Control device and control method

Abstract

The invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method. The control device steers the ship by causing the first propeller to generate thrust in the forward direction and causing the second propeller to generate thrust in the backward direction. The control device performs at least one of the first control and the second control. The first control is configured by: causing the second propeller to switch the direction of the generated thrust force from the backward direction to the forward direction; and causing the first thruster to stop the generation of thrust. The second control is configured by: causing the first propeller to switch the direction of the generated thrust force from the forward direction to the backward direction; and causing the second thruster to stop the generation of thrust.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device and a control method. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-67287 discloses a ship equipped with operating equipment and a control device. The control device in the ship disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-67287 senses the ship's navigational state and the operating state of the operating equipment. Based on the navigational state and the operating state, the control device estimates the ship operator's navigational intention. Based on the navigational intention, the control device then selects a ship control device to be controlled from among multiple ship control devices and controls the drive amount of an actuator driving the selected ship control device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that enables accurate ship maneuvering.

[0004] A control device of a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to execute: causing one or more first propellers provided on a ship to generate thrust in a forward direction, and causing one or more second propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a reverse direction, thereby turning the ship; and performing a first control when an instruction to cause the ship to move forward is accepted during the turning process of the ship, or performing a second control when an instruction to cause the ship to move reverse is accepted during the turning process of the ship, the first control being composed of the following processes: causing the one or more second propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the reverse direction to the forward direction; and causing the one or more first propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more second propellers switch the direction of the thrust, and the second control being composed of the following processes: causing the one or more first propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the forward direction to the reverse direction; and causing the one or more second propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more first propellers switch the direction of the thrust.

[0005] The control method of the second scheme of the present disclosure is a control method executed by a computer, wherein the control method includes: causing one or more first propellers provided on a ship to generate thrust in a forward direction, and causing one or more second propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a reverse direction, thereby turning the ship; and performing a first control when an instruction to cause the ship to move forward is accepted during the turning process of the ship, or performing a second control when an instruction to cause the ship to move backward is accepted during the turning process of the ship, the first control being composed of the following process: causing the one or more second propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the reverse direction to the forward direction; and causing the one or more first propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more second propellers switch the direction of the thrust, and the second control being composed of the following process: causing the one or more first propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the forward direction to the reverse direction; and causing the one or more second propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more first propellers switch the direction of the thrust.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, accurate ship maneuvering can be performed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Hereinafter, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0008] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a ship control system.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the behavior of a ship.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the behavior of the ship in this embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device constituting a ship control system.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of changes in thrust generated by the left and right thrusters when the ship turns right and moves astern.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a process executed by the control unit of the control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Sometimes one or more propellers provided on a ship are caused to generate thrust in the forward direction, and one or more propellers on the other side are caused to generate thrust in the backward direction, thereby turning (rotating) the ship. In addition, sometimes an instruction to make the ship move forward or backward is given during the turning process of the ship. In the case where an instruction to move forward is given during the turning process of the ship, the following control is performed: one or more propellers on the multiple propellers that are generating thrust in the backward direction switch the direction of the thrust being generated from the backward direction to the forward direction, thereby generating thrust in the forward direction together with the propeller on the other side. In addition, in the case where an instruction to move backward is given during the turning process of the ship, the following control is performed: one or more propellers on the multiple propellers that are generating thrust in the forward direction switch the direction of the thrust being generated from the forward direction to the backward direction, thereby generating thrust in the backward direction together with the propeller on the other side.

[0015] Here, when the propeller switches the direction of thrust, a time lag will occur from the start of the switch to the completion of the switch. At this time, if one or more propellers on the side that does not switch the direction of thrust are generating thrust in the forward or reverse direction, thrust that rotates the ship will continue to be generated during the period of the time lag. Therefore, the ship will continue to rotate from the time when the instruction to move forward or backward is given during the turning process of the ship to the time when one or more propellers switch the direction of the thrust generated. Therefore, it is difficult to make the ship move forward or backward when the ship's direction is facing the direction desired by the ship operator. The control device of the first embodiment of the present disclosure solves such problems.

[0016] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control unit of a control device causes one or more first propellers provided on a ship to generate thrust in a forward direction and causes one or more second propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a reverse direction, thereby turning the ship. In this case, if an instruction to move the ship forward is received during the turning process, the control unit of the control device performs a first control, and if an instruction to move the ship reverse is received during the turning process, the control unit of the control device performs a second control.

[0017] The first control comprises the following process: causing one or more second thrusters to switch the direction of thrust generated from the rearward direction to the forward direction; and causing one or more first thrusters to stop generating thrust while the one or more second thrusters are switching the direction of thrust. The second control comprises the following process: causing one or more first thrusters to switch the direction of thrust generated from the rearward direction to the reverse direction; and causing one or more second thrusters to stop generating thrust while the one or more first thrusters are switching the direction of thrust.

[0018] As described above, while the direction of the thrust of the propeller is being switched, the control device stops the generation of thrust by the propeller that generates thrust in the opposite direction to the thrust of the propeller. This allows the generation of thrust that rotates the ship to be stopped during the time lag between the start of the switching of the direction of the thrust generated by the propeller and the completion of the switching. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ship from continuing to rotate while the direction of the thrust generated by one or more propellers is switched after an instruction to move forward or backward is given during the ship's turning process. As a result, the ship can be caused to move forward or backward when its orientation is facing the orientation desired by the ship operator, thereby enabling accurate ship manipulation.

[0019] The following describes specific embodiments of the present disclosure based on the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, and functional configuration described in these embodiments are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure to these specific configurations. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative configurations of the components described in these embodiments are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure to these specific configurations.

[0020] Implementation Method

[0021] System Overview

[0022] based on Figures 1 to 3 The ship operating system 1 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 This diagram schematically illustrates the configuration of a ship steering system 1. The ship steering system 1 includes a propeller 100 and a control device 200 mounted on a ship 10. In the ship steering system 1, the propeller 100 and the control device 200 are electrically connected. It should be noted that the propeller 100 and the control device 200 may also be mechanically connected.

[0023] thrusters

[0024] The propeller 100 is a propeller provided at the rear of the ship 10. At the rear of the ship 10, one propeller 100 is provided on each side. Here, when distinguishing between the propeller 100 provided at the left rear of the ship 10 and the propeller 100 provided at the right rear of the ship 10, they are sometimes referred to as the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R, respectively. The propeller 100 (the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R) generates propulsion according to a control signal from the control device 200. The power of the propeller 100 is, for example, an engine. In addition, the power of the propeller 100 may also be a motor. The propeller 100 generates thrust by rotating the propeller. The propeller 100 can generate thrust in the direction of moving the ship 10 forward (forward direction) and thrust in the direction of moving the ship 10 backward (backward direction) by switching the rotation direction of the propeller.

[0025] Control device

[0026] The control device 200 is used to steer the vessel 10. Based on input from the operator of the vessel 10, the control device 200 transmits control signals to the thrusters 100. Here, the control device 200 receives an instruction from the operator to automatically steer the vessel 10. For example, the control device 200 receives an instruction to steer the vessel 10 by receiving an instruction regarding the direction in which the bow of the vessel is to be directed. In this manner, the control device 200 outputs output signals to the left thruster 100L and the right thruster 100R, which are used to steer the vessel 10.

[0027] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the ship 10. Figure 2 An example of a case where the ship 10 turns to the right is shown in FIG. Figure 2 An example of a situation where a reverse instruction is received while the vehicle is turning to the right is shown in FIG. Figure 2 ] A diagram showing the direction of the thrust of the propeller 100 when starting to move backward is shown in FIG.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown on the left side of the figure, upon receiving a starboard turn instruction, the control device 200 causes the left propeller 100L to generate forward thrust. Furthermore, at this time, the control device 200 causes the right propeller 100R to generate reverse thrust. In this manner, the control device 200 causes the vessel 10 to turn starboard. It should be noted that upon receiving a starboard turn instruction, the control device 200 causes the left propeller 100L to generate reverse thrust and the right propeller 100R to generate forward thrust.

[0029] At this time, if the operator of the vessel 10 determines that the direction the bow of the vessel 10 is facing (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "bow direction") is suitable for going astern, for example, during a turn, the operator may issue a reverse instruction to the control device 200. Furthermore, if the operator of the vessel 10 determines that the vessel 10 needs to go astern during a turn, for example, due to a change in the position of the vessel 10 due to disturbances (wind, current), the operator may issue a reverse instruction to the control device 200 during the turn.

[0030] So, like Figure 2 As shown in the center of the figure, the control device 200 sometimes receives an instruction to reverse the ship 10 during the turning process (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "reverse instruction"). In this way, the control device 200 switches the direction of the thrust generated by the left propeller 100L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "thrust direction") from the forward direction to the reverse direction. Figure 2As shown on the right side of , the control device 200 completes the switching of the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L and causes the left propeller 100L to generate thrust in the reverse direction, thereby starting the reverse movement of the ship 10.

[0031] Here, when the propeller 100 is powered by an engine, the gear of the left propeller 100L will be switched from the gear that generates thrust in the forward direction to the gear that generates thrust in the reverse direction via the neutral gear. In this way, a time lag will be generated until the gear of the left propeller 100L is switched from the gear that generates thrust in the forward direction to the gear that generates thrust in the reverse direction. In addition, when the propeller 100 is powered by a motor, if the thrust direction is suddenly changed, the rotation direction of the shaft of the left propeller 100L will be suddenly changed. Therefore, in order to suppress the load on the shaft, the thrust direction will be changed after the rotation speed of the shaft becomes sufficiently small. Therefore, when the propeller 100 is powered by a motor, a time lag will also be generated in the switching of the thrust direction.

[0032] Therefore, if Figure 2 As shown in the center of the figure, if the right propeller 100R generates thrust while the left propeller 100L does not generate thrust in response to the switching of the thrust direction, the vessel 10 will continue to rotate due to the thrust generated by the right propeller 100R. In this way, the vessel 10 will start to move astern at a bow position different from the bow position at the time when the astern instruction was received.

[0033] Therefore, while the left thruster 100L switches the thrust direction, the control device 200 stops the right thruster 100R from generating the thrust. Figure 3 FIG is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the ship 10 in this embodiment. Figure 3 As shown in the center of FIG, when a reverse instruction is received, the control device 200 switches the thrust direction of the left thruster 100L and stops the generation of thrust by the right thruster 100R.

[0034] Specifically, when the propeller 100 is powered by an engine, the control device 200 stops the right propeller 100R from generating thrust by switching the gear of the right propeller 100R to a neutral gear. Alternatively, when the propeller 100 is powered by a motor, the control device 200 stops the right propeller 100R from generating thrust by stopping power to the motor.

[0035] In this way, no thrust is generated to rotate the vessel 10 during the period when the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is switched, thereby suppressing unnecessary rotation of the vessel 10. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the bow direction of the vessel 10 from being different from the bow direction at the timing when the astern instruction is received when the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is switched and the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R generate thrust in the astern direction (see FIG. Figure 3 right).

[0036] It should be noted that the same applies to the case where the control device 200 receives an instruction to advance the vessel 10 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "forward instruction") while the vessel 10 is turning to the starboard. In this case, while the right thruster 100R switches its thrust direction from the astern to the forward direction, the control device 200 causes the left thruster 100L to stop generating thrust in the forward direction. Furthermore, the same applies to the case where a forward instruction or a reverse instruction is issued while the vessel 10 is turning to the starboard, and therefore, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0037] The control device 200 is configured as a computer including a processor 210, a main storage unit 220, and an auxiliary storage unit 230. The processor 210 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The main storage unit 220 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The auxiliary storage unit 230 is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory). Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit 230 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or a disk recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a Blu-ray Disc. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage unit 230 may be a removable medium (removable storage medium). Examples of removable media include USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and SD (Secure Digital) cards.

[0038] In the control device 200, an operating system (OS), various programs, and various information tables are stored in the auxiliary storage unit 230. In addition, in the control device 200, the processor 210 loads the program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 230 into the main storage unit 220 and executes the program, thereby realizing various functions as described later. However, some or all of the functions in the control device 200 can also be realized by hardware circuits such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). It should be noted that the control device 200 does not necessarily need to be realized by a single physical structure, but can also be composed of multiple computers that cooperate with each other.

[0039] Functional composition

[0040] Then, based on Figure 4 and Figure 5 The functional configuration of the control device 200 constituting the ship operating system 1 will be described. Figure 4 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the control device 200 that constitutes the ship manipulation system 1. The control device 200 is configured to include a control unit 201, a position acquisition unit 202, and an input unit 203. The control unit 201 has the function of performing arithmetic processing for controlling the control device 200. The control unit 201 can be implemented by a processor 210 in the control device 200.

[0041] The position acquisition unit 202 has the function of acquiring the current position and heading of the vessel 10. The position acquisition unit 202 can be implemented by a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor in the vessel 10. The position acquisition unit 202 transmits the acquired current position of the vessel 10 to the control unit 201 in real time.

[0042] The input unit 203 has a function for the operator of the ship 10 to input instructions for ship operation to the control device 200. The input unit 203 can be implemented by a touch panel and a joystick in the control device 200, for example.

[0043] The operator of the ship 10 inputs the direction of travel (forward or backward) of the ship 10 to the input unit 203. In this case, the operator of the ship 10 inputs the direction of travel (forward or backward) of the ship 10 by tilting the joystick forward or backward. In this way, the control unit 201 sends a command signal for generating thrust in the forward direction or backward direction to both the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R. In addition, at this time, the operator of the ship 10 can also input the direction of travel of the ship 10 by tilting the joystick left or right. In this case, the control unit 201 can adjust the amount of thrust to be generated by the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R according to the input to the input unit 203, thereby adjusting the direction of travel of the ship 10 left or right.

[0044] The operator of the vessel 10 also inputs the bow direction of the vessel 10 into the input unit 203. The operator of the vessel 10 inputs the bow direction of the vessel 10 into the touch panel. In response, the input unit 203 transmits steering instruction information to the control unit 201. This steering instruction information is information instructing the vessel 10 to turn to the designated bow direction of the vessel 10. The steering instruction information may also include information specifying the turning speed (angular velocity) of the vessel 10.

[0045] When the steering instruction information is received from the input unit 203, the control unit 201 obtains the current bow bearing of the ship 10 from the position acquisition unit 202. The control unit 201 determines the steering direction as the smaller steering amount (angle) from the current bow bearing to the bow bearing specified in the steering instruction information, for example, between steering to the left and steering to the right. Then, the control unit 201 sends a control signal to the left thruster 100L and the right thruster 100R to generate thrust so as to turn in the determined steering direction. The control unit 201 monitors the bow bearing of the ship 10 and stops the propeller 100 from generating the propulsion force when the bow bearing of the ship 10 becomes the specified bow bearing. In this way, the control unit 201 controls the automatic steering of the ship 10 according to the steering instruction given by the operator of the ship 10.

[0046] Here, the turning instruction information may include designation of the bow bearing and an instruction on the turning direction of the vessel 10. Alternatively, the turning instruction information may simply be an instruction to start turning right or left. In this case, when the input unit 203 receives an input from the operator of the vessel 10 instructing to stop turning the vessel 10, the control unit 201 controls the vessel 10 to stop turning.

[0047] Here, the operator of the ship 10 may input an instruction to move forward or backward to the input unit 203 during the turning of the ship 10. In this case, the control unit 201 controls the thrust generated by the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R. Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of changes in the thrust generated by the left thruster 100L and the right thruster 100R when the ship 10 turns right and moves astern.

[0048] exist Figure 5 In FIG, the thrust generated by the left thruster 100L is shown by a two-dot chain line. Figure 5 In FIG, the thrust generated by the right thruster 100R is shown by a dotted line. Figure 5 The vertical axis of the graph shown is divided by the origin, and the upper side shows the magnitude of the thrust in the forward direction, while the lower side shows the magnitude of the thrust in the backward direction.

[0049] like Figure 5 As shown, since the ship 10 is turning to the right, the left propeller 100L is generating thrust in the forward direction. Here, it is assumed that a reverse instruction is given at time t1. At this time, the control unit 201 causes the left propeller 100L to stop generating thrust in the forward direction. Here, in the case where the propeller 100 is powered by the engine, the control unit 201 changes the gear of the left propeller 100L to a neutral gear, and then changes the gear to a gear that generates thrust in the reverse direction at time t2. In this way, at time t2 when the gear of the left propeller 100L is changed to the gear that generates thrust in the reverse direction, the control unit 201 causes the left propeller 100L to generate thrust in the reverse direction.

[0050] Furthermore, because the vessel 10 is turning to the starboard, the right propeller 100R is generating thrust in the reverse direction. At this point, the control unit 201 causes the right propeller 100R to stop generating thrust in the reverse direction at time t1. Then, at time t2, the control unit 201 changes the gear of the right propeller 100R to one that generates thrust in the reverse direction, causing the right propeller 100R to generate thrust in the reverse direction again. That is, at time t2, the control unit 201 causes both the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R to generate thrust simultaneously. By synchronizing the timing for the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R to generate thrust in this way, the vessel 10 can travel straight ahead.

[0051] If the propellers 100 are powered by motors, the control unit 201 stops the thrust generated by the left and right propellers 100L, 100R. Then, at time t2, when the rotational speed of the shaft of the left propeller 100L reaches a predetermined speed, the control unit 201 causes the left and right propellers 100L, 100R to generate thrust in the reverse direction. The predetermined speed is a speed at which the load on the shaft is expected to be sufficiently small even if the shaft's rotation is reversed.

[0052] In this manner, the control unit 201 controls the thrust generated by the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R, thereby turning the vessel 10 to the starboard and moving astern. It should be noted that the same applies to the case where the control unit 200 receives a forward command while the vessel 10 is turning to the starboard. Furthermore, the same applies to the case where the control unit 200 receives a forward command or a reverse command while the vessel 10 is turning to the starboard. Therefore, the following description will be omitted.

[0053] flow chart

[0054] Then, based on Figure 6 The following describes the processing executed by the control unit 201 of the control device 200 in the ship operating system 1 . Figure 6 4 is a flowchart of the process executed by the control unit 201 . Figure 6 The process shown is a process for causing the vessel 10 to move backward when a reverse instruction is received during a right turn. Figure 6 Execution of the indicated processing starts.

[0055] exist Figure 6 In the process shown, first, in S101, the propeller 100 is operated. At this time, in order to turn the ship 10 to the right, the control unit 201 causes the left propeller 100L to generate thrust in the forward direction. In addition, in order to turn the ship 10 to the right, the control unit 201 causes the right propeller 100R to generate thrust in the backward direction. Then, in S102, the current bow bearing of the ship 10 is acquired from the position acquisition unit 202. Then, in S103, it is determined whether the current bow bearing of the ship 10 has become the bow bearing specified in the turning instruction information, thereby determining whether the turning of the ship 10 has been completed. In the case of an affirmative determination in S103, in S108, the operation of the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R is stopped. That is, in S108, the generation of thrust by the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R is stopped. Then, the process ends. Figure 6 The processing shown.

[0056] If a negative determination is made in S103, a determination is made in S104 as to whether a reverse instruction has been received. If a negative determination is made in S104, the ship 10 continues turning. Therefore, the process of S102 is executed again. If a positive determination is made in S104, the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L needs to be switched from the forward direction to the reverse direction. Therefore, in S105, the switching of the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is initiated. Furthermore, at this time, while the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is being switched, the right propeller 100R is stopped, thereby ceasing the generation of thrust.

[0057] Next, in S106, it is determined whether the vessel 10 can move astern. Specifically, it is determined whether the left propeller 100L can generate thrust in the astern direction. If the left propeller 100L is powered by an engine, whether the left propeller 100L can generate thrust in the astern direction is determined by whether the gear of the left propeller 100L is in neutral and can be switched to a gear that generates thrust in the astern direction. Alternatively, if the left propeller 100L is powered by a motor, whether the left propeller 100L can generate thrust in the astern direction is determined by whether the shaft rotational speed is at a predetermined speed.

[0058] In the case of a negative determination in S106, the process of S106 is repeatedly executed until the left propeller 100L can generate thrust in the backward direction. In the case of a positive determination in S106, the left propeller 100L can generate thrust in the backward direction. Therefore, in S107, the propeller 100 is operated. At this time, the left propeller 100L and the right propeller 100R generate thrust in the backward direction at the same time. That is, when the switching of the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is completed, the right propeller 100R is generated again. Then, the process ends. Figure 6 Execution of the processing shown.

[0059] As described above, when a reverse instruction is issued while the ship 10 is turning to the right, the direction of the thrust generated by the left propeller 100L is switched to the reverse direction using the ship maneuvering system 1. At this time, while the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is being switched, the thrust generation of the right propeller 100R is stopped. This allows the generation of the thrust for turning the ship 10 to be stopped within the time lag between the start of the switch in the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L and the completion of the switch. This prevents the ship 10 from continuing to rotate while the thrust direction of the left propeller 100L is switched after a reverse instruction is issued while the ship 10 is turning.

[0060] It should be noted that even if the control device 200 receives a forward command while the vessel 10 is turning starboard, the same process can be used to prevent the vessel 10 from continuing to rotate until the propulsion direction is switched. Furthermore, even if the control device 200 receives a forward command or a reverse command while the vessel 10 is turning starboard, the same process can be used to prevent the vessel 10 from continuing to rotate until the propulsion direction is switched. As a result, the vessel 10 can be reversed when the bow of the vessel 10 is facing the desired direction of the operator, enabling accurate ship maneuvering.

[0061] Modification 1

[0062] In the present embodiment, the ship 10 is provided with two propellers 100, namely a left propeller 100L and a right propeller 100R. However, the number of propellers 100 provided on the ship 10 does not necessarily need to be two propellers 100. The number of propellers 100 provided on the ship 10 only needs to be two or more. In this case, when a reverse direction instruction is given during the turning process, the control device 200 switches the thrust direction of the propeller 100 that is generating thrust in the forward direction among the two or more propellers 100 to the reverse direction. In addition, at this time, the control device 200 stops the generation of thrust of the propeller 100 that is generating thrust in the reverse direction. In this way, the ship 10 can also be reversed when the bow of the ship 10 is facing the desired direction of the operator of the ship 10, thereby enabling accurate ship manipulation.

[0063] Modification 2

[0064] In the present embodiment, the propeller 100 generates thrust by rotating the propeller. However, the propeller 100 may generate thrust by methods other than rotating the propeller. The propeller 100 may be, for example, a water jet. Even in the case where the propeller 100 is a water jet, a time lag occurs in the switching of the thrust direction of the propeller 100. Therefore, by stopping the generation of thrust by the propeller 100 that is not switching the propulsion direction when the propulsion direction of the propeller 100 is switched, it is possible to suppress the ship 10 from continuously turning until the switching of the propulsion direction is completed. As a result, accurate ship maneuvering is possible.

[0065] Other implementations

[0066] The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the processes and components described in the present disclosure can be implemented in combination as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0067] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by a single device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be performed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) used to implement each function can be flexibly changed.

[0068] The present disclosure can also be implemented in the following manner: a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiment is supplied to a computer, and the program is read out and executed by one or more processors possessed by the computer. Such a computer program can be provided to the computer via a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer, or it can be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage media include any type of disk (floppy disk (registered trademark) or hard disk drive (HDD)), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk or Blu-ray disc, etc.). Non-temporary computer-readable storage media also include read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory: Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), magnetic card, flash memory or optical card, any type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

Claims

1. A control device comprising a control unit, wherein: The control unit is configured to execute: causing one or more first propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a forward direction, and causing one or more second propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a reverse direction, thereby turning the ship; as well as performing a first control when an instruction to move the ship forward is received during the turning process of the ship, or performing a second control when an instruction to move the ship backward is received during the turning process of the ship, The first control comprises the following process: causing the one or more second propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the backward direction to the forward direction; and causing the one or more first propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more second propellers switch the direction of the thrust. The second control is composed of the following processes: causing the one or more first propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the forward direction to the backward direction; and causing the one or more second propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more first propellers switch the direction of the thrust.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit is configured to further perform: In the first control, while the one or more second propellers complete the switching of the thrust direction from the backward direction to the forward direction, the one or more first propellers are caused to generate thrust in the forward direction again; or / and In the second control, while the one or more first propellers complete the switching of the thrust direction from the forward direction to the backward direction, the one or more second propellers are caused to generate thrust in the backward direction again.

3. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The ship is turned by receiving an instruction for automatic steering of the ship.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein: The instruction for automatically steering the vessel includes specifying a direction for steering the vessel.

5. A control method, executed by a computer, wherein: The control method includes: causing one or more first propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a forward direction, and causing one or more second propellers provided on the ship to generate thrust in a reverse direction, thereby turning the ship; and performing a first control when an instruction to move the ship forward is received during the turning process of the ship, or performing a second control when an instruction to move the ship backward is received during the turning process of the ship, The first control comprises the following process: causing the one or more second propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the backward direction to the forward direction; and causing the one or more first propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more second propellers switch the direction of the thrust. The second control is composed of the following processes: causing the one or more first propellers to switch the direction of the thrust generated from the forward direction to the backward direction; and causing the one or more second propellers to stop generating the thrust during the period when the one or more first propellers switch the direction of the thrust.

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