• where the graphical indication includes a second operational period indicator for ship motion forecasts not under the at least one motion threshold for a second future time period exceeding the time threshold, where the second operational period indicator extends along an axis to represent the second future time period for which ship motion forecasts are not under the at least one motion threshold for the second future time period exceeding the time threshold, and wherein the first operational period indicator is indicated in a first way and the second operational period indicator is indicated in a second way different from the first way.