861results about "Steering initiations" patented technology

An electric power assisted steering assembly comprises a steering mechanism which operatively connects a steering wheel to the roadwheels of a vehicle, a torque sensing means adapted to produce a first output signal indicative of the torque carried by a portion of the steering mechanism, a means for producing a second output signal indicative from a signal indicative of the angular velocity of the portion of the steering mechanism, an electric motor operatively connected to the steering mechanism, a signal processing unit adapted to receive the two output signals and to produce therefrom an overall torque demand signal representative of a torque to be applied to the steering mechanism by the motor, and a motor drive stage adapted to provide a drive current to the motor responsive to the torque demand signal. The overall torque demand signal includes a damping component that is dependent upon the second output signal. The means for producing the yaw damping component includes a filter having one pole and one zero, and in use the second signal is passed through the filter to produce the damping component, the frequency of the pole and zero being selected such that the filter provides a band between the pole and zero within which the phase of the filtered second signal and the velocity signal are further out of phase or in phase than within the band.

A marine propulsion system includes a first propulsion device that is steerable and located at a stern of a hull, a second propulsion device that is steerable and located in front of the stern, a controller configured or programmed to include an obtaining unit to obtain information about a propulsion force of the first propulsion device in forward and backward directions, and information about a propulsion force of the second propulsion device, a determination unit to determine whether to cause the first propulsion device during a lateral motion of the hull to generate a propulsion force in a direction in a first range including a component in the forward direction, or to generate a propulsion force in a direction in a second range including a component in the backward direction based on the obtained information, and a storage to store a content determined by the determination unit.

In one aspect, a wireless remote controller for a personal watercraft is provided that includes a watertight body and a rotatable thumbwheel disposed on an upper surface of the watertight body. The remote controller includes at least one magnet affixed to the thumbwheel such that the at least one magnet rotates with the thumbwheel. The remote controller includes a magnetic sensor configured to produce magnetic field data in at least two axes. The remote controller includes a processor operably coupled to the magnetic sensor and communication circuitry configured to communicate control signals to an associated personal watercraft. The processor is configured to determine an angular position of the thumbwheel based at least in part on the magnetic field data in each of the at least two axes and to generate a control signal based at least in part on the determined position of the thumbwheel.

To provide a navigation monitoring robot for a ship and an avoidance navigation maneuvering system of an automatic navigation single-screw twin-rudder ship capable of ensuring safety navigation by assessing the collision risk in an extended warning sea area.SOLUTION: A navigation monitoring robot 300 for a ship acquires present positional information of an own ship, analyzes real time image data of a synthetic aperture radar image photographing a navigation sea area including the own ship, calculates a distance between a target object affecting the navigation and a present position of the own ship as a target separation distance, identifies whether or not the target object is a ship by collating an image pattern of a far-infrared camera image of the target object, image patterns of the far-infrared camera image of various target objects where temperature information of the far-infrared camera image is stored in a library, and the temperature information of the far-infrared camera image, recognizes the target separation distance as an influence degree that the ship gives to the safety navigation, and sends alarm information when it is determined that the target separation distance is within a dangerous area impairing the safety navigation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

To identify a coefficient for a maneuvering motion model by using maneuverability index often acquired for such as a sea trial for actual vessel in general.SOLUTION: A coefficient identification program for a maneuvering motion model of a vessel has a computer execute: a step S2 for acquiring maneuverability index data; a step S3-2 for acquiring an initial value for a coefficient of the maneuvering motion model; a step S4 for carrying out calculation of the maneuvering motion by applying the initial value for the coefficient to the maneuvering motion model; a step S5 for calculating maneuvering index based on calculation result of the maneuvering motion; a step S6 for calculating an evaluation value based on the maneuverability index data and the maneuverability index; a step S7 for determining termination based on the calculation result of evaluation value and termination determination condition; a step S8 for updating the maneuvering motion model coefficient based on optimization algorithm when termination is denied and repeating from the step S4 to the step S7; and a step S9 for outputting the latest used coefficient when termination is affirmed as the identified coefficient.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

According to an embodiment, there is provided a control method for autonomously berthing a ship including obtaining ship state information and berth information, setting a DP point; an approaching operation of controlling the ship to approach the DP point; and a dynamic positioning operation of adjusting a location and posture of the ship based on an error rate between the DP point and a current location of the ship.

A hull motion control unit performs steering for a pinwheeling swing such that a bow distance and a stern distance that are measured by a quay separation distance measuring device are made equal to each other and the fore-and-aft direction of a ship is parallel to a target quay, and then the ship is caused to laterally approach and dock in the target quay while keeping the parallel state.

A marine vessel includes a vessel steering system including a boat controller configured or programmed to include an automatic vessel steering mode and a manual vessel steering mode as vessel steering modes. When a password to release a locked state is input to a multifunction display in a locked state where the vessel steering mode is fixed in the automatic vessel steering mode, the boat controller is configured or programmed to shift the automatic vessel steering mode to the manual vessel steering mode.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling a marine surface vessel. Nominal position and nominal heading signals are received from a trajectory planner, and nominal force and nominal moment signals generated based thereon. A velocity tracking error signal is generated based on the sensed velocity signal, and a yaw rate tracking error signal is generated based on the sensed yaw rate signal. A force tracking error control signal is generated based on the velocity tracking error signal, and a moment tracking error control signal is generated based on the yaw rate tracking error signal. A force command signal is generated by summing the nominal force and force tracking error control signals, and a moment command signal is generated by summing the nominal moment and moment tracking error control signals. The force and moment command signals are used to control one or more actuators of the marine surface vessel.

The information processing device includes an acquisition means, a cluster generation means and a straight line generation means. The acquisition means acquires measurement data which is a set of data representing a plurality of measured points of a berthing place measured by a measurement device provided on a ship. The cluster generation means generates one or more clusters obtained by dividing the plurality of measured points by clustering. The straight line generation means configured to generate a straight line along the berthing place of the ship, based on the one or more clusters.

Disclosed is a steering-support system for facilitating manual steering of a marine vessel comprising motors and independent manual throttle and shift control units, rudders and manual rudder-steering means mechanically and / or hydraulically connected to the rudders for direct rudder-angle control. The steering-support system comprises electronic rudder-angle reset means connected to at least one automated rudder drive unit, which, when activated, disables use of the manual rudder-steering means and automatically controls the rudder drive unit to steer the rudders from any current off-center position to a mid position at which the rudders are parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vessel and to block the rudders at this mid position, thereby enabling steering of the marine vessel solely by the manual throttle and shift control units in absence of rudder influence on steering.

The invention is an unmanned ground vehicle, comprising a frame section (1) with a deck (2) and a bottom section (3), and a mobility arrangement (4) with an engine (12) in order to propel the vehicle, and which ground vehicle is equipped to be operated via remote controls. The ground vehicle comprises a waterjet assembly for propulsion in water.

An outboard motor includes a steering mechanism switchable between a state in which a pinion is rotated by a first drive source such that an outboard motor body is steerable within a first steering angle range, and a state in which the pinion is rotated by a second drive source such that the outboard motor body is steerable within a second steering angle range different from the first steering angle range.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide graphical user interfaces for assisted and / or autonomous navigation for mobile structures. A navigation assist system includes a user interface for a mobile structure comprising a display and a logic device configured to communicate with the user interface and render a docking user interface on the display. The logic device is configured to monitor control signals for a navigation control system for the mobile structure and render the docking user interface based, at least in part, on the monitored control signals. The docking user interface includes a maneuvering guide with a mobile structure perimeter indicator, an obstruction map, and a translational thrust indicator configured to indicate a translational maneuvering thrust magnitude and direction relative to an orientation of the mobile structure perimeter indicator.

Systems and method for providing navigational control of a watercraft are provided herein. The system comprises a display, processor and memory. The memory including computer program code is configured to cause presentation of a chart on the display including at least a portion of the body of water. The system further receives user input indicating initiation of a drift protocol, including indication of a boundary area for which the watercraft will drift through, and causes presentation of the boundary area on the chart. The system determines an instance when the watercraft drifts outside of the boundary area and provides an alert when the watercraft exits or nears the boundary area. The system determines a starting position corresponding to the boundary area and engages an autopilot to cause the watercraft to navigate to the starting position or provides instructions to enable the user to navigate the watercraft to the starting position.

Methods and systems described herein can assist a user when loading a watercraft onto a trailer (e.g., at a boat ramp). For example, position data generated by sensor(s) coupled to the watercraft and / or trailer can cause one or more propulsion devices associated with the watercraft to automatically (e.g., without user intervention) position the watercraft onto the trailer, for example, by controlling the power and / or thrust direction of the propulsion device(s).

The controller 13 of the information processing device 1 functions as an acquisition unit, an extraction unit, and a straight line calculation unit. The acquisition unit acquires point cloud data, which is a set of data generated by a lidar 3 provided in a target ship, identified by a pair of a horizontal number being an index representing a position in a horizontal direction, and a vertical number being an index representing a position in a vertical direction. The extraction unit extracts, for each horizontal number, i.e., for each vertical line, the data representing a nearest neighbor point nearest to the target ship among data representing measured points of a berthing place. The straight line calculation unit calculates a berthing side straight line Ls alongside the berthing place, based on a neighbor point set, which is a set of data representing the nearest neighbor point.

A propulsion control arrangement operable to control a speed and possible direction of a marine vessel. A marine propulsion control system controlling a carried by a hull of a marine vessel, wherein the marine propulsion control system is adapted to receive an input command from the propulsion control arrangement.

A marine propulsion system includes a controller configured or programmed to perform a rudder angle change control to change a rudder angle of an auxiliary propulsion device by a predetermined angle to one side in a right-left direction of a hull with respect to a forward-rearward direction of the hull so as to move the hull along the forward-rearward direction without rotating the hull when motorized forward-rearward movement is performed to move the hull along the forward-rearward direction by driving the auxiliary propulsion device that is provided to one side of the hull in the right-left direction without generating a thrust from a main propulsion device.

An input device for navigational control of a marine vessel has processing circuitry to obtain a requested input device input in response to a maneuvering of the input device; obtain a distance between the marine vessel and a closest obstacle located in a direction indicated by the requested input device input; and control saturation of the input device at least based on the distance. The processing circuitry is integrated in the input device and configured to control the saturation independently of control circuitry of the marine vessel external to the input device.

The invention provides a direction controller for a ship, and relates to the technical field of ship equipment control, the direction controller for the ship is installed on a ship steering mechanism and comprises a display device, a steering wheel and a steering control device, the steering control device comprises a main shaft, the main shaft penetrates through the display device, the top end of the main shaft is connected with the steering wheel, and the steering wheel is connected with the display device. The steering control device comprises a protective shell, the protective shell is fixedly connected with the display device and used for preventing the steering control device from being eroded by water, and the display device is provided with a waterproof device used for preventing water from entering the display device and entering the steering control device along a main shaft. The direction control device is further provided with a steering damping structure, the steering damping structure is used for keeping the rotation stability of the main shaft and improving the driving experience, the waterproof effect is good, the driving experience is good, the steering angle can be accurately displayed, misoperation of a user is prevented, the service life is long, and the ship traveling safety is guaranteed.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target position in a body of water, the method being carried out by a processing system and including: estimating at least one roughness condition of the body of water based on measurements related to an attitude of the marine vessel; calculating a desired linear velocity based on a difference between an actual position of the marine vessel and the target position; filtering an actual linear velocity of the marine vessel based on the roughness conditions; and operating a propulsion system of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel to minimize a difference between the desired linear velocity and the filtered actual linear velocity. A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target heading in a body of water is also disclosed.

A method for assisting a user operating a marine vessel, the marine vessel having an image sensor configured to collect imaging data for an area outside the marine vessel. The method includes collecting imaging data via the image sensor for the area outside the marine vessel and analyzing the imaging data to identify a wave within the area outside the marine vessel. The method further includes determining a size of the wave and / or a location of the wave relative to the marine vessel and determining whether the size and / or the location of the wave is beyond one or more thresholds. The method further includes automatically modifying an operation of the marine vessel when the size and / or location of the wave is beyond the one or more thresholds to thereby assist the user in managing an effect of the wave on the marine vessel.

A system for a marine vessel propelled by a propulsion device includes a controller operable in an automatic navigation mode in which the controller automatically controls a thrust of the propulsion device to propel the marine vessel through a body of water. A portable device is carried on an individual on the marine vessel. The controller enables a person overboard detection algorithm in response to enablement of the automatic navigation mode. The person overboard detection algorithm disables the automatic navigation mode in response to detecting a given status of the portable device.

A marine maneuvering system for a marine vessel is provided. The marine maneuvering system comprises a marine vessel control unit configured to: obtain a requested movement of a joystick indicating a speed value and a direction value for an upcoming navigation of the marine vessel; obtain proximity signals from a proximity sensor in response to a target being sensed in at least portions of an environment surrounding the marine vessel at least towards a direction indicated by a direction value of the joystick; determine a distance between the marine vessel and the target based on the proximity signals; and control a force feedback device to apply a force feedback to the joystick based on the determined distance.

To provide an autonomous navigation floating body illuminating water surface or underwater.SOLUTION: An autonomous navigation floating body includes: a hull; an illumination unit provided on the hull for illuminating water surface or underwater; a propulsion unit for generating propulsion force for moving the hull; and a controller for controlling a propulsion unit to navigate by remote operation or autonomous navigation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

To provide a device for greatly improving accuracy and efficiency of steering of a boat by providing a precise and speedy reaction through a system for remotely steering the boat based on an operation of a user.SOLUTION: A remote control system includes: a joy stick module for converting operation information of a user into a voltage signal; a PC module for fulfilling a roll of processing a signal received from the joy stick module and receiving and monitoring status information of a boat; a water surface integrated GSC for bidirectionally relaying a remote control signal and the status information of the boat; a boat mission computer for transmitting the remote control signal transmitted from the water surface integrated GSC to an integrated controller; the integrated controller for adjusting a speed and a direction of a motor based on the operation information received from the boat mission computer; and a right side BLDC motor controller and a left side BLDC motor controller for adjusting a movement and a direction of the boat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

A marine maneuvering system for maneuvering a vessel body includes a steering including a steering wheel, a manual operator on the steering to cause predetermined functions to the vessel body to be executed, and a controller configured or programmed to change the predetermined functions executed by an operation of the manual operator in accordance with maneuvering modes in which behaviors of the vessel body are mutually different.

A marine drive may include a frame configured to support the marine drive with respect to the marine vessel, a cowling enclosing a portion of the frame in a cowling interior, a steering arm configured such that movement of the steering arm causes rotation of the marine drive with respect to the steering axis, and a flexible rigging connector extending from the cowling interior to a location in the marine vessel. The flexible rigging connector may extend through a guide passage in the steering arm. Additionally or alternatively, the steering arm may include a base member and a mounting member selectively movable relative to the base member to adjust the length of the steering arm.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for water non-water segmentation of navigational imagery to assist in the autonomous navigation of mobile structures. An imagery based navigation system includes a logic device configured to communicate with an imaging module coupled to a mobile structure and / or configured to capture images of an environment about the mobile structure. The logic device may be configured to receive at least one image from the imaging module; determine a water / non-water segmented image based, at least in part, on the received at least one image, and generate a range chart corresponding to the environment about the mobile structure based, at least in part, on the determined water / non-water segmented image and / or the received at least one image.