Ship control systems and ships

Abstract

There is room to simplify the configuration of ship control systems. [Solution] The ship control system controls the ship. The ship control system comprises a ship propulsion system and an operating device. The ship propulsion system has an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The operating device receives operations. The operating device outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation. The first controller switches between a first maneuvering mode in which the drive of the electric motor is controlled based on the operation signal, and a second maneuvering mode in which the drive of the electric motor is controlled based on an automatic control signal that automatically directs the ship to a target position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a ship control system and a ship.

Background Art

[0002] Known ship control systems include an outboard motor and a remote control lever. The outboard motor has an engine that generates power and an engine ECU that controls the engine. The ship control system further includes a remote control ECU. In a control mode for ship operation using the remote control lever, the remote control ECU gives a propulsion force command corresponding to an operation position signal generated by the remote control unit to the engine ECU. In a control mode for ship operation that does not depend on the operation of the remote control lever (for example, automatic ship operation), the remote control ECU sends a propulsion force command generated by the main controller to the engine ECU (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is room to simplify the configuration of the ship control system.

[0005] This specification discloses a technology capable of solving the above - mentioned problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized, for example, in the following forms.

[0007] (1) The ship control system disclosed herein controls a ship. The ship control system comprises a ship propulsion system and an operating device. The ship propulsion system has an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The operating device receives an operation. The operating device outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation. The first controller switches between a first maneuvering mode in which the drive of the electric motor is controlled based on the operation signal and a second maneuvering mode in which the drive of the electric motor is controlled based on an automatic control signal that automatically directs the ship to a target position. With this ship control system, the configuration of the ship control system is simplified because the method of controlling the electric motor, whether by an operation signal or an automatic control signal, can be changed by switching modes of the first controller.

[0008] (2) In the above ship control system, the first controller may receive information on the current position of the ship and the target position and generate the automatic control signal. With this configuration, the automatic control signal can be generated by the first controller, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0009] (3) In the above ship control system, the automatic control signal may include a throttle request value, and the first controller may control the rotational speed of the electric motor based on the throttle request value. With this configuration, the automatic control signal can be generated by the first controller, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0010] (4) In the above ship control system, when the first controller switches from the first ship control mode to the second ship control mode, the throttle request value may be the minimum of a first value which is the throttle request value immediately before switching from the first ship control mode to the second ship control mode, and a second value which is a throttle request value predetermined for use in the second ship control mode. With this configuration, the first controller can generate an automatic control signal, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0011] (5) In the above ship control system, the first controller may set the throttle request value to 0 when the ship reaches the target position. With this configuration, the first controller can generate an automatic control signal, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0012] (6) In the above ship control system, the automatic control signal may include a shift request value, and the first controller may control the shift of the electric motor based on the shift request value. With this configuration, the automatic control signal can be generated by the first controller, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0013] (7) In the above ship control system, the first controller may set the shift request value to neutral when the ship reaches the target position. With this configuration, the first controller can generate an automatic control signal, thus simplifying the configuration of the ship control system.

[0014] (8) The above ship control system may further include a second controller that controls the overall operation of the ship, and the second controller may transmit a signal to the first controller requesting a switch from the first ship operation mode to the second ship operation mode. With this configuration, the configuration of the ship control system is simplified because the first controller can change whether to control the electric motor with an operation signal or an automatic control signal by switching modes.

[0015] (9) In the above ship control system, in the first ship operation mode, the first controller may receive the operation signal output from the operating device via the second controller. With this configuration, the configuration of the ship control system is simplified because the first controller can change whether to control the electric motor with an operation signal or an automatic control signal by switching modes.

[0016] (10) In the above ship control system, the first controller and the second controller may be connected to each other by CAN communication. With this configuration, the configuration of the ship control system is simplified because the first controller can change whether to control the electric motor with an operation signal or an automatic control signal by switching modes.

[0017] (11) A vessel disclosed herein comprises a hull and a ship control system as described in any one of (1) to (10) above. With this vessel, the configuration of the ship control system in the vessel is simplified because the control of the electric motor by operation signals or automatic control signals can be changed by switching the mode of the first controller.

[0018] (12) Other ship control systems disclosed herein control a ship. The ship control system includes a ship propulsion system. The ship propulsion system includes an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The first controller generates an automatic control signal that automatically directs the ship to a target position and controls the drive of the electric motor based on the automatic control signal. With this ship control system, the configuration of the ship control system is simplified because the automatic control signal can be generated by the first controller.

[0019] Furthermore, the technologies disclosed herein can be implemented in various forms, for example, in the form of a ship control system, a ship equipped with a ship control system, and so on. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The technology disclosed herein simplifies the configuration of ship control systems. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] A schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the ship. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the configuration of a ship's control system. [Figure 3] Side view showing the configuration of the electric propulsion motor [Figure 4] Top view showing the configuration of the electric propulsion motor [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the drive unit [Figure 6] Flowchart showing the operation of the ship control system in automatic ship steering [Figure 7] Explanatory drawing showing an overview of automatic ship steering

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a ship 10. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a ship control system 10S in the ship 10. In FIG. 1 and other drawings described later, arrows indicating respective directions based on the position of the ship 10 may be shown. Specifically, in each figure, arrows indicating FRONT (front), REAR (rear), LEFT (left), RIGHT (right), UPPER (upper), and LOWER (lower) may be shown. The front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction (vertical direction) are directions orthogonal to each other. Each component included in the ship control system 10S is communicably connected to each other by CAN (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0023] The ship 10 includes a hull 200 and an electric propulsion motor 100. The electric propulsion motor 100 is an example of a ship propulsion motor.

[0024] The hull 200 is a part where an operator (crew) boards the ship 10. The hull 200 has a hull main body 210, a cockpit 220, an operation device 230, a display device 260, a display control device 262, an input device 270, a BCU 300, a GPS 310, and a battery 320. The BCU 300 is an example of a second controller.

[0025] A living space 212 is formed in the main hull section 210. The cockpit 220 is located in the living space 212. The hull 200 further includes a partition wall 214 and a transom 216. The partition wall 214 demarcates the rear side of the living space 212. The transom 216 is located at the rear end of the hull 200. In the longitudinal direction, a space 215 exists between the transom 216 and the partition wall 214.

[0026] The control device 230 is a device for maneuvering the vessel. The control device 230 receives input from the operator. The control device 230 outputs control signals corresponding to the operator's input. The control device 230 is installed near the cockpit 220. The control device 230 includes a steering wheel 232, a shift / throttle lever 240, and a joystick unit 250.

[0027] The steering wheel 232 is a device for steering the vessel 10. The shift / throttle lever 240 is a device for shifting gears and changing the thrust of the vessel 10. The joystick unit 250 is a device for steering, shifting gears, and changing the thrust of the vessel 10.

[0028] The display device 260 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various images (such as operation images) related to the ship 10. The display control device 262 controls the display of the display device 260. The input device 270 is, for example, a button for changing the ship's operating mode.

[0029] The Boat Control Unit (BCU) 300 controls the overall operation of the ship 10 based on signals transmitted from, for example, the various components of the ship control system 10S. The BCU 300 includes, for example, a CPU, a multi-core CPU, and programmable devices (such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Programmable Logic Device (PLD)).

[0030] The GPS (Global Positioning System) 310 is a device that uses signals received from satellites to determine the current position of the ship 10. The battery 320 is an energy storage device. The battery 320 supplies power to the electric motor 134 and the input device 270, which will be described later.

[0031] Figure 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the electric propulsion system 100. Figure 4 is a top view showing the configuration of the electric propulsion system 100. The electric propulsion system 100 is a device that generates thrust to propel the ship 10. The electric propulsion system 100 is an electric propulsion system driven by an electric motor. The electric propulsion system 100 in this embodiment is an outboard motor. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the electric propulsion system 100 in the reference position will be described. The reference position is the position of the electric propulsion system 100 when the ship 10 is underway (the position shown in Figures 1 and 3), and is the position in which the propeller rotation axis L of the propeller 132, which will be described later, extends in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions are each determined based on the electric propulsion system 100 in the reference position.

[0032] The electric propulsion system 100 is mounted on the transom 216 located at the rear (stern) of the hull 200 (see Figure 1). The electric propulsion system 100 comprises a propulsion unit 101 and a suspension system 102.

[0033] The thruster body 101 includes a cowl 110, a middle housing 150, a lower housing 120, a steering device 152 (see Figure 2), a duct 122, a drive unit 130, an MCU 139 (see Figure 2), and an SCU 154 (see Figure 2). The MCU 139 is an example of a first controller.

[0034] The cowl 110 is located on top of the electric propulsion system 100. The cowl 110 is a cover that houses various wiring and other components. The cowl 110 has an upper cover 110U, a left cover 110L, and a right cover 110R. The left cover 110L is located on the port side of the propulsion system body 101. The right cover 110R is located on the starboard side of the propulsion system body 101. The left cover 110L and the right cover 110R are positioned opposite each other in the horizontal direction (left-right direction). The upper cover 110U is located above the left cover 110L and the right cover 110R. The upper cover 110U covers the upper part of the left cover 110L and the upper part of the right cover 110R, respectively.

[0035] The middle housing 150 is located below the cowl 110 of the electric propulsion system 100. The middle housing 150 is a cover that houses the steering device 152, SCU 154, various wiring, etc.

[0036] The lower housing 120 is located below the middle housing 150 in the electric propulsion system 100. The lower housing 120 is a cover that houses the MCU 139, various wiring, etc. The lower housing 120 is rotatably mounted to the middle housing 150 around an axis that is aligned vertically.

[0037] The steering device 152 is a device that controls the rudder angle of the vessel 10. The steering device 152 is housed in the middle housing 150. The steering device 152 includes, for example, an electric motor (not shown) and a steering shaft (not shown) extending in the vertical direction. When the rudder angle is changed by the steering device 152, for example, the electric motor rotates the steering shaft. As the steering shaft rotates, the lower housing 120 connected to the steering shaft and the drive unit 130 connected to the lower housing 120 rotate around an axis along the vertical direction. This changes the rudder angle of the vessel 10.

[0038] The duct 122 is located below the lower housing 120 of the electric propulsion system 100. The duct 122 is a tubular body extending in the longitudinal direction. In the reference posture, the duct 122 is positioned lower than the water surface W (see Figure 3). The drive unit 130 is located radially inside the duct 122. A stator fin 133 and a bearing 135 are provided radially inside the duct 122 (see Figure 3). The bearing 135 supports the propeller 132, described later, so that it can rotate around the propeller rotation axis L. The stator fin 133 has multiple (e.g., three) fins. The multiple fins are arranged radially around the bearing 135. The multiple fins are arranged at equal intervals around the propeller rotation axis L. The multiple fins are fixed to the duct 122. Multiple fins are positioned behind the propeller 132, protruding rearward from the duct 122 (see Figures 1 and 3).

[0039] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the drive unit 130. The drive unit 130 generates thrust to propel the ship 10. The drive unit 130 includes a propeller 132 and an electric motor 134.

[0040] The propeller 132 is a rotating body having multiple blades. The propeller 132 generates thrust by rotating. The propeller 132 is located radially inward of the duct 122. The propeller 132 is rotatable around a propeller rotation axis L that is parallel to the horizontal direction. The propeller rotation axis L is parallel to the central axis of the duct 122. The propeller 132 is completely covered by the duct 122.

[0041] The electric motor 134 rotates the propeller 132. The electric motor 134 includes a rotor 136 and a stator 138.

[0042] The rotor 136 is a tubular body extending in the longitudinal direction. The rotor 136 is rotatably supported relative to the duct 122. The rotor 136 rotates around the propeller rotation axis L relative to the stator 138. The propeller 132 is positioned radially inward of the rotor 136. The propeller 132 is fixed to the rotor 136. The propeller 132 rotates together with the rotor 136. The rotor 136 includes a plurality of permanent magnets 140. In Figure 5, only one of the plurality of permanent magnets 140 is referenced, and the reference numerals for the other permanent magnets 140 are omitted. The plurality of permanent magnets 140 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotor 136.

[0043] The stator 138 is a tubular body extending in the front-rear direction. The stator 138 is located radially outward from the rotor 136. The stator 138 is located on the same axis as the rotor 136. The stator 138 is fixed to the duct 122. The stator 138 includes a plurality of coils 142. In Figure 5, only one of the coils 142 is referenced, and the reference numerals for the other coils 142 are omitted. The plurality of coils 142 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the stator 138.

[0044] When multiple coils 142 are energized, an electromagnetic force is generated that rotates the rotor 136. With this configuration, the propeller 132 generates forward thrust when the rotor 136 of the electric motor 134 rotates in the forward direction, and backward thrust when the rotor 136 of the electric motor 134 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0045] The Motor Control Unit (MCU) 139 controls the drive of the electric motor 134. The MCU 139 includes, for example, a CPU, a multi-core CPU, and a programmable device (Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), etc.). The MCU 139 is housed in the lower housing 120.

[0046] The Steering Control Unit (SCU) 154 controls the operation of the steering device 152. The SCU 154 includes, for example, a CPU, a multi-core CPU, and programmable devices (such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Programmable Logic Device (PLD)). The SCU 154 is housed in a middle housing 150.

[0047] The suspension device 102 is a device that suspends the propulsion unit 101 from the hull 200. The suspension device 102 includes a tilt shaft 104, a pair of left and right clamp brackets 106, and a connecting bracket 109.

[0048] A pair of left and right clamp brackets 106 are positioned at the rear of the hull 200, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. Each clamp bracket 106 is fixed to the transom 216 of the hull 200, for example, by bolts. Each clamp bracket 106 has a cylindrical support portion 107 with a through hole extending in the left-right direction.

[0049] The tilt shaft 104 is a rod-shaped member. The tilt shaft 104 is rotatably supported within the through-hole of the support portion 107 of the clamp bracket 106. The tilt axis line At, which is the center line of the tilt shaft 104, is the horizontal (left-right) axis in the tilting motion of the electric thruster 100.

[0050] The connecting bracket 109 is positioned so as to be sandwiched between a pair of clamp brackets 106 in the left-right direction. The connecting bracket 109 is supported by the support portion 107 of the clamp bracket 106 via the tilt shaft 104 so as to be rotatable around the tilt axis At. The connecting bracket 109 is rotationally driven around the tilt axis At relative to the clamp bracket 106 by a tilt device (not shown) including an actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder.

[0051] When the connecting bracket 109 rotates around the tilt axis At relative to the clamp bracket 106, the propulsion unit body 101 fixed to the connecting bracket 109 also rotates around the tilt axis At. This enables a tilt operation that rotates the propulsion unit body 101 vertically relative to the hull 200. The tilt operation of the electric propulsion unit 100 changes the angle of the propulsion unit body 101 around the tilt axis At within a range from a tilt-down state where the propeller 132 is located in the water (the state in which the electric propulsion unit 100 is in its standard position: shown in Figure 3) to a tilt-up state where the propeller 132 is located above the water surface W. The tilt operation of the electric propulsion unit 100 also performs a trim operation to adjust the attitude of the ship 10 while it is running by adjusting the angle of the propulsion unit body 101 around the tilt axis At.

[0052] The operation of the ship control system 10S of this embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ship control system 10S in automatic ship operation. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of automatic ship operation. The ship 10 of this embodiment can switch between normal ship operation and automatic ship operation. Normal ship operation is a ship operation method in which the electric motor 134 and steering device 152 operate based on operation signals output in response to operations made to the operating device 230. Automatic ship operation is a ship operation method in which the electric motor 134 and steering device 152 operate automatically by the action of the MCU 139, BCU 300, etc., without operation signals. Hereafter, the operation of the ship control system 10S in deceleration control, which automatically directs the ship 10 towards the target position DP and stops the ship 10 at the target position DP, will be described in particular (see Figure 7).

[0053] First, the BCU300 sends a signal to the MCU139 requesting a switch from normal operation mode to automatic operation mode (S110). When switching from normal operation to automatic operation, the operator operates, for example, the input device 270. The BCU300 recognizes that the operator has requested a switch to automatic operation mode by communicating with the input device 270. The BCU300 then sends a signal to the MCU139 requesting a switch from normal operation mode to automatic operation mode. In other words, the MCU139 in this embodiment switches between normal operation mode and automatic operation mode. In normal operation mode, the MCU139 receives operation signals output from the control device 230 via the BCU300 and controls the drive of the electric motor 134 based on the operation signals. In automatic operation mode, the MCU139 controls the drive of the electric motor 134 based on an automatic control signal that automatically directs the vessel 10 towards the target position DP. Normal operation mode is an example of a first operation mode. The autopilot mode is an example of a second-mode operation.

[0054] Next, the MCU 139 generates an automatic control signal and controls the electric motor 134 based on the automatic control signal (S120). When the MCU 139 switches to automatic navigation mode, it receives information on the current position CP and target position DP of the ship 10 from the GPS 310. The MCU 139 generates an automatic control signal based on the information on the current position CP and target position DP of the ship 10.

[0055] The automatic control signal specifically includes a throttle request value and a shift request value. The throttle request value means the target value of the throttle in the electric motor 134. The throttle request value is determined, for example, as follows: When the MCU 139 switches from normal steering mode to automatic steering mode, it sets the throttle request value to the minimum of a first value, which is the throttle request value immediately before switching from normal steering mode to automatic steering mode, and a second value, which is a predetermined throttle request value used in automatic steering mode. The MCU 139 controls the rotational speed of the electric motor 134 based on the throttle request value determined as described above. The shift request value means the shift state required of the electric motor 134. The shift state is, for example, forward, neutral, or reverse. The MCU 139 controls the shift of the electric motor 134 based on the shift request value determined based on the current position CP and target position DP of the ship 10. The MCU139 controls the rotational speed and shift of the electric motor 134 as described above, thereby propelling the ship 10.

[0056] In automated navigation, the BCU300 determines whether the vessel 10 has reached the target position DP based on the current position CP information received from the GPS310 (S130). When the vessel 10 reaches the target position DP, the BCU300 sends a deceleration stop request to the MCU139. The MCU139 then receives the deceleration stop request from the MCU139 and stops the vessel 10 (S140). Specifically, when the vessel 10 reaches the target position DP, the MCU139 sets the throttle request value to 0 (zero). When the vessel 10 reaches the target position DP, the MCU139 sets the shift request value to neutral. As a result, the drive of the electric motor 134 stops, and the vessel 10 stops at the target position DP. Until the vessel 10 reaches the target position DP, the MCU139 continues to control the drive of the electric motor 134 based on the automatic control signal.

[0057] As described above, the ship control system 10S of this embodiment controls the ship 10. The ship control system 10S comprises an electric propulsion system 100 and an operating device 230. The electric propulsion system 100 has an electric motor 134 and an MCU 139 that controls the drive of the electric motor 134. The operating device 230 receives operations. The operating device 230 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation. The MCU 139 switches between a normal operation mode in which the drive of the electric motor 134 is controlled based on the operation signal, and an automatic operation mode in which the drive of the electric motor 134 is controlled based on an automatic control signal that automatically directs the ship 10 towards the target position DP. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the mode of the MCU 139 can be changed to determine whether the electric motor is controlled by an operation signal or an automatic control signal.

[0058] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 receives information on the current position CP and target position DP of the ship 10 and generates an automatic control signal. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate the automatic control signal.

[0059] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the automatic control signal includes a throttle request value, and the MCU 139 controls the rotational speed of the electric motor 134 based on the throttle request value. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate the automatic control signal.

[0060] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, when the MCU 139 switches from normal operation mode to automatic operation mode, it sets the throttle request value to the minimum of a first value, which is the throttle request value immediately before switching from normal operation mode to automatic operation mode, and a second value, which is a throttle request value predetermined for use in automatic operation mode. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate an automatic control signal.

[0061] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 sets the throttle request value to 0 when the ship 10 reaches the target position DP. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate automatic control signals.

[0062] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the automatic control signal includes a shift request value, and the MCU 139 controls the shift of the electric motor 134 based on the shift request value. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate the automatic control signal.

[0063] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 sets the shift request value to neutral when the ship 10 reaches the target position DP. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate automatic control signals.

[0064] The ship control system 10S of this embodiment further includes a BCU 300 that controls the overall operation of the ship 10, and the BCU 300 transmits a signal to the MCU 139 requesting a switch from normal operation mode to automatic operation mode. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the mode switching of the MCU 139 can change whether the electric motor is controlled by an operation signal or an automatic control signal.

[0065] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, in the normal operation mode, the MCU 139 receives the operation signal output from the operating device 230 via the BCU 300. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the mode of the MCU 139 can be changed to determine whether the electric motor is controlled by the operation signal or the automatic control signal.

[0066] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU139 and BCU300 are connected to each other via CAN communication. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the mode of the MCU139 can be changed to determine whether the electric motor is controlled by an operation signal or an automatic control signal.

[0067] The vessel 10 of this embodiment comprises a hull 200 and a vessel control system 10S. According to the vessel 10 of this embodiment, the configuration of the vessel control system 10S in the vessel 10 is simplified because the control of the electric motor by operation signals or automatic control signals can be changed by switching the mode of the MCU 139.

[0068] The ship control system 10S of this embodiment controls the ship 10. The ship control system 10S includes an electric propulsion system 100. The electric propulsion system 100 includes an electric motor 134 and an MCU 139 that controls the drive of the electric motor 134. The MCU 139 generates an automatic control signal that directs the ship 10 toward a target position DP and controls the drive of the electric motor 134 based on the automatic control signal. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the configuration of the ship control system 10S is simplified because the MCU 139 can generate the automatic control signal.

[0069] (modified version) The technologies disclosed herein are not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified in various forms without departing from their essence, for example, the following modifications are possible.

[0070] The configurations of the ship 10, ship control system 10S, and electric propulsion system 100 in the above embodiment are merely examples and can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, an electric propulsion system 100, which is an outboard motor, is given as an example of a ship's propulsion system, but the ship's propulsion system may be an inboard motor, an inboard / outboard motor, a jet propulsion system, etc.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the electric propulsion system 100 has only an electric motor as a drive source, but the ship's propulsion system may be a hybrid type that has an engine in addition to the electric motor.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the operating device 230 has a shift / throttle lever 240 and a joystick unit 250, but the operating device only needs to have either the shift / throttle lever or the joystick unit. The operating device does not necessarily have to be a shift / throttle lever or a joystick unit.

[0073] The method for determining the throttle request value is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0074] In the above embodiment, each component of the ship control system 10S is connected to each other via CAN communication, but the system is not necessarily limited to this. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10: Ship 10S: Ship control system 100: Electric propulsion 101: Propulsion unit 102: Suspension system 104: Tilt shaft 106: Clamp bracket 107: Support part 109: Connection bracket 110: Cowl 120: Lower housing 122: Duct 130: Drive unit 132: Propeller 133: Stator fins 134: Electric motor 135: Bearing 136: Rotor 138: Stator 139: MCU 140: Permanent magnet 142: Coil 150: Middle housing 152: Steering gear 154: SCU 200: Hull 210: Main hull section 220: Cockpit 230: Control devices 232: Steering wheel 240: Shift / throttle lever 250: Joystick unit 260: Display device 262: Display control device 270: Input device 300: BCU 310: GPS 320: Battery CP: Current location DP: Target location W: Water surface

Claims

1. A ship control system for controlling a ship, A ship propulsion system having an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor, An operating device that accepts operations, and an operating device that outputs an operation signal corresponding to the said operation, Equipped with, The first controller is, A first steering mode that controls the drive of the electric motor based on the aforementioned operation signal, A ship control system that switches between a second ship handling mode, which controls the drive of the electric motor based on an automatic control signal that automatically directs the ship to a target position, and a second ship handling mode.

2. A ship control system according to claim 1, The first controller is a ship control system that receives information on the current position of the ship and the target position, and generates the automatic control signal.

3. A ship control system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The automatic control signal includes a throttle request value, The first controller is a ship control system that controls the rotational speed of the electric motor based on the throttle request value.

4. A ship control system according to claim 3, The first controller is a ship control system that, when switching from the first ship control mode to the second ship control mode, sets the throttle request value to the minimum of a first value, which is the throttle request value immediately before switching from the first ship control mode to the second ship control mode, and a second value, which is a throttle request value predetermined for use in the second ship control mode.

5. A ship control system according to claim 3 or claim 4, The first controller is a ship control system that sets the throttle request value to 0 when the ship reaches the target position.

6. A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The automatic control signal includes a shift request value, The first controller is a ship control system that controls the shift of the electric motor based on the shift request value.

7. A ship control system according to claim 6, The first controller is a ship control system that sets the shift request value to neutral when the ship reaches the target position.

8. A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further, The vessel is equipped with a second controller that controls the overall operation of the vessel, A ship control system in which the second controller transmits a signal to the first controller requesting a switch from the first ship operation mode to the second ship operation mode.

9. A ship control system according to claim 8, In the first mode of operation, the first controller receives the operation signal output from the operating device via the second controller, in a ship control system.

10. A ship control system according to claim 8 or claim 9, A ship control system in which the first controller and the second controller are connected to each other via CAN communication.

11. The hull and, A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, A ship equipped with these features.

12. A ship control system for controlling a ship, The ship's propulsion system includes an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The first controller generates an automatic control signal to automatically direct the ship to a target position, and controls the drive of the electric motor based on the automatic control signal, making it a ship control system.

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