Ship, ship control device, ship control method and program

Abstract

To appropriately achieve a manual maneuvering mode and an automatic maneuvering mode of a marine vessel.SOLUTION: A marine vessel includes: a steering part; a rudder part; a transmission part for connecting the steering part and the rudder part, and mechanically transmitting input operation on the steering part, to the rudder part; a driving part for operating the rudder part without requiring the input operation on the steering part; and a marine vessel control device for controlling the driving part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ship, a ship control device, a ship control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Personal watercraft (PWC) auto-return systems have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The PWC auto-return system described in Patent Document 1 includes a user device and an autopilot unit arranged in the PWC. The user device includes a passenger position determination unit, a user interface, and a communication unit. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, when a passenger carrying the user device leaves the PWC (falls into the water), the PWC receives a request from the user interface and navigates automatically to the position of the user device. However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose a specific configuration for realizing automatic steering of a PWC. Therefore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 may not be able to properly realize automatic steering of the PWC back to a passenger who is away from the PWC. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0335780 [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-019424 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a ship, a ship control device, a ship control method, and a program that can appropriately realize a manual ship steering mode and an automatic ship steering mode of a ship. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a ship comprising a steering section, a rudder section, a transmission section connecting the steering section and the rudder section and mechanically transmitting input operations to the steering section to the rudder section, a drive section that operates the rudder section without the need for input operations to the steering section, and a ship control device that controls the drive section.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a ship control device provided on a ship comprising a steering section, a rudder section, a transmission section connecting the steering section and the rudder section and mechanically transmitting input operations to the steering section to the rudder section, a drive section operating the rudder section without the need for input operations to the steering section, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission section and the drive section, the ship control device performing control of the drive section and control of the electromagnetic clutch.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a ship control method for a ship comprising a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit connecting the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmitting an input operation to the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit that operates the rudder unit without the need for an input operation to the steering unit, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit, the ship control method comprising a drive unit control step of controlling the drive unit and an electromagnetic clutch control step of controlling the electromagnetic clutch.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer installed on a ship comprising a steering section, a rudder section, a transmission section connecting the steering section and the rudder section and mechanically transmitting input operations to the steering section to the rudder section, a drive section that operates the rudder section without the need for input operations to the steering section, and an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission section and the drive section to execute a drive section control step that controls the drive section and an electromagnetic clutch control step that controls the electromagnetic clutch. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a ship, a ship control device, a ship control method, and a program that can appropriately realize a manual ship steering mode and an automatic ship steering mode of a ship. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system to which a ship according to a first embodiment is applied. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a steering system from a steering section to a rudder section of the ship shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed in the automatic ship steering system of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system to which a ship according to a second embodiment is applied. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system to which a ship according to a third embodiment is applied. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between an intermittent gear and a driven gear in a manual marine vessel maneuvering mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between an intermittent gear and a driven gear in an automatic ship-steering mode. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system to which a ship according to a fourth embodiment is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] First Embodiment A first embodiment of a ship, a ship control device, a ship control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described below.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system 1 to which a ship 11 according to a first embodiment is applied. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a steering system from a steering section 11B1 to a rudder section 11A1 of the ship 11 illustrated in Fig. 1. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic ship steering system 1 includes a ship 11 and a communication device 12. The boat 11 of the first embodiment is a personal watercraft (PWC) having functions similar to those of the PWC (personal watercraft) shown in, for example, Fig. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649. The boat 11 includes an actuator 11A, an operation unit 11B, a boat control device 11C, a transmission unit 11D, a drive unit 11E, a power transmission switching unit 11F, a trigger generating unit 11G, a boat position detecting unit 11H, a bow direction detecting unit 11I, a communication unit 11J, and an angle detecting unit 11K. The actuator 11A includes a rudder section 11A1 and a thrust generating section 11A2. The rudder section 11A1 has a function of generating a turning moment for the vessel 11. The thrust generating section 11A2 has a function of generating a propulsive force for the vessel 11. The actuator 11A includes, for example, an engine, a nozzle, a deflector, a trim actuator, a bucket, a bucket actuator, and the like described in FIG. 1 of JP 2019-171925 A. The operation unit 11B includes a steering unit 11B1 and a throttle operation unit 11B2. The steering unit 11B1 receives an input operation by the operator to operate the rudder unit 11A1. The throttle operation unit 11B2 receives an input operation by the operator to operate the thrust generating unit 11A2. The operation unit 11B is configured in the same manner as, for example, the steering handle device described in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649 and the steering unit described in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-171925.

[0013] The ship control device 11C performs control such as activating the actuator 11A based on an input operation of the ship operator received by the operation unit 11B. The ship control device 11C has a manual ship maneuvering mode in which the actuator 11A is activated based on an input operation to the operation unit 11B, and an automatic ship maneuvering mode in which the actuator 11A is activated without the need for an input operation to the operation unit 11B. The vessel control device 11C includes a first control unit 11C1, a second control unit 11C2, and a third control unit 11C3. The first control unit 11C1 controls the thrust generating unit 11A2. In detail, in the manual ship steering mode, the first control unit 11C1 controls the operation of the thrust generating unit 11A2 based on the input operation of the ship operator received by the throttle operation unit 11B2. In the automatic ship steering mode, the first control unit 11C1 controls the operation of the thrust generating unit 11A2 based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction. The second control unit 11C2 controls the drive unit 11E. In particular, in the manual ship-steering mode, the second control unit 11C2 does not operate the drive unit 11E. On the other hand, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the second control unit 11C2 controls the operation of the drive unit 11E based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction. The third control unit 11C3 controls the electromagnetic clutch 11F1, which will be described later. In particular, in the manual vessel maneuvering mode, the third control unit 11C3 does not operate the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 (turns the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 off). On the other hand, in the automatic vessel maneuvering mode, the third control unit 11C3 operates the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 (turns the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 on).

[0014] The transmission unit 11D has, for example, a mechanical cable that connects the steering unit 11B1 and the rudder unit 11A1. The transmission unit 11D mechanically transmits an input operation to the steering unit 11B1 to the rudder unit 11A1. The drive unit 11E has, for example, a motor and operates the rudder unit 11A1 in the automatic ship-steering mode. In detail, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E operates the rudder unit 11A1 without the need for an input operation to the steering unit 11B1. On the other hand, in the manual ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E does not operate the rudder unit 11A1. The power transmission switching unit 11F switches the power transmission from the drive unit 11E to the rudder unit 11A1 between the manual ship-steering mode and the automatic ship-steering mode. The power transmission switching unit 11F is provided between the transmission unit 11D and the drive unit 11E. The power transmission switching unit 11F functions as a part of a connection mechanism that connects the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1. The power transmission switching unit 11F is equipped with an electromagnetic clutch 11F1. In other words, the connection mechanism is equipped with the electromagnetic clutch 11F1. As described above, in the manual ship steering mode, the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 is not operated (turned off) by the third control unit 11C3, and in the automatic ship steering mode, the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 is operated (turned on) by the third control unit 11C3. Specifically, in the manual ship steering mode, no current is applied to the electromagnetic clutch 11F1, so the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 does not connect the drive unit 11E to the transmission unit, and does not transmit power between the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1. Also, in the manual ship steering mode, the drive unit 11E is not operated (for example, no current is applied to the motor). In other words, in the manual ship steering mode, the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 does not transmit power between the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1, so the drive unit 11E does not become a resistance (for example, a stopped motor does not become a resistance), and the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder unit 11A1 can be changed in response to an input operation to the steering unit 11B1. On the other hand, in the automatic ship-steering mode, current is applied to the electromagnetic clutch 11F1, which connects the drive unit 11E to the transmission unit and transmits power between the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1. In addition, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E is operated (for example, current is applied to the motor) based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction. In other words, in the automatic ship-steering mode, power is transmitted from the drive unit 11E to the rudder unit 11A1 by the electromagnetic clutch 11F1, and the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder unit 11A1 can be changed by the power. In detail, when the automatic ship-piloting mode is started, the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 is energized so that the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 connects the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1. Next, while the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 is connected to the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1, the drive unit 11E operates the rudder unit 11A1. As described above, in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in the manual marine vessel maneuvering mode, the drive section 11E does not operate the rudder section 11A1, so that the drive section 11E can be made compact.

[0015] The trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger for switching the vessel control device 11C from a manual vessel maneuvering mode to an automatic vessel maneuvering mode. The trigger generating unit 11G includes a water fall detection unit 11G1, an automatic vessel maneuvering start instruction unit 11G2, and an input unit 11G3. The overboard detection unit 11G1 detects the overboarding of a passenger of the vessel 11 (e.g., the vessel operator, a passenger other than the vessel operator, etc.). The overboard detection unit 11G1 of the first embodiment is configured in the same manner as the lanyard cord and switch described in, for example, paragraph 0002 of Japanese Patent No. 4205261. Specifically, one end of the lanyard cord is connected to a person to be detected as having fallen overboard (e.g., the vessel operator, a passenger other than the vessel operator, etc.). The other end of the lanyard cord is connected to a switch (not shown) arranged in the vessel 11. When the subject falls overboard from the vessel 11, the other end of the lanyard cord comes off the switch, and the switch detects the subject falling overboard. As a result, the trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger, and the vessel control device 11C switches from the manual vessel steering mode to the automatic vessel steering mode. The automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction based on an automatic ship-steering start request transmitted from the communication device 12 (the "automatic ship-steering start request" will be described later). When the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction, the ship control device 11C starts control to operate the actuator 11A (control in the automatic ship-steering mode) without the need for the operation unit 11B to accept an input operation. In the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the actuator 11A based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction. 1 and 2, when the overboard detection unit 11G1 does not detect that a passenger of the boat 11 has fallen overboard (in the manual boat maneuvering mode), the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 does not connect the transmission unit 11D to the drive unit 11E. On the other hand, when the overboard detection unit 11G1 detects that a passenger of the boat 11 has fallen overboard (in the automatic boat maneuvering mode), the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 connects the transmission unit 11D to the drive unit 11E. In another example, the trigger generating unit 11G may not include the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2. In this example, when the overboard detection unit 11G1 detects that a passenger of the ship 11 has fallen overboard, the trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C switches from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode and also starts control of the automatic ship-steering mode. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the input unit 11G3 receives, for example, a request to start automatic steering by the operator of the ship 11 (for example, a request to start automatic steering by a operator who is carrying the communication device 12 and is about to disembark from the ship 11). The automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 also outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction when the input unit 11G3 accepts an automatic ship-steering start request. When the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction, the ship control device 11C starts control to operate the actuator 11A (control in the automatic ship-steering mode) without the need for the operation unit 11B to accept an input operation. In the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the actuator 11A based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 (more specifically, the communication device 12 carried by the ship operator who has disembarked from the ship 11) and the bow direction of the ship 11. In another example, the trigger generating section 11G does not have to include the input section 11G3.

[0016] In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ship position detection unit 11H detects the position of the ship 11. The ship position detection unit 11H is equipped with, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The GPS device calculates the position coordinates of the ship 11 by receiving signals from a plurality of GPS satellites. The position of the ship 11 detected by the ship position detection unit 11H is used to control the automatic ship steering mode of the ship control device 11C described above. The bow direction detection unit 11I detects the bow direction of the ship 11. The bow direction detection unit 11I includes, for example, a direction sensor. The direction sensor calculates the bow direction of the ship 11 by using, for example, geomagnetism. The bow direction of the ship 11 detected by the bow direction detection unit 11I is used to control the automatic ship steering mode of the ship control device 11C. In another example, the orientation sensor may be a device (gyrocompass) in which a north-pointing device and a vibration-damping device are added to a rapidly rotating gyroscope so that the orientation sensor always indicates north. In yet another example, the orientation sensor may be a GPS compass that includes multiple GPS antennas and calculates the ship's heading from the relative positions of the multiple GPS antennas.

[0017] In the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the communication unit 11J communicates with the communication device 12. The communication device 12 is carried by the person (passenger) who is to be detected as having fallen into the water. The communication device 12 includes a communication device position detection unit 12A, a communication unit 12B, and an input unit 12C. The communication device position detection unit 12A detects the position of the communication device 12. The communication device position detection unit 12A includes, for example, a GPS device. The GPS device calculates the position coordinates of the communication device 12 by receiving signals from a plurality of GPS satellites. The input unit 12C receives, for example, a request to start automatic ship steering by a ship operator of the ship 11 (for example, a request to start automatic ship steering by a ship operator who is carrying the communication device 12 and has fallen overboard from the ship 11). The communication unit 12B transmits information indicating the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A to the ship 11. The communication unit 11J of the ship 11 receives the information indicating the position of the communication device 12 transmitted by the communication unit 12B. The position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A is used to control the automatic ship steering mode of the ship control device 11C. Furthermore, the communication unit 12B transmits the automatic maneuvering start request received by the input unit 12C to the ship 11. The communication unit 11J of the ship 11 receives the automatic maneuvering start request transmitted by the communication unit 12B. As described above, the automatic maneuvering start instruction unit 11G2 of the ship 11 outputs an automatic maneuvering start instruction based on the automatic maneuvering start request transmitted from the communication device 12. In another example, the communication device 12 may not include the input unit 12C. In this example, the communication unit 12B does not transmit an automatic ship-steering start request to the ship 11, and the ship control device 11C starts control in the automatic ship-steering mode based on a trigger generated by the trigger generating unit 11G. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the trigger generating unit 11G of the ship 11 generates a trigger to switch the ship control device 11C from the manual ship steering mode to the automatic ship steering mode, but in other examples, the communication device 12 may be provided with a function to generate a trigger to switch the ship control device 11C from the manual ship steering mode to the automatic ship steering mode. 1 and 2, as described above, the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 is calculated based on the position of the ship 11 detected by the ship position detection unit 11H and the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A, and the calculated position is used to control the automatic ship-piloting mode of the ship control device 11C. In another example, the ship 11 may be equipped with a relative position detection unit such as a camera or radar, and the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 may be detected by the relative position detection unit and the detected position may be used to control the automatic ship-piloting mode of the ship control device 11C.

[0018] 1 and 2, the angle detection unit 11K is equipped with, for example, a potentiometer and detects the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder section 11A1. In the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the drive unit 11E based on the angle of the rudder section 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K. For example, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the drive unit 11E so that the angle of the rudder section 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K matches a target angle of the rudder section 11A1 calculated based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed in the automatic ship steering system 1 of the first embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 3, in step S1, the ship 11, for example the ship control device 11C, determines whether or not the ship is in automatic ship-steering mode (more specifically, whether or not the overboard detection unit 11G1 has detected that a passenger of the ship 11 has fallen overboard). If the ship is not in automatic ship-steering mode (more specifically, if the overboard detection unit 11G1 has not detected that a passenger of the ship 11 has fallen overboard), the process proceeds to step S2. On the other hand, if the ship is in automatic ship-steering mode (more specifically, if the overboard detection unit 11G1 has detected that a passenger of the ship 11 has fallen overboard), the process proceeds to step S4. In step S2, the third control unit 11C3 of the vessel control device 11C turns off the electromagnetic clutch 11F1. In step S3, the second control unit 11C2 of the vessel control device 11C does not operate the drive unit 11E (for example, does not energize the motor).

[0020] In step S4, the third control unit 11C3 of the vessel control device 11C turns on the electromagnetic clutch 11F1. In step S5, the second control unit 11C2 of the ship control device 11C operates the drive unit 11E (for example, energizes the motor) based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the ship's heading.

[0021] <Second embodiment> A second embodiment of the ship, ship control device, ship control method, and program of the present invention will be described below. The automatic ship steering system 1 of the second embodiment is configured similarly to the automatic ship steering system 1 of the first embodiment described above, except for the points described below. Therefore, the automatic ship steering system 1 of the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the automatic ship steering system 1 of the first embodiment described above, except for the points described below.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system 1 to which a ship 11 according to the second embodiment is applied. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the automatic ship steering system 1 includes a ship 11 and a communication device 12. The boat 11 of the second embodiment is a PWC having similar functions to those of the PWC shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649, for example. The ship 11 is equipped with an actuator 11A configured similarly to the actuator 11A of the first embodiment, an operation unit 11B configured similarly to the operation unit 11B of the first embodiment, a ship control device 11C configured similarly to the ship control device 11C of the first embodiment, a transmission unit 11D configured similarly to the transmission unit 11D of the first embodiment, a drive unit 11E configured similarly to the drive unit 11E of the first embodiment, a power transmission switching unit 11F configured similarly to the power transmission switching unit 11F of the first embodiment, a trigger generation unit 11G, a ship position detection unit 11H configured similarly to the ship position detection unit 11H of the first embodiment, a bow direction detection unit 11I configured similarly to the bow direction detection unit 11I of the first embodiment, a communication unit 11J configured similarly to the communication unit 11J of the first embodiment, and an angle detection unit 11K configured similarly to the angle detection unit 11K of the first embodiment.

[0023] The trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger for switching the vessel control device 11C from a manual vessel maneuvering mode to an automatic vessel maneuvering mode. The trigger generating unit 11G includes an automatic vessel maneuvering start instruction unit 11G2 and an input unit 11G3. The input unit 11G3 receives a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger (more specifically, a passenger who has not fallen into the water) of the ship 11. When the input unit 11G3 receives a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger of the ship 11, the trigger generation unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C switches from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode. The automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction based on the automatic ship-steering start request received by the input unit 11G3. When the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs the automatic ship-steering start instruction, the ship control device 11C starts control to operate the actuator 11A (control in the automatic ship-steering mode) without the need for the operation unit 11B to receive an input operation. In the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the actuator 11A based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 (more specifically, the communication device 12 carried by a ship operator who has not fallen into the water from the ship 11) and the bow direction of the ship 11. 4, when the input unit 11G3 does not accept an automatic ship-steering start request from a passenger on the boat 11 (in the manual ship-steering mode), the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 does not connect the transmission unit 11D to the drive unit 11E. On the other hand, when the input unit 11G3 accepts an automatic ship-steering start request from a passenger on the boat 11 (in the automatic ship-steering mode), the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 connects the transmission unit 11D to the drive unit 11E. In another example, the trigger generating unit 11G may not include the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2. In this example, when the input unit 11G3 accepts an automatic ship-steering start request from a passenger on the ship 11, the trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C switches from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode and also starts control in the automatic ship-steering mode.

[0024] 4, the communication device 12 is carried by a passenger (more specifically, a passenger who has not fallen into the water) of the vessel 11. The communication device 12 includes a communication device position detection unit 12A and a communication unit 12B. The communication device position detection unit 12 A detects the position of the communication device 12 . The communication unit 12B transmits information indicating the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A to the ship 11. The communication unit 11J of the ship 11 receives the information indicating the position of the communication device 12 transmitted by the communication unit 12B. The position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A is used to control the automatic ship steering mode of the ship control device 11C.

[0025] In the example shown in FIG. 4, since no passengers on the vessel 11 have fallen overboard, the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A and the position of the vessel 11 detected by the vessel position detection unit 11H generally coincide with each other. As a result, in the automatic vessel maneuvering mode, the thrust generating unit 11A2 does not generate a propulsive force for the vessel 11. In addition, in the automatic vessel maneuvering mode, the third control unit 11C3 of the vessel control device 11C operates the electromagnetic clutch 11F1 (turns on the electromagnetic clutch 11F1). Furthermore, the second control unit 11C2 of the vessel control device 11C operates the drive unit 11E based on the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder unit 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K. In detail, the second control unit 11C2 of the vessel control device 11C operates the drive unit 11E (for example, holds the motor) so that the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder unit 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K is maintained. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 4, when in automatic steering mode, passengers on board the boat 11 can stabilize the boat 11 and take a rest, etc., without having to operate the steering section 11B1 (for example, by taking their hands off the steering section 11B1).

[0026] <Third embodiment> A third embodiment of the ship, the ship control device, the ship control method, and the program of the present invention will be described below. The automatic ship steering system 1 of the third embodiment is configured similarly to the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, except for the points described below. Therefore, the automatic ship steering system 1 of the third embodiment can achieve the same effects as the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, except for the points described below.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system 1 to which a ship 11 according to the third embodiment is applied. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the automatic ship steering system 1 includes a ship 11 and a communication device 12. The vessel 11 of the third embodiment is a PWC having the same functions as those of the PWC shown in, for example, FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649. The vessel 11 includes an actuator 11A configured similarly to the actuator 11A of the first embodiment, an operation unit 11B configured similarly to the operation unit 11B of the first embodiment, a vessel control device 11C, a transmission unit 11D, a drive unit 11E, a power transmission switching unit 11F, a trigger generating unit 11G configured similarly to the trigger generating unit 11G of the first embodiment, a vessel position detecting unit 11H configured similarly to the vessel position detecting unit 11H of the first embodiment, a vessel heading detecting unit 11I configured similarly to the vessel heading detecting unit 11I of the first embodiment, a communication unit 11J configured similarly to the communication unit 11J of the first embodiment, and an angle detecting unit 11K configured similarly to the angle detecting unit 11K of the first embodiment.

[0028] The ship control device 11C performs control such as activating the actuator 11A based on an input operation of the ship operator received by the operation unit 11B. The ship control device 11C has a manual ship maneuvering mode in which the actuator 11A is activated based on an input operation to the operation unit 11B, and an automatic ship maneuvering mode in which the actuator 11A is activated without the need for an input operation to the operation unit 11B. The vessel control device 11C includes a first control unit 11C1 and a second control unit 11C2. The first control unit 11C1 controls the thrust generating unit 11A2. In detail, in the manual ship steering mode, the first control unit 11C1 controls the operation of the thrust generating unit 11A2 based on the input operation of the ship operator received by the throttle operation unit 11B2. In the automatic ship steering mode, the first control unit 11C1 controls the operation of the thrust generating unit 11A2 based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction. The second control unit 11C2 controls the drive unit 11E. In particular, in the manual ship-steering mode, the second control unit 11C2 does not operate the drive unit 11E. On the other hand, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the second control unit 11C2 controls the operation of the drive unit 11E based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction.

[0029] The transmission unit 11D has, for example, a mechanical cable that connects the steering unit 11B1 and the rudder unit 11A1. The transmission unit 11D mechanically transmits the input operation to the steering unit 11B1 to the rudder unit 11A1. The transmission unit 11D has a driven gear 11D1 (see Figs. 6 and 7). The drive unit 11E has, for example, a motor and operates the rudder section 11A1 in the automatic ship-steering mode. In detail, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E operates the rudder section 11A1 without the need for an input operation to the steering section 11B1. On the other hand, in the manual ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E does not operate the rudder section 11A1. The drive unit 11E is provided with an intermittent gear 11E1 (see Figs. 6 and 7) as an output gear that outputs a driving force to operate the rudder section 11A1. The intermittent gear 11E1 is configured to be able to mesh with the driven gear 11D1 of the transmission unit 11D. The power transmission switching unit 11F switches the power transmission from the drive unit 11E to the rudder unit 11A1 between the manual ship-steering mode and the automatic ship-steering mode. The power transmission switching unit 11F is provided between the transmission unit 11D and the drive unit 11E. The power transmission switching unit 11F functions as part of a connection mechanism that connects the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1. The power transmission switching unit 11F is equipped with an intermittent gear mechanism 11F2 (see Figures 6 and 7). The intermittent gear mechanism 11F2 includes at least an intermittent gear 11E1 and a driven gear 11D1. In other words, the connection mechanism is equipped with the intermittent gear mechanism 11F2. In the manual ship-steering mode, the intermittent gear 11E1 does not mesh with the driven gear 11D1, and the driving force of the drive section 11E is not transmitted to the rudder section 11A1. On the other hand, in the automatic ship-steering mode, the intermittent gear 11E1 is capable of meshing with the driven gear 11D1, and the driving force of the drive section 11E is transmitted to the rudder section 11A1 as a result of the intermittent gear 11E1 meshing with the driven gear 11D1.

[0030] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 in the manual ship-steering mode. In detail, Fig. 6(A) shows an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 when the ship 11 in the manual ship-steering mode moves straight ahead, Fig. 6(B) shows an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 when the ship 11 in the manual ship-steering mode is steered left, and Fig. 6(C) shows an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 when the ship 11 in the manual ship-steering mode is steered right. As shown in Fig. 6, in the manual ship-steering mode, the intermittent gear 11E1 does not mesh with the driven gear 11D1. Therefore, the driving force of the drive unit 11E is not transmitted to the rudder unit 11A1. In detail, in the manual ship-steering mode, the drive unit 11E does not generate a driving force (for example, the motor does not rotate). In the example shown in Fig. 6, when the ship 11 is steered left in the manual ship-steering mode, the input operation of the ship's 11 pilot to the steering section 11B1 causes the driven gear 11D1 to rotate counterclockwise compared to when the ship 11 is traveling straight in the manual ship-steering mode (see Fig. 6(B)). On the other hand, when the ship 11 is steered right in the manual ship-steering mode, the input operation of the ship's 11 pilot to the steering section 11B1 causes the driven gear 11D1 to rotate clockwise compared to when the ship 11 is traveling straight in the manual ship-steering mode (see Fig. 6(C)).

[0031] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 in the automatic ship-steering mode. In detail, Fig. 7(A) shows an example of the relationship between the intermittent gear 11E1 and the driven gear 11D1 when switching from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode, and Fig. 7(B) shows the rotation of the driven gear 11D1 accompanying the rotation of the intermittent gear 11E1 in the automatic ship-steering mode. As shown in FIG. 7(A), when switching from the manual steering mode to the automatic steering mode, as the intermittent gear 11E1 rotates, the intermittent gear 11E1 changes from a state in which it is not meshed with the driven gear 11D1 to a state in which it is meshed with the driven gear 11D1. 7(B), in the automatic ship-piloting mode, the intermittent gear 11E1 meshes with the driven gear 11D1, and when the intermittent gear 11E1 rotates counterclockwise, the driven gear 11D1 rotates clockwise. In other words, the driving force of the drive unit 11E is transmitted to the rudder unit 11A1 via the transmission unit 11D.

[0032] In the boat 11 of the third embodiment, when the overboard detection unit 11G1 does not detect that a passenger of the boat 11 has fallen overboard (in the manual boat maneuvering mode), the driven gear 11D1 does not mesh with the intermittent gear 11E1 as shown in Fig. 6. When the overboard detection unit 11G1 detects that a passenger of the boat 11 has fallen overboard (in the automatic boat maneuvering mode), the driven gear 11D1 is able to mesh with the intermittent gear 11E1 as shown in Fig. 7. In other words, when the automatic steering mode starts, the drive unit 11E outputs a driving force for operating the rudder unit 11A1, and the intermittent gear mechanism 11F2 connects the drive unit 11E and the rudder unit 11A1, so that the rudder unit 11A1 can be operated by the drive unit 11E.

[0033] <Fourth embodiment> A fourth embodiment of the ship, the ship control device, the ship control method, and the program of the present invention will be described below. The automatic ship steering system 1 of the fourth embodiment is configured similarly to the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned third embodiment, except for the points described below. Therefore, the automatic ship steering system 1 of the fourth embodiment can achieve the same effects as the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned third embodiment, except for the points described below.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an automatic ship-steering system 1 to which a ship 11 according to the fourth embodiment is applied. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the automatic ship steering system 1 includes a ship 11 and a communication device 12. The boat 11 of the fourth embodiment is a PWC having functions similar to those of the PWC shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649, for example. The ship 11 is equipped with an actuator 11A configured similarly to the actuator 11A of the third embodiment, an operation unit 11B configured similarly to the operation unit 11B of the third embodiment, a ship control device 11C configured similarly to the ship control device 11C of the third embodiment, a transmission unit 11D configured similarly to the transmission unit 11D of the third embodiment, a drive unit 11E configured similarly to the drive unit 11E of the third embodiment, a power transmission switching unit 11F configured similarly to the power transmission switching unit 11F of the third embodiment, a trigger generation unit 11G, a ship position detection unit 11H configured similarly to the ship position detection unit 11H of the third embodiment, a bow direction detection unit 11I configured similarly to the bow direction detection unit 11I of the third embodiment, a communication unit 11J configured similarly to the communication unit 11J of the third embodiment, and an angle detection unit 11K configured similarly to the angle detection unit 11K of the third embodiment.

[0035] The trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger for switching the ship control device 11C from a manual ship-steering mode to an automatic ship-steering mode. The trigger generating unit 11G includes an automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 and an input unit 11G3. The input unit 11G3 receives a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger (more specifically, a passenger who has not fallen into the water) of the ship 11. When the input unit 11G3 receives a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger of the ship 11, the trigger generation unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C switches from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode. The automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs an automatic ship-steering start instruction based on the automatic ship-steering start request received by the input unit 11G3. When the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2 outputs the automatic ship-steering start instruction, the ship control device 11C starts control to operate the actuator 11A (control in the automatic ship-steering mode) without the need for the operation unit 11B to receive an input operation. In the automatic ship-steering mode, the ship control device 11C controls the actuator 11A based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 (more specifically, the communication device 12 carried by a ship operator who has not fallen into the water from the ship 11) and the bow direction of the ship 11. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 8, when the input unit 11G3 does not accept a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger on board the ship 11 (in manual ship-steering mode), the driven gear 11D1 does not mesh with the intermittent gear 11E1, as shown in Fig. 6. On the other hand, when the input unit 11G3 accepts a request to start automatic ship-steering from a passenger on board the ship 11 (in automatic ship-steering mode), the driven gear 11D1 is able to mesh with the intermittent gear 11E1, as shown in Fig. 7. In another example, the trigger generating unit 11G may not include the automatic ship-steering start instruction unit 11G2. In this example, when the input unit 11G3 accepts an automatic ship-steering start request from a passenger on the ship 11, the trigger generating unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C switches from the manual ship-steering mode to the automatic ship-steering mode and also starts control in the automatic ship-steering mode.

[0036] 8, the communication device 12 is carried by a passenger (more specifically, a passenger who has not fallen into the water) of the vessel 11. The communication device 12 includes a communication device position detection unit 12A and a communication unit 12B. The communication device position detection unit 12 A detects the position of the communication device 12 . The communication unit 12B transmits information indicating the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A to the ship 11. The communication unit 11J of the ship 11 receives the information indicating the position of the communication device 12 transmitted by the communication unit 12B. The position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A is used to control the automatic ship steering mode of the ship control device 11C.

[0037] In the example shown in FIG. 8, since no passengers on the vessel 11 have fallen overboard, the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A and the position of the vessel 11 detected by the vessel position detection unit 11H generally coincide with each other. As a result, in the automatic vessel maneuvering mode, the thrust generating unit 11A2 does not generate a propulsive force for the vessel 11. In addition, in the automatic vessel maneuvering mode, as shown in FIG. 7, the driven gear 11D1 meshes with the intermittent gear 11E1. Furthermore, the second control unit 11C2 of the vessel control device 11C operates the driving unit 11E based on the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder section 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K. In detail, the second control unit 11C2 of the vessel control device 11C operates the driving unit 11E (for example, holds the motor) so that the angle (rudder angle) of the rudder section 11A1 detected by the angle detection unit 11K is maintained. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 8, when in automatic steering mode, passengers on board the boat 11 can stabilize the boat 11 and take a rest, etc., without having to operate the steering section 11B1 (for example, by taking their hands off the steering section 11B1).

[0038] <Fifth embodiment> A ship, a ship control device, a ship control method, and a program according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The automatic ship steering system 1 of the fifth embodiment is configured similarly to the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, except for the points described below. Therefore, the automatic ship steering system 1 of the fifth embodiment can achieve the same effects as the automatic ship steering system 1 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, except for the points described below.

[0039] As described above, in the first embodiment of the automatic ship steering system 1, the ship 11's overboard detection unit 11G1 is configured in a similar manner to the lanyard cord and switch described in paragraph 0002 of Patent Gazette No. 4205261, for example, and detects a passenger on the ship 11 (e.g. the ship operator, a passenger other than the ship operator, etc.) falling overboard when the other end of the lanyard cord comes off the switch. On the other hand, in the automatic ship steering system 1 of the fifth embodiment, the overboard detection unit 11G1 detects the overboarding of a passenger of the ship 11 based on the distance between the position of the ship 11 detected by the ship position detection unit 11H and the position of the communication device 12 detected by the communication device position detection unit 12A of the communication device 12. In detail, the overboard detection unit 11G1 estimates that a passenger of the ship 11 has fallen overboard when the distance between the position of the ship 11 and the position of the communication device 12 becomes greater than a predetermined threshold. As a result, the trigger generation unit 11G generates a trigger, and the ship control device 11C enters the automatic ship steering mode and activates the actuator 11A based on the relative position between the ship 11 and the communication device 12 and the bow direction of the ship 11. In other words, the ship control device 11C starts control of the automatic ship steering mode.

[0040] Sixth embodiment A sixth embodiment of the ship, the ship control device, the ship control method, and the program of the present invention will be described below. The automatic ship steering system 1 of the sixth embodiment is configured similarly to the automatic ship steering system 1 of the first embodiment described above, except for the points described below. Therefore, the automatic ship steering system 1 of the sixth embodiment can achieve the same effects as the automatic ship steering system 1 of the first embodiment described above, except for the points described below.

[0041] As described above, the boat 11 of the first embodiment is a personal watercraft (PWC) having functions similar to those of the PWC (personal watercraft) shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5196649, for example. On the other hand, a ship 11 of the sixth embodiment is a ship having similar functions to those of the ship shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6198192, for example. The actuator 11A of the boat 11 of the sixth embodiment includes a rudder section 11A1 and a thrust generating section 11A2. The rudder section 11A1 has a function of generating a turning moment for the boat 11. The thrust generating section 11A2 has a function of generating a propulsive force for the boat 11. The actuator 11A includes, for example, an outboard motor, an engine, an actuator, a shift mechanism, and the like shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6198192. The operation unit 11B of the vessel 11 of the sixth embodiment includes a steering unit 11B1 and a throttle operation unit 11B2. The steering unit 11B1 receives an input operation by the vessel operator to operate the rudder unit 11A1. The throttle operation unit 11B2 receives an input operation by the vessel operator to operate the thrust generating unit 11A2. The operation unit 11B is configured similarly to the steering wheel, remote control device, operation lever, and the like shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6198192. The operation unit 11B of the vessel 11 of the sixth embodiment may include, for example, a joystick.

[0042] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments and examples may be combined.

[0043] In addition, all or part of the functions of each unit of the automatic ship steering system 1 in the above-mentioned embodiment may be realized by recording a program for realizing these functions in a computer-readable recording medium, reading the program recorded in the recording medium into a computer system, and executing it. Note that the "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. In addition, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage units such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" may also include those that dynamically hold a program for a short period of time, such as a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, and those that hold a program for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory inside a computer system that serves as a server or client in such cases. Furthermore, the above program may be one that realizes part of the above-mentioned functions, or may be one that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1...automatic ship steering system, 11...ship, 11A...actuator, 11A1...rudder section, 11A2...thrust generating section, 11B...operation section, 11B1...steering section, 11B2...throttle operation section, 11C...ship control device, 11C1...first control section, 11C2...second control section, 11C3...third control section, 11D...transmission section, 11D1...driven gear, 11E...drive section, 11E1...intermittent gear, 1 1F...power transmission switching unit, 11F1...electromagnetic clutch, 11F2...intermittent gear mechanism, 11G...trigger generation unit, 11G1...overboard detection unit, 11G2...automatic maneuvering start instruction unit, 11G3...input unit, 11H...ship position detection unit, 11I...bow direction detection unit, 11J...communication unit, 11K...angle detection unit, 12...communication device, 12A...communication device position detection unit, 12B...communication unit, 12C...input unit

Claims

1. A steering section; The rudder and A transmission unit that connects the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmits an input operation to the steering unit to the rudder unit; A drive unit that operates the steering unit without the need for an input operation to the steering unit; A ship control device that controls the drive unit.

2. a power transmission switching unit provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit, 2. The vessel of claim 1.

3. A connection mechanism is provided for connecting the drive unit and the rudder unit.

2. The vessel of claim 1.

4. The connection mechanism includes an electromagnetic clutch.

4. The vessel of claim 3.

5. The marine vessel has an automatic ship steering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit, At the start of the automatic piloting mode, By energizing the electromagnetic clutch, the electromagnetic clutch connects the drive unit and the rudder unit, With the electromagnetic clutch connecting the drive unit and the rudder unit, the drive unit operates the rudder unit.

5. The vessel of claim 4.

6. The marine vessel has a manual ship steering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit, and an automatic ship steering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit, In the manual vessel steering mode, the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit, In the automatic ship steering mode, the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit.

5. The vessel of claim 4.

7. a water fall detection unit for detecting a water fall of a passenger of the vessel, When the overboard detection unit does not detect a passenger of the vessel overboard, the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit, When the overboard detection unit detects that a passenger of the marine vessel has fallen overboard, the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit.

7. The vessel of claim 6.

8. an input unit that receives a request to start automatic steering of the ship, When the input unit has not received the automatic ship-steering start request, the electromagnetic clutch does not connect the transmission unit and the drive unit, when the input unit receives the automatic ship-steering start request, the electromagnetic clutch connects the transmission unit and the drive unit.

7. The vessel of claim 6.

9. The connection mechanism includes an intermittent gear mechanism.

4. The vessel of claim 3.

10. The marine vessel has an automatic ship steering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit, At the start of the automatic piloting mode, When the drive unit outputs a drive force for operating the rudder unit, the intermittent gear mechanism connects the drive unit and the rudder unit, and the rudder unit is in a state where it can be operated by the drive unit.

10. The vessel of claim 9.

11. The drive unit includes an intermittent gear as an output gear that outputs a driving force for operating the rudder unit, The transmission portion includes a driven gear that meshes with the intermittent gear, the intermittent gear mechanism includes at least the intermittent gear and the driven gear, The driven gear meshes with the intermittent gear, whereby the driving force is transmitted to the rudder section.

10. The vessel of claim 9.

12. the marine vessel has a manual ship steering mode in which the driving force is not transmitted to the rudder section, and an automatic ship steering mode in which the driving force is transmitted to the rudder section, In a manual ship steering mode in which the drive unit does not operate the rudder unit, the driven gear does not mesh with the intermittent gear, During an automatic ship steering mode in which the drive unit operates the rudder unit, the driven gear is in a state in which it can mesh with the intermittent gear.

12. The vessel of claim 11.

13. a water fall detection unit for detecting a water fall of a passenger of the vessel, When the overboard detection unit does not detect a passenger of the vessel overboard, the driven gear does not mesh with the intermittent gear, When the overboard detection unit detects that a passenger of the vessel has fallen overboard, the driven gear is capable of meshing with the intermittent gear.

13. The vessel of claim 12.

14. an input unit that receives a request to start automatic steering of the ship, When the input unit does not receive the automatic ship-steering start request, the driven gear does not mesh with the intermittent gear, When the input unit receives the automatic ship-steering start request, the driven gear is in a state capable of meshing with the intermittent gear.

13. The vessel of claim 12.

15. An angle detection unit is provided to detect the angle of the rudder section, In the automatic ship-piloting mode, the vessel control device controls the drive unit based on the angle of the rudder detected by the angle detection unit. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 5, 6, 10 and 12.

16. A steering section; The rudder and A transmission unit that connects the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmits an input operation to the steering unit to the rudder unit; A drive unit that operates the steering unit without the need for an input operation to the steering unit; A vessel control device provided in a vessel including an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit, Controlling the drive unit; and controlling the electromagnetic clutch. Ship control equipment.

17. A steering section; The rudder and A transmission unit that connects the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmits an input operation to the steering unit to the rudder unit; A drive unit that operates the steering unit without the need for an input operation to the steering unit; a vessel control method for a vessel including an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit, A drive unit control step of controlling the drive unit; and an electromagnetic clutch control step of controlling the electromagnetic clutch. Ship control method.

18. A steering section; The rudder and A transmission unit that connects the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmits an input operation to the steering unit to the rudder unit; A drive unit that operates the steering unit without the need for an input operation to the steering unit; an electromagnetic clutch provided between the transmission unit and the drive unit; A drive unit control step of controlling the drive unit; and an electromagnetic clutch control step of controlling the electromagnetic clutch.

Images