The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 2015
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2011
Richard Ian Stephens, Warwickshire, GB;
Richard Ian Stephens, Warwickshire, GB;
GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd., Warwickshire, GB;
Abstract
A method of estimating the environmental force acting on a supported jack-up vessel is described. The vessel is positioned in a force determination position and the strain on at least one support leg of the jack-up vessel is measured while a first thrust is applied to the vessel. A second thrust is applied to the vessel while the vessel is maintained in the force determination position. The variation in the strain in the at least one support leg is monitored as the second thrust is applied and the strain is used to calculate an estimate of the environmental force acting on the vessel. The method allows a dynamic positioning (DP) system of the jack-up vessel to determine a suitable thrust to apply to the vessel as the support legs of the vessel are raised. By applying this suitable thrust the position of the vessel can be maintained when the vessel transitions from being supported by the support legs to being supported by water.