Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-13
2004-02-03
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S033000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06687583
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates in general to a vessel monitoring system, and in particular to a vessel monitoring system which enables vessel owners to monitor their vessels when they are unable or not available to monitor their vessels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most boat or vessel owners leave their boat, yacht or vessel unattended and unmonitored for significant periods of time while docked or moored. During these time periods, a number of things may happen (e.g., equipment/line failure, faulty through-hull fittings, etc.) that may damage the boat or cause it to sink. Statistics show that for every one boat that sinks at sea, four boats sink at the dock or mooring. The costs to repair a boat that has been under water, even briefly, can be significant. In such situations, the owner of a boat must pay for the repairs not covered by insurance and is deprived of using his or her boat until the boat is repaired.
Moreover, boat owners know these risks are present and are generally concerned about their unattended or unmonitored boats. Some boat owners have people check their boats. However, there is no coordinated system for checking boats, checking certain components of the boat and for regularly reporting the status of the boats to the boat owners. Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient and timely monitoring system that enables vessel owners to monitor their vessels when they are unable or unavailable to do so themselves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The vessel monitoring system of the present invention overcomes the above problems by providing a system for conducting thorough, interior and exterior periodic inspections of designated boats, or vessels, for taking immediate corrective action, if necessary, to fix or repair any deficiencies noted during the inspection, and for immediately reporting or making available the results of the inspections and the corrective actions taken, if any, to the boat's owner so he or she stays informed on the current status of his or her boat. The information collected from these inspections and repairs is also preferably used to create historical databases for the boats monitored by the system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vessel monitoring system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vessel monitoring system that provides the vessel owner information on a vessel's condition.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a vessel monitoring system that immediately repairs or takes corrective action to fix any repairs identified during the detailed inspection of the vessel.
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Dalrymple Melvin I.
Knoska James J.
Peters Kevin M.
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Yacht Watchman International
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