Assistance installation and method for assisting vessels in maneuvering at berthings

A method for assisting vessels in maneuvering at berthings in a water area adjacent to a berth by use of an assisting installation comprising a sensor data processing unit, a plurality of distance sensors spaced apart along the berth and connected to the sensor data processing unit, a stationary radio data communication unit connected to the sensor data processing unit, environmental measurement sensors connected to the sensor data processing unit and adapted to measure environmental conditions comprising one or more of wind, tide, and water current, and a portable data processing unit having a display and a mobile radio data communication unit adapted for radio data communication with the stationary radio data communication unit, comprising:

• detecting a group of reflection points at which a distance measurement signal emitted from one or more distance sensors is reflected by the vessel to be supported to the one or more distance sensors;
• using the sensor data processing unit to
• detect the reflection points as measurement points for an actual distance of a reflection point of the group of reflection points from the respective distance sensor;
• determine the actual distance of the vessel to be supported from the berth by filtering the measuring points detected by the plurality of distance sensors in a measuring cycle, by virtually establishing and storing in the sensor data processing unit a plurality of vertical reference points along the berth in a measuring range detectable by the plurality of distance sensors at a distance from one another at the berth, which reference points comprise an origin point and a reference measuring range with a reference length extending perpendicularly from the water area to a berthing point and a reference width oriented transversely thereto, and at least one horizontal reference point with an origin point and a reference measuring range having a reference length extending parallel to the berth and a reference width extending in a direction transverse to the berth;
• evaluate only those measuring points within a respective predetermined reference measuring range for the reference points;
• filter the measuring points detected by the distance sensors for each stored vertical and horizontal reference point by calculating the perpendicular distance of each measurement point within the area defined by the reference point;
• determine the actual distance of the vessel from the associated origin point of the respective reference point as the distance of a measuring point in the area of a respective reference point with the smallest perpendicular distance to the origin point respective reference point as the actual distance from the associated reference point;
• and
• display an actual position, orientation, and motion of the vessel, and of the measured environmental conditions, on the display of said portable data processing unit in a manner useable to assist in maneuvering of the vessel into the berth.

A method for assisting vessels in maneuvering at berthings in a water area adjacent to a berth by use of an assisting installation comprising a sensor data processing unit, a plurality of distance sensors spaced apart along the berth and connected to the sensor data processing unit, a stationary radio data communication unit connected to the sensor data processing unit, environmental measurement sensors connected to the sensor data processing unit and adapted to measure environmental conditions comprising one or more of wind, tide and water current, and a portable data processing unit having a display and a mobile radio data communication unit adapted for radio data communication with the stationary radio data communication unit, comprising:

• measuring the environmental conditions with the environmental measurement sensors;
• and
• using the sensor data processing unit to
• variably adjust a size of reference measurement areas as a function of the measured environmental condition data having an influence on maneuvering behaviour of a vessel measured with the environmental sensors;
• determine a berthing support area as a spatial area in a water area adjacent to the berth from one or more of control parameters for the vessel to be assisted, design parameters of the vessel to be assisted, and environmental parameters, and displaying the determined berthing support area on the display of said portable data processing unit;
• receive Automatic-Identification-System (AIS) data of one or more vessels located in a vicinity of the assistance installation for detecting a position, a destination and characteristic of the respective vessels;
• detect a group of reflection points at which a distance measurement signal emitted from one or more distance sensors of the plurality of distance sensors is reflected by the vessel to be supported;
• detect reflection points as measurement points for an actual distance of the reflection point from the respective distance sensor;
• determine an actual distance of the ship to be supported from the berth by filtering measuring points detected by the plurality of distance sensors in a measuring cycle, by virtually establishing and storing in the sensor data processing unit a plurality of vertical reference points along the berth in a measuring range detectable by the plurality of distance sensors at a distance from one another at the berth, which reference points have an origin point and a reference measuring range with a reference length extending perpendicularly from the water area to the berthing point and a reference width oriented transversely thereto, and at least one horizontal reference point with an origin point and a reference measuring range having a reference length extending parallel to the berth and a reference width extending in the direction transverse to the berth;
• evaluate only those measuring points within a respective predetermined reference measuring range for the reference points;
• filter the measuring points detected by the distance sensors for each stored vertical and horizontal reference point by calculating the perpendicular distance of each measurement point within the area defined by the reference point;
• determine the actual distance of the vessel from the associated origin point of the respective reference point as the distance of a measuring point in the area of a respective reference point with the smallest perpendicular distance to the origin point of the respective reference point as the actual distance from the associated reference point;
• determine an approach speed and an approach acceleration with respect to the reference points of the vessel as a function of a change in a sequence of measured actual distances to the respective reference points;
• and
• display on the display of said portable data processing unit one or more of the actual position, orientation and motion of the vessel, and the measured environmental conditions of a berthing location at the berth, actual distances, approach speeds and approach accelerations of the vessel to be assisted with respect to the respective reference points, and the one or more vessels determined from the received AIS data with their respective positions and sailing directions in a manner useable to assist in maneuvering of the vessel into the berth.