Collision avoidance system and method for a watercraft

A collision avoidance method for a watercraft navigating to a desired endpoint, comprising the steps of:

• initializing a computer system having access to at least one processor and at least one visual user output interface, wherein the step of initializing includes defining at least one parameter for a plurality of selected objects and defining a predetermined geospatial area;
• monitoring by the computer system the plurality of selected objects in the predetermined geospatial area, wherein each of said selected object includes at least one of a position, a speed, and a course;
• designating an ownship planned track for an ownship, wherein the ownship planned track passes through the predetermined geospatial area and the step of designating includes receiving by said computer system an input related to the ownship speed and course parameters through a courses of action visualization;
• calculating by said computer system at least one of a closest point of approach value and a shortest time to transit value for at least one monitored object among said plurality of selected objects relative to the ownship planned track based on at least one of the location, the speed and the course of the at least one monitored object;
• generating by said computer system a map visualization that visually represents each selected object and the ownship planned track spatially on the predetermined geospatial area, and, if the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is below a predetermined distance threshold, visually represents where along the ownship planned track the at least one monitored object will be closest to the ownship;
• and
• generating by said computer system a linear visualization that provides a linear representation of the ownship planned track, and, if the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is below a predetermined distance threshold, provides a linear representation of where along the ownship planned track the at least one monitored object will be closest to the ownship.

A collision avoidance method for a watercraft navigating to a desired endpoint, comprising the steps of:

• initializing a computer system having access to at least one processor and at least one visual user output interface, wherein the step of initializing includes defining at least one parameter for a plurality of selected objects and defining a predetermined geospatial area;
• monitoring by the computer system the plurality of selected objects in the predetermined geospatial area, wherein each of said selected object includes at least one of a position, a speed, and a course;
• designating an ownship planned track for an ownship, wherein the ownship planned track passes through the predetermined geospatial area and the step of designating includes receiving by said computer system an input related to the ownship speed and course parameters through a courses of action visualization;
• calculating by said computer system at least one of a closest point of approach value and a shortest time to transit value for at least one monitored object among said plurality of selected objects relative to the ownship planned track based on at least one of the location, the speed and the course of the at least one monitored object;
• generating by said computer system a map visualization that visually represents each selected object and the ownship planned track spatially on the predetermined geospatial area, and, if the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is below a predetermined distance threshold, visually represents where along the ownship planned track the at least one monitored object will be closest to the ownship;
• generating by said computer system a linear visualization that provides a linear representation of the ownship planned track, and, if the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is below a predetermined distance threshold, provides a linear representation of where along the ownship planned track the at least one monitored object will be closest to the ownship;
• recalculating by said computer system the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value, if, after the map visualization and the linear visualization are generated, at least one of the location, the speed and the course of the at least one monitored object changes;
• regenerating by said computer system the map visualization and the linear visualization each time the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is recalculated due to changes in at least one of the location, the speed and the course of the at least one monitored object;
• recalculating by said computer system the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value, if, after the map visualization and the linear visualization are generated, at least one of the ownship planned track changes;
• and
• regenerating by said computer system the map visualization and the linear visualization each time the at least one of the closest point of approach value and the shortest time to transit value is recalculated due to changes in the ownship planned track.