Ditch Technology Secures Patent on Behavior Based Marine Routing; Offers OEMs a Production Ready Path to a Smarter Helm.

Patented logic layer turns historical records into ‘Local Expert’ routes, giving chartplotter makers a software path to smarter helms and clear freedom to operate.

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ditch Technology Inc. today announced it has secured US Patent No. 12,429,339 for behavior based marine routing and is making its production ready Behavioral Navigation™ engine available to marine OEMs.

The patent and engine cover the use of historical navigation records to generate Local Expert modes - routes that behave like experienced captains and deploy as a software upgrade to existing chartplotters, MFDs, and apps. With multiple OEMs now investing in data driven routing, the IP position is becoming a decisive competitive factor.

By separating the Transient Tourist (noise) from the Local Expert (signal), the Ditch engine provides validated route viability. It tells users not just where they can float based on static charts, but where vessels actually travel based on real world behavior. And because those patterns are recalculated as new navigation records come in, it can reflect recent usage of an area far more quickly than static charts.

"AI is raising consumer expectations fast, and navigation is where OEMs can make an immediate impact. Boaters want the confidence to take the right route, explore more, and enjoy the water - and that means moving beyond chart data to routes built on real local knowledge. We've built that engine, patented it, and we're already in active conversations with teams ready to move," said Peter Williams, CEO of Ditch Technology.

The engine runs as a headless API, drawn from AIS and community navigation data and designed to ingest proprietary OEM records - production ready, returning an additional route alongside standard auto-routing options with no disruption to existing hardware or UX.

“This is a software play, not a five year hardware project. We've already processed billions of AIS data points to prove the core logic - you keep your UX, we provide the deterministic behavior layer behind it. Over the next few years, boaters will expect their plotter to feel less like a static chart and more like a knowledgeable co‐pilot that can justify its choices. A Behavioral Navigation engine is a way to add that intelligence today, so existing helms stay relevant as AI driven expectations rise,” said Owen Davies, CTO.

IP Position on Behavioral Navigation
The Ditch patent covers:

• Ingestion of historical navigation records (AIS, community, or proprietary data),
• Processing that data to identify patterns of local, expert like behavior, and
• Generation and selection of recommended routes for display or guidance.

“If you’re planning to lean on historical vessel records for routing, you now have a choice: invest years designing around someone else’s claims, or own the patent and engine to move quickly,” Peter added.

Because each Ditch route is grounded in where vessels actually travel rather than static chart data alone, it provides a transparent, auditable decision trail and a validated reference path that can be compared against how a prudent human captain actually runs that water — supporting emerging MASS compliance requirements.

About Ditch Technology Inc.
Ditch Technology Inc. builds Behavioral Navigation systems and explainable routing logic for marine helms. Its Behavioral Navigation engine learns from billions of historical vessel records to produce Local Expert routes, production validated through three years of live consumer deployment and available to OEMs today via API.

For more information, visit www.ditchtechnologyinc.com.