Ship control systems and ships

Abstract

There is room to reduce the number of parts in ship control systems. [Solution] The ship control system controls the ship. The ship control system comprises a ship propulsion system and a specific device. The ship propulsion system has an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The specific device is communicatively connected to the first controller. The first controller performs specific processing other than drive control of the electric motor based on information transmitted from the specific device.

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 a ship propulsion unit. The ship propulsion unit has an electric motor and an MCU that controls the electric motor (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 reduce the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0005] This specification discloses a technology capable of solving the above 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 a locating device. The ship propulsion system has an electric motor and a first controller that controls the drive of the electric motor. The locating device is communicably connected to the first controller. The first controller performs locating processing other than drive control of the electric motor based on information transmitted from the locating device. With this ship control system, the number of parts in the ship control system is reduced because the first controller performs locating processing as well as drive control of the electric motor.

[0008] (2) In the above ship control system, the first controller may transmit the information generated in the specific processing to an external device of the ship's propulsion system. With this configuration, the number of parts in the ship control system is reduced because the first controller performs not only drive control of the electric motor but also specific processing.

[0009] (3) The above ship control system further includes a joystick unit having a joystick, which outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the joystick, and the joystick unit may transmit the operation signal directly to the ship's propulsion system. With this configuration, since the joystick unit transmits the operation signal directly to the ship's propulsion system, there is no need for another controller to connect the joystick unit and the ship's propulsion system, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0010] (4) The ship control system further comprises a joystick unit having a joystick, which outputs an operation signal corresponding to an operation performed on the joystick, the identification device is a transmitter that transmits the operation signal to the first controller, the information transmitted from the identification device is information on the amount of operation of the joystick, and the identification process is a determination process to determine whether the joystick is in a specific position. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also performs a determination process to determine whether the joystick is in a specific position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0011] (5) In the above ship control system, the specific processing may be a determination process to determine whether the joystick is in the neutral position. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also determines whether the joystick is in the neutral position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0012] (6) In the above ship control system, the first controller may determine that the joystick is in the neutral position when the operating amount is less than a threshold, and may determine that the joystick is out of the neutral position when the operating amount is greater than or equal to the threshold. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also determines whether the joystick is in the neutral position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0013] (7) In the above-described ship control system, the first controller may complete the start of the ship when the operator of the ship is in the neutral position, and may cancel the start of the ship when the joystick is out of the neutral position. This configuration prevents the ship from starting against the operator's intention and ensures safety regarding the start of the ship.

[0014] (8) In the above-described ship control system, the ship control system is provided with a plurality of joysticks as the specified device, and the first controller may cancel the start of the ship when at least one of the plurality of joysticks is out of the neutral position. With this configuration, the ship is prevented from starting against the operator's intention, and safety regarding the start of the ship is ensured.

[0015] (9) The above ship control system further includes a steering device for controlling the rudder angle of the ship, the specific device is a second controller that controls the operation of the steering device, the information transmitted from the specific device is information related to the control of the steering device, and the specific process may be a process that transmits the information received from the second controller, together with the information from the first controller, to an external controller located outside the ship's propulsion system. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also transmits the information received from the second controller to the external controller, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0016] (10) In the above ship control system, in the specific processing, the first controller may overwrite the information of the first controller that is common with the information transmitted from the second controller with the information transmitted from the second controller, and transmit it to the external controller at the source address of the first controller. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also processes the transmission of information received from the second controller to the external controller, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0017] (11) The above ship control system may further include a display device, and the external controller may display the information transmitted from the first controller on the display device. With this configuration, the first controller not only controls the drive of the electric motor but also processes the transmission of information received from the second controller to the external controller, thereby reducing the number of components in the ship control system.

[0018] (12) The above ship control system may further include electrical equipment, and the specified processing may be a control processing for the power supply to the electrical equipment. With this configuration, the first controller performs not only drive control of the electric motor but also control processing for the power supply to the electrical equipment, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system.

[0019] (13) In the above ship control system, the electrical equipment may be an LED. With this configuration, the first controller controls not only the drive of the electric motor but also the power supply to the LED, thus reducing the number of components in the ship control system.

[0020] (14) The above ship control system further includes a display device, wherein the specific device is a third controller that controls the display of the display device, and the information transmitted from the specific device may be brightness information of the LED. With this configuration, the first controller controls not only the drive control of the electric motor but also the power supply control process to the LED, thus reducing the number of components in the ship control system.

[0021] (15) The vessel disclosed herein comprises a hull and a ship control system as described in any one of (1) to (14) above. With this vessel, the first controller provided in the ship control system performs not only drive control of the electric motor but also specific processing, thereby reducing the number of parts in the ship control system on the vessel.

[0022] Note that the technology disclosed in this specification can be realized in various forms, for example, in the form of a ship control system, a ship equipped with a ship control system, etc.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the technology disclosed by this specification, since the first controller performs not only drive control of the electric motor but also specific processing, the number of parts of the ship control system is reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] Perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a ship according to the first embodiment [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the configuration of a ship control system in a ship [Figure 3] Side view showing the configuration of an electric propulsion unit [Figure 4] Top view showing the configuration of an electric propulsion unit [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drive unit [Figure 6] Explanatory diagram showing the detailed configuration of a joystick unit [Figure 7] Flowchart showing the flow of neutral determination processing [Figure 8] Side view schematically showing the configuration of a ship according to the second embodiment

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the vessel 10 of the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ship control system 10S in the vessel 10. Figure 1 and other drawings described later may show arrows representing directions relative to the position of the vessel 10. Specifically, each figure may show arrows representing forward (FRONT), rear (REAR), left (LEFT), right (RIGHT), up (UPPER), and down (LOWER). The forward / backward direction, left / right direction, and up / down direction (vertical direction) are all orthogonal to each other. Each component of the ship control system 10S is connected to each other in a communicative manner, for example, by CAN (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0026] The vessel 10 comprises a hull 200 and an electric propulsion system 100. The electric propulsion system 100 is an example of a ship propulsion system.

[0027] The hull 200 is the part of the vessel 10 where the operator (crew) is seated. The hull 200 includes the main hull section 210, the cockpit 220, the control device 230, the display device 260, the display control device 262, the input device 270, the BCU 300, the GPS 310, and the battery 320. The display control device 262 is an example of a third controller.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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 thrust on the vessel 10. The joystick unit 250 is a device for steering, shifting gears, and changing thrust on the vessel 10. The detailed configuration of the joystick unit 250 will be described later.

[0031] The display device 260 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various images (operational images, etc.) 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. The input device 270 includes an LED (Light-emitting Diode).

[0032] 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)).

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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. The SCU 154 is an example of a second controller.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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).

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The electric motor 134 rotates the propeller 132. The electric motor 134 includes a rotor 136 and a stator 138.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the detailed configuration of the joystick unit 250. The joystick unit 250 includes a joystick 252, a transmitter 254, a base 256, and a joystick sensor (not shown).

[0056] The joystick 252 is a rod-shaped object that receives input from the operator. The base 256 supports the joystick 252 so that it can be tilted and twisted. Figure 6 shows the joystick 252 in its default position. The default position is the position of the joystick 252 when it is not being operated by an operator. The joystick 252 can be tilted forward, backward, left, right, and diagonally from the default position. For example, the joystick 252 can be tilted between a position along axis AXn and a position along axis AXm (see Figure 6). Axis AXn is the axis of the joystick 252 when it is in the default position. Axis AXm is the axis of the joystick 252 when it is tilted to its maximum extent in any direction. The joystick 252 can be twisted clockwise and counterclockwise. The joystick 252 can also be tilted while twisting.

[0057] The joystick sensor detects the tilt direction, tilt amount, rotation direction, and rotation amount of the joystick 252 and outputs an operation signal. In other words, the joystick sensor outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the joystick 252. The transmitter 254 is a device that transmits the operation signal to an external device of the joystick unit 250. The transmitter 254 is communicatively connected to other devices provided in the ship control system 10S. In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the transmitter 254 of the joystick unit 250 directly transmits the operation signal to the MCU 139 and SCU 154 in the electric propulsion system 100. The MCU 139 controls the drive of the electric motor 134 in accordance with the operation signal received from the transmitter 254. The SCU 154 controls the steering device 152 in accordance with the operation signal received from the transmitter 254.

[0058] The operation of the ship control system 10S of this embodiment will now be described in detail. The ship control system 10S is a system that controls the ship 10. In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 performs specific processing other than drive control of the electric motor 134 based on information transmitted from a specific device that is communicably connected to the MCU 139. Specifically, the MCU 139 performs the following specific processing (1) to (3). (1) Determination process for whether the joystick 252 is in the neutral position. (2) The process of transmitting the information received from SCU154, along with the information from MCU139, to an external controller located outside the electric propulsion system 100. (3) Control processing for power supply to the LEDs included in the input device 270

[0059] The specific processing described in (1) above will now be explained. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the neutral position determination process. The neutral position determination process refers to the process of determining whether or not the joystick 252 is in the neutral position. Referring to Figure 7, the neutral position determination process of the joystick 252 performed by the MCU 139 of this embodiment will be explained.

[0060] First, the MCU139 receives the ON operation of the start switch (S110). The operator turns on the start switch (not shown) provided on the input device 270 in order to start the vessel 10. The MCU139 receives the notification that the start switch has been turned ON by communicating with the start switch.

[0061] Next, the MCU 139 determines whether the joystick 252 is in the neutral position (S120). The joystick sensor detects the amount of tilt and rotation of the joystick 252 at the time the start switch is turned ON. The transmitter 254 transmits the information on the amount of tilt and rotation of the joystick 252 detected by the joystick sensor to the MCU 139. The MCU 139 performs a determination process to determine whether the joystick 252 is in a specific position based on the information on the amount of tilt and rotation of the joystick 252. Specifically, the MCU 139 performs a determination process to determine whether the joystick 252 is in the neutral position based on the information on the amount of tilt and rotation of the joystick 252.

[0062] The MCU139 determines that the joystick 252 is in the neutral position when the tilt and rotation amounts are less than a threshold. The MCU139 determines that the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position when the tilt and rotation amounts are greater than or equal to the threshold. Any value can be set as the threshold. For example, for the tilt amount, the threshold may be 1 / 20th of the maximum tilt amount. In other words, if the inclination of axis AXm with respect to axis AXn is 100% (see Figure 6), the joystick 252 may be determined to be in the neutral position when its inclination is less than 5%.

[0063] When the operator of the vessel 10 starts the vessel 10, the MCU139 completes the start of the vessel 10 if the joystick 252 is in the neutral position (S130). Specifically, in the neutral determination process, the MCU139 generates a signal indicating that "the joystick 252 is in the neutral position." The MCU139 transmits this signal to the BCU300. Based on the signal received from the MCU139, the BCU300 completes the start of the vessel 10.

[0064] The MCU139 cancels the start of the vessel 10 if the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position when the operator of the vessel 10 attempts to start it (S140). Specifically, the MCU139 generates a signal indicating that "the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position" during the neutral position determination process. The MCU139 transmits this signal to the BCU300. Based on the signal received from the MCU139, the BCU300 cancels the start of the vessel 10. In this way, the MCU139 prevents the vessel 10 from starting against the operator's will by canceling the start of the vessel 10 when the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position when the start switch is turned ON. If the start of the vessel 10 is canceled, the operator can start the vessel 10 by returning the joystick 252 to the neutral position and then turning the start switch ON again.

[0065] Next, the specific processing described in (2) above will be explained. When the specific processing is initiated, SCU154 has information related to the control of the steering device 152, such as the rudder angle of the ship 10, and MCU139 has information related to MCU139, such as the rotational speed of the electric motor 134. First, SCU154 transmits information related to the control of the steering device 152 to MCU139. MCU139 generates new information that includes information related to the control of the steering device 152 and information from MCU139 by overwriting a part of MCU139's information based on the information received from SCU154. Specifically, MCU139 overwrites MCU139's information whose group identification information is common with the information transmitted from SCU154 with the information transmitted from SCU154. Group identification information is, for example, PGN (Parameter group number). In addition, the source address of the information transmitted from SCU154 is replaced with the source address of MCU139. The MCU139 transmits the new information to the external controller. That is, the MCU139 processes the information received from the SCU154 and transmits it, along with the information of the MCU139, to an external controller located outside the electric propulsion system 100. In this embodiment, the external controller is the display control device 262. The display control device 262 receives information from the MCU139, along with information related to the control of the steering device 152. The display control device 262 displays the information from the MCU139 and the information related to the control of the steering device 152 on the display device 260. In other words, in the specific processing described in (2) above, the MCU139 acts as a relay that transmits information from other devices provided in the electric propulsion system 100 to the outside of the electric propulsion system 100.

[0066] Next, the specific processing described in (3) above will be explained. The display control device 262 transmits brightness information of the LEDs included in the input device 270 to the MCU 139. Based on the brightness information of the LEDs transmitted from the display control device 262, the MCU 139 performs control processing for the power supply to the input device 270. That is, based on the information transmitted from the display control device 262, the MCU 139 generates a signal to control the lighting of the input device 270 and transmits it to the battery 320. The battery 320 controls the lighting of the input device 270 based on the signal received from the MCU 139.

[0067] 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 a specific device. The electric propulsion system 100 has an electric motor 134 and an MCU 139 that controls the drive of the electric motor 134. The specific device is communicatively connected to the MCU 139. The MCU 139 performs specific processing other than drive control of the electric motor 134 based on information transmitted from the specific device. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, since the MCU 139 performs specific processing as well as drive control of the electric motor 134, the number of parts in the ship control system 10S is reduced.

[0068] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 transmits the information generated in a specific process to an external device of the electric propulsion system 100. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 performs not only drive control of the electric motor 134 but also specific processing, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0069] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the system further includes a joystick unit 250 having a joystick 252, which outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the joystick 252, and the joystick unit 250 directly transmits the operation signal to the electric propulsion system 100. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, since the joystick unit 250 directly transmits the operation signal to the electric propulsion system 100, there is no need for another controller to connect the joystick unit 250 and the electric propulsion system 100, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0070] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the identification device is a transmitter 254 that transmits an operation signal to the MCU 139, the information transmitted from the identification device is information about the amount of operation of the joystick 252, and the identification process is a determination process to determine whether or not the joystick 252 is in a specific position. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also performs the determination process to determine whether or not the joystick 252 is in a specific position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0071] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the specific process is the process of determining whether or not the joystick 252 is in the neutral position. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also performs the process of determining whether or not the joystick 252 is in the neutral position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0072] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 determines that the joystick 252 is in the neutral position when the operating amount is less than a threshold, and determines that the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position when the operating amount is greater than or equal to the threshold. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also determines whether or not the joystick 252 is in the neutral position, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0073] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, when the operator of the ship 10 starts the ship 10, the MCU 139 completes the start of the ship 10 when the joystick 252 is in the neutral position, and cancels the start of the ship 10 when the joystick 252 is out of the neutral position. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the ship 10 is prevented from starting against the operator's intention, and safety regarding the start of the ship 10 is ensured.

[0074] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, a steering device 152 for controlling the rudder angle of the ship 10 is further provided, the specific device is an SCU 154 that controls the operation of the steering device 152, the information transmitted from the specific device is information related to the control of the steering device 152, and the specific processing is the process of transmitting the information received from the SCU 154, along with the information from the MCU 139, to an external controller located outside the electric propulsion system 100. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also processes the transmission of information received from the SCU 154 to the external controller, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0075] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, during a specific process, the MCU 139 overwrites the information of the MCU 139 that is common with the information transmitted from the SCU 154 with the information transmitted from the SCU 154, and transmits it to the external controller using the source address of the MCU 139. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also performs the process of transmitting the information received from the SCU 154 to the external controller, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0076] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, a display device 260 is further provided, and the external controller displays the information transmitted from the MCU 139 on the display device 260. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also processes the transmission of information received from the SCU 154 to the external controller, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0077] In this embodiment of the ship control system 10S, electrical equipment is further included, and the specific processing is the control processing of power supply to the electrical equipment. According to this embodiment of the ship control system 10S, the MCU 139 performs not only the drive control of the electric motor 134 but also the control processing of power supply to the electrical equipment, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0078] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the electrical equipment is an LED. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also controls the power supply to the LED, thus reducing the number of components in the ship control system 10S.

[0079] In the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, a display device 260 is further provided, and the specific device is a display control device 262 that controls the display of the display device 260, and the information transmitted from the specific device is the brightness information of the LED. According to the ship control system 10S of this embodiment, the MCU 139 not only controls the drive of the electric motor 134 but also controls the power supply to the LED, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S.

[0080] The vessel 10 of this embodiment comprises a hull 200 and a ship control system 10S. According to the vessel 10 of this embodiment, the MCU 139 provided in the ship control system 10S performs not only drive control of the electric motor 134 but also specific processing, thus reducing the number of parts in the ship control system 10S of the vessel 10.

[0081] (Second Embodiment) Figure 8 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the vessel 10a of the second embodiment. In the following, for the configuration of the vessel 10a of the second embodiment that is the same as that of the vessel 10 of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0082] The vessel 10a of this embodiment comprises a hull 200a and an electric propulsion system 100. The vessel control system 10Sa of this embodiment has a plurality of operating devices 230. Specifically, the hull 200a has a first main station MS1, a second main station MS2, and a substation SS. The first main station MS1, the second main station MS2, and the substation SS each have operating devices 230. The first main station MS1 ​​has a steering wheel 232, a shift / throttle lever 240, and a joystick unit 250 among the operating devices 230. The second main station MS2 has a steering wheel 232, a shift / throttle lever 240, and a joystick unit 250 among the operating devices 230. The substation SS has a joystick unit 250 among the operating devices 230. The operator can steer the vessel 10a by operating one of the control devices 230 located at the first main station MS1, the second main station MS2, and the substation SS, respectively.

[0083] In the ship control system 10Sa of this embodiment, the MCU 139 also performs a determination process to determine whether the joystick 252 is in the neutral position. In this case, if at least one of the multiple joysticks 252 is out of the neutral position, the MCU 139 cancels the start of the ship 10a. In this way, when the start switch is turned ON, the MCU 139 cancels the start of the ship 10 if any of the multiple joysticks 252 is out of the neutral position, thereby preventing the ship 10 from starting against the operator's will.

[0084] As described above, in the ship control system 10Sa of this embodiment, the ship control system 10Sa is equipped with a plurality of joysticks 252 as specific devices, and the MCU 139 cancels the starting of the ship 10 when at least one of the plurality of joysticks 252 is out of the neutral position. According to the ship control system 10Sa of this embodiment, the ship 10a is prevented from starting against the operator's intention, and safety regarding the starting of the ship 10a can be ensured.

[0085] (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.

[0086] 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.

[0087] 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.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the specific processes performed by the MCU139 are listed as (1) to (3) above, but the specific processes performed by the first controller are not necessarily limited to the specific processes (1) to (3) above.

[0089] In the above embodiment, an LED included in the input device 270 is given as an example of electrical equipment, but the electrical equipment does not have to be an LED included in the input device, and may be electrical equipment other than an LED. For example, the electrical equipment may be a wiper, air conditioning equipment, etc., installed on a ship. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 10,10a: Ship 10S,10Sa: 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 200,200a: Hull 210: Main hull section 220: Cockpit 230: Control devices 232: Steering wheel 240: Shift / throttle lever 250: Joystick unit 252: Joystick 254: Transmitter 256: Base 260: Display device 262: Display control device 270: Input device 300: BCU 310: GPS 320: Battery 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, A specific device that is communicatively connected to the first controller, Equipped with, The first controller is a ship control system that performs specific processing other than drive control of the electric motor based on information transmitted from the specific device.

2. A ship control system according to claim 1, The first controller is a ship control system that transmits the information generated in the specific processing to an external device of the ship's propulsion system.

3. A ship control system according to claim 1 or claim 2, further, A joystick unit having a joystick, comprising a joystick unit that outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the joystick, The joystick unit is a ship control system that transmits the operation signals directly to the ship's propulsion system.

4. A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: A joystick unit having a joystick, comprising a joystick unit that outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the joystick, The specified device is a transmitter that transmits the operation signal to the first controller, The information transmitted from the aforementioned specific device is information about the amount of operation of the joystick. The ship control system wherein the specified process is a process for determining whether or not the joystick is in a specific position.

5. A ship control system according to claim 4, The aforementioned specific process is a process for determining whether or not the joystick is in the neutral position, in a ship control system.

6. A ship control system according to claim 5, The first controller is, When the amount of manipulation is less than the threshold, it is determined that the joystick is in the neutral position. A ship control system that determines that the joystick is out of the neutral position when the amount of manipulation is greater than or equal to the threshold.

7. A ship control system according to claim 5 or claim 6, The first controller is used when the operator of the vessel starts the vessel. When the joystick is in the neutral position, the start of the vessel is completed. A ship control system that cancels the starting of the ship when the joystick is out of the neutral position.

8. A ship control system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, The ship control system includes a plurality of joysticks as the specific device, The first controller is a ship control system that cancels the starting of the ship when at least one of the plurality of joysticks is out of the neutral position.

9. A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The aforementioned vessel is equipped with a steering device for controlling the rudder angle, The aforementioned specific device is a second controller that controls the operation of the steering device, The information transmitted from the aforementioned specific device is information related to the control of the steering device. The aforementioned specific processing is a process of transmitting information received from the second controller, together with information from the first controller, to an external controller located outside the ship's propulsion system, in a ship control system.

10. A ship control system according to claim 9, In the specified processing, the first controller overwrites the information of the first controller, which is common with the information transmitted from the second controller, with the information transmitted from the second controller, and transmits it to the external controller at the source address of the first controller, in a ship control system.

11. A ship control system according to claim 9 or claim 10, further, Equipped with a display device, The external controller is a ship control system that displays information transmitted from the first controller on the display device.

12. A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: Equipped with electrical equipment, The aforementioned specific process is a control process for supplying power to the electrical equipment, in a ship control system.

13. A ship control system according to claim 12, The aforementioned electrical equipment is an LED, and the system is a ship control system.

14. A ship control system according to claim 13, further, Equipped with a display device, The aforementioned specific device is a third controller that controls the display of the display device, The information transmitted from the aforementioned specific device is the brightness information of the LED, in a ship control system.

15. The hull and, A ship control system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, A ship equipped with these features.

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