Watercraft, watercraft control device, watercraft control method, and program
AssigneeNHK Spring Co., Ltd.
InventorSachio Ooshita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A watercraft includes a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need of an input operation on the steering unit, and a watercraft control device for controlling the drive unit.
Claims18
A watercraft comprising:
- a steering unit;
- a rudder unit;
- a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit;
- a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit,
- a connection mechanism configured to connect the drive unit and the rudder unit,
- a watercraft control device configured to control the drive unit, and communicate with a communication device carried by an occupant of the watercraft;
- and
- an overboard fall detection unit configured to detect a falling of the occupant of the watercraft overboard;
- wherein the watercraft has a manual maneuvering mode in which operating the drive unit based on a manual operation to the steering unit and an automatic maneuvering mode in which operating the drive unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit,
- when the overboard fall detection unit detects that the occupant falls overboard from the watercraft or when an request for the automatic maneuvering mode is received from the occupant, the watercraft control device switches from the manual maneuvering mode to the automatic maneuvering mode and control the drive unit based on the relative position between the position of the communication device and the position of the watercraft, and a bow direction of the watercraft,
- in the manual maneuvering mode, the connection mechanism does not connect the transmission unit to the drive unit and does not transmit power between the drive unit and the rudder unit,
- in the automatic maneuvering mode, the connection mechanism connects the transmission unit to the drive unit and transmits power from the drive unit to the rudder unit.
A watercraft control device provided in a watercraft including a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit,
- wherein a process of controlling the drive unit and a process of controlling the electromagnetic clutch are executed,
- wherein the watercraft has a manual maneuvering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit and an automatic maneuvering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit,
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit during the manual maneuvering mode, and
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit during the automatic maneuvering mode.
A watercraft control method for use in a watercraft including a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit, the watercraft control method comprising:
- a drive unit control step of controlling the drive unit;
- and
- an electromagnetic clutch control step of controlling the electromagnetic clutch,
- wherein the watercraft has a manual maneuvering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit and an automatic maneuvering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit,
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit during the manual maneuvering mode, and
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit during the automatic maneuvering mode.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer provided in a watercraft including a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit to execute:
- controlling the drive unit;
- and
- controlling the electromagnetic clutch,
- wherein the watercraft has a manual maneuvering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit and an automatic maneuvering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit,
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit during the manual maneuvering mode, and
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit during the automatic maneuvering mode.
A watercraft comprising:
- a steering unit;
- a rudder unit;
- a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit;
- a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need for an input operation on the steering unit,
- a watercraft control device configured to control the drive unit;
- and
- a connection mechanism configured to connect the drive unit and the rudder unit,
- wherein the connection mechanism includes an electromagnetic clutch,
- wherein the watercraft has a manual maneuvering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit and an automatic maneuvering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit,
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit during the manual maneuvering mode, and
- wherein the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit during the automatic maneuvering mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.