Pier-docking support device

Abstract

To provide a pier-docking support device capable of reducing maneuvering load of an operator.SOLUTION: A pier-docking support device (20) supports pier-docking of a vessel attached with propellers (10L, 10R). The pier-docking support device includes: control units (21, 23) for controlling the propellers based on operation amount from operation devices (15, 16); an acquirement unit (33) for acquiring vessel state including present vessel position and bow direction; a calculation unit (34) for calculating a pier-docking route to a pier-docking position from a present vessel position; and a compensation unit (36) for compensating control of the propeller based on the vessel state and the pier-docking route.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a berthing assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] A docking support device has been developed that displays a docking route on a monitor to support ship maneuvering (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The docking support device described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a database in which maneuvering records at the time of port entry are registered. The maneuvering records in the database include weather and sea conditions at past times of port entry, and maneuvering records similar to the current weather and sea conditions are searched for from the database. Then, a docking route from the ship's current position to the docking position in the port is calculated based on the maneuvering records, and a shallow docking route, piers, etc. are displayed on the monitor, improving maneuvering accuracy and enhancing safety. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4853946 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the docking support device described in Patent Document 1, the ship must be steered along the docking route depending on the skill of the ship operator, making maneuvering particularly difficult for inexperienced ship operators.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and has an object to provide a docking assistance device that can reduce the burden on the ship operator when maneuvering a ship. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention provides a docking assistance device that assists in docking a ship equipped with a propulsion unit, and solves the above-mentioned problems by comprising a control unit that controls the propulsion unit based on an operation amount from an operating device, an acquisition unit that acquires ship conditions including the current ship position and bow direction, a calculation unit that calculates a docking route from the current ship position to the docking position, and a correction unit that corrects the control of the propulsion unit based on the ship state and the docking route. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the docking support device of one aspect of the present invention, when the ship is about to deviate from the docking route due to the operation of the operating device, the control of the propulsion unit is corrected so that the ship position and bow direction are along the docking route. Therefore, even if the ship is operated by an inexperienced operator, the ship is moved along the docking route, reducing the burden on the operator and enabling stable docking. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a ship maneuvering system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the berthing route in this embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart of the docking support control in this embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart of a correction process according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 4 is a diagram showing a target turning direction and a steering angle direction of a propulsion unit in the present embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A docking assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention assists in docking a ship equipped with a propulsion unit. The ship state including the current ship position and bow direction is acquired by an acquisition unit, and a docking route from the current ship position to the docking position is calculated by a calculation unit. The propulsion unit is controlled by a control unit based on an operation amount from an operation device, and when the ship is about to deviate from the docking route due to operation of the operation device, the correction unit corrects the control of the control unit so that the ship follows the docking route based on the ship state and the docking route. Thus, even if the ship is operated by an inexperienced operator, the ship is moved along the docking route, reducing the operator's burden and enabling stable docking. EXAMPLES

[0010] In existing docking assistance, the direction of a ship is controlled by individual control of the propulsion units using general rudder angle control or joystick steering. In general rudder angle control, multiple propulsion units are steered in the same direction and each of the multiple propulsion units is controlled with the same thrust, so that at low speeds, even if the propulsion units are steered, the ship's direction is difficult to change and the ship cannot turn at a fixed position. In joystick steering, the ship is freely moved by steering multiple propulsion units or by individually controlling the propulsion units, but the system becomes complicated and expensive. Therefore, in this embodiment, the direction of the ship is adjusted by rudder angle control at normal ship speeds, and at low speeds, the direction of the ship is adjusted by switching to individual thrust control of the multiple propulsion units.

[0011] The ship maneuvering system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of the ship maneuvering system of this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a berthing route of this embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, in the ship steering system 1, a ship is steered by thrust control and rudder angle control for left and right propulsion units 10L, 10R. The propulsion unit 10L is attached to the left side of the rear of the hull, and the propulsion unit 10R is attached to the right side of the rear of the hull. The propulsion units 10L, 10R are equipped with engines that rotate propellers 11L, 11R to provide thrust to the hull. In addition, the propulsion units 10L, 10R are equipped with rudder angle sensors 12L, 12R. When the propulsion units 10L, 10R are steered to the left or right, the rudder angles of the propulsion units 10L, 10R are detected by the rudder angle sensors 12L, 12R.

[0013] A control box 15 is installed on the hull as an operating device for thrust control. The control box 15 is configured so that both the throttle and the shift can be operated by operating a lever. When the lever of the control box 15 is moved from the neutral position to the forward position, the propulsion units 10L, 10R are put into forward gear, and when the lever is moved forward beyond the forward position, the throttle opening is adjusted. When the lever of the control box 15 is moved from the neutral position to the reverse position, the propulsion units 10L, 10R are put into reverse gear, and when the lever is moved rearward beyond the reverse position, the throttle opening is adjusted.

[0014] ECMs (Engine Control Modules) 22L, 22R are connected to the control box 15 via a BCM (Boat Control Module) 21 serving as a control unit. The ECM 22L controls the engine of the propulsion unit 10L, and the ECM 22R controls the engine of the propulsion unit 10R. The BCM 21 calculates a throttle command value and a shift command value based on the lever angle of the control box 15. When the BCM 21 outputs a throttle command value and a shift command value to the ECMs 22L, 22R, the throttle openings of the propulsion units 10L, 10R and the rotation directions of the propellers 11L, 11R are adjusted by the ECMs 22L, 22R.

[0015] A steering wheel 16 is installed on the hull as an operating device for controlling the rudder angle. A hydraulic pump 24 is connected to the steering wheel 16 via a PCM (Pump Control Module) 23 serving as a control unit. A hydraulic cylinder (not shown) for each of the propulsion units 10L, 10R is connected to the hydraulic pump 24, and the propulsion units 10L, 10R are steered by supplying hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump 24 to the hydraulic cylinders. The PCM 23 calculates a steering command value based on the steering angle of the steering wheel 16. When the steering command value is output from the PCM 23 to the hydraulic pump 24, the hydraulic pump 24 supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinders of the propulsion units 10L, 10R, and the rudder angles of the propulsion units 10L, 10R are adjusted.

[0016] The ship maneuvering system 1 is equipped with a berthing support device 20 that supports the ship operator in berthing operation along a berthing route from the current ship position to the berthing position. The berthing support device 20 is provided with a BCM 21 and a PCM 23, as well as a controller 32 connected to the BCM 21 and the PCM 23 via a gateway 31. The controller 32 also calculates a throttle command value, a shift command value, and a steering command value. The gateway 31 prioritizes the control processing of the BCM 21 and the PCM 23 over the control processing of the controller 32 in the normal ship maneuvering mode, and prioritizes the control processing of the controller 32 over the control processing of the BCM 21 and the PCM 23 in the berthing support mode.

[0017] The controller 32 is connected to various sensors, such as a heading sensor 41 for detecting the current ship state, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor 42, an imaging device 43, a LiDAR 44, and a speed sensor 45. The heading sensor 41 detects the current bow direction, the GNSS sensor 42 detects the current ship position, the imaging device 43 detects the current surrounding image of the ship 5, the LiDAR 44 detects the distance to the surrounding objects, and the speed sensor 45 detects the current ship speed. In other words, the current ship state includes at least the bow direction, the ship position, the surrounding image, the distance to the surrounding objects, and the ship speed.

[0018] The controller 32 is also provided with an acquisition unit 33 that acquires the current ship state, a calculation unit 34 that calculates the docking route, a switching unit 35 that switches between operation modes, and a correction unit 36 ​​that corrects the control of the propulsion units 10L and 10R. The acquisition unit 33 acquires, as the current ship state, the current bow direction, ship position, surrounding images, distance to surrounding objects, and ship speed from a heading sensor 41, a GNSS sensor 42, an imaging device 43, a LiDAR 44, and a speed sensor 45. Note that the installation location of each sensor is not limited to the hull, and may be installed on a portable device of the operator or on the propulsion units 10L, 10R, etc., as long as the ship state can be detected.

[0019] The calculation unit 34 calculates a berthing route from the current ship position to the berthing position. In this case, the berthing position and berthing direction are stored in the controller 32, and the berthing route from the current ship position to the berthing position is automatically calculated by a Bezier curve based on the current ship position, the current bow direction, the berthing position, and the berthing direction (see FIG. 2). The berthing position may be set by the ship operator specifying the berthing position on a map. The berthing route may also be calculated taking into consideration a nautical chart of shallow waters, weather conditions, and sea conditions. Furthermore, a plurality of berthing routes may be displayed on a map, and a desired berthing route may be selected by the ship operator.

[0020] The switching unit 35 switches from the ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode when all start conditions of the docking support mode are satisfied, and switches from the docking support mode to the ship maneuvering mode when any end condition of the docking support mode is satisfied. The start conditions of the docking support mode include the ship 5 being near the docking position, the propulsion units 10L and 10R being in forward gear, the ship speed being equal to or lower than a predetermined approach speed, etc. The end conditions of the docking support mode include the ship 5 reaching the docking position, being steered to a predetermined angle or more, the ship 5 leaving the docking route, the propulsion units 10L and 10R being in neutral gear or reverse gear, etc.

[0021] Whether the ship 5 is near the docking position is determined by detecting the distance to the docking position using the imaging device 43 and the LiDAR 44. For example, the captured image detected by the imaging device 43 and the point cloud data detected by the LiDAR 44 are integrated, and the distance to the target near the docking position recognized by the imaging device 43 is detected by the LiDAR 44. The docking support mode is not started until the distance from the ship 5 to the docking position becomes a predetermined distance or less (for example, 50 m). Note that the controller 32 stores in advance characteristic points of targets such as marks attached to a pier or the like, and the target is recognized by matching the characteristic points extracted from the captured image with the characteristic points stored in advance.

[0022] Whether the propulsion units 10L, 10R are in forward gear or not is determined by detecting the lever angle (lever operating angle) of the control box 15. The control box 15 is provided with an angle sensor (not shown), and the lever angle is input from the angle sensor to the controller 32. If the lever angle is an operating angle beyond the forward position, it is determined to be in forward gear, if the lever angle is an operating angle beyond the reverse position, it is determined to be in reverse gear, and if the lever angle is an operating angle between the forward position and the reverse position, it is determined to be in neutral gear. If the propulsion units 10L, 10R are not in forward gear, the docking assistance mode will not be started.

[0023] Whether or not the vessel speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined approach vessel speed is determined by detecting the vessel speed by the speed sensor 45. If the vessel speed is higher than the predetermined approach vessel speed (e.g., 15 km / h), the vessel 5 is decelerated before switching to the docking assistance mode by the controller 32. As a result, the vessel 5 is decelerated to equal to or lower than the predetermined approach vessel speed and in a stable state, and then the normal vessel maneuvering mode is switched to the docking assistance mode. Note that the vessel speed does not have to be the current vessel speed, and may be the vessel speed at the time of docking calculated from the current vessel speed, a certain deceleration rate, and the straight-line distance to the docking position, and this vessel speed at the time of docking may be compared with the predetermined approach vessel speed (e.g., 5 km / h).

[0024] Whether the ship 5 has reached the docking position is determined by detecting the current ship position by the GNSS sensor 42. When the current ship position approximately coincides with the docking position, it is determined that the docking operation of the ship 5 has been successful and the docking support mode is terminated. Whether the ship has been steered to a predetermined angle or more is determined by detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel 16. The steering wheel 16 is provided with an angle sensor (not shown), and the steering angle is input from the angle sensor to the controller 32. When the steering angle of the steering wheel 16 reaches a predetermined angle or more, it is determined that the docking operation of the ship 5 has been aborted by the operator and the docking support mode is terminated.

[0025] Whether the ship 5 has departed from the docking route is determined by detecting the current ship position by the GNSS sensor 42. If the current ship position deviates significantly from the docking route (for example, by several meters), the docking operation of the ship 5 is deemed to be aborted by the ship operator and the docking support mode is terminated. Whether the propulsion units 10L, 10R are in neutral gear or reverse gear is determined by detecting the operation angle of the lever of the control box 15, as described above. When the propulsion units 10L, 10R are in neutral gear or reverse gear, the docking operation of the ship 5 is deemed to be aborted by the ship operator and the docking support mode is terminated.

[0026] The correction unit 36 ​​corrects the control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R based on the ship state and the docking route in the docking support mode. A target turning angle is calculated from the difference between the current ship position and bow direction and the target position and target direction of the docking route, and when the target turning angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle (e.g., 15 degrees), the control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R is corrected so as to follow the docking route. At this time, if the ship speed is equal to or less than a predetermined ship speed (e.g., 8 km / m), the direction of the ship 5 is difficult to change by steering. For this reason, when the ship speed is greater than the predetermined ship speed, rudder angle control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R is performed, and when the ship speed is equal to or less than the predetermined ship speed, individual thrust control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R is performed.

[0027] In steering angle control, the steering angle of the steering wheel 16 is input to the controller 32 via the gateway 31, and a steering command value is calculated by the correction unit 36 ​​so that the target turning angle becomes smaller than a predetermined angle. In individual thrust control, the lever angle of the control box 15 and the steering angle of the steering wheel 16 are input to the controller 32 via the gateway 31, and a throttle command value and a shift command value are calculated by the correction unit 36 ​​so that the target turning angle becomes smaller than a predetermined angle. Note that the correction unit 36 ​​may correct the steering command value, throttle command value, etc. calculated by the PCM 23 or BCM 21. Details of the steering angle control and individual thrust control by the correction unit 36 ​​will be described later.

[0028] Furthermore, the processing of each part of the berthing support device 20 may be realized by software using a processor, or may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit or the like. When a processor is used, the processor reads out and executes programs stored in the memory to perform various processes. As the processor, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is used. Furthermore, the memory is composed of one or more storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) depending on the application.

[0029] The berthing support control will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the berthing control operation in this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a flowchart of the correction process in this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the target turning direction and the rudder angle direction of the propulsion unit in this embodiment. Note that the following explanation will use the symbols in Fig. 1 as appropriate. Also, when there is no particular distinction between the left and right propulsion units, the symbols L and R will be omitted in the explanation.

[0030] 3, when the current ship position approaches the docking position, the switching unit 35 determines whether to switch the operation mode. The imaging device 43 and the LiDAR 44 detect the distance from the ship 5 to the docking position (a target object near the docking position), and the switching unit 35 determines whether the distance from the ship 5 to the docking position is equal to or less than a predetermined distance X (step S01). If the distance from the ship 5 to the docking position is equal to or less than the predetermined distance X (Yes in step S01), the switching unit 35 determines whether the propulsion units 10L, 10R are in forward gear based on the lever angle of the control box 15 (step S02).

[0031] When the propulsion units 10L, 10R are in forward gear (Yes in step S02), the switching unit 35 judges whether the vessel speed V is equal to or lower than a predetermined approach vessel speed V1 based on the detection result of the speed sensor 45 (step S03). When the vessel speed V is greater than the predetermined approach vessel speed V1 (No in step S03), deceleration processing is performed until the vessel speed V becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined approach vessel speed V1 (step S04). When the vessel speed V becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined approach vessel speed V1 (Yes in step S03), the switching unit 35 judges that all start conditions for the docking support mode are satisfied, and the operation mode is switched from the vessel maneuvering mode to the docking support mode (step S05).

[0032] In the docking support mode, a docking support control, which will be described later, is implemented to support the ship operator's docking operation along the docking route (step S06). Then, the docking support control is implemented until any of the following operations is performed: the ship 5 reaches the docking position, the steering is performed at a predetermined angle or more, the ship 5 leaves the docking route, or the neutral gear or reverse gear is switched to (No in step S07). When any of the operations, such as reaching the docking position, is performed, the switching unit 35 determines that any of the termination conditions of the docking support mode is satisfied, and the operation mode is switched from the docking support mode to the ship maneuvering mode (Yes in step S07).

[0033] As shown in Fig. 4, when the docking support control is started, the correction unit 36 ​​calculates a target turning angle α from the difference between the current ship position and bow direction and the target position and target direction of the docking route (step S11). The docking route may be calculated by the calculation unit 34 before switching to the docking support mode, or the docking route may be calculated by the calculation unit 34 after switching to the docking support mode. When it is determined that the target turning angle α is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle α1 (Yes in step S12), it is determined that the ship 5 starts to deviate from the docking route, and the correction unit 36 ​​determines whether the ship speed is equal to or smaller than a predetermined ship speed V2 (step S13).

[0034] If the vessel speed is greater than the predetermined vessel speed V2 (No in step S13), this vessel speed is such that the direction of the vessel 5 can be easily adjusted by rudder angle control, and so rudder angle control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R is carried out by the correction unit 36 ​​(step S14). In the rudder angle control, a steering command value is calculated based on the target turning angle α, the steering angle of the handle 16, and the lever angle of the control box 15, and the propulsion units 10L, 10R are steered so that the target turning angle α becomes smaller according to the steering command value. In this way, at a vessel speed greater than the predetermined vessel speed V2, rudder angle control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R assists in maneuvering the vessel along the docking route.

[0035] If the vessel speed is equal to or less than a predetermined vessel speed V2 (Yes in step S13), the vessel speed makes it difficult to adjust the direction of the vessel 5 using rudder angle control, so the correction unit 36 ​​implements individual thrust control of the propulsion units 10L, 10R (step S15). In individual thrust control, a throttle command value and a shift command value are calculated based on the target turning angle α, the steering angle of the handle 16, and the lever angle of the control box 15. The correction unit 36 ​​also determines whether the target turning angle α is equal to or less than a predetermined angle α2 (step S16). The predetermined angle α2 is an angle larger than the predetermined angle α1, and is an angle for determining whether the vessel 5 needs to make a sharp turn.

[0036] If the target turning angle α is equal to or less than a predetermined angle α2 (e.g., 30 degrees) (Yes in step S16), a sharp turn of the ship 5 is not required, so the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction (e.g., propulsion unit 10L) is reduced (step S17). By reducing the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the side to be steered, the ship 5 is turned so that the target turning angle α becomes smaller due to the thrust difference between the left and right propulsion units 10L, 10R. In this way, when the ship speed is equal to or less than the predetermined ship speed V2 and a sharp turn of the ship 5 is not required, the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction is reduced to assist ship maneuvering along the docking route.

[0037] If the target turning angle α is greater than the predetermined angle α2 (No in step S16), the correction unit 36 ​​determines whether the steering direction of the propulsion units 10 matches the turning direction (step S18). As shown in Fig. 5(A), if the steering direction of the propulsion units 10 does not match the target turning direction (No in step S18), the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction (for example, the propulsion unit 10L) is reduced (step S17). In this way, even if the ship speed is equal to or less than the predetermined ship speed V2 and the steering direction of the propulsion units 10 does not match the target turning direction, the ship 5 can be turned without losing balance by reducing the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction.

[0038] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5(B), when the steering direction of the propulsion unit 10 coincides with the target turning direction (Yes in step S18), the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction (for example, the propulsion unit 10L) is directed rearward (step S19). By reversing the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the side to be steered, the ship 5 is made to turn sharply so that the target turning angle α becomes smaller by making a small turn around the stern side. In this way, when a sharp turn is required at a ship speed equal to or lower than the predetermined ship speed V2, the thrust of the propulsion unit 10 on the inside of the turning direction is reversed to make a sharp turn of the ship 5. Then, steps S11-S19 are repeated until the docking assistance mode ends.

[0039] In addition, the thresholds of the predetermined distance X, the predetermined approach ship speed V1, the predetermined ship speed V2, the predetermined angle α1, the predetermined angle α2, etc. in the above flowchart are determined experimentally, empirically, or theoretically in advance. However, the predetermined ship speed V2 is set to a speed smaller than the predetermined approach ship speed V1, and the predetermined angle α2 is set to an angle larger than the predetermined angle α1. In addition, each of the above flowcharts shows an example, and the order of some of the steps may be changed. For example, the order of the processing of steps S01-S03, which are the start conditions of the docking support mode, may be changed.

[0040] As described above, according to the docking assistance device 20 of this embodiment, when the ship 5 is about to deviate from the docking route due to the operation of the handle 16 or the control box 15, the control of the propulsion unit 10 is corrected so that the ship position and bow direction are along the docking route. Therefore, even if the ship is operated by an inexperienced operator, the ship 5 is moved along the docking route, reducing the burden on the operator and enabling stable docking.

[0041] In this embodiment, docking includes not only docking the ship at a pier, but also docking the ship at a shore.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the boat is provided with a pair of left and right propulsion units, but the boat may be provided with three or more propulsion units.

[0043] In addition, in this embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the operating device is a control box and a handle, but the operating device is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that can control the propulsion machine.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the BCM, PCM, and controller are formed as separate bodies, but the BCM, PCM, and controller may also be formed as an integrated unit.

[0045] In addition, in this embodiment, the propulsion engine may be any of an outboard engine, an inboard-outboard engine, and an inboard engine.

[0046] In this embodiment, the propulsion units may be configured to be horizontally movable by individually controlling the multiple propulsion units.

[0047] In the present embodiment, the docking support function may be added by installing a program in the ship maneuvering system. The program is stored in a storage medium. The storage medium is not particularly limited, and may be a non-transitory storage medium such as an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a flash memory.

[0048] As described above, the first aspect is a docking support device that supports the docking of a ship equipped with propulsion units (10L, 10R), and includes a control unit (BCM21, PCM23) that controls the propulsion units based on the amount of operation from the operation device (control box 15, handle 16), an acquisition unit (33) that acquires ship conditions including the current ship position and bow direction, a calculation unit (34) that calculates a docking route from the current ship position to the docking position, and a correction unit (36) that corrects the control of the propulsion units based on the ship state and the docking route. According to this configuration, when the ship is about to deviate from the docking route due to the operation of the operation device, the control of the propulsion units is corrected so that the ship position and bow direction are along the docking route. Therefore, even if the ship is operated by an inexperienced operator, the ship is moved along the docking route, reducing the burden on the operator and enabling stable docking.

[0049] In a second aspect, in the first aspect, the ship is fitted with a plurality of propulsion units, the ship state includes a current ship speed, and the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from the difference between the current bow direction and the target direction of the docking route, and reduces the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed and the target turning angle is equal to or lower than a predetermined angle. According to this configuration, when the ship speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined ship speed at which it is difficult to adjust the direction of the ship by rudder angle control and a sharp turn is not required, it is possible to assist in maneuvering the ship to follow the docking route by reducing the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction.

[0050] In a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the ship is fitted with multiple propulsion units, the ship state includes the current ship speed, and the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from the difference between the current bow direction and the target direction of the docking route, and reduces the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed, the target turning angle is greater than the predetermined angle, and the steering direction does not match the target turning direction. With this configuration, even at a ship speed equal to or lower than the predetermined ship speed at which it is difficult to adjust the direction of the ship by rudder angle control, and even if the steering direction of the propulsion units does not match the target turning direction, the ship can be turned without losing balance due to a reduction in thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction.

[0051] In a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the ship state includes a current ship speed, and the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from a difference between the current bow direction and a target direction of the docking route, and when the current ship speed is higher than a predetermined ship speed, steers the propulsion unit so as to reduce the target turning angle. According to this configuration, since it is effective to adjust the direction of the ship by controlling the rudder angle of the propulsion unit at a ship speed higher than the predetermined ship speed, it is possible to assist in maneuvering the ship along the docking route by controlling the rudder angle.

[0052] A fifth aspect is any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the ship is fitted with a plurality of propulsion units, the ship state includes a current ship speed, and the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from the difference between the current bow direction and the target direction of the docking route, and when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed, the target turning angle is greater than the predetermined angle, and the steering direction matches the target turning direction, the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction is directed rearward. According to this configuration, when the ship speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined ship speed at which it is difficult to adjust the direction of the ship by rudder angle control, and a sharp turn greater than the predetermined angle is required, the ship can be made to turn sharply by reversing the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction.

[0053] In a sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the ship state includes a current ship speed and a required distance to a docking position, and a correction process is performed in the correction unit after switching from the ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode, and when the distance to the docking position is equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance, the ship is in forward gear, and the ship speed is higher than a predetermined approach ship speed, the ship is decelerated before switching to the docking support mode. According to this configuration, the ship can be switched from the normal ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode in a stable state in which the ship has been decelerated to or lower than the predetermined approach ship speed.

[0054] A seventh aspect is any one of the first to sixth aspects, in which a correction process is performed by the correction unit after switching from the ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode, and the docking support mode is terminated when it is detected that the ship has reached the docking position, that the ship has been steered by a predetermined angle or more, that the ship has departed from the docking route, or that the propulsion unit is in neutral gear or reverse gear. According to this configuration, the docking support mode is terminated not only when the ship reaches the docking position, but also when the ship operator wishes to cancel docking, in accordance with the ship operator's intention.

[0055] Although the present embodiment has been described, other embodiments may be made by combining the above-described embodiments and modifications in whole or in part.

[0056] In addition, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way due to the progress of technology or a different technology derived therefrom, the invention may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 5: Ship 10L: Propulsion machine 10R: Propulsion machine 15: Control box (operating device) 16: Handle (operating device) 20: Berthing support equipment 21:BCM (control unit) 23: PCM (control unit) 33: Acquisition part 34: Calculation section 36: Correction section

Claims

1. A docking assistance device that assists a ship having a propulsion device in docking, a control unit that controls the propulsion machine based on an operation amount from an operation device; An acquisition unit for acquiring a vessel status including a current vessel position and a heading direction; A calculation unit for calculating a docking route from a current ship position to a docking position; a correction unit that corrects control of the propulsion machine based on a ship state and a docking route.

2. The vessel is fitted with a plurality of propulsion units; Ship status includes current ship speed, The docking support device according to claim 1, characterized in that the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from a difference between a current bow direction and a target direction of the docking route, and reduces the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed and the target turning angle is equal to or lower than a predetermined angle.

3. The vessel is fitted with a plurality of propulsion units; Ship status includes current ship speed, The docking support device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from a difference between a current bow direction and a target direction of the docking route, and reduces the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed, the target turning angle is greater than the predetermined angle, and the steering direction does not match the target turning direction.

4. Ship status includes current ship speed, The docking support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from a difference between a current bow direction and a target direction of a docking route, and steers the propulsion unit so as to reduce the target turning angle when the current ship speed is greater than a predetermined ship speed.

5. The vessel is fitted with a plurality of propulsion units; Ship status includes current ship speed, The docking support device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the correction unit calculates a target turning angle from a difference between a current bow direction and a target direction of the docking route, and directs the thrust of the propulsion unit on the inside of the turning direction in a rearward direction when the current ship speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined ship speed, the target turning angle is greater than the predetermined angle, and the steering direction coincides with the target turning direction.

6. The vessel status includes the current vessel speed and the required distance to the berthing position. After switching from the ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode, the correction unit performs a correction process, A docking assistance device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that when the distance to the docking position is less than a predetermined distance, the ship is in forward gear, and the ship speed is greater than a predetermined approach speed, the ship is decelerated before switching to the docking assistance mode.

7. After switching from the ship maneuvering mode to the docking support mode, the correction unit performs a correction process, The docking assistance device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the docking assistance mode is terminated when it is detected that the ship has reached a docking position, that the ship has been steered at a predetermined angle or more, that the ship has departed from the docking route, or that the propulsion unit is in neutral gear or reverse gear.

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