Regenerative surfing is utilizing a controllable regenerative braking system to regulate speed while surfing. A vertical sculling hydrofoil boat, utilizes the regenerative braking system and includes a vertical sculling drive system for both propulsion and regenerative braking. The regenerative surf
Regenerative surfing is utilizing a controllable regenerative braking system to regulate speed while surfing. A vertical sculling hydrofoil boat, utilizes the regenerative braking system and includes a vertical sculling drive system for both propulsion and regenerative braking. The regenerative surfing boat also may include ballast tanks to tune the speed at which the maximum lift to drag ratio appears. The regenerative surfing boat may use an automated surfing control system to control the boat. A method of controlling the trajectory of a surfing boat by controlling a regenerative braking device utilizes a hydrodynamic power collection device for trajectory control as an energy harvesting method.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method whereby a regenerative surfing boat is able to extract energy from water waves by following a trajectory composed of a sequence of steps, including at least one regenerative surfing step, comprising: a) a plurality of wave capture steps; wherein the purpose of said w
What is claimed is: 1. A method whereby a regenerative surfing boat is able to extract energy from water waves by following a trajectory composed of a sequence of steps, including at least one regenerative surfing step, comprising: a) a plurality of wave capture steps; wherein the purpose of said wave capture step is for said regenerative surfing boat to efficiently start surfing on a wave whereby said boat is likely to collect power by regenerative surfing; wherein in said wave capture steps said regenerative surfing boat maneuvers itself onto the face of a wave likely to result in positive power collection; wherein in said wave capture steps said regenerative surfing boat accelerates or decelerates to approximately match the speed of said promising wave; wherein in said wave capture steps said regenerative surfing boat orients its path to follow in the general direction of said promising wave; wherein at the end of said wave capture step said regenerative surfing boat is surfing on said promising wave; that is, said boat is located on the face of said wave, said boat is traveling with said wave, and the force of gravity pulling said boat down the face of said wave is greater than the drag of said boat; b) a plurality of regenerative surfing steps, wherein said regenerative surfing steps are preceded by said wave capture steps; wherein the purpose of said regenerative surfing step is to maximally collect power by regenerative braking while being pulled down steep parts of the face of said wave; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to occasionally extract power from said wave by regenerative braking, provided the drag of said boat without said regenerative braking is less than the product of the force of gravity times the sine of said wave's slope at the location of said boat; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said boat may occasionally utilize propulsive thrust to accelerate forward onto steeper parts of the face of said wave; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said boat may occasionally utilize turning maneuvers to move laterally onto steeper parts of said wave's face; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said boat may occasionally apply braking forces to maneuver backward onto steeper parts of said wave's face; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said boat may occasionally glide without applying any braking, turning or accelerating forces while waiting for steep sections of said wave's face to appear; wherein during said regenerative surfing steps said boat may simultaneously execute more than one of the above regenerative surfing techniques; c) a plurality of surfing dismount steps; wherein the purpose of said surfing dismount step is to terminate a regenerative surfing step; wherein during said surfing dismount steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to leave said wave face by applying a braking force until said wave passes ahead of said boat; wherein during said surfing dismount steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to leave said wave face with a turning maneuver that causes said boat to change direction such that it no longer travels with said wave; wherein during said surfing dismount steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to leave said wave face by accelerating down and off the front of said wave face; wherein during said surfing dismount steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to leave said wave by default, as said wave may diminish in strength until it can no longer support surfing; wherein during said surfing dismount steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to simultaneously execute more than one of the surfing dismount techniques described previously; d) a plurality of transit steps; wherein the purpose of said non-surfing transition steps is to repositioning said regenerative surfing boat in a timely manner to a good point on the surface of the water for initiating said wave capture step onto the next promising wave; wherein during said non-surfing transit steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to occasionally conserve energy by coasting without propulsion, as long as such coasting supports said transit goal; wherein during said not-surfing transit steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to apply propulsion thrust in order to achieve said transit goal; wherein during said non-surfing transit steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to change course in order to achieve said transit goal; wherein during said no-surfing transit steps said regenerative surfing boat is able to execute more than one transit technique, either sequentially or simultaneously, in order to achieve said transit goal; e) a plurality of drifting steps; wherein said drifting steps are preceded by either said transit steps or by said surfing dismount steps; wherein said drifting steps precede either said transit steps or said wave capture steps; wherein the purpose of said drifting steps is to conserve energy while conditions are not suitable for entering a wave capture step; wherein during said drifting steps said boat may utilize regenerative braking to convert the kinetic energy of said boat for future use; wherein during said drifting steps said boat may drifts at near zero speed without propulsion to conserve energy. 2. The regenerative surfing method of claim 1, wherein the regenerative surfing trajectory is intended to capture energy from a single traveling water wave, comprising: a) a transit step, if required, to position said boat for capturing said solo wave; b) a wave capture step onto said solo wave, wherein said boat applies propulsive thrust to accelerate to match the speed of said wave; c) a regenerative surfing step on said solo wave; and d) a surfing dismount step from said solo wave, wherein said dismount step is executed by aggressive regenerative braking to recover some of the kinetic energy put in to said boat during said capture phase. 3. The regenerative surfing method of claim 1, wherein the regenerative surfing trajectory is intended to capture energy from a traveling water wave group, comprising: a) a transit step, if required, to position said boat for capture of the largest wave in said wave group; b) an initial wave capture step onto largest waves of said wave group, wherein said boat is likely to utilize propulsive thrust to accelerate to match the speed of the largest wave in the wave group; c) a plurality of regenerative surfing steps on the largest waves of said wave group; d) a plurality of surfing dismount steps, initiated when said largest wave has moved to the front of the group and is about to fade, whereby said regenerative surfing boat executes said dismount by veering away from the direction of travel of said fading wave without significant thrust or braking; e) a plurality of transit steps, wherein said regenerative surfing boat waits by gliding along a path nearly perpendicular to the direction of travel of said wave group, until said following wave approaches the path of said waiting boat; f) a plurality of capture steps, whereby said regenerative surfing boat turns into said wave's direction of travel, and accelerates to match speed and position with said new largest wave, thereby initiating a new regenerative surfing step c; g) a final dismount step, initiated when said wave group is no longer a good source of power, wherein said regenerative surfing boat aggressively brakes to recover some of the kinetic energy of said boat. 4. The surfing method of claim 1, wherein the regenerative surfing trajectory consists of an ad-hoc sequence of steps to capture energy in chaotic wave conditions, comprising: a) a plurality of drifting steps while waiting for good surfing opportunities to appear; b) a plurality of wave capture steps when good surfing opportunities present themselves; c) a plurality of regenerative surfing steps, wherein said regenerative surfing boat may effectively transfer from one wave to another while still surfing as said waves cross underneath said boat; d) a plurality of transit steps; e) a plurality of surfing dismount steps. 5. The regenerative surfing method of claim 1, wherein the regenerative surfing method is adapted for collecting power from stationary waves caused by restrictions or obstructions to the flow of a current, comprising: a) a plurality of transit and drifting steps, that may be performed either in or out of the current depending on the requirements for approach, to enable said regenerative surfing boat to reach a good position for initiating a capture step; b) a plurality of wave capture steps, wherein said regenerative surfing boat comes to a stop over the face of the stationary wave; c) a plurality of regenerative surfing steps of indefinite duration, d) a plurality of unintentional dismount steps, wherein said regenerative surfing boat is ejected from the wave by turbulence in the current; e) an intentional surfing dismount step. 6. A regenerative surfing boat (1) that extracts energy from water waves by regenerative surfing, comprising: a) a propulsion system (2), wherein said propulsion system is capable of accelerating said boat to approximately the same speed as the wave that it intends to surf in capture steps; wherein said propulsion system is capable of providing thrust at surfing speeds to effect position changes while in regenerative surfing steps; b) a low drag hull form (3), wherein the drag of said hull form is less than the pull of gravity on the boat times the sine of the local wave slope during typical conditions in regenerative surfing phases; wherein said low drag hull form frequently requires a additional drag in the form of regenerative braking to maintain optimal surfing position during regenerative surfing steps; c) a controllable regenerative braking system (4), wherein said controllable regenerative braking system provides controllable drag for trajectory control during said regenerative surfing steps; wherein said controllable regenerative braking system is utilized to provide aggressive braking forces during said wave dismount steps and to initiate said drifting steps; wherein said controllable regenerative braking system extracts power from the water flowing past said regenerative surfing boat while braking; d) an energy storage system (5), wherein said energy storage system provides energy for said propulsion system (2); wherein said energy storage system is supplied by energy from said controllable regenerative braking system (4); d) a maneuvering control system (6), wherein said maneuvering control system (6) is able to consist of passive and active elements; wherein said passive elements of is able to be intrinsic properties of said low drag hull form (3), said propulsion system (2), or said controllable regenerative braking system (4); wherein said active elements may consist of lift producing hydrodynamic surfaces, drag producing hydrodynamic surfaces, the propulsion system (2), the controllable regenerative braking system (4), mass shifting devices, or gyroscopes; wherein said maneuvering control system is capable of commanding steady speeds for said regenerative surfing boat; wherein said maneuvering control system is capable of commanding sufficient acceleration to perform maneuvers required by the regenerative surfing method; wherein said maneuvering control system is capable of commanding sufficient deceleration to perform maneuvers required in the regenerative surfing method; wherein the yaw stability provided by said maneuvering control system enables said regenerative surfing boat to maintain course in seas; wherein the yaw control provided by said maneuvering control system is sufficient for performing the turning maneuvers required in the regenerative surfing method; wherein the roll stability provided by said maneuvering control system is sufficient to prevent roll over or other forms capsize during all steps of the regenerative surfing method; wherein the roll control provided by said maneuvering control system is sufficient for perform the maneuvers required in the regenerative surfing method; wherein the pitch stability provide by said maneuvering control system is sufficient for preventing pearling or other forms of capsize during all steps of the regenerative surfing method. 7. The regenerative surfing boat of claim 6, wherein the hydrodynamic elements of the controllable regenerative braking system ( 4) are comprised of one or more of the following devices: a free turbine, consisting of one or more rotating hydrodynamic surfaces rotating about an axis aligned with the fluid motion; a ducted turbine, consisting of a hydrodynamic inlet and a nozzle exit connected by a way of a duct, with a hydrodynamic turbine rotating within the duct about an axis aligned with the centerline of the duct; a paddle-wheel with hydrodynamic surfaces that rotate about an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel, with only the lower surfaces in contact with the water; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a symmetric sculling or swimming motion similar to a fish tail; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with an asymmetric sculling motion, as in a gondola oar or penguin wing; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a rowing motion, as in a row boat oar; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a combination of symmetric and asymmetric sculling and rowing motions, such as a canoe or kayak paddle; a drag producing device such as a parachute or roughened conveyer belt that is pulled by the water flow backwards; a hydrodynamic scoop that shunts water to either an elevated or pressurized cavity within the boat; a resonant cavity that is excited by the water flow to produce acoustic energy, as with a whistle or flute; or a magneto-hydrodynamic generator. 8. The regenerative surfing boat of claim 7, wherein the low drag hull form (3) is a hydrofoil hull form with separate propulsion and braking devices, comprising: a) one or more buoyant hulls (7), wherein said buoyant hulls are partially submerged at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide buoyant lift at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide pitch and roll stability at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide some of the dynamic lift during the takeoff and landing maneuvers; wherein said buoyant hulls house and protect the majority of the power, energy, control, payload and auxiliary systems of said hydrofoil boat; b) one or more wing-like hydrofoils (8), wherein said hydrofoils provide dynamic lift; wherein said hydrofoils provide sufficient dynamic lift at speeds above the minimum foil-borne speed to raise the buoyant hull or hulls (7) completely out of the water for reduced drag; wherein said hydrofoils are designed for low drag at surfing speeds; c) a system of low-drag struts (9), wherein said low drag struts connect said hydrofoils (8 ) to said buoyant hulls (7); wherein said low drag struts are designed for low drag at surfing speeds; d) a plurality of roll control surfaces (10); wherein said roll control surfaces provide active roll control; wherein said roll control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); e) one or more pitch control surfaces (11); wherein said pitch control surfaces provide both passive and active pitch control; wherein said pitch control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); f) one or more yaw control surfaces (12); wherein said yaw control surfaces provide both passive and active yaw control; wherein said yaw control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); g) one or more hydrodynamic propulsion devices (13) wherein said hydrodynamic propulsion device (13) is part of said propulsion system (2); said hydrodynamic propulsion device provides thrust for said regenerative surfing boat; wherein said hydrodynamic propulsion device is able to be a water jet, ducted propeller, free propeller or an oscillating hydrodynamic surface; h) one or more controllable hydrodynamic regenerative braking devices (14), wherein said controllable hydrodynamic regenerative braking device (14) is part of said controllable regenerative braking system; wherein said controllable hydrodynamic regenerative braking device (14) provides hydrodynamic braking forces and collects power for said regenerative surfing boat; wherein said controllable hydrodynamic regenerative braking device (14) may be a water turbine in a duct, a ducted propeller, a free propeller or an oscillating hydrodynamic surface. 9. The regenerative surfing boat (1) of claim 6, wherein the hydrodynamic elements of the controllable regenerative braking system (4) and the hydrodynamic elements of the propulsion system (2) are the same system elements, comprising one or more of the following integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and controllable regenerative braking devices (15): a free propeller/turbine combination, consisting of one or more rotating hydrodynamic surfaces rotating about an axis aligned with the fluid motion, that is sufficiently controllable in pitch or rotational speed to enable said propeller to operate as both a power producing free turbine and a power consuming free propeller; a ducted propeller/turbine combination; consisting of one or more rotating hydrodynamic surfaces rotating concentrically within a hydrodynamic duct aligned with the fluid motion, that is sufficiently controllable in pitch or rotational speed to enable said propeller to operate as both a power producing ducted turbine and a power consuming ducted propeller; a paddle-wheel with hydrodynamic surfaces that rotate about an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel, with only the lower surfaces in contact with the water, that either applies thrust or braking depending on the relative speed of rotation with respect to the water speed of said regenerative surfing boat; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a symmetric sculling or swimming motion similar to a fish tail; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with an asymmetric sculling motion, as in a gondola oar or penguin wing; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a rowing motion, as in a row boat oar; an oscillating hydrodynamic surface that operates with a combination of symmetric and asymmetric sculling and rowing motions, such as a canoe or kayak paddle; a hydrodynamic scoop that shunts water to either an elevated or pressurized cavity within the boat, then releases said water at a later time to provide thrust via a rearward facing nozzle; or a magnetohydrodynamic device that operates in both propulsive and generative modes. 10. The regenerative surfing boat of claim 9, wherein the low drag hull form (3) is a hydrofoil hull form with integrated propulsion and braking devices, comprising: a) one or more buoyant hulls (7), wherein said buoyant hulls are partially submerged at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide buoyant lift at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide pitch and roll stability at low speeds and at rest; wherein said buoyant hulls provide some of the dynamic lift during the takeoff and landing maneuvers; wherein said buoyant hulls house and protect the majority of the power, energy, control, payload and auxiliary systems of said hydrofoil boat; b) one or more wing-like hydrofoils (8), wherein said hydrofoils provide dynamic lift; wherein said hydrofoils provide sufficient dynamic lift at speeds above the minimum foil-borne speed to raise the buoyant hull or hulls (7) completely out of the water for reduced drag; wherein said hydrofoils are designed for low drag at surfing speeds; c) a system of low-drag struts (9), wherein said low drag struts connect said hydrofoils (8 ) to said buoyant hulls (7); wherein said low drag struts are designed for low drag at surfing speeds; d) a plurality of roll control surfaces (10); wherein said roll control surfaces provide active roll control; wherein said roll control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); e) one or more pitch control surfaces (11); wherein said pitch control surfaces provide both passive and active pitch control; wherein said pitch control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); f) one or more yaw control surfaces (12); wherein said yaw control surfaces provide both passive and active yaw control; wherein said yaw control surfaces are operated by said maneuvering control system (6); g) one or more integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking devices (15) wherein said integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking device (15) is part of said propulsion system (2); wherein said integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking device (15) is part of said controllable regenerative braking (4); wherein said integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking device (15) provides thrust for said regenerative surfing boat (1); wherein said integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and controllable regenerative braking device (15) provides hydrodynamic braking forces and collects power for said regenerative surfing boat (1); wherein said integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking device (15) may be any of the integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and regenerative braking devices described in claim 9. 11. The regenerative surfing boat of claim 10; wherein said hydrofoil boat is a vertical sculling hydrofoil boat (16), comprising: a) a vertical sculling main foil (17); wherein said vertical sculling main foil consists of a high aspect ratio wing-like surface oriented transverse to and well below the centerline axis of said regenerative surfing boat (1); wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) is located just aft of the vehicle center of gravity; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) provides sufficient lift to carry the bulk of the weight of said regenerative surfing hydrofoil boat while foil-borne; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) is driven up and down by motors within the hull to produce thrust; wherein the incidence of said vertical sculling main foil ( 17) is actively controlled; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) is driven up and down by the water flow when the incidence angle is actively cycled; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) does work against the regenerative surfing boat (1) when driven up and down by the water flow; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) is an integrated hydrodynamic propulsion and controllable regenerative braking device (15) of the oscillating hydrodynamic surface type, and is controlled by coordinating the heave and pitch actuators of the main foil; wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) provides all propulsive forces for the regenerative surfing boat (1); wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) provides all the controllable regenerative braking forces for the regenerative surfing boat (1); wherein said vertical sculling main foil (17) houses the roll control surfaces (10); b) a canard foil (18), wherein said canard foil (17) is a pitch control surface (11) that provides active or passive pitch stabilization; wherein said canard foil (17) is a yaw control surface (12) that provides active yaw control. 12. A regenerative surfing boat (1) of claim 11, wherein the vertical sculling main foil (17) is the hydrodynamic part of a vertical sculling drive system (19), comprising: a) a vertical sculling suspension system (20), comprising a plurality of struts, pivots, arms and spring that enables the vertical sculling main foil (17) to oscillate vertically with respect to the centerline axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1) ; b) a plurality of foil pitch actuators (21) that actively controls the incidence of the main foil, or equivalently the incidence of a system of flaps on the main foil, with respect to the centerline axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1), in either an oscillatory manner for thrust or braking control, or in a biasing manner for steady lift control; c) a plurality of main foil heave actuators (22) that drive the main foil up and down with respect to the main axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1) while said vertical sculling drive system is producing thrust; d) a plurality of main foil heave generators (23) that collect power from the work done on said boat as said water flow drives said main foil up and down in response to oscillating foil or flap incidence changes; e) a plurality of biasing springs (24) to offload the weight of the craft from the actuators and generators; f) a vertical sculling drive controller (25) that synchronizes the motions of the pitch and heave actuators to provide the desired propulsive, braking and lift effects. 13. A regenerative surfing boat (1) of claim 11, wherein the vertical sculling main foil (17) is the hydrodynamic part of a vertical sculling drive system (19), comprising: a) a vertical sculling suspension system (20), comprising a plurality of struts, pivots, arms and spring that enables the vertical sculling main foil (17) to oscillate vertically with respect to the centerline axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1) ; b) a plurality of foil pitch actuators (21) that actively controls the incidence of the main foil, or equivalently the incidence of a system of flaps on the main foil, with respect to the centerline axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1), in either an oscillatory manner for thrust or braking control, or in a biasing manner for steady lift control; c) a plurality of integrate foil heave actuator/generators (23); wherein said integrated foil heave actuator/generators ( 23) act as actuators while said vertical sculling drive system ( 19) is producing thrust and drive the main foil up and down with respect to the main axis of the regenerative surfing boat (1) wherein said integrated foil heave actuator/generators ( 23) act as generators when the vertical sculling drive system ( 19) is operating in regenerative braking mode and collect power from the work done on said boat as said water flow drives said main foil up and down in response to oscillating foil or flap incidence changes; d) a plurality of biasing springs (24) to offload the weight of the craft from the actuators and generators; e) a vertical sculling drive controller (25) that synchronizes the motions of the pitch and heave actuators to provide the desired propulsive, braking and lift effects. 14. A regenerative surfing boat (1) of claim 12, wherein the vertical sculling suspension system (20) comprises; a) two main struts (27) that support the main foil, oriented vertically and mounted equidistantly from the centerline of the foil; b) two upper suspension arms (28), one for each strut, comprising a beam that rocks about a bearing mounted at the top edge of the boat and oriented with the pivot axis parallel to the centerline of the boat, and is attached at the outer end to the top of a main strut ( 27) with another pivot mounted parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat, and is attached at the inner end to the biasing spring ( 24) and to a foil heave actuator (22) and a foil heave generator (23); c) two lower suspension arms (29), one for each main strut (27), consisting of a beam attached at the outer end part-way down the main strut (27) with a pivot parallel to the centerline of the boat, and at the other end attached just above the hull-borne waterline with another set of hinges parallel to the centerline of the boat. 15. A regenerative surfing boat of claim 6, wherein a water ballast system to alter the speed at which the best lift to drag ratio is achieved, comprising: a) a plurality of ballast tanks (30) for storing water ballast; wherein said ballast tanks are distributed in such a way that it is always possible to balance said water ballast about said regenerative surfing boat's center of gravity with a minimum of free surfaces; b) a system of scoops and dump doors (31) to collect and discharge said ballast water; c) a ballast management system (32), comprised of tank level sensors, pumps, pipes and valves to manage the ballast water quantity and center of gravity. 16. The regenerative surfing boat (1) of claims 6, wherein the maneuvering control system is an automated surfing control system (33) comprising: a) a plurality of surfing control software modules (34) ; b) a plurality of sensors (35); wherein said sensors include an inertial navigation module that senses the speeds, accelerations, orientations and rates of the craft; wherein said sensors include external sensors such as GPS, water speed sensors and a magnetic compass to determine the location, bearing, orientation and speed of said regenerative surfing boat (1 ); a plurality of controllers that observe the craft status as provided by the inertial navigation module, as well as the power and actuator status from the energy management and vertical sculling control systems, so as to compute; a plurality of control inputs for the various actuators, including the main foil heave actuators, the main foil pitch actuators, and the canard foil yaw and pitch actuators to control the path of the vehicles; wherein said sensors measure the near-boat sea surface; wherein said sensors observe the internal system of said boat, including the state of power collection, the status of the energy storage system, and the ballast mass, if any; c) a plurality of controllers (36); wherein said controllers control the propulsion motors; wherein said controllers control the regenerative braking system; wherein said controllers operate the various pitch, yaw and roll actuators; wherein said controllers operate any additional auxiliary systems. d) a computing infrastructure (37), comprising computers, networks, storage devices and communications equipment sufficient to hosts said surfing control software, sensors and controllers. 17. The regenerative surfing boat of claim 16, wherein the surfing control software is organized into layers comprising: a) a vehicle stabilization system (38); wherein said vehicle stabilization system operates said controllers (36) to stabilize and control the regenerative surfing boat (1) in pitch, yaw, roll, heave, surge and sway; wherein said vehicle stabilization system controls the propulsion (2) and controllable regenerative braking (4) systems; wherein said vehicle stabilization system implements the near-term trajectory guidance provided by the surfing action generator ( 39); b) a surfing action generator (39); wherein said surfing action generator uses data from the sensors (35) to observe the near-vehicle sea surface, including the local water speeds and slopes on the face of said wave while surfing; wherein said surfing action generator provides guidance to said vehicle stabilization system (38); wherein said surfing action generator contains a path estimator capable of estimating the trajectory of the vehicle given a set guidance commands; wherein said surfing action generator maintains path goals, and strives to have said regenerative surfing boat meet said goals with said guidance commands; wherein said surfing action generator maintains path constraints, and strives to have said regenerative surfing boat not violate said constraints with said guidance commands; estimating the near-future near-field speed and slopes of the wave, estimating the near-future path of the vehicle given the vehicle state and local expected conditions; determining the best trajectory for power collection, and providing guidance to the vehicle stabilization and control system. c) a surfing path planner (40); wherein said surfing path planner observes the near, mid and far field sea surface; wherein said surfing path planner maintains an internal model of the local environmental conditions, including the local depth profiles, prevailing winds, and surface wave states sufficient for predicting the next ten to thirty seconds of wave actions; wherein said surfing path planner uses said internal environmental models to estimate the near future wave patterns; wherein said surfing path planner uses performance models of said regenerative surfing boat (1) to estimate power given a trajectory over said near future wave pattern estimates; wherein said surfing path planner exercises a search algorithm in a timely manner to find optimal or near optimal regenerative surfing route given said estimated power profiles over said expected near-future wave patterns; wherein said surfing path planner from time to time provides updated path goals and constraints to said surfing action generator; wherein said surfing path planner maintains a set of routing goals provided by an external source to give said regenerative surfing boat purpose; wherein said surfing path planner maintains a set of routing constraints provided by an external source to prevent said regenerative surfing boat from violating motion constraints such as political boundaries or other zones of exclusion. 18. The regenerative surfing boat (1) of claim 13, wherein the vertical sculling suspension system (20) comprises; a) two main struts (27) that support the main foil, oriented vertically and mounted equidistantly from the centerline of the foil; b) two upper suspension arms (28), one for each strut, comprising a beam that rocks about a bearing mounted at the top edge of the boat and oriented with the pivot axis parallel to the centerline of the boat, and is attached at the outer end to the top of a main strut ( 27) with another pivot mounted parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat, and is attached at the inner end to the biasing spring ( 24) and to an integrated foil heave actuator/generator (26); c) two lower suspension arms (29), one for each main strut (27), consisting of a beam attached at the outer end part-way down the main strut (27) with a pivot parallel to the centerline of the boat, and at the other end attached just above the hull-borne waterline with another set of hinges parallel to the centerline of the boat.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Lochtefeld Thomas J. ; Sauerbier Charles E., Boat activated wake enhancement method and system.
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