Angle-adjustable unmanned ship tugboat and method for towing the unmanned ship

Abstract

The present invention discloses an unmanned boat tugboat with adjustable angle and a method for towing the unmanned boat, which solves the problem that the unmanned boat cannot return to the shore due to a malfunction or insufficient power supply. The key points of its technical solution are a front fixed pile and fixed piles on both sides, a rotating shaft connected and installed between the front fixed pile and the fixed piles on both sides, a steering propeller thruster for controlling the rotation direction of the tugboat, a traveling propeller thruster fixedly installed on the tail of the fixed piles on both sides to control the forward and backward movement of the tugboat, a clamping propeller thruster fixedly installed on the middle of the fixed piles on both sides and clamping or releasing the unmanned boat by controlling the fixed piles on both sides to rotate around the rotating shaft, a motor, a motor drive module, a ship automatic identification system and a communication module. The unmanned boat tugboat with adjustable angle of the present invention and the method for towing the unmanned boat can complete the towing operation of the unmanned boat, is easy and efficient to use, can adapt to different usage scenarios and needs, and is more universal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned ship, and in particular to an unmanned ship tugboat with adjustable angle and a method for towing the unmanned ship. Background Art

[0002] With the widespread adoption of unmanned driving technology, unmanned vessels, as new intelligent autonomous watercraft platforms, offer advantages such as high automation, low operating costs, and the ability to perform high-risk operations. Unmanned vessels utilize modern communications and information technology, as well as artificial intelligence, to complete autonomous navigation missions. These vessels not only reduce labor intensity and improve navigation safety, but can also replace humans in performing high-risk tasks in certain dangerous scenarios, reducing the risk of casualties.

[0003] However, as autonomous equipment, unmanned boats are also subject to problems such as malfunction and breakdown. Furthermore, unmanned boats often operate on the surface of rivers, lakes, and oceans, making them inaccessible to humans. Therefore, unmanned boat tugboats are needed to tow malfunctioning unmanned boats to shore. The design of the tugboat is also crucial. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an unmanned ship tugboat with adjustable angle and a method for towing an unmanned ship, which can complete the towing operation of the unmanned ship, is easy to use and efficient, and can adapt to different usage scenarios and needs, and is more universal.

[0005] The above technical objectives of the present invention are achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An angle-adjustable unmanned ship tugboat, comprising:

[0007] Front fixed piles and two side fixed piles;

[0008] The rotating shaft is connected and installed between the front fixed pile and the fixed piles on both sides, and is used to flexibly connect the fixed piles on both sides;

[0009] Steering propeller thruster, fixedly installed on the front fixed pile, controls the turning direction of the tugboat;

[0010] The traveling propeller thrusters are fixedly installed at the tail of the fixed piles on both sides to control the forward and reverse movement of the tugboat;

[0011] The clamping propeller thrusters are fixedly installed in the middle of the fixed piles on both sides, and rotate to provide inward or sideways thrust. The unmanned boat is clamped or released by controlling the fixed piles on both sides to rotate around the rotation axis;

[0012] The motor is provided with several groups, which are used to control the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the steering propeller propeller, the traveling propeller propeller, and the clamping propeller propeller;

[0013] A motor drive module, coupled to the motor, for controlling the motor speed and direction;

[0014] It also includes a ship automatic identification system installed on the front fixed pile for automatic data exchange with ships and shore stations, and a communication module for communication transmission.

[0015] Preferably, the steering propeller propeller is a bidirectional propeller, which runs transversely through the front fixed pile and includes two propellers located on the left and right sides of the front fixed pile respectively;

[0016] There are two traveling propeller thrusters and two clamping propeller thrusters, which are respectively arranged on the fixed piles on both sides.

[0017] Preferably, the propellers of the propeller thruster include blades and a hub, and there are four blades, with the blades being arranged at equal angles.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes a video acquisition module installed on the front fixed pile for shooting and transmitting images of the surrounding environment, and a laser radar module for environmental scanning and obstacle avoidance.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes a main control module coupled to the motor drive module, the video acquisition module, the laser radar module, the communication module, and the ship automatic identification system for main control, and the main control module is Jetson nano.

[0020] Preferably, a power supply module is also included, and the power supply module includes a 24V lithium battery and a voltage stabilizing chip that converts 24V DC power into 5V and 12V DC power.

[0021] A method for towing an unmanned vessel by a tugboat with an adjustable angle comprises the following steps:

[0022] S1. The automatic identification system of the ship automatically exchanges and obtains the navigation information of the tugboat and the unmanned ship. The main control module processes the information and transmits the information through the 4G module.

[0023] S2. The tugboat's main control module receives shore station commands transmitted by the 4G module, controls the tugboat's movement by controlling the propeller thrusters, and reaches the towed unmanned vessel according to the set path information and set collision avoidance strategy;

[0024] S3: The video acquisition module acquires environmental image data, the lidar module scans and acquires environmental position and structure data, and the main control module receives the shore station command and controls the motor drive module to respond;

[0025] S4. The motor drive module controls the rotation of the clamping propeller to generate inward thrust, pushing the fixed piles on both sides to rotate around the rotation axis to clamp the unmanned boat inward, and controls the steering propeller and the traveling propeller to drag the unmanned boat to sail.

[0026] Preferably, the main control module inputs different PWM signals to the motor drive module, and the motor drive module controls the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the motor by changing the voltage applied to both ends of the motor.

[0027] In summary, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0028] The navigation information of the unmanned ship can be obtained through the ship automatic identification system. The tugboat can control the steering propeller thrusters and the travel propeller thrusters through the motor and the motor drive module to realize the travel control of the tugboat. The fixed piles on both sides of the front fixed pile are connected by the rotating shaft. With the cooperation of the clamping propeller thrusters, the clamping and releasing operations can be realized, and the unmanned ship that needs to be towed can be quickly clamped. The operation is convenient and efficient, and it can be adapted to different types of unmanned ships. It has higher practicality and can be expanded and applied according to specific different usage scenarios and needs, effectively solving the problem that the unmanned ship cannot return to the shore due to failure or insufficient power supply. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the tugboat in this embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram of the connections of the modules in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a tugboat clamping an unmanned vessel;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the tugboat's progress;

[0033] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the process of this method.

[0034] In the figure: 1: video acquisition module; 2: lidar sensor module; 3: ship automatic identification system; 4: communication module; 5, 6: rotating shaft; 7: steering propeller thruster; 8, 9, clamping propeller thruster; 10, 11: traveling propeller thruster. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] According to one or more embodiments, an angle-adjustable unmanned ship tugboat is disclosed, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, it includes a front fixed pile and two side fixed piles, a rotating shaft, a steering propeller propeller, a traveling propeller propeller, a clamping propeller propeller, a motor, a motor drive module, a ship automatic identification system, a communication module, a video acquisition module, a laser radar module, a main control module, and a power supply module.

[0037] The rear sidewalls of the front anchors are concave, matching the bow of the unmanned boat. They are divided into two sections, A and B, based on their connection to the anchors on both sides. The anchors on both sides consist of two sections, C and D, which connect to the A and B sections of the front anchors, respectively. The anchors on both sides have arc-shaped transitions to the sidewalls, matching the sidewalls of the unmanned boat and providing a more secure and stable clamping. The front anchors and the two anchors are connected by pivots, allowing the anchors to rotate around the pivot connection, adjusting the tugboat's grip on the unmanned boat.

[0038] The front fixed pile is equipped with a steering propeller thruster that controls the direction of rotation of the tugboat. The steering propeller thruster is a bidirectional thruster that runs horizontally through the front fixed pile and includes two propellers located on the left and right sides of the front fixed pile. There are two traveling propeller thrusters and two clamping propeller thrusters. The traveling propeller thrusters are respectively set at the tail of the fixed piles on both sides to control the forward and backward movement of the tugboat. The clamping propeller thrusters are fixedly installed in the middle of the fixed piles on both sides, and the rotation provides inward or sideward thrust. The unmanned boat is clamped or released by controlling the rotation of the fixed piles on both sides around the rotating shaft. The propellers of the propeller thrusters include blades and hubs. There are 4 blades, and the angles between each blade are equally spaced.

[0039] The video capture module, lidar module, automatic ship identification system (AIS), and communication module are all fixedly mounted on the front mounting post. The motor drive module, video capture module, lidar module, communication module, AIS, and power module are all electrically connected to the main control module, which is a Jetson nano. The AIS is used to automatically exchange data between ships and shore stations. The communication module performs communication transmission. The video capture module captures and transmits images of the surrounding environment. The lidar module performs environmental scanning and obstacle avoidance. The power module includes a 24V lithium battery and a voltage regulator chip that converts 24V DC power to 5V and 12V DC. The motor drive module is coupled to the motor to control the motor speed and direction. The motor is designed for the propellers and includes five DC motors, which control the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the steering propeller, the traveling propeller, and the clamping propeller.

[0040] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, when the unmanned boat tugboat needs to move forward or backward, motors M4 and M5 control the rotation of the blades of the traveling propeller thrusters 10 and 11 to push the water behind the paddles backward or forward, thereby generating a reaction force; when the unmanned boat tugboat needs to turn left or right, motor M1 controls the right and left blades of the steering propeller thrusters 7 to rotate forward or reverse at the same time, generating a thrust to the left or right, causing the unmanned boat tugboat to turn; when the unmanned boat tugboat arrives at the unmanned boat and needs to drive the unmanned boat, motors M2 and M3 control the rotation of the blades of the clamping propeller thrusters 8 and 9 to generate an inward thrust, causing the fixed piles C and D on both sides to rotate the shafts 5 and 6 to clamp the unmanned boat. When the unmanned boat needs to be released, motors M2 and M3 control the rotation of the blades of the clamping propeller thrusters 8 and 9 to generate an outward thrust, causing the fixed piles C and D on both sides to rotate the shafts 5 and 6 to open.

[0041] The Automatic Identification System 3 allows for the automatic exchange of data input from ship sensors (or built-in GPS information) and static and voyage-related data between ships and other ships, and between ships and shore stations. Shore users can receive information such as ship name, ship profile, ship position, speed, heading, and navigation status from the Automatic Identification System of the unmanned tugboat and the towed unmanned vessel. Basic functions should include:

[0042] 1. Exchange information between ships within VHF range to enhance situational awareness;

[0043] 2. Exchange information between ships and shore stations;

[0044] 3. Self-reporting;

[0045] 4. Exchange safety-related information between ships and between ships and shore stations.

[0046] The LiDAR module 2 is mounted above the bow and consists of a laser transmitter and receiver, a photosensitive component, and an optical component. The LiDAR is connected to the Jetson Nano via a USB-to-serial converter. As the unmanned boat tows the vessel, the LiDAR calculates the distance to obstacles by measuring the time between the laser beam's emission and reception. The LiDAR scans the surroundings, processing the resulting environmental data on the Jetson Nano and transmitting it to the host computer.

[0047] The video acquisition module 1 used in the unmanned boat tugboat is mainly composed of a USB camera, which is installed at the front of the tugboat and connected to the Jetson nano through a USB interface. The image of the surrounding environment of the unmanned boat captured by the camera is transmitted to the Jetson nano via a USB data cable.

[0048] Jetson nano is connected to the 4G communication module 4 via the USB interface, and the collected lidar information and camera images are transmitted to the host computer for display, and the host computer displays the environment image to the user.

[0049] The unmanned tugboat is controlled by five DC motors, which primarily control the propeller blades. These motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, driving the blades' rotation. Jetson Nano cannot directly drive these motors, so a motor driver module is required.

[0050] 1. Connect the DC motor to the output port of the DC motor driver board;

[0051] 2. Connect the DC motor driver board to the GPIO pins of Jetson nano;

[0052] 3. The direction and speed of the DC motor are controlled by Jetson nano programming;

[0053] 4. The DC motor driver board can control the DC motor by outputting different level combinations;

[0054] 5. Jetson nano can control the speed of the motor by inputting PWM pulse signals with different duty cycles to the DC motor driver board.

[0055] According to one or more embodiments, a method for towing an unmanned vessel by a tugboat with an adjustable angle is disclosed, such as Figure 5 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0056] S1. The automatic identification system of the ship automatically exchanges and obtains the navigation information of the tugboat and the unmanned ship. The main control module processes the information and transmits the information through the 4G module.

[0057] S2. The tugboat's main control module receives shore station commands transmitted by the 4G module, controls the tugboat's movement by controlling the propeller thrusters, and reaches the towed unmanned vessel according to the set path information and set collision avoidance strategy;

[0058] S3: The video acquisition module acquires environmental image data, the lidar module scans and acquires environmental position and structure data, and the main control module receives the shore station command and controls the motor drive module to respond;

[0059] S4. The motor drive module controls the rotation of the clamping propeller to generate inward thrust, pushing the fixed piles on both sides to rotate around the rotation axis to clamp the unmanned boat inward, and controls the steering propeller and the traveling propeller to drag the unmanned boat to sail.

[0060] The main control module inputs different PWM signals to the motor drive module, and the motor drive module controls the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the motor by changing the voltage applied to both ends of the motor.

[0061] Charge the battery of the power module through the charging module;

[0062] The power module supplies power to each module. The power module uses the voltage regulator chip to obtain a regulated voltage source that meets the system requirements, thereby supplying power to the entire system.

[0063] The 4G communication module hardware integrates the radio frequency and baseband on a small PCB board to complete the wireless reception, transmission, and baseband signal processing functions. The control module is connected to the 4G communication module via a USB interface. The unmanned ship tugboat uses the communication module to transmit image data obtained by the camera, environmental data obtained by the lidar, and navigation information of the unmanned ship tugboat and the towed unmanned ship obtained by the AIS to the host computer. The host computer integrates the data for users to view and analyze the data in real time. At the same time, the host computer can also send instructions to the control module of the unmanned ship tugboat via 4G communication, achieving the effect of two-way communication.

[0064] The video acquisition module is a high-definition USB camera used to capture the environment around the unmanned boat tugboat in real time, and send the image data to the control module through the communication interface;

[0065] The automatic ship identification system obtains navigation information such as the profile, position, speed, heading, and navigation status of the unmanned tugboat and the towed unmanned vessel, and transmits this data to the control module through an interface. The control module can integrate this navigation information with the information obtained by the lidar to understand the status and location of the unmanned tugboat, and at the same time determine the starting and end points for path planning, so that the unmanned tugboat can accurately reach the towed unmanned vessel according to the planned path information and the set collision avoidance strategy;

[0066] The laser radar module can measure the distance to surrounding obstacles in real time, thereby sensing the surrounding environment and transmitting data such as the precise three-dimensional position and structure of surrounding obstacles to the control unit, providing a data basis for collision avoidance of the unmanned boat and tugboat and host computer control.

[0067] The motor drive module mainly includes a motor drive board. The control unit inputs different PWM signals to the motor drive board. The motor driver changes the voltage applied to both ends of the motor to control the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the DC motor.

[0068] The propulsion system consists of five DC motors and six MAU4 propellers. Motor M1 controls the two MAU4 propellers on the bow, while the other motors each control one MAU4 propeller. The propellers are connected to the DC motor shafts, and the DC motors control the propeller speed and forward and reverse rotation. This controls the clamping and release of the fixed piles, and the forward, reverse, and left-right steering of the tugboat, ultimately towing the unmanned boat.

[0069] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art may make non-creative modifications to this embodiment as needed. However, as long as such modifications are within the scope of the claims of the present invention, they are protected by patent law.

Claims

1. An angle-adjustable unmanned tugboat, comprising: Front fixed piles and two side fixed piles; The rotating shaft is connected and installed between the front fixed pile and the fixed piles on both sides, and is used to flexibly connect the fixed piles on both sides; Steering propeller thruster, fixedly installed on the front fixed pile, controls the turning direction of the tugboat; Two propeller thrusters are fixed on the tail of the fixed piles on both sides to control the forward and reverse movement of the tugboat; Two clamping propeller thrusters are fixedly installed in the middle of the fixed piles on both sides. They rotate to provide inward or sideways thrust, and the unmanned boat is clamped or released by controlling the fixed piles on both sides to rotate around the rotation axis. The motor is provided with several groups, which are used to control the speed and forward and reverse rotation of the steering propeller propeller, the traveling propeller propeller, and the clamping propeller propeller; A motor drive module, coupled to the motor, for controlling the motor speed and direction; It also includes a ship automatic identification system installed on the front fixed pile for automatic data exchange with ships and shore stations, and a communication module for communication transmission; The steering propeller propeller is a bidirectional propeller and passes through the front fixed pile in a transverse direction.

2. The angle-adjustable unmanned boat tugboat according to claim 1 is characterized by: The steering propeller thruster includes two propellers respectively located on the left and right sides of the front fixed pile.

3. The angle-adjustable unmanned boat tugboat according to claim 2 is characterized by: The propellers of the propeller thruster all include blades and a hub. There are four blades, and the angles between each blade are equidistant.

4. The angle-adjustable unmanned boat tugboat according to claim 1 is characterized by: It also includes a video acquisition module installed on the front fixed pile for shooting and transmitting images of the surrounding environment, and a laser radar module for environmental scanning and obstacle avoidance.

5. The angle-adjustable unmanned tugboat according to claim 4 is characterized by: It also includes a main control module coupled to the motor drive module, the video acquisition module, the laser radar module, the communication module and the ship automatic identification system for main control, and the main control module is Jetson nano.

6. The angle-adjustable unmanned boat tugboat according to claim 5 is characterized by: It also includes a power supply module for power supply, which includes a 24V lithium battery and a voltage stabilizing chip that converts 24V DC power into 5V and 12V DC power.

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