Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for forecasting the positions of marine vessels. In an aspect, the present system is adapted to execute a forecasting algorithm to forecast the positions of one or a great many marine vessel(s) based on one or more position reporting systems including coastal and satellite AIS (S-AIS) signals or LRIT received from the vessel. The forecasting algorithm utilizes location and direction information for the vessel, and estimates one or more possible positions based on previous paths taken by vessels from that location, and heading in substantially the same direction. Thus, a body of water can be divided into “bins” of location and direction information, and a spatial index can be built based on the previous paths taken by other vessels after passing through that bin. Other types of information may also be taken into account, such as ship-specific data, nearby weather, ocean currents, the time of year, and other spatial variables specific to that bin.

Abstract: A navigation plotter is made of a thin, flexible, transparent, light weight plastic with a straight-edge. The straight-edge has a distance scale. There is an reference point at the mid-point of the distance scale used to determine true course. The remainder of the periphery has angular markings in the form of a compass rose. A table gives speeds in the x axis and times in the y axis. The table is aligned with the distance scale. A compass rose and a holding pattern with entries are also depicted.

Abstract: A simple easy-to-use aircraft navigational plotter is disclosed. The device is used in conjunction with the signals and readouts received from a pair of VOR (Very high frequency Omni-directional Range) stations. A pair of plotter arms is rotatably connected to a central hub (1) and each is removably attached to a center point (11), which is part of a disc (2), that is affixed to a navigation chart over the VOR stations to be used for navigation. The attachment means of the plotter arms (4) to the center point discs (2) provides for a fit where the plotter arms each may both slide and rotate about the respective center point to which each arm is attached.

Abstract: Device for positioning and orienting a boat on a navigational chart by data supplied by a communication via satellite (Global Positioning system), more commonly designated G.P.S., comprising two superposed disks, one serving as lower protractor (D1) provided with a North mark, the other as upper reader (D2), connected in their rotation center by an eyelet (24), two positioning rulers (R1, R2) punched by a longitudinal central aperture (4,5) and present on their edges a tenon which allows them to slide freely, each one in a mortised slide provided on each disk. During the positioning on the chart, the two disks are blocked (D1, D2) one against the other, the lower disk (D1) such as its North mark are placed in direction of the chart, the two rulers (R1, R2) are blocked perpendicularly one towards the other but with free slide. The disks are unlocked (D1, D2) during the orientation, and the upper disk (D2) can pivot with the upper niler (R2) which is used as orientation ruler.

Abstract: A pair of members (8) and (9) are joined by a pair of parallelograms (11) and (13) and when the members (8) and (9) are semi-circular in shape, they provide an apparatus and method whereby they may be positioned adjacent each other to form a circular member (C) and then stepwise moved toward and away from each other for use as a navigational aid. The members (8) and (9) may be in other shapes and may also be used to relocate various markings or designations on a map, chart and the like.

Abstract: A device is provided for directly reading from a chart the heading to be followed by an air or sea-going vehicle, comprising a disk with, at its periphery, a circular coaxial graduation of the "compass card" type movable in rotation with respect to this disk, the latter being itself mounted for rotation about a fixed shaft fast with a support, via a rotary mount with offset adjustable in modulus and orientation. The disk further comprises a rectilinear scale for determining the modulus of the offset, as well as a reference mark for indicating the orientation of this offset on the circular graduation. The scale is graduated in successive values representative of the wind (or current) speed/proper speed of the vehicle ratio.

Abstract: A pair of transparent pressure sensitive stick-on film disks in the form of compass roses and a pair of transparent film VOR arms are removably attached to the center of the roses by cooperating male/female snap mechanisms. The VOR arms can be manually rotated to compass directions indicated on a VOR receiver and the cross-fix represented by the crossing of center-lines printed on the VOR arms represents the location of the aircraft on the map. Friction bearings associated with the snap mechanisms hold the arms in fixed positions after they have been rotated to the desired compass directions.

Abstract: An aeronautic chart course and position locator is removably attachable by means of an adhesive backing to an aeronautic chart. The locator is made from a clear supple polymer film and comprises a 360 degree compass rose and a rotatable course and mileage indicator arm attached to the compass rose. The locator may also include a rotatable aircraft heading indicator disk for wind drift correction and course interception and permits course and azimuth identification to or from airports or VHF omni-directional range navigation radial (VOR) transmitters or any other selected point. Two locators can be used together with VOR equipment to locate the position of an aircraft on a chart by simple azimuth triangulation. A third locator can be used to determine the correct course to a point not serviced by directional radio facilities. A modified locator assists a student to visualize the aircraft's position on a chart either to the right or left of a given VOR radial.

Abstract: A navigational instrument for measuring bearings and distances on maps comprising a first leg and a second leg. Each leg is transparent in part for convenient use while reading a map. Each leg, additionally, is tapered toward a lower end, defining a tip at each lower end. The first leg has an opening defining a channel for receiving a writing instrument which selectively can be positioned with the tip extending through the opening for writing or with the end opposite the tip protruding through the opening for storing the writing instrument. The first and second legs are pivotally coupled in the vicinity of the legs' upper ends and have a plurality of scales disposed about the pivotal coupling. One scale is used for measuring bearing. A second scale is used for measuring nautical miles on a Sectional Chart. A third scale is used for measuring nautical miles on a WAC chart.

Abstract: A course plotting device comprises substantially parallel first and second legs, substantially parallel third and fourth legs which are pivotally connected to the first and second legs so that they cooperate therewith to define a collapsible parallelogram structure, and a compass rose element mounted at the point of pivotal connection between an adjacent connected pair of the legs. The device is operable for plotting courses on a chart by aligning one of the legs with either a latitude or a longitude line on the chart and aligning one of the other legs with the desired course line. One embodiment of the device includes a vector element which is adjustably secured to one of the legs for plotting courses which have been compensated for the effects of winds and/or currents and another embodiment includes a pair of mirror elements which are operable for determining the relative bearing angles between remote objects.

Abstract: A navigational aid device of the type comprising a disc supporting a map, especially a chart, a protractor being movable over said map, a first carrier movable in the longitudinal direction of said disc, and a second carrier which is movable on said first carrier and in the transversal direction of said disc and upon which said protractor is rotatably journalled. Said first carrier consists of at least one ruler extending across said disc and situated upon said map and sliding means situated between said map and said disc and connected to said at least one ruler, said sliding means being provided with at least one guide member movable along track means provided on and extending longitudinally of said disc.

Abstract: A novel course correction calculator, consisting of a sheet of transparent material 1 with inscribed reference line 2, centering points 3 and 4, radial lines 5 and 6, circular arcs 7 and circles 8, is provided whereby a heading correction and a speed correction factor for true speed can be obtained quickly and easily by a navigator for a small boat, vessel or aircraft, that offsets the effects caused by the motion of the medium through which the craft is traveling, such as tide or wind. The ratio of the speed of the medium to the speed of the craft through the medium and the direction in which the medium is moving are used with the invention to obtain a heading correction and a speed correction factor for true speed to offset the effects that the moving medium has on the path of travel for the craft. This invention provides a rugged, inexpensive, easy to use tool for the navigation of small boats, vessels and aircraft.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a new navigational calculating device which provides a mechanical means of solving position finding problems by solving a plane right triangle. It is an alternative to traverse tables, trigonometric formulas, and chart plotting for determining a dead reckoning position. It is particularly useful for small water-going craft in which conventional methods of navigation are difficult or impractical. A plotting board may be used to provide a visual application of calculation results.

Abstract: A computational aid device for Ekelund range determinations comprising a e member adapted to be placed over a bearing/time plot and including two leg members to be aligned with intersecting bearing rate lines faired through the plot, and a range scale positionable with respect to the base and the leg members to provide direct readings of range and of probable limits of range error.

Abstract: A plotting device for use on a nautical or air chart for course finding in which there is a body portion which has graduations which are in scale with the chart with which the device will be used. There will also be a straight edge on this device and a roller with its axis parallel to the straight edge as a means for rolling the straight edge from a desired course position to a compass rose on the chart for determining the direction of the course. Upon this roller there will also be an indication of the speed of the boat or plane which is to be plotted and from that speed designation will be indications cooperating with the graduations on the body to determine the time which it will take for a boat or a plane moving at the selected speed to travel certain distances along the body of the device as shown by the graduations.

Abstract: The disclosure teaches a device for creating an infinite number of vector triangles such that a vehicle's speed may be set as one leg of a vector triangle and the apparent wind's speed and direction may be set as a second leg, solution of the third leg yielding true wind speed and relative wind direction which is convertible into true wind direction by reference to vehicle true heading.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a new navigational calculating device which provides a mechanical means of solving position finding problems by solving a plane right triangle. It is an alternative to traverse tables, trigonometric formulas, and chart plotting for determining a dead reckoning position. It is particularly useful for small water-going craft in which conventional methods of navigation are difficult or impractical.