The ANN (Assistant Naval Navigator) System1 A Next Generation Enterprise Level Client Server Architecture with a

Secure Interface to Local and State Jurisdictions

C. David Rogers Sr. Fellow (ret.) Carnegie Mellon University

Collaborative Technologies, Inc. (CTI) Pittsburgh, PA

rogerscd3@comcast.net

John J. Hudak Senior Member Technical Staff

Software Eng. Institute (SEI) Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA

jhudak@sei.cmu.edu

Abstract—The recreational boating community has always been plagued with a high incidence of serious accidents that have resulted in loss of life, grave injuries and property loss. Our paper discusses a next generation system enterprise that will apply a knowledge/cybernetic approach that provides: 1) An automatic Proactive Warning for severe navigation threats to participating operators of recreational and small commercial boats, followed by, and after operator acknowledgement, 2) An advisory threat evasive course/action. From our analyses of several years of USCG boating accident statistics, we expect that the system will reduce fatalities and serious injuries by about 30%.

Key Words: ANN System, Proactive Warning, Local and State Jurisdiction, Emergency Response Unit, Towboat US, Interfaces

I. INTRODUCTION

The recreational boating community has always been plagued with a high incidence of serious accidents. In fact, during 2011 there were 4,588 accidents nationwide resulting in 758 fatalities and 3,081 serious injuries. Alarmingly, this represents nearly a 13 % increase in fatalities over year 2010. The seriousness of the situation becomes more evident when we consider that these statistics nearly match the yearly US troop deaths and serious injuries during the Iraq War. More so, this loss in life and injuries involve Moms, Dads, young women and men, as well as, children of all ages while enjoying a recreational activity. Many of these accidents are caused by the limited number of trained boaters operating in crowded, accident-prone waters that are both close-to-shore (within the 12 nm International Line) and in/or near our 327 US Ports of Call. Normally, these waters are populated by many types and sizes of vessels that include kayaks, Maritime [1] US Patent No. 7,047,114, “SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND CONTINUOUS MONITORING, PROACTIVE WARNING AND CONTROL OF ONE OR MORE INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED VESSELS,” Inventor: Charles David Rogers, Issue Date: May 16, 2006.

cruise and military ships, each operating at different headings and speeds. Unlike travel on our Nation’s streets, roads and highways, there is a limited amount of law enforcement, traffic controls, lane assignments, etc. As a result, high demands are being placed on skill levels of the boat owners/operators. Note that within this chaotic and accident-prone vessel operating environment, there remains the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission to protect our Nation from attacks on the US mainland by terrorists using small boats. After several years of detailed boating accident investigations by the Collaborative Technologies, Inc. (CTI) team, we have identified several causes of accidents and have developed a viable solution to these on-going problems. The Assistant Naval Navigator (ANN) system [1] is a distributed, enterprise level computing system that communicates directly to marine vessels to provide various forms of warnings, such as weather, security, etc. In addition, under certain operational modes, such as collision avoidance, marine vessels equipped with the ANN controller can dynamically establish peer to peer communication with other ANN controller outfitted marine vessels. The ANN system has evolved from architectural design and is currently in the process of specifying a system prototype. The prototype will be used to test our approaches and operationally demonstrate the ANN System feasibility. A very important focus of our ANN System design effort has been to optimize its architecture to provide for a wide range of safety and security conditions for coexistence with the DHS/US Coast Guard Small Vessels Security Strategy (SVSS) Plan. [2] This paper will provide an overview of the patented ANN System architecture and functionality, and discuss how the design can integrate with the DHS SVSS Plan.

II. OUR MISSION – OUR APPRACH-OUR MARKET It is important to reemphasize that the ANN System’s primary mission is to prevent fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of recreational boating accidents. In order to achieve this mission we have essentially taken the route of

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reducing operator dependence on state-of-the-art on-board navigation assistance instrumentation, such as chart plotters, RADAR and depth sounding systems, weather faxes and laptop computers. Many times these instruments cause inattention from the navigation mission at hand. Although the navigation instruments display invaluable information relating to operation (navigation) of the boat, there remains the time consumed to select, view, interpret, plan and execute the course, action, etc.

With the ANN System, CTI has not necessarily been interested in replacing the state-of-the-art navigation assistance instruments; however, our effort has focused-on enhancing or in many cases by-passing the need to observe and plan from these instruments as intensely. The activities involved in the planning state will likely be replaced by using our single on-board intelligent controller/display, the ANN System client - this client receives vessel location-specific warnings and advisories relating to meteorological, navigational hazards, and security, etc., from the on-shore ANN System Server.

The ANN Server contains a large ensemble of Application Software Modules (ASMs) that are used to provide analysis of incoming dynamic (Doppler Weather RADAR, participating boat GPS locations, wind and sea conditions, fog, etc.) and static (both chart and manually-input bottom topology, restricted areas, USCG District Report to Mariners, etc.) threat-related information for the ANN System managed region. As the concurrent analyses of multiple ASMs proceeds, the information is compared with the participating boats’ GPS and on-board status information including real-time depth sounding, various alarm conditions, burglary and theft protection (unauthorized operator or passenger, etc.) If the analysis determines that a hazardous or unsafe situation is eminent for the client vessel, proactive warning(s) and advisory course/action messages are transmitted as appropriate to the ANN System clients on the threatened boats. CTI’s ASMs are next-generation software in that many utilize knowledge/cybernetics-based technologies as part of their threat analyses. While some of this data gathering/analysis is currently available as “applications” (aka APPs) in the current state-of-the-art mobile platforms (e.g. cellphones, tablets), they suffer from two serious deficiencies: 1) lack of an integrated approach to hazard identification in conjunction with providing subsequent corrective action/advisories, 2) reliance on a significant amount of user keypad/touchscreen interaction. For in fact, the operator may be focusing on one aspect of hazard avoidance yet have his/her attention diverted from other(s) .

It is of interest to point out what types and how many boats will potentially find the ANN System useful for protection. There are close to 12 million US registered recreational boats and an estimated 8 million non-registered, for a total of approximately 20 million. Based on an examination of sizes of boats in several typical marinas, CTI estimates that boats about 4.3 meters and larger (sail and engine propulsion) or approximately 60% of the 20 million or 12 million US Reg. and non-Reg. recreational boats will find the ANN System useful.

At the same time, in the interest of improving flow of water-borne commerce over the nation’s open waters, waterways and rivers, the ANN System will also be highly

useful for small commercial vessels (tugs, fishing charters, tourboats, small river boats and river-barge tugs, water taxis, etc.) that do not fall within International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations because of size and passenger number. This adds 50,000 small commercial vessels to the recreational boat total. This in effect distributes the CTI market across US coasts, inland waterways and lakes, as well as rivers.

CTI is currently assessing locations for the ANN System Managed Areas. Coverage at each managed area, such as near large urban areas, will be approximately 1200 sq. nautical miles (nm) or 100 nm along shores and coasts by 12 nm out from shore to the International Line. Ideally, deployment of the ANN servers close to the 237 US Ports of Call with a 5 nm radius of coverage will likely be acceptable.

III. SPEED OF RESPONSE IS THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE FOR ANY TRACKING SYSTEM

In order to carry out the ANN System mission, the system will conduct rapid tracking of the participating boats and small commercial vessels [heretofore – boat(s)]. A 2 Hz refresh rate GPS will be an integral part of the intelligent client - the on-board ANN System client. This client/server model will operate as a Private Enterprise that we consider as a closed, sealed and encrypted ‘module’ functioning as a node residing an overall fail-safe national ANN System enterprise. This relatively ‘high’ tracking rate of participating boats by the ANN System must of necessity, exceed the 30 second refresh rate of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommended Automatic Identification System for recreational boats (AIS-B). The 2 Hz refresh rate allows the ANN System to track boats that operate closer to the higher end of the 0 to 60 knot speed range which typifies state-of-the-art recreational boats.

Figure 1: Distance Traveled (m.) vs. Speed (Knots)

A comparison of system performance refresh rates as indicated in Figure 1 above indicates dramatically the precision gained in vessel tracking with the ANN System. This significantly faster rate will of course, provide a more timely and precise ‘Proactive Warning’ for collision avoidance ASMs. The ANN System will have collision avoidance algorithms active at all times in both the ANN System Server, and locally in the microcontroller-based on-board ANN System client.

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IV. SOLVING AN ISSUE RAISED REGARDING TRACKING OF RECREATIONAL BOATS

During our long-term study leading to the development of the ANN System, there was one particular aspect of the SVSS Plan that caught our attention. This was the development of a ‘hardware and/or software’ approach for tracking small vessels, including recreational boats. We noted a BoatUS (Boat Owners of the US – representing nearly 650,000 members) [3] that essentially stated that a sizeable contingent of recreational boat operators are strongly opposed to any and all Government- and/or International- Organization [such as with the IMO Automatic Identification System (AIS-B)] tracking their boats. They have concluded that tracking by any government-based organization is an invasion of their privacy during recreational activities. During our surveys, conducted via Internet blogging, while developing the ANN System, it was further confirmed that there is a sizeable segment of boaters who also indicated strong opposition. Given that the primary mission of the ANN System is indeed to prevent boating fatalities it follows that the ANN System must be interfaced with local and state emergency response units, law enforcement and ambulance services. Furthermore, this will occur in an Emergency-only situation in which the ANN System will directly interface with Local and State Levels of Government and, by law, the US Coast Guard. Quite naturally, it is during emergency situations that boaters will not oppose revealing their ID, position, and nature of the emergency. Following this logic, it makes sense that a situation associated with the potential of an attack by terrorists using small boats is also an “Emergency Situation.” Should such a situation occur, the DHS will provide a specific format of advance ‘emergency warnings’ in the event a terrorist attack is suspected to be underway. One thing CTI must be concerned about is that CTI as the operators of the ANN infrastructure, is operating as a private entity and therefore, must respect the boating consumer wishes or the consumer acceptance of the ANN system will be negatively impacted. By the same token, we wholly respect the wishes of the DHS to track all vessels at all times in order to realize full security of close-to-shore and close-to-US Port of Call waters. This does raise a solvable dilemma that is addressed by the ANN system and discussed later in the paper.

V. ESTABLISHING A WORKABLE HIERARCHY It should be first noted that the ANN System will provide the capability for any situation where a qualified ANN System participating recreational boat owner/operator witnesses a suspected terrorist activity; he/she has the facility on the ANN System client to key-in relevant information and tag it as an emergency. Some examples include: a large ship deploying a small vessel in near-shore waters (within the 12 nautical mile International Line), a small boat that appears to have armament on board, or any other obvious suspicious action by another boat’s passengers, etc.

Specifically, the owner/operators will be trained that an ‘alert action capability’ is installed in the ANN System on-board device and supported by speed-key selections from a pull down menu. This combination will tabulate descriptive types of suspected terrorist situations and provide the facility for selecting a quick estimate of the line-of-site direction from the alerting boat’s current GPS position (ex. 0,90,180,270 deg.). This most certainly is in-line with the Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) Plan [2]. This ‘alert information,’ packaged at the ANN System server at approx. 4 GHz cycle-time, will immediately be transferred, as an “Emergency-only situation,” to both appropriate local and State law-enforcement jurisdictions. These law-enforcement jurisdictions will have a direct and fail-safe interface with DHS’s USCG and USCBP and other US Government levels in the DHS hierarchy.

Figure 2: Overall View of Typical ANN System Hierarchy Figure 2 above shows one possible system topology where a number of interconnected ANN systems can communicate to various governmental maritime, emergency, and security organizations. At Local Level One, there are a number of regional ANN Systems that operate mostly independently by communicating with the on-board ANN devices notifying boat operators about hazards, security concerns, etc. The ANN servers within the ANN System can be connected to other governmental computing systems in order to communicate hazard, emergency, or security information of a particular type that would be helpful to governmental agencies, such as disabled vessels, observed potential security threats, etc. CTI has engineered the ANN System Enterprise as fail safe, and firewall-isolated, and emergency response-only with Level 2 – Local and State Jurisdictions. The ANN servers effectively act as filters between ANN subscribers and other organizations, providing validated information from boaters, as well as anonymity, thereby eliminating any concerns that participating boaters in the ANN

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System will have relating to the DHS tracking of recreational boats. CTI is making every effort to ensure that ANN System capabilities are continuously and efficiently kept in-line with DHS’s layered or hierarchical approach to protect our shores and US Ports of Call as outlined in the SVSS [2]. As an additional motivation for ANN System continuous and ‘intensive’ tracking of participating boats, marine investigators estimated [4] that, “closer to 50,000 boats or, as much as, $1 billion in lost property occurs each year.” Based on years of CTI’s experience with Data Acquisition and Control (DAC) systems, ANN System developers envisioned several methodologies for applying the ANN System for theft protection whether the perpetrator(s) be thief, malicious entry, burglar or terrorist. Most assuredly the flexibility in the ANN System software ASM approach combined with excess capacity on the wide-area network (WAN) will provide considerable latitude in order to monitor numerous on-board parameters (engine temperature, prop rotations, oil pressure and many others) that will indicate the boat is underway. Given the ANN System capability of continuous monitoring participating boats, it is suggested that consideration be given by the SVSS planners to review the opportunity for the ANN System to be an integral part of the SVSS plan; CTI is also noting that there may be an alternative approach for the SVSS planned continuous tracking of all recreational boats. Participation in the SVSS Plan could be based the fact that monitoring will likely only be necessary on ranges of vessels sizes and propulsion that would be useful for terroristic operations. (As an example, as one range, the boat sizes and speeds similar to that necessary to carry/launch cruise missiles.)

VI. OUR IMPLEMENTATION FOR OUR MISSION The organization of the different types of instruments that are on maritime vessels (chart plotters, RADAR and depth sounding systems, weather faxes and laptop computers) coupled with observations of how the captain uses this information (via specialized ‘apps’), CTI has deduced the need for an instrument that fuses information from various data sources so as to generate information that is directly usable/actionable by the captain of the vessel. For example, current generation navigation aids such as electronic chart and autopilots do an excellent job of keeping a vessel on course. However, information about other physical concerns such as quickly developing storms or a nearby vessel that has just been identified as a security threat are not considered in the singular job of the autopilot. CTI calls this the application of knowledge/cybernetics-based technologies wherein data fusion methods are used as tools for analysis of serious threat-related information. The concept embodied in the ANN System technology is illustrated by using the CTI method of Doppler

Weather RADAR storm signals: When one views a Doppler image appearing during weather broadcasts on TV as it moves across the screen, we instinctively judge the severity of the storm by the colors, in particular orange, red and purple, and an inference of direction and speed. This is precisely analogous to what we accomplish with software modules – simulate with software what we would do as humans, and refine the results of our analyses into a Proactive Warning as necessary. As a matter of course, the software first compares the direction and speed with the GPS received from boats within the ANN System Managed Region in order to target the warning, if determined as necessary. It is acknowledged that some similar information procedures are available as APPs in the current handheld devices, however, with the ANN System, human intervention such as keying information into different APPs, switching among a number of APPs for the purpose of assimilating knowledge from multiple data sources is unnecessary. CTI applies the procedure in ASMs throughout most of the ANN System in order to develop proactive threat warnings. However, in many cases, the proactive warnings are a result of ASM analyses of combined information received in real-time, from a variety of sources. We use the term ‘proactive warnings’ as a catch all phrase that a) always contains alerts of developing hazards, b) where appropriate, a list of actionable steps to mitigate the hazard, c) can initiate certain control actions to mitigate/eliminate an impending accident or ensure vessel safety. Although CTI’s efforts are principally targeted for the recreational boaters’ peace of mind, at the same time, in the interest of ensuring uninterrupted commerce over the nation’s open waters, waterways and rivers, the ANN System will also be highly useful for small commercial vessels (tugs, river-barge pushtugs, fishing charters, tourboats, water taxis, etc.). That is, those small commercial vessels that are of size and passenger capacity not covered by IMO (International Maritime Organization) regulations.

VII. OVERVIEW OF THE ANN SYSTEM LOCAL ARCHITECTURE

We will now present an overview of the ANN System architecture and describe:

• Multiple clients to server architecture and server knowledge bases

• Synergistic Communications Network Platform (SCNP) that will provide widespread, fail-safe network capabilities

• Functionality of the microcontroller-based on-board ANN device

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Figure 3: ANN System Server/Client Relationship

As shown in Figure 3 the ANN system architecture is a client-server, where the server keeps track of multiple clients (e.g. onboard ANN devices, that dynamically join and leave a ANN Managed Area). In order to correlate and fuse several sources of data to eventually issue warnings, the ANN System Server contains several representative Application Software Modules (ASMs). Generally, each ASM, e.g. High Winds, Underwater Charts, etc. rely on both static (Static Section) and dynamic data (Dynamic Section). The Dynamic Section temporarily stores any changing information including: Doppler RADAR images, wind surge data, all participating boats currently underway within the ANN System Managed Region (Anchored Boats info reside temporarily in the Static Section) and associated boat descriptions, IDs, dimensions, capsizability rating, color, owner, and many more descriptive items, as well as, equation related constants, etc. Operation of the ANN Server is designed to be highly available, and operate 365 days 24 hrs/day Server response time requirement, from the time a message is received from the onboard ANN device until a reply is sent out is less than one (1) second under all load conditions. The server will process at least forty (40) kinds of situational functions from dynamic types to the less complex status alarms from the onboard ANN device which includes CO threshold exceeded, smoke/fire detection, forced entry, GPS motion of docked/stored for theft, hull impact & inversion, bilge level, and many others. VIII COMMUNICATONS NETWORK – LONG TERM IMPORTANCE Because of the flexibility and packet capacity of the SMS network between the ANN System on-board devices, CTI envisions the network as being expanded, as well as, applied for supplementary use including direct ‘collision avoidance’ communication with navigation aids such as channel markers and buoys and near-shore ‘smart devices’ warning for uncharted hazards.

Since the ANN System operates within the Private Sector, acquisition of revenue through the use of existing equipment will have two positive effects. First, by keeping customer costs low, which translates to more on-board ANN System units sold which is directly related to further reduction in fatal and serious injury accidents. Second, using the network for commercial purposes will impact, on larger boats, both a ‘greener environment’ over water and a reduction in response time by centralizing all vessel operations and severe threat warning responses to one console. This was determined as a result of a CTI survey conducted of large yacht operators and engine suppliers. Interest was expressed by operators to include:

1) remote optimization of engine operation on their larger vessels. This would include: measurement of engine parameters (exhaust chemistry, oil pressure and temperature, etc.) and would provide the information necessary for remote adjustment of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) for purposes of reducing environmentally-harmful emissions, fuel saving and engine wear.

2) safer overall monitoring from a centralized operator console. The ANN System monitoring technology can be used for monitoring on-board vessel operations and integrating the display of the data on the operators’ consoles. Centralizing all operations will significantly improve the operators’ response time in dealing with serious threatening conditions.

As a result, the SMS network has been given the designation Synergistic Communications Network Platform or ‘SCNP’ and communication interfaces and protocols have been identified to support the above capabilities. The ANN System provides a technically sound solution, but must also provide sufficient economic justification to the consumer, e.g. justify the cost of the system by the boating consumer as compared to the benefits. In one of the more compelling scenarios, a seasoned Eastern Seaboard large yacht owner reviewed functionality of the ANN System. His estimate is that ANN System, combined with the monthly participation fee costs, will be about one twelfth (1/12) the cost the consumer would pay for a state-of-the-art on-board navigation assistance instrumentation ensemble (RADAR, Chartplotter, laptop, satellite weather-related information, etc.) needed in order to achieve the same level of ANN System functionality. The functionality provided by the ANN System seems to provide a cost effective solution to boating safety and security. Furthermore, additional functionally is incrementally achievable at reasonable cost because the additional data is contained primarily in the server, and not replicated to all of the clients.

An overview of the on-board ANN device will now be presented. The on-board device is based on a 32-bit CPU with a complement of dynamic RAM and flash memory. This hardware platform supports a real-time multitasking operating system. The hardware platform contains a number of

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subsystems that provide interfaces to the outside world including: GPS, multiple wireless Ethernet connections, high resolution color display, voice synthesis, analog and digital I/O, and USB and RS-232 ports for connectivity with other navigation and computing devices. The hardware is expandable to accommodate future growth based on desired capability, such as vessel intrusion monitoring.

The applications software is designed to communicate

to the ANN servers and exchange information desired by the server ASMs, as well as process warnings generated by the ASMs. The onboard ANN device is designed to be fault tolerant, and as such, has local versions of a subset of the ASMs that will allow collision detection and alerts. The onboard ANN device is capable of providing collision detection and mitigation among ANN system outfitted vessels, monitoring and alarming of hazardous vessel conditions such as fire, high engine temperature, carbon monoxide, hull breach, impact, and flooding. Given the expandability of the hardware platform, additional monitoring and alarm points can be added in the future.

Two examples of the threats to be analyzed by the knowledge/cybernetic-based ASMs are discussed in the section below. IX. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE ASM In 2011, thirty-eight percent (38%) of all boating accidents were categorized as collisions. This represents the highest percentage across all the accident categories. The accidents were collisions with other recreational boats, above and below water hazards, floating materials and non-recreational vessels. The ANN System includes collision avoidance ASM to address this category. The initial approach taken for collision avoidance is relatively straightforward, and even though the algorithms have been designed, it is yet to be fully tested via actual vessels.

Figures 4a and 4b: Elliptical Representation of Boats for Collision

Avoidance

Figure 4 depicts a safety envelope ellipse around a vessel and the change in a single ellipse as a function of the boat’s velocity (v). The ellipse represents the reaction distance to which adequate evasive maneuvers can be initiated when a threat enters the ellipse. In actuality within the ASM, two concentric ellipses are used in the collision avoidance algorithm. The outer ellipse is used to indicate a ‘caution warning envelope,’ and the inner a ‘danger warning envelope.’ The ASM essentially solves for any ellipses (location described by the GPS information) that intercept another as follows: first the Proactive Warning is issued, and second, advisory new headings are transmitted to the boat operators subsequent to their acknowledgement based on the locations of the tangential points at the intercept,. These headings may be optionally transmitted as magnetic waypoints or a new course heading. If the headings are magnetic waypoints, the operator(s) may elect to ‘flick a switch’ and a command will be issued over the USB to change the autopilot/autohelm heading accordingly. A secondary collection avoidance mechanism is contained in each of the onboard ANN devices. Within a certain distance of each other, the onboard ANN devices are able to form a peer to peer communication link to determine anti-collision paths as well as provide proactive warnings. There are likely other approaches for collision avoidance and these will be tested with the prototype and the ‘best of the breed’ will be selected.

X. OVERVIEW OF THE SEVERE STORM ASM

Accidents due to weather were approximately 17%. The ANN System contains an ASM dealing with severe weather threats. Within the category of weather, severe storm, high seas, and winds cause multiple types of accidents, particularly capsizing. The ANN System addresses capsizability with a novel multi-variable ASM. In a prior paragraph: Section VI. Our Implementation for Our Mission; part of the discussion addressed a visual approach that a person conducts for analyzing of Doppler Weather RADAR images. This also forms the basis for the ASM applied to generate the ANN System Proactive Warning for an oncoming severe storm.

Figure 5: Doppler Weather RADAR Image with

Time Lapse Pixel Representation

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Figure 5 depicts the pixel representation of a Doppler weather image. The pixels, assigned a ‘color vs. severity’ magnitude,’ are averaged for each time-lapse, and used as an ‘figure of merit’ for severity of the storm. The time lapse provides storm front velocity, and heading. Multiple fronts are used to establish the heading of the front. This is illustrated in a rudimentary form here, but will be used as a basis for configuring the ANN System Proactive Warning. This procedure nearly replicates the operations humans use when assessing the severity, heading and speed of a severe storm front as displayed on a TV. Thus, after determining if participating boat(s) are involved, via comparison with GPS information, packages a Proactive Warning that alerts those boat(s) involved. The server transmits the ANN System SMS packet on-board Graphic Display. The operator is advised that his/her boat is in the path of the severe storm, as well as, the speed and direction of the front, the Estimated Time to Encounter (ETE), as well as, a measure of the storm’s severity.

Over and above this, since the ANN System has the parameters for all (subscribed) boats in the Static Database, given wind information and assuming the boats’ operator has purchased some optional and relatively low cost equipment, the serious potential threat of the boat capsizing will also be Proactively Warned, if necessary.

A second ASM will search the knowledge base, given the boat’s stored parameters (type, max speed, etc.) and will configure and send, subsequent to operator acknowledgement, an advisory threat combined with an evasive course/action. This may be as straightforward as donning life jackets and/or closing hatches, turn to new course at a specified speed, etc.

XI. SUMMARY

The ANN System addresses nearly forty (40) severely threating boating situations. In some cases, the hazardous situations can only be detected by the fusion of information from multiple sources of data. In other cases, it is sufficient to simply monitor vessel state via sensors, e.g., carbon monoxide level, high engine temperature, hull and many more.

CTI will conduct, up-front training of the operators/owners at the time of purchase, and routine training when new capabilities are added. We are confident that with continuous use of the system, owners/operators will become more navigation-proficient and this will lead to more responsible operation for his/her passengers and other boaters. The continued training and operation of the ANN system will translate to greater reductions in fatalities, serious injuries and property loss.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

It was CTI’s own boating experience, combined with extensive interviews and meetings with experts having on-water towing, piloting and rescue backgrounds, software and suppliers systems and hardware that lead to the development of the ANN System. We appreciate the voluntary efforts of our team, Dr. Russ Hulsing, Lt. Cdr. (ret.) USN-Electronics, Tom Atkins, Chief Meteorologist at WSEE-TV & lecturer, Erie, PA. Pa., Patrick Kennedy, Esq. CFO/Advisor, Shelburne, VT, and most of all, our very patient and encouraging wives, Ann and Agapi.

REFERENCES

[1] US Patent No. 7,047,114, “SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND CONTINUOUS MONITORING, PROACTIVE WARNING AND CONTROL OF ONE OR MORE INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED VESSELS,” Inventor: Charles David Rogers, Issue Date: May 16, 2006;

[2] “Small Vessel Security Strategy Implementation Plan – Report to the Public, Department of Homeland

Security. January 2011.

[3] “Big Brothers Little Box,” Elaine Dickenson, BoatUS Magazine, March 2005.

[4] “Putting a Lock on Boat Theft,” BoatUS Magazine, September 2008, p 82 .

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