Ocean Power awarded patent for system, method for vehicle charging

Ocean Power (OPTT) Technologies announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for its U.S. patent application titled “System and Method for Vehicle Charging.” The newly allowed patent protects OPT’s breakthrough system for an autonomous, floating marine charging solution. Designed to address the increasing demand for clean maritime operations, the invention enables electric vessels-including uncrewed surface vehicles-to safely locate, dock with, and recharge from a floating energy platform while at sea. This innovation is core to OPT’s vision of scalable, intelligent offshore infrastructure. The floating charging station will integrate seamlessly with the PowerBuoy platform, allowing it to serve as both a power generation node and a recharging hub. When combined, these systems will enable WAM-V autonomous surface vehicles to conduct long-duration missions with minimized downtime and no need for shore return. The patent covers multiple key features, including: Signal-emitting guidance systems for dynamic maritime docking. Flexible and secure mooring structures to stabilize vessels during energy transfer. Wired and wireless energy delivery mechanisms; and Options for wave-powered self-sustaining energy generation.