Automatic steering device for ships, and automatic steering system for ships.

Abstract

We provide technology that can flexibly respond to changes in shipping routes. [Solution] A ship's automatic steering system 11 that controls a ship based on a planned route set by a route planning device, comprising: a receiving unit 100 that receives waypoint information including a plurality of waypoints constituting the planned route from the route planning device; and an interruption determination unit 101 that determines whether the route indicated by the new waypoint information is an interruption route, which is a route different from the planned route indicated by the old waypoint information, based on a comparison between at least one waypoint included in the old waypoint information previously received by the receiving unit and at least one waypoint included in the new waypoint information newly received by the receiving unit 100.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a technology for automatically steering a ship. 【Background Art】 【0002】 In a control system of an automatic steering device for a ship that causes the hull position to follow a planned route, there is a heading control system (HCS: Heading Control System) that controls the rudder angle to make the bow direction follow a set azimuth, and a track control system (TCS: Track Control System) that tracks the hull position along the planned route. The planned route is set, for example, in a device for setting a route plan such as an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS: Electronic Chart Display and Information System) or an electronic chart system (ECS: Electronic Chart System), and is transmitted to the automatic steering device for the ship. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Non-Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Non-Patent Document 1】 Fugen Fuyuki, Estimation and Control of Tidal Currents in a Route Control System Based on a Heading Control System, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Vol. 46, No. 8, pp. 420-429, 2010. 【Non-Patent Document 2】 Fugen Fuyuki, Estimation and Control of Tidal Currents in Curve Following, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 326-335, 2013. 【Non-Patent Document 3】 Fugen Fuyuki, Design of a Reference Signal Considering Heading Initial Conditions and Steering Constraints: Application to Course-Change Maneuvering of a Hull, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 333-342, 2008. 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 Conventional ship autopilot systems control the ship to follow a planned route. Therefore, even if a new route (interrupting route) different from the previously received planned route is received, the system does not react to this interrupting route and continues to follow the planned route. Consequently, conventional ship autopilot systems have the problem of not being able to flexibly respond to changes in the route. 【0005】 The problem that the embodiments of the present invention aim to solve is to provide a technology that can flexibly respond to changes in shipping routes, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem] 【0006】 To solve the above-mentioned problems, the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment is an automatic steering system for ships that controls a ship based on a planned route set by a route planning device, and comprises a receiving unit that receives waypoint information including a plurality of waypoints constituting the planned route from the route planning device, and an interruption determination unit that determines whether the route indicated by the new waypoint information is an interruption route that is different from the planned route indicated by the old waypoint information, based on a comparison between at least one waypoint included in the old waypoint information previously received by the receiving unit and at least one waypoint included in the new waypoint information newly received by the receiving unit. 【0007】 Furthermore, the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment is an automatic steering system for ships comprising a route planning device for setting a planned route and an automatic steering system for ships for controlling a ship based on the planned route, wherein the route planning device transmits waypoint information including a plurality of waypoints constituting the planned route to the automatic steering system for ships, and the automatic steering system for ships comprises a receiving unit for receiving the waypoint information from the route planning device and an interruption determination unit for determining whether the route indicated by the new waypoint information is an interruption route that is different from the planned route indicated by the old waypoint information, based on a comparison between at least one waypoint included in old waypoint information previously received by the receiving unit and at least one waypoint included in new waypoint information newly received by the receiving unit. [Effects of the Invention] 【0008】 According to the present invention, it is possible to flexibly respond to changes in the shipping route. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0009】 [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an automatic steering system for ships according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the planned route and the interrupted route according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows the operation of the interrupt detection process according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the operation of the needle change detection process according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the reference signal generation process according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows the planned route and the interrupted route in the first scenario. [Figure 7] This figure shows the simulation results based on the first scenario. [Figure 8] This figure shows the planned route and the interrupted route in the second scenario. [Figure 9] A diagram showing simulation results based on the second scenario. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the track of an interrupt route based on the second scenario. [Figure 11] A diagram showing a planned route and an interrupt route in the third scenario. [Figure 12] A diagram showing simulation results based on the third scenario. 【Mode for Carrying Out the Invention】 【0010】 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 【0011】 (Configuration of Ship Automatic Steering System) The configuration of a ship automatic steering system including the ship automatic steering device according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ship automatic steering system according to this embodiment. 【0012】 As shown in FIG. 1, the ship automatic steering system 1 according to this embodiment includes a route planning device 10 and a ship automatic steering device 11 for automatically steering the ship 12. 【0013】 The route planning device 10 is, for example, a device that includes a processor and functions as an ECDIS or an ECS. Further, the route planning device 10 is a device that can transmit a planned route including a straight route and a curved route to the ship automatic steering device 11 in advance, and can transmit an interrupt route, which is a route set after the transmission of the planned route, to the ship automatic steering device 11. 【0014】 The ship 12 has a rudder and a propulsion device controlled by an automatic ship steering device 11, and sensors for detecting the state of the ship 12. The sensors include a speed log for detecting the speed of the ship 12 relative to the water, a gyrocompass for detecting the heading of the ship 12, and a GNSS sensor for detecting the hull position of the ship 12 based on a satellite positioning system (GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System) such as GPS. 【0015】 The automatic ship steering device 11 includes a receiving unit 100, an interruption determination unit 101, a course change determination unit 102, a reference signal generation unit 103, a feedback control unit 104, and a feedforward control unit 105. The receiving unit 100 receives waypoint information transmitted by the route planning device 10. The waypoint information will be described later. The interruption determination unit 101 determines whether an interruption has occurred with respect to the planned route based on the waypoint information received by the receiving unit 100, more specifically, whether an interruption route, which is a route different from the planned route, has been received by the automatic ship steering device 11. The course change determination unit 102 determines whether there is a course change due to the interruption route when it is determined by the interruption determination unit 101 that the interruption route has been received. 【0016】 The reference signal generation unit 103 generates a trajectory plan and a reference signal. The feedforward control unit 105 takes the reference azimuth as an input and outputs a feedforward rudder angle. The reference signal includes the reference azimuth and the feedforward rudder angle in time series. The feedback control unit 104 outputs a feedback rudder angle that reduces the azimuth error, which is the error between the reference azimuth and the heading, and also reduces the position error, which is the error between the planned route and the hull position. The command rudder angle applied to the rudder of the ship 12 is calculated by adding the feedforward rudder angle to the feedback rudder angle. 【0017】 (Waypoint Information) The waypoint information according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the planned route and the interruption route according to this embodiment. 【0018】 As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the planned route is a path connecting multiple waypoints, such as WP1 to WP3, which are point information to the destination and whose order is specified. In Figure 2, the planned route consists of a straight route which is part of the line segment connecting WP1 and WP2, a straight route which is part of the line segment connecting WP2 and WP3, and a curved route which connects these two straight routes. In Figure 2, T1 to T3 indicate waypoints that constitute the interrupted route. 【0019】 The route planning device 10 transmits commands to the ship's automatic steering system 11 and waypoint information, including multiple waypoints that constitute the planned route, to the ship's automatic steering system 11. The commands to the ship's automatic steering system 11 are transmitted using HTC (Heading / track control command) sentences, a format defined by the IEC standard. In addition, the route planning device 10 transmits waypoint information to the ship's automatic steering system 11 using Proprietary sentences, which can be newly defined in a format different from Approved sentences, a predefined format for data communication. 【0020】 Since both the planned route and the interrupted route are transmitted as waypoint information to the ship's automatic steering system 11 by the route planning device 10, conventional ship's automatic steering systems cannot distinguish between the planned route and the interrupted route. The ship's automatic steering system 1 according to this embodiment distinguishes between the planned route and the interrupted route, which is a modified planned route, through a processing operation described later. 【0021】 (Sending waypoint information) The transmission of waypoint information by the route planning device according to this embodiment will be briefly described. 【0022】 The route planning device 10 transmits waypoint information corresponding to the planned route and the position of the vessel 12 as a sentence to the ship's automatic steering system 11. In addition, if a new route is created while the vessel 12 is navigating the planned route, the route planning device 10 transmits waypoint information for this new route to the ship's automatic steering system 11. 【0023】 (Interrupt detection process) The interrupt detection process by the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the interrupt detection process according to this embodiment. 【0024】 As shown in Figure 3, first, the interrupt determination unit 101 determines whether or not new waypoint information different from the previous one has been received by the receiving unit 100, that is, whether or not the waypoint information has been updated (S201). 【0025】 If waypoint information is updated (S201, YES), the interrupt determination unit 101 determines whether the route indicated by the updated waypoint information is the same as the route indicated by the waypoint information immediately before the update (S202). Here, the interrupt determination unit 101 determines whether TO-waypoint, which is one of the waypoint information immediately before the update, and FROM-waypoint, which is one of the updated waypoint information, are the same. FROM-waypoint indicates the first waypoint in the updated waypoint information. TO-waypoint indicates the second waypoint in the previously received waypoint information, i.e., the waypoint information immediately before the update. 【0026】 Furthermore, the interrupt determination unit 101 can improve the reliability of its determination by sequentially combining and comparing multiple waypoints obtained by removing the first waypoint from the waypoint information immediately before the update with multiple waypoints from the updated waypoint information. In this case, the interrupt determination unit 101 determines that the updated waypoint information and the waypoint information immediately before the update are the same route if they match for a set of multiple pre-configured combinations. 【0027】 If the route indicated by the updated waypoint information is the same as the route indicated by the waypoint information immediately before the update (S202, YES), the interrupt determination unit 101 determines that the updated waypoint information indicates the planned route (S203), the conventional processing is executed (S207), the reference signal generation processing by the reference signal generation unit 103 is executed (S204), and the interrupt determination processing for the current cycle is completed. The conventional processing calculates the position information of the ship 12 relative to the planned route from the reach amount, waypoint information and the ship 12. For details regarding the conventional processing, please refer to Non-Patent Literature 3. The reference signal generation processing will be described later. 【0028】 On the other hand, if the route shown in the updated waypoint information is not the same as the route shown in the waypoint information immediately before the update (S202, NO), the interrupt determination unit 101 determines that the updated waypoint information indicates an interrupt route (S205), the course change determination unit 102 executes the course change determination process (S206), the reference signal generation unit 103 executes the reference signal generation process (S204), and the interrupt determination process for the current cycle is completed. The course change determination process will be described later. 【0029】 Furthermore, if the waypoint information is not updated in step S201 (S201, NO), the interrupt detection process for the current cycle is terminated. 【0030】 Thus, the interrupt detection process allows for the determination of whether the waypoint information indicates the same route by comparing FROM-waypoint, one of the updated waypoint information entries, with TO-waypoint, one of the waypoint information entries immediately before the update. 【0031】 (Curve change detection process) The course change determination process by the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the course change determination process according to this embodiment. 【0032】 As shown in Figure 4, first the course change determination unit 102 acquires the current reference bearing and the bearing of the first leg in the intervening route (S301). Here, the bearing of the first leg refers to the azimuth angle between true north and the line connecting the FROM-waypoint and TO-waypoint in the intervening route. 【0033】 Next, the direction change determination unit 102 calculates the difference between the current reference direction and the direction of the first leg as the direction change amount (S302), and determines whether the direction change amount is less than a preset direction change threshold (S303). Here, the direction change threshold is set to a relatively small value, for example, 1 to 3 degrees. 【0034】 If the amount of change in direction is not less than the change in direction threshold (S303, NO), the change in direction determination unit 102 determines that the ship 12 should be controlled by changing direction (S304), and the change in direction determination process for the current period is terminated. 【0035】 On the other hand, if the amount of change in direction is less than the change in direction threshold (S303, YES), the change in direction determination unit 102 determines that the ship 12 should be controlled to maintain its direction (S305), and the change in direction determination process for the current period is terminated. 【0036】 (Reference signal generation process) The reference signal generation process by the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the reference signal generation process according to this embodiment. 【0037】 As shown in Figure 5, the reference signal generation unit 103 determines whether or not the ship 12 is controlled by changing course (S401). 【0038】 When the ship 12 is controlled by changing course (S401, YES), the reference signal generation unit 103 determines whether the ship 12 is under turning control, that is, whether the ship 12 is turning (S402). 【0039】 If the vessel 12 is turning (S402, YES), the reference signal generation unit 103 sets the parameters related to the course change conditions on which the current reference signal is based (course change amount, rudder angle, rudder speed, angular velocity, angular acceleration) to initial values ​​(S403), calculates the turning angular velocity based on the ground speed and turning radius (S404), constructs a trajectory plan based on the initial values, the turning angular velocity and hull parameters (S405), calculates a reference signal based on the trajectory plan (S406), and the reference signal generation process for the current period is completed. 【0040】 On the other hand, if the ship 12 is not turning (S402, NO), the reference signal generation unit 103 sets the amount of change in direction and sets initial values ​​other than the amount of change in direction to zero (S407), calculates the turning angular velocity (S404), constructs a trajectory plan (S405), calculates a reference signal based on the trajectory plan (S406), and the reference signal generation process for the current period is completed. 【0041】 Furthermore, in step S401, if the vessel 12 is not controlled by changing course (S401, NO), that is, if the vessel 12 is controlled by keeping course, the reference signal generation unit 103 sets the bearing of the first leg of the route (planned route or interrupted route) as the reference bearing, sets the feedforward rudder angle to zero (S408), and the reference signal generation process for the current period is completed. 【0042】 According to this reference signal generation process, when the receiving unit 100 receives an interrupted route, it can generate a reference signal that is continuous with the reference signal generated for the planned route by generating a reference signal based on the course change conditions on which the reference signal at the time of reception is based. For further details regarding the generation of reference signals, please refer to Non-Patent Document 3. 【0043】 (verification) The effectiveness of the automatic steering system for ships according to this embodiment will be verified by simulation. Figure 6 shows the planned route and the interrupted route in the first scenario. Figure 7 shows the simulation results based on the first scenario. Figure 8 shows the planned route and the interrupted route in the second scenario. Figure 9 shows the simulation results based on the second scenario. Figure 10 shows the track of the interrupted route based on the second scenario. Figure 11 shows the planned route and the interrupted route in the third scenario. Figure 12 shows the simulation results based on the third scenario. 【0044】 (Scenario 1) The first scenario shown in Figure 6 assumes a situation where an intervening route is established while the ship is maintaining its course, and Figure 7 shows the simulation results. From Figure 7, it can be seen that the heading changes from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, which is the position of the intervening route. Furthermore, the heading error and course error indicate that the ship is following the reference signal without deviating. 【0045】 Note that the route change resulted in a route error, which is due to the simulation environment. There was a discrepancy between the position coordinates of the ECDIS and the hull model used in the simulation, and this error was temporarily caused by a change in the reference standard. The error was corrected by feedback control and converged to zero before the turn. Furthermore, the oscillation of the heading error during the turn is due to the resolution of the heading received from the hull model. The amplitude is a maximum of 0.1 degrees, which is within the acceptable range. 【0046】 (Scenario 2) The second scenario, shown in Figure 8, assumes a situation where an intervening route is established during a turn, and Figure 9 shows the simulation results. From Figure 9, it can be confirmed that the target of 83.5 degrees is reached. It can be seen that the amount of course change and turning angular velocity change during the turn, and the reference signal corresponds to these changes. 【0047】 The error has increased because the reference point has been changed from the planned route to the interrupted route. This is due to the transient response caused by the creation of an interrupted route while navigating along the arc of WP1,2,3 (the planned route), resulting in a change of course to the heading of the first leg of T1,2,3. Figure 10 shows the track resulting from the route change. 【0048】 (Scenario 3) The third scenario, shown in Figure 11, assumes a situation where interrupting routes are set up consecutively, and Figure 12 shows the simulation results. In the third scenario, the following is performed: 【0049】 • Turning into intercepted lane 1 while maintaining course. • Turning from the turn in intercepted route 1 to the heading of the first leg of intercepted route 2 (P'→T1'). • While turning towards the heading of the 1st leg, turn towards the heading of the 1st leg of the intervening route 3 (P''→T1''). • Turning in intercepted route 3 (T1'',2'',3''). 【0050】 After three course changes due to the interrupted route, the target of 59 degrees was reached with conventional control turning. It was confirmed that the reference signal can also handle continuous turning. Each time the reference reference changes due to the interrupted route, the heading error and course error change. From P'' to T1'', since point P is close to the reference course, the course error approaches zero momentarily but gradually moves away, converging to zero during the turns at T1'', T2'', and T3''. 【0051】 The embodiments of the present invention are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols] 【0052】 1. Automatic steering system for ships 10. Route planning device 11. Automatic steering systems for ships 100 Receiver 101 Interrupt judgment section 102 Needle change detection unit 103 Reference signal generation section 104 Feedback Control Unit 105 Feedforward Control Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] An automatic steering system for ships that controls a ship based on a planned route set by a route planning device, A receiving unit that receives waypoint information, including a plurality of waypoints that constitute the planned route, from the route planning device, An interruption determination unit determines whether the route indicated by the new waypoint information is an interruption route, which is a route different from the planned route indicated by the old waypoint information, based on a comparison between at least one waypoint included in the old waypoint information previously received by the receiving unit and at least one waypoint included in the new waypoint information newly received by the receiving unit. A ship's automatic steering system equipped with the following features. [Claim 2] The automatic steering system for ships according to claim 1, characterized in that the interruption determination unit determines that the route indicated by the new waypoint information is the interrupt route if the second waypoint included in the old waypoint information does not match the first waypoint included in the new waypoint information. [Claim 3] The interruption determination unit further compares the third waypoint included in the old waypoint information with the second waypoint included in the new waypoint information, and determines that the route indicated by the new waypoint information is the interrupt route if the second waypoint included in the old waypoint information does not match the first waypoint included in the new waypoint information, or if the third waypoint included in the old waypoint information does not match the second waypoint included in the new waypoint information. This is the case of the automatic steering system for ships according to claim 2. [Claim 4] The automatic steering system for ships according to claim 1, further comprising a course change determination unit which determines that the course indicated by the new waypoint information is an interrupted course, and that the amount of course change, which is the difference between the current reference bearing and the bearing of the first leg of the interrupted course, is less than a preset course change threshold, and determines that the ship should be controlled to maintain its course. [Claim 5] The aforementioned ship's automatic steering system is, A reference signal generation unit generates a reference signal, which is time-series data of a reference bearing, based on the planned route set by the aforementioned route planning device. A feedback control unit that outputs a feedback rudder angle to make the ship's heading follow the reference heading, The system further comprises a feedforward control unit that outputs a feedforward rudder angle with the aforementioned reference direction as input, The course change determination unit determines that if the amount of course change is equal to or greater than the course change threshold, the vessel should be controlled by changing course. The automatic steering system for ships according to claim 4, characterized in that when the course change determination unit determines that the ship should be controlled by changing course, the reference signal generation unit calculates a new reference signal based on a trajectory plan calculated based on parameters relating to the course change conditions on which the current reference signal is based. [Claim 6] A ship's automatic steering system comprising a route planning device for setting a planned route and a ship's automatic steering device for controlling a ship based on the planned route, The route planning device transmits waypoint information, including a plurality of waypoints that constitute the planned route, to the ship's automatic steering system. The aforementioned ship's automatic steering system is, A receiving unit that receives the waypoint information from the route planning device, An automatic steering system for ships, comprising: an interruption determination unit that determines whether the route indicated by the new waypoint information is an interruption route, which is a route different from the planned route indicated by the old waypoint information, based on a comparison between at least one waypoint included in the old waypoint information previously received by the receiving unit and at least one waypoint included in the new waypoint information newly received by the receiving unit.

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