US 11,383,813 B2Granted

Automatic steering device, automatic steering method and automatic steering program

AssigneeFuruno Electric Co., Ltd.

InventorsKazuya Kishimoto, Kazutoshi Simo

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

An automatic steering device may include a route calculator, an indirect target point calculating module, a command steering angle calculating module, and a steering controlling module. The route calculator may calculate a route of a ship based on positions of a plurality of target points. The indirect target point calculating module may calculate an indirect target point ahead of the ship. The command steering angle calculating module may calculate a command steering angle based on a positional relation between the route and the indirect target point. The steering controlling module may control a steering mechanism of the ship based on the command steering angle.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An automatic steering device, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:
calculate a route to turn a ship based on positions of a plurality of waypoints,
calculate a first command steering angle in accordance with a first calculation before the ship passes a boundary point on the route, and control a rudder of the ship based on the first command steering angle,
upon the ship passing the boundary point:
calculate and repeatedly update an intermediate waypoint ahead of the ship while the ship is turning around an identified waypoint from among the plurality of waypoints,
calculate a second command steering angle in accordance with a second calculation based on a positional relation between the route and the intermediate waypoint, and
control the rudder of the ship based on the second command steering angle,
the processing circuitry being configured to calculate and repeatedly update the intermediate waypoint based on a formula which calculates the intermediate waypoint so that a length between a current position of the ship and the intermediate waypoint becomes shorter in proportion to a degree of a response of the ship to the second command steering angle,
wherein
the first calculation includes
calculating a direction ψcs of a straight line Lcs passing through a center C and the intermediate waypoint S using the latitude S_lat and the longitude S_lon of the intermediate waypoint S, and the latitude C_lat and the longitude C_lon of the center C according to the following formula (10)
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
=
tan
-
1
⁡
(
S
lon
-
C
lon
S
lat
-
C
lat
)
(
10
)
calculating a tangent direction ψst at an intersection In of the straight line Lcs and the route R12 using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (11)
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
±
π
2
,
and
(
11
)
calculating a course setting ψ0[n] using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (12)
ϕ
o
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
±
α
×
XTE
,
(
12
)
such that when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a clockwise direction, a minus coefficient is adopted as α, and when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a counterclockwise direction, a plus coefficient is adopted as α, and XTE represents a deviation error of the route and the current position of the ship.

79 more elements

An automatic steering method using an automatic steering device comprising:

calculating a route to turn a ship based on positions of a plurality of waypoints;
calculating a first command steering angle in accordance with a first calculation before the ship passes a boundary point on the route, and control a rudder of the ship based on the first command steering angle;
and
upon the ship passing the boundary point:
calculating and repeatedly updating an intermediate waypoint ahead of the ship while the ship is turning around an identified waypoint from among the plurality of waypoints;
calculating a second command steering angle in accordance with a second calculation based on a positional relation between the route and the intermediate waypoint;
and
controlling the rudder of the ship based on the second command steering angle,
wherein the calculating and repeatedly updating the intermediate waypoint is based on a formula which calculates the intermediate waypoint so that a length between a current position of the ship and the intermediate waypoint becomes shorter in proportion to a degree of a response of the ship to the second command steering angle,
wherein
the first calculation includes
calculating a direction ψcs of a straight line Lcs passing through a center C and the intermediate waypoint S using the latitude S_lat and the longitude S_lon of the intermediate waypoint S, and the latitude C_lat and the longitude C_lon of the center C according to the following formula (10)
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
=
tan
-
1
⁡
(
S
Ion
-
C
Ion
S
lat
-
C
lat
)
(
10
)
calculating a tangent direction ψst at an intersection In of the straight line Lcs and the route R12 using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (11)
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
+
π
2
,
and
(
11
)
calculating a course setting ψ0[n] using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (12)
ϕ
o
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
±
α
×
XTE
,
(
12
)
such that when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a clockwise direction, a minus coefficient is adopted as α, and when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a counterclockwise direction, a plus coefficient is adopted as α, and XTE represents a deviation error of the route and the current position of the ship.

80 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

calculate a route to turn a ship based on positions of a plurality of waypoints;
calculate a first command steering angle in accordance with a first calculation before the ship passes a boundary point on the route, and control a rudder of the ship based on the first command steering angle;
and
upon the ship passing the boundary point:
calculate and repeatedly update an intermediate waypoint ahead of the ship while the ship is turning around an identified waypoint from among the plurality of waypoints;
calculate a second command steering angle in accordance with a second calculation based on a positional relation between the route and the intermediate waypoint;
and
control the rudder of the ship based on the second command steering angle,
the calculating and repeatedly updating the intermediate waypoint being based on a formula which calculates the intermediate waypoint so that a length between a current position of the ship and the intermediate waypoint becomes shorter in proportion to a degree of a response of the ship to the second command steering angle,
wherein
the first calculation includes
calculating a direction ψcs of a straight line Lcs passing through a center C and the intermediate waypoint S using the latitude S_lat and the longitude S_lon of the intermediate waypoint S, and the latitude C_lat and the longitude C_lon of the center C according to the following formula (10)
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
=
tan
-
1
⁡
(
S
Ion
-
C
Ion
S
lat
-
C
lat
)
(
10
)
calculating a tangent direction ψst at an intersection In of the straight line Lcs and the route R12 using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (11)
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
+
π
2
,
and
(
11
)
calculating a course setting ψ0[n] using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (12)
ϕ
o
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
±
α
×
XTE
,
(
12
)
such that when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a clockwise direction, a minus coefficient is adopted as α, and when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a counterclockwise direction, a plus coefficient is adopted as α, and XTE represents a deviation error of the route and the current position of the ship.

80 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/406,861Filed 8 May 2019
Priority: JP JP2018-09134110 May 2018
Published: US 2019/0344875 A114 Nov 2019
Granted: 12 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B63H 21/21
Use of propulsion power plant or units on vessels: control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
B63H 25/04
Initiating means for steering , for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring: automatic, e.g. reacting…
B63H 25/36
Steering by rudders: rudder-position indicators
G01C 21/3407
Route searching; Route guidance: specially adapted for specific applications

Family

US 2019/0344875 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Nov 2019
US 11,383,813 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

An automatic steering device, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:
calculate a route to turn a ship based on positions of a plurality of waypoints,
calculate a first command steering angle in accordance with a first calculation before the ship passes a boundary point on the route, and control a rudder of the ship based on the first command steering angle,
upon the ship passing the boundary point:
calculate and repeatedly update an intermediate waypoint ahead of the ship while the ship is turning around an identified waypoint from among the plurality of waypoints,
calculate a second command steering angle in accordance with a second calculation based on a positional relation between the route and the intermediate waypoint, and
control the rudder of the ship based on the second command steering angle,
the processing circuitry being configured to calculate and repeatedly update the intermediate waypoint based on a formula which calculates the intermediate waypoint so that a length between a current position of the ship and the intermediate waypoint becomes shorter in proportion to a degree of a response of the ship to the second command steering angle,
wherein
the first calculation includes
calculating a direction ψcs of a straight line Lcs passing through a center C and the intermediate waypoint S using the latitude S_lat and the longitude S_lon of the intermediate waypoint S, and the latitude C_lat and the longitude C_lon of the center C according to the following formula (10)
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
=
tan
-
1
⁡
(
S
lon
-
C
lon
S
lat
-
C
lat
)
(
10
)
calculating a tangent direction ψst at an intersection In of the straight line Lcs and the route R12 using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (11)
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
cs
⁡
[
n
]
±
π
2
,
and
(
11
)
calculating a course setting ψ0[n] using the calculated direction ψcs according to the following formula (12)
ϕ
o
⁡
[
n
]
=
ϕ
st
⁡
[
n
]
±
α
×
XTE
,
(
12
)
such that when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a clockwise direction, a minus coefficient is adopted as α, and when the current position of the ship is deviated from the route in a counterclockwise direction, a plus coefficient is adopted as α, and XTE represents a deviation error of the route and the current position of the ship.

79 more elements

Facts

Application

16/406,861Filed 8 May 2019

Priority

JP JP2018-09134110 May 2018

Published

US 2019/0344875 A114 Nov 2019

Granted

12 Jul 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B63H 21/21
Use of propulsion power plant or units on vessels: control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
B63H 25/04
Initiating means for steering , for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring: automatic, e.g. reacting…
B63H 25/36
Steering by rudders: rudder-position indicators
G01C 21/3407
Route searching; Route guidance: specially adapted for specific applications