Control transfer systems, ship management systems including the same, and methods of operation thereof

Abstract

A control transfer system according to one embodiment disclosed herein includes a ship control unit that includes an onboard control unit located inside the ship and controlling the ship's operation, a remote control unit located outside the ship and controlling the ship's operation, and an autonomous operation control unit that controls the ship's autonomous operation, an operation condition determination unit that determines the operating conditions corresponding to each ship control unit based on the control functions of the ship control unit, the ship's navigation area, and the ship's position, and a control transfer unit that identifies a first control unit currently controlling the ship and a second control unit that is the subject of a control transfer request, and transfers control of the ship from the first control unit to the second control unit based on the first control unit, the second control unit, and the operating conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to related applications) The present invention claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2023 - 0052245 filed on April 20, 2023, Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2024 - 0001125 filed on January 3, 2024, Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2024 - 0041750 filed on March 27, 2024, Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2024 - 0041776 filed on March 27, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2024 - 0045036 filed on April 3, 2024, and all the contents disclosed in the documents of the corresponding Korean patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a control right transfer system, a ship management system including the same, and methods of operating them.

Background Art

[0003] An autonomous ship refers to a ship that integrates information and communication sensors, smart technologies, etc. into existing ships, enabling the system to control the ship and operate with minimal human interference.

[0004] Autonomous ships can improve efficiency and economy compared to existing ship technologies, are environmentally friendly, and have high safety.

[0005] For the operation of autonomous ships, an on - shore control headquarters such as a remote operation center (ROC) for controlling autonomous ships is required.

[0006] On the other hand, when operating multiple autonomous ships, the amount of data generated by the multiple autonomous ships and concentrated in the control server is quite large, and since ships often operate at positions far from the shore, communication is not smooth, and improvements may be needed in relation to data processing.

[0007] Furthermore, an autonomous vessel may include multiple control means capable of controlling the vessel, and when control of the vessel changes, the vessel may change from a state in which it operates according to the control values ​​of the preceding control means to a state in which it operates according to the control values ​​of the succeeding control means. Consequently, the sudden control of equipment may increase the burden on the equipment, potentially causing harm to the crew or cargo on board.

[0008] Therefore, a method is needed to mitigate the abrupt difference between the control value of the pre-control means and the control value of the post-control means. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] This disclosure aims to provide a control delegation system, a ship management system including the same, and methods for operating them.

[0010] This disclosure aims to provide a control transfer synchronization system and method for synchronizing control values ​​generated by a request for transfer of control of a ship.

[0011] This disclosure aims to provide a control transfer synchronization system and method that can reduce the burden on control equipment that may occur due to sudden changes in control rights, thereby preventing damage to onboard personnel and cargo, by controlling the difference in control values ​​due to the transfer of control rights of a ship within a predetermined error range.

[0012] This disclosure aims to provide a control transfer synchronization system and method that can linearly control changes in control values ​​caused by the transfer of control rights of a ship using a soft landing method, thereby enabling stable control of the drive of control equipment.

[0013] The technical challenges that this disclosure aims to address are not limited to those mentioned above, and any other technical challenges not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] An autonomous navigation system according to one embodiment disclosed herein includes a data storage unit that stores at least one of the following: data relating to one or more pieces of equipment inside the vessel, data generated by the operation of the vessel, or data received from outside the vessel; a vessel management information generation unit that generates information for monitoring the vessel based on the data stored in the data storage unit; and an integrated management unit that integrates an autonomous navigation control unit that controls the autonomous operation of the vessel based on the data stored in the data storage unit and signals received from the vessel management information generation unit.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the data storage unit can standardize the data transmitted and received within the device and the data received from outside the device by processing or converting at least one of the data received from outside the device or the data transmitted and received within the device.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the integrated management unit generates an integrated management interface, transmits the integrated management interface to be displayed on a display, and the integrated management interface may include a ship management information interface configured to confirm information related to the ship and control equipment on the ship, and an autonomous navigation control interface configured to confirm control rights of the ship, the safety level of the ship, a set navigation route, and map data.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the autonomous operation control unit can use the autonomous operation control interface to provide the user with an alarm regarding a request for transfer of control of the vessel.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the device receives weather data and map data from outside the device. In this case, the data storage unit receives and stores the weather data and map data from outside the device, transfers the weather data and map data to the integrated management unit, and the integrated management unit updates the integrated management interface based on the weather data and map data.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the device controls operations based on environmental regulations, and this control of operations based on environmental regulations may include providing alarms via an integrated management interface in response to requests from a control server to reduce the speed of the vessel or change the propulsion system of the vessel.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the autonomous operation control unit can change the operating state of equipment included in the ship based on signals received from the ship management information generation unit.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the autonomous operation control unit can, in response to a control transfer request received from the control server, transfer control of the vessel to the vessel manager or a remote operation center (ROC).

[0022] A control transfer system according to one embodiment disclosed herein includes a ship control unit that includes an onboard control unit located inside the ship and controlling the operation of the ship, a remote control unit located outside the ship and controlling the operation of the ship, and an autonomous control unit that controls the autonomous operation of the ship, an operating condition determination unit that determines operating conditions corresponding to each of the ship control units based on the control functions of the ship control unit, the ship's navigation area, and the ship's position, and a control transfer unit that identifies a first control unit currently controlling the ship and a second control unit that is the subject of a control transfer request, and transfers control of the ship from the first control unit to the second control unit based on the first control unit, the second control unit, and the operating conditions.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the remote control unit includes a first remote control unit that controls the operation of the ship on land and a second remote control unit that controls the operation of the ship at a position different from the first remote control unit, and the control right delegation unit can give priority orders between the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the first remote control unit, the second remote control unit, and the operation conditions.

[0024] According to one embodiment, when the control right delegation unit receives a request for delegation of control right to the remote control unit, the remote control unit with a higher priority among the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit can be selected as the second control unit.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the control right delegation unit can determine the priority order between the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the distances between the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit and the ship and the communication status.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the ship control unit controls the ship equipment included in the ship based on a control signal, and the control right delegation unit can verify the control right delegation request based on the possibility of collision between the control signals.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the control right delegation unit can transmit the verification result to the first control unit and the second control unit.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the operation conditions can include at least one of operation restriction item elements, environmental elements, autonomous operation ship equipment elements, communication elements, or user elements.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the control transfer unit is provided for each element included in the ship's status information and the operating conditions, and if the ship's status information satisfies all of the operating conditions, it determines that the ship's control state is normal, and if at least one of the ship's status information does not satisfy the operating conditions, it determines that the ship's control state is abnormal.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the control transfer unit can transfer control of the vessel to the second control unit when the vessel's status information satisfies the operating conditions corresponding to the second control unit and it receives an approval signal regarding the transfer of control from the first control unit.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the control authority transfer unit can transmit whether or not the operating conditions are met to at least one of the first control unit or the second control unit.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the autonomous control unit includes a first autonomous control unit that controls a first function of the vessel and a second autonomous control unit that controls a second function of the vessel, and when the control authority delegation unit receives a control authority delegation request from the first autonomous control unit and the second autonomous control unit, it can delegate control of the vessel to an autonomous control unit selected by the user.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the autonomous control unit can confirm a first time point which is the time the second control unit sends a request for transfer of control rights and a second time point which is the time the first control unit receives the request for transfer of control rights, and decide whether or not to transfer control rights based on the result of comparing the difference between the second time point and the first time point with the set time.

[0034] A control right transfer synchronization system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a ship control unit which includes a first control unit which currently controls the operation of the ship and a second control unit which is the subject of control right transfer, and a control right synchronization unit which, when the transfer of control right is requested from the second control unit, calculates the difference between the control value of the first control unit and the control value of the second control unit for the controlled object, and adjusts the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in control values ​​is within an error range for a preset first time period.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit can adjust the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in the control value is within the error range during the first hour of the predetermined control right transfer time from the time the transfer of control right is requested.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit can set the first time based on at least one of the following: the operating area in which the vessel operates, the classification of the vessel, the classification and risk level of the controlled object, and the classification of the second control unit.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit adjusts the control value of the first control unit during the first time period, then calculates the difference between the control values, and if the difference between the control values ​​deviates from the error range, it can request the second control unit to adjust the control value of the second control unit so that the difference between the control values ​​falls within the error range.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit adjusts the control value of the first control unit during the first time, then calculates the difference in the control value, and if the difference in the control value deviates from the error range, it can adjust the control value of the first control unit in a soft-landing manner for the remaining time of the control right delegation time so that the difference in the control value falls within the error range.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit can determine the soft landing method based on the difference between the error range of the controlled object and the calculated control value.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the control rights synchronization unit can set the first time according to the function classification, the classification of the second control unit, and the operating conditions based on the function classification.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the control right synchronization unit can determine the error range based on the controlled object when the second control unit requests the transfer of control rights.

[0042] A control rights transfer synchronization method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include the steps of: receiving a control rights transfer request from a second control unit that is the subject of the control rights transfer while the first control unit is currently controlling the operation of the vessel; calculating the difference between the control value of the first control unit and the control value of the second control unit for the controlled object in response to the control rights transfer request; adjusting the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in the control values ​​is within an error range for a predetermined first time; and transferring control rights of the vessel from the first control unit to the second control unit after the control rights transfer time has elapsed.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit may include adjusting the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in the control value is within the error range for a first hour of the predetermined control transfer time from the time the transfer of control is requested.

[0044] Furthermore, control transfer synchronization methods according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may include a step of setting the first time based on at least one of the operating area in which the vessel operates, the classification of the vessel, the classification and risk level of the controlled object, and the classification of the second control unit, or may include a step of setting the first time according to the functional classification, the classification of the second control unit, and the operating conditions based on the functional classification.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the step of calculating the difference in the control values ​​includes a step of calculating the difference in the control values ​​again after the control values ​​of the first control unit have been adjusted during the first time, and the step of adjusting the control values ​​of the first control unit may include a step of requesting the second control unit to adjust the control values ​​of the second control unit so that the difference in the control values ​​falls within the error range if the difference in the control values ​​deviates from the error range.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the step of calculating the difference in the control values ​​includes a step of calculating the difference in the control values ​​again after the control values ​​of the first control unit have been adjusted during the first time, and the step of adjusting the control values ​​of the first control unit may include a step of adjusting the control values ​​of the first control unit in a soft-landing manner for the remainder of the control transfer time such that the difference in the control values ​​falls within the error range if the difference in the control values ​​deviates from the error range.

[0047] Furthermore, a control right transfer synchronization method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may further include the step of determining the error range by the controlled object when a transfer of control right is requested from the second control unit.

[0048] The features of this disclosure briefly summarized above are illustrative aspects of the detailed description of this disclosure described below and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0049] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, by integrating the platform to send and receive data necessary for the operation of autonomous vessels, communication can be made smoother within the vessel, between vessels, and between vessels and control servers. In particular, latency can be minimized and data reliability can be improved during the data transmission and reception process. Furthermore, platform integration can eliminate redundant elements across various nodes, entities, or components, and economic efficiency and efficiency can be maximized because the vessel and control server within the system for autonomous vessels can use the same platform. In addition, the integrated platform provides a unified management interface, enabling convenient control of single vessels and multiple vessels.

[0050] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, by delegating control rights in different ways based on the control status of the vessel, the operational efficiency of the vessel can be improved and the likelihood of ship accidents can be reduced. Furthermore, by authenticating the control means, the security of vessel operations can be enhanced, and by delegating control rights while considering the priorities between ship control units, the efficiency of ship control can be improved. In addition, by verifying the request for delegation of control rights, collisions between multiple ship control units can be prevented and the operational efficiency of the vessel can be improved.

[0051] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, it is possible to synchronize control values ​​that arise in response to a request for transfer of control of a ship.

[0052] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, by controlling the difference in control values ​​due to the transfer of control rights of a ship within a predetermined error range, the burden on control equipment that may occur due to sudden changes in control rights can be reduced, and damage to onboard personnel and cargo can be prevented.

[0053] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, by controlling the change in control values ​​due to the transfer of control rights of a ship using a soft landing method, the change in control values ​​can be controlled linearly, and the drive of control equipment can be stably controlled.

[0054] The effects derived from this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and any other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0055] [Figure 1] This figure shows a ship management system including a ship and a control server according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows a ship management system including a ship and a control server equipped with an integrated platform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram illustrating a schematic integration platform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram illustrating a schematic integrated management unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing a control transfer system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control rights under normal circumstances according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control rights by approval of a control means according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control in an abnormal situation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for determining whether the remote control unit meets the operating conditions. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram illustrating the configurations of a ship's integrated platform and a control server's integrated platform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation between a ship and a control server according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12]This is a flowchart illustrating the process by which a control server calculates the optimal route according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of controlling operations in consideration of environmental regulations according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] This is a block diagram of a device equipped with an integrated platform. [Figure 15] This figure shows a block diagram of the configuration for a control transfer synchronization system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the control transfer process. [Figure 17] This figure shows an operation flowchart for a control transfer synchronization method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] This figure shows a block diagram of a computing system for performing a control transfer synchronization method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0056] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented below and can be realized in a variety of different forms, and should be understood to include all transformations, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The embodiments presented below are provided to complete the introduction of the present invention and to fully inform those who are ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. When describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of the relevant known technology may obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0057] The terms used in this application are used solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “includes” or “has” should be understood as specifying the presence of features, figures, steps, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and not as precluding the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, figures, steps, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0058] Some embodiments of this disclosure can be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. Some or all of such functional blocks can be implemented by various numbers of hardware and / or software configurations that perform a particular function. For example, a functional block of this disclosure can be implemented by one or more microprocessors or by a circuit configuration for a given function. Alternatively, for example, a functional block of this disclosure can be implemented by various programming or scripting languages. A functional block can be implemented by an algorithm that runs on one or more processors. Furthermore, this disclosure may employ prior art for electronic environment configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as “mechanism,” “element,” “means,” and “configuration” are broadly applicable and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations.

[0059] Furthermore, the connecting lines or connecting members between components illustrated in the drawings are merely illustrative examples of functional and / or physical or circuit connections. In fact, in a device, connections between components may be represented by a variety of interchangeable or added functional, physical, or circuit connections.

[0060] In this specification, "ship" may refer not only to a means of transportation but also to a smart ship that utilizes digital technology to improve ship operation, maintenance, safety, and other aspects of a ship. Smart ships can utilize various digital technologies to improve ship productivity, efficiency, safety, and environmental friendliness, and help ship operators perform their duties more efficiently. For example, smart ships can utilize various digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Autonomous Navigation.

[0061] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments can be realized in various different forms and are not limited to the examples described herein.

[0062] Figure 1 shows a ship management system including a ship and a control server according to one embodiment.

[0063] Referring to Figure 1, the ship management system can include one or more ships 1000 and a control server 2000.

[0064] The ships 1000 can communicate with each other via a network or with the control server 2000.

[0065] The vessel 1000 may be understood as the ship equipment installed on each of the vessels 1000.

[0066] In one embodiment, the devices installed on each of the ships 1000 may be autonomous navigation devices. The autonomous navigation devices refer to devices that are installed on each of the ships 1000 and configured to realize autonomous navigation.

[0067] The equipment installed on each vessel 1000 may include various sensors (including cameras) for collecting various information related to the vessel 1000. For example, the various information may include indicator data showing the status of various equipment installed on the vessel 1000, and data related to the operation of the vessel 1000, such as the vessel 1000's position, operating speed, and operating direction.

[0068] Furthermore, the equipment installed on each vessel 1000 may include components that can transfer or receive data from outside the vessel 1000. For example, the equipment installed on each vessel 1000 may receive weather data, coastline data, water depth data, etc., from other vessels or the control server 2000. For example, the vessel 1000 may transfer data collected by the equipment installed on the vessel 1000 to other vessels or the control server 2000.

[0069] Specifically, the vessel 1000 may be a smartphone, tablet PC, PC, smart TV, mobile phone, laptop, or other mobile or non-mobile computing device. The vessel 1000 may include all types of devices that can communicate with other devices via a network.

[0070] The control server 2000 may be understood as the control server equipment installed on the control server 2000.

[0071] The control server 2000 can be implemented by a computing device or multiple computing devices that communicate over a network and provide commands, code, files, content, services, etc.

[0072] In this disclosure, the control server 2000 can communicate with one or more vessels 1000 to monitor their operations and support their safe operation. The control server 2000 can also act as an intermediary for data required by one or more vessels 1000. For example, one or more vessels 1000 may have poor communication conditions during operation, making it difficult to directly receive weather-related data from weather information providers. The control server 2000 can receive weather-related data and transmit it to one or more vessels 1000.

[0073] The control server 2000 can be located on land, for example, in a remote operation center (ROC). Alternatively, the control server 2000 may be an intermediary server at sea, acting as a bridge between a ship far from land and a land-based server.

[0074] A network is a data network in a comprehensive sense that enables different entities to communicate smoothly with one another, and can include wired internet, wireless internet, and mobile wireless networks. In one embodiment, the network may be, but is not limited to, a satellite network. For example, a network can include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite network, and combinations thereof. Wireless communication can include, but is not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), and Near Field Communication (NFC).

[0075] On the other hand, in conventional ship management systems, the ships and systems are designed to send and receive data necessary for operation, and the processing and reproduction of that data is done independently within each device.

[0076] However, this conventional method has the disadvantage that, because each device adopts its own standards and methods, it not only requires the data to be processed and converted anew each time within the device, but it is also difficult to keep up-to-date with data that conforms to new standards or specifications.

[0077] Furthermore, if the environment for using the installed equipment (e.g., software, interface, etc.) differs from ship to ship or control server to control server, there is the disadvantage that the user of the equipment (e.g., the ship's administrator or the control server administrator) has to go back and check it each time.

[0078] Therefore, this disclosure proposes a method in which the same integrated platform 100 is used for one or more vessels to be controlled and for the control server that controls one or more vessels.

[0079] Figure 2 shows a ship management system including a control server and an integrated platform 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] Referring to Figure 2, similar to Figure 1, the ship management system can include one or more ships 1000 and control servers 2000. The difference from the ship management system in Figure 1 is that the one or more ships 1000 and control servers 2000 included in the ship management system in Figure 2 are equipped with an integrated platform.

[0081] The ship management system of this disclosure includes a ship 1000 equipped with an integrated platform 100 to resolve the aforementioned problems. Furthermore, an integrated platform 100 having the same structure as the integrated platform 100 installed on the ship 1000 is also installed on the control server 2000, and by using data of the same type and standard, the control server 2000 can efficiently control the ship 1000.

[0082] The integrated platform 100 described in this disclosure is described in detail below.

[0083] Hereinafter, "ship equipment" may mean equipment installed on the ship that controls the ship, and "control server equipment" may mean equipment installed on the control server that controls the control server. Furthermore, actions described as being performed by the ship may be understood as being performed by the ship equipment, and actions described as being performed by the control server may be understood as being performed by the control server equipment.

[0084] Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an integrated platform 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0085] In one embodiment, the integrated platform 100 may include a data storage unit 110 and an integrated management unit 120. The integrated platform 100 can be created by integrating the data storage unit 110 and the integrated management unit 120.

[0086] The data storage unit 110 of this disclosure may also be a platform that aggregates various data flows that may exist in the system of this disclosure, and the integrated management unit 120 plays a role in regenerating information based on the data and providing it to the administrator, thereby providing convenience for the smooth operation of the system of this disclosure.

[0087] In this disclosure, the data storage unit 110 can collect or receive data.

[0088] For example, if the data storage unit 110 is installed on a ship, the data storage unit 110 can receive and store data relating to one or more pieces of equipment on board the ship, data generated by the operation of the ship, and so on. For example, data collected and generated through various sensors installed on the ship can be transmitted to the data storage unit 110. The data storage unit 110 may also receive and store data from outside the ship, for example, from other ships or control servers. Thus, in one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include a communication module.

[0089] For example, if the data storage unit 110 is provided in the control server, the data storage unit 110 can receive and store data transferred from one or more vessels that are subject to control. In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 can match the received data with vessel identification data and store it in a database. The data storage unit 110 can also receive data from outside the vessel management system. For example, the data storage unit 110 can receive weather data from a weather information provider (e.g., the Japan Meteorological Agency). Furthermore, the data transfer from the control server to the vessel can be performed by the data storage unit 110.

[0090] In this disclosure, the data storage unit 110 can process or transform the collected data.

[0091] The data storage unit 110 of this disclosure can process or transform data received from external sources and standardize data transmitted and received with nodes using the integrated platform 100 (e.g., other ships or control servers), data transmitted and received between components within the integrated platform 100, or data transmitted and received by various equipment within a ship. This minimizes latency, improves data reliability, and solidifies the foundation for platform integration. Furthermore, various protocols can be used for data transmission and reception, and data can be standardized to comply with various conventions. As a result, data transmitted and received between ships or control servers equipped with the integrated platform 100 of this disclosure may not require any further data processing or transformation.

[0092] In this disclosure, the data storage unit 110 can transfer data to an external location, another module, or the integrated management unit 120. In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 can transfer data externally via a communication module included in the data storage unit 110.

[0093] In this disclosure, the integrated management unit 120 can generate information for monitoring the vessel and control the vessel's autonomous operation. The integrated management unit 120 in this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to Figure 4.

[0094] In one embodiment, the integrated platform 100 may further include a security module for maintaining the security of the vessel and the vessel's data.

[0095] In one embodiment, the integrated platform 100 may further include a database. In one embodiment, the database may include a database for onboard data, a database for onboard / offboard data, or a database for external data.

[0096] Figure 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an integrated management unit 120 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0097] In one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 may include a ship management information generation unit 121, an autonomous operation control unit 122, and a control authority delegation unit 3300. The integrated management unit 120 of this disclosure enables a ship's administrator or a control server administrator to comprehensively manage various aspects related to the ship.

[0098] In this disclosure, the ship management information generation unit 121 can generate information for monitoring a ship based on the data stored in the data storage unit 110.

[0099] In one embodiment, a ship management information generation unit 121 included in an integrated platform 100 provided on the ship can combine data relating to one or more pieces of equipment on the ship and reproduce it for use in managing the ship. The ship management information generation unit 121 can also combine data generated by the ship's operation to update the ship's operating status in real time. Furthermore, the ship management information generation unit 121 can combine data relating to the ship's surrounding environment to generate information analyzing the ship's surrounding environment. In addition, the ship management information generation unit 121 can generate signals based on input from the ship's manager, and the generated signals can be transferred to the autonomous operation control unit 122, data storage unit 110, onboard equipment, other modules, etc. For example, the generated signals may be signals that change the operating status of equipment on the ship.

[0100] In one embodiment, the ship management information generation unit 121 included in the integrated platform 100 provided on the control server side can combine data relating to one or more ships to be controlled and reproduce it for use in managing the controlled ships. Furthermore, the ship management information generation unit 121 can combine data generated by the operation of one or more ships and update the operating status of the ships in real time. In addition, the ship management information generation unit 121 can combine data relating to the surrounding environment of one or more ships and generate information analyzing the surrounding environment of one or more ships. That is, unlike when it is provided on the ship side, when the integrated platform 100 is provided on the control server side, the ship management information generation unit 121 can focus on multiple ships. Furthermore, the ship management information generation unit 121 can generate signals based on input from the control server administrator, and the generated signals can be transferred to the autonomous operation control unit 122, data storage unit 110, other modules and ships, etc.

[0101] In this disclosure, the autonomous operation control unit 122 can control the autonomous operation of the vessel based on the data stored in the data storage unit 110 and the signals generated from the vessel management information generation unit 121. The autonomous operation control unit 122 can update and manage the autonomous operation status in real time by combining the data stored in the data storage unit 110.

[0102] Specifically, when the integrated platform 100 is installed on the ship side, the autonomous operation control unit 122 controls the autonomous operation of the ship, and when the integrated platform 100 is installed on the control server side, the autonomous operation control unit 122 can comprehensively control the autonomous operation of one or more ships that are subject to control.

[0103] On the other hand, autonomous navigation technologies applicable to autonomous vessels can be categorized according to the degree of automation in ship operation, and one example is shown in Table 1.

[0104] [Table 1]

[0105] As shown in Table 1, the degree of human intervention decreases and the degree of automation in operation increases as the autonomous flight step progresses from Degree 1 to Degree 4.

[0106] The autonomous ship system equipped with the integrated platform 100 of this disclosure can be based on the autonomous operation step corresponding to Degree 2 to 3 for a remotely controllable ship with an onboard crew. In other words, the integrated platform 100 can be based on the autonomous operation step being Degree 2 or higher.

[0107] According to the embodiment, the autonomous navigation control unit 122 can transfer a control transfer request to the control transfer unit 3300. For example, the autonomous navigation control unit 122 can determine the autonomous navigation status of the vessel, generate a control transfer request signal based on the determination result, and transfer the control transfer request signal to the control transfer unit 3300.

[0108] Therefore, in an autonomous ship navigation system equipped with the integrated platform 100 of this disclosure, control over a particular ship can be changed based on specific circumstances or conditions. For example, there may be circumstances or conditions in which it is preferable for the ship's manager (e.g., crew) to directly control and operate the ship, and there may also be circumstances or conditions in which it is preferable for a control server to remotely control the ship or for a processor to automatically control and operate the ship. Changing control over a particular ship is referred to as a transfer of control, and the process of changing control will hereinafter be referred to as the transfer of control process.

[0109] The general control delegation process according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows: In one embodiment, the administrator of a control server may input a signal requesting a change in control over a particular vessel, or a signal requesting a change in control over a particular vessel may be automatically generated when certain conditions are met. The input or generated signal may be transmitted to the vessel via an integrated platform 100 (specifically, a data storage unit 110). The integrated platform 100 of the vessel may transmit the received signal to the vessel's control delegation unit. In response to receiving a signal requesting a change in control, the vessel's control delegation unit may automatically change control or provide an alarm requesting a change in control via the vessel's autonomous navigation control interface. If an alarm is provided, the vessel's administrator (e.g., a crew member) may approve the change in control via the vessel's autonomous navigation control interface. Based on the approval input, the vessel's control delegation unit may change control over the vessel.

[0110] In one embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can perform the process of transferring control of the ship's operation.

[0111] In one embodiment, the transfer of control over the operation of a vessel can be carried out based on a safety level. The safety level may be an indicator of the degree to which the vessel is safe. A safety level according to one embodiment can be shown in Table 2 below.

[0112] [Table 2]

[0113] As shown in Table 2, the risk to the vessel can increase as the safety level rises from Level 1 to Level 4.

[0114] In specific embodiments, the safety level may be automatically changed by detection by the ship's data storage unit 110, or it may be changed by the ship's user. For example, if a fire occurs in the ship's equipment, the fire can be detected by the data storage unit 110 and the safety level can be changed. For example, if a fire occurs in the ship's equipment, the ship's user can change the safety level based on information for monitoring the ship generated by the ship management information generation unit 121.

[0115] The control transfer unit 3300 can perform the process of transferring control of a ship's operation based on data stored in the data storage unit 110 (e.g., safety levels) or signals generated from the ship management information generation unit 121. Alternatively, the control transfer unit 3300 can provide a ship's operation control transfer alarm or generate a ship's operation control transfer request signal via the autonomous operation control interface described later.

[0116] A specific example of the process for transferring control of a vessel's operation is as follows: In one embodiment, in response to a change in the safety level, the autonomous operation control unit can generate a signal requesting the transfer of control of the vessel. The generated signal and the vessel's safety level data can be transferred to the control server via the integrated platform 100 (specifically, the data storage unit 110). The control server's integrated platform 100 stores the vessel's safety level data and can transfer the received signal requesting the transfer of control to the control server's control transfer unit. The control server's control transfer unit can provide a control transfer alarm. The control server administrator can approve the transfer of control based on the alarm from the control transfer unit.

[0117] In one embodiment, if the transfer of operational control is necessary but has not been completed, the ship's integrated platform 100 can either retrieve a signal requesting the transfer of operational control or continue to transmit a signal requesting the transfer of operational control.

[0118] In one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 can forcibly transfer control. That is, the integrated management unit 120 can transfer control based on the status of the vessel 1000, regardless of whether it has received a signal requesting the transfer of control.

[0119] However, even in this case, the integrated management unit 120 may delegate control rights depending on the status of the vessel 1000. For example, if the status of the vessel 1000 is an emergency and there is a delegation of control rights to the onboard control unit 3130, the integrated management unit 120 can immediately delegate control rights of the vessel 1000 to the onboard control unit 3130. This ensures, but is not limited to, the securing of control rights to the onboard control unit 3130, which can control the vessel 1000 most efficiently in an emergency situation. For example, the integrated management unit 120 may set a situation in which control rights are forcibly delegated despite a control rights delegation signal, and the ship control unit 3100 to which control rights are to be delegated, and if the status of the vessel 1000 satisfies this situation, the integrated management unit 120 can delegate control rights of the vessel 1000 to the pre-set ship control unit 3100.

[0120] As a specific example, if the safety level is level 2, the integrated management unit 120 of the vessel 1000 can transfer control of the vessel 1000 to the bridge if the control server has not approved the transfer of control of the vessel.

[0121] As a specific example, if the safety level is level 3, the integrated control unit 120 of the vessel 1000 can continue to transmit signals requesting the transfer of operational control if the control server has not approved the transfer of operational control.

[0122] As a specific example, if the safety level is level 4, the integrated control unit 120 of the vessel 1000 can control the operation of the vessel 1000 to be interrupted.

[0123] In one embodiment, the autonomous navigation control unit 122 can control the operation of the vessel 1000 based on environmental regulations. Environmental regulations may mean restrictions on the operating area or emissions. Since the vessel 1000 is operated on the premise of complying with environmental regulations, the autonomous navigation control unit 122 of this disclosure can monitor the vessel 1000 and control its operation to comply with environmental regulations. An example of controlling the operation of the vessel 1000 based on environmental regulations will be described with reference to Figure 13.

[0124] In one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 can generate an integrated management interface. In one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 can transfer the generated integrated management interface to the display 123 for display. The integrated management interface can refer to an interface that can comprehensively manage the operation of the vessel 1000.

[0125] In one embodiment, the integrated management interface may include a ship 1000 management information interface generated by a ship 1000 management information generation unit 121 and an autonomous operation control interface generated by an autonomous operation control unit 122.

[0126] As a concrete example, on the ship 1000 side, the ship 1000 management information interface can be configured to enable comprehensive management of the ship 1000, such as allowing the ship 1000's administrator to view information related to the ship 1000 and control various equipment within the ship 1000. Specifically, the ship 1000 management information interface can be configured to display information for monitoring and diagnosing equipment and navigational instruments within the ship 1000, environmental regulation information, weather information, etc. In other words, the ship 1000 management information interface can function as a kind of report. Furthermore, the ship 1000 management information interface can be generated to receive user input. The user can interact with various objects included in the ship 1000 management information interface to generate and input signals, and based on the input signals, can control various equipment within the ship 1000. The user can also transfer data outside the ship 1000 via the ship 1000 management information interface.

[0127] As a specific example, on the control server side, the ship 1000 management information interface can be configured to provide information about one or more ships 1000 that are under the control of the control server.

[0128] As a specific example, on the ship 1000 side, the autonomous navigation control interface can be configured to allow the ship 1000's administrator to check information such as control rights, safety level, set navigation route, actual navigation route, map data, and navigation guide for the ship 1000.

[0129] In one embodiment, the transfer of operational control rights of the vessel 1000 by the control rights transfer unit 3300 can be performed based on the progress of the operation.

[0130] Specifically, if normal operation is possible without any particular danger, for example, if the safety level is level 1, the transfer of operational control of vessel 1000 may be carried out based on the operational progress, which indicates the extent to which the operation has been completed from the departure of vessel 1000 until its arrival.

[0131] For example, the progress of the voyage can be determined based on the position of the vessel 1000, and the position of the vessel 1000 can be based on the distance between the vessel 1000 and the land (port of departure or port of arrival). For example, the progress of the voyage can be expressed as "offshore," "coastal," "ocean," "coastal," and "berthing" from departure to arrival.

[0132] In one embodiment, when the progress of the voyage is "away from the shore" or "to the coast," the right of voyage control of the vessel 1000 may reside with the vessel 1000. Specifically, the right of voyage control of the vessel 1000 may be transferred to the bridge of the vessel 1000.

[0133] In one embodiment, when the operational progress is changed to "ocean," the operation of the vessel 1000 can be carried out by fully autonomous operation.

[0134] In one embodiment, if the progress of the operation changes to "coastal" or "berthing," the control of the ship 1000 can be transferred again to the bridge of the ship 1000.

[0135] As the progress of the flight changes, signals for the transfer of flight control can be transmitted and received via the control right transfer unit 3300.

[0136] The control transfer operation of the control transfer unit 3300 will be described in detail later in Figure 5.

[0137] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing a control transfer system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0138] Referring to Figure 5, the control transfer system 3000 may include a ship control unit 3100, an operating condition determination unit 3200, and a control transfer unit 3300. The control transfer system 3000 can use the ship control unit 3100, the operating condition determination unit 3200, and the control transfer unit 3300 to transfer control of the ship from the current control means to another control means.

[0139] The ship control unit 3100 may include an autonomous control unit 3110, a remote control unit 3120, and an onboard control unit 3130. The ship control unit 3100 can control the ship. According to the embodiment, the ship control unit 3100 can generate control signals for controlling a plurality of pieces of equipment included in the ship, and can control a plurality of pieces of equipment included in the ship based on the control signals. For example, the ship control unit 3100 can control at least one of the ship's navigation, docking / undocking, or cargo handling.

[0140] The autonomous control unit 3110 can control the vessel based on autonomous navigation. Here, the autonomous control unit 3110 may have substantially the same configuration as the autonomous navigation control unit 122 described above in Figure 4. That is, the autonomous control unit 3110 can control the vessel without further user control based on data acquired from the vessel and pre-configured processes, but is not limited to this.

[0141] According to the embodiment, the autonomous control unit 3110 may include a first autonomous control unit 3111 that controls a first function of the ship and a second autonomous control unit 3112 that controls a second function of the ship. That is, the autonomous control unit 3110 may include a plurality of sub-autonomous control units 3110, each of which can be driven separately or simultaneously to control the ship.

[0142] For example, the first autonomous control unit 3111 can control the ship's keys, and the second autonomous control unit 3112 can control the ship's engines. In other words, the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 can control different ship equipment or functions. As a result, the autonomous control unit 3110 can control the autonomous operation of the ship based on the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112.

[0143] According to the embodiment, the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 can control different functions of the ship 1000 and control at least one of the same engines. For example, the first autonomous control unit 3111 may control the navigation of the ship 1000, the second autonomous control unit 3112 may control the docking and undocking of the ship 1000, and both the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 may be autonomous control units 3110 that control the engines of the ship 1000.

[0144] In this case, if the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 each forward a control transfer request signal, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine which of the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 will be subject to control transfer. For example, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine which of the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 will be subject to control transfer based on at least one of the following: the control transfer request signals received from the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112, the priority order between the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112, and whether or not the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 meet the operating conditions.

[0145] Furthermore, if the first autonomous control unit 3111 currently has control over the ship 1000 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 transmits a control transfer request signal, the control transfer unit 3300 can decide whether or not to transfer control from the first autonomous control unit 3111 to the second autonomous control unit 3112 based on at least one of the priority order between the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112, and whether or not the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 meet the operating conditions.

[0146] The remote control unit 3120 can remotely control a vessel. According to the embodiment, the remote control unit 3120 is located in a land-based control center and can control the vessel based on communication between the vessel and the land-based control center. For example, the remote controller can determine the status of the vessel based on signals received from the vessel and control the remote control unit 3120 to generate control signals. The remote control unit 3120 can use the remote control center to transmit the control signals generated based on the remote controller's control to the vessel. The vessel can then operate based on the control signals received from the remote control center. This allows the remote control unit 3120 to remotely control the vessel.

[0147] The remote control unit 3120 may include a first remote control unit 3121 and a second remote control unit 3122. According to the embodiment, the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122 may be remote control units 3120 located at different positions. That is, the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122 may be remote control units 3120 selected from a plurality of remote control units 3120 considering the ship's navigation route. According to the embodiment, the distance between the ship and the first remote control unit 3121 and the distance between the ship and the second remote control unit 3122 may vary depending on the ship's navigation. For example, when the ship departs, the distance between the ship and the first remote control unit 3121 may be smaller than the distance between the ship and the second remote control unit 3122, and when the ship enters port, the distance between the ship and the first remote control unit 3121 may be larger than the distance between the ship and the second remote control unit 3122. In other words, the position of the remote control unit 3120 is fixed, and as the position of the ship changes, the distance between the ship and the remote control unit 3120 can be changed.

[0148] The onboard control unit 3130 is located inside the ship and can control the ship. For example, the onboard control unit 3130 can be located in the ship's wheelhouse or bridge. The onboard control unit 3130 can control the ship in the ship's wheelhouse based on the control of the crew.

[0149] The operating conditions determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions of the ship control unit 3100. Specifically, the operating conditions determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions of the autonomous control unit 3110, the remote control unit 3120, and the onboard control unit 3130, which are included in the ship control unit 3100. In addition, the operating conditions determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions of the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122, which are included in the remote control unit 3120.

[0150] According to the embodiment, the operating condition determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions for each of the ship control units 3100 based on the control functions of the ship control unit 3100, the ship's navigation area, and the ship's position.

[0151] For example, the operating conditions determination unit 3200 can select the functions of the ship that the ship control unit 3100 will control from among the functions of the ship, such as navigation, docking and undocking, and cargo handling. The operating conditions determination unit 3200 can also select a navigation area corresponding to the ship's current position from among navigation areas such as coast, ocean, port area, port, and narrow waterway. Furthermore, the operating conditions determination unit 3200 can confirm the distance between the ship and the ship control unit 3100 based on the ship's current position and the positions of the respective ship control units 3100s. Then, the operating conditions determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions based on the selected control functions of the ship control unit 3100, the ship's navigation area, the ship's position, and pre-set conditions.

[0152] Here, the operating conditions can include multiple operating condition elements. For example, the operating conditions can include at least one of the following: operating constraint elements, environmental elements, autonomous ship equipment elements, communication elements, or user elements. That is, the operating condition determination unit 3200 can determine the operating constraint elements, environmental elements, autonomous ship equipment elements, communication elements, and user elements based on the control functions of the selected ship control unit 3100, the ship's navigation area, the ship's position, and preset conditions. As a result, the operating condition determination unit 3200 can determine the operating conditions of the ship control unit 3100.

[0153] Although it is stated that the operating conditions determination unit 3200 determines the operating conditions, it is not limited to this. For example, the operating conditions for each of the ship control units 3100, or at least one of the ship control units 3100, may be determined by the manufacturer of the ship control unit 3100, and the operating conditions determination unit 3200 may also confirm the determined operating conditions.

[0154] The control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the vessel. According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the vessel based on the vessel's control status. The control transfer unit 3300 can determine the vessel's control status to be normal if the vessel's control means currently meets all operating conditions. Here, the control means may be the control unit of the vessel control unit 3100 that is currently controlling the vessel. Furthermore, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine the vessel's control status to be abnormal (safety status) if the vessel's control means currently does not meet at least one of the operating conditions.

[0155] First, we will explain the operation by which the control transfer unit 3300 transfers control of the ship when the ship's control status is normal.

[0156] The control authority transfer unit 3300 can identify the control means currently controlling the ship. Specifically, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can identify the first control unit among the ship control units 3100 that is currently controlling the ship.

[0157] The control transfer unit 3300 can confirm the control transfer request. According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can receive a control transfer request from at least one of the ship control units 3100 and confirm the control transfer request.

[0158] The control transfer unit 3300 can identify the second control unit that is the subject of the control transfer request. According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can identify the second control unit that is the subject of the control transfer request by identifying the ship control unit 3100 that corresponds to the control transfer request.

[0159] The control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the control right transfer request is normal. According to the embodiment, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the control right transfer request is normal by verifying the control right transfer request. For example, the control right transfer unit 3300 can verify the control right transfer request based on the possibility of a collision between control signals occurring in conjunction with the transfer of control right. That is, if there is a possibility of a collision between control signals occurring in conjunction with the transfer of control right, the control right transfer unit 3300 can verify the control right transfer request as abnormal. Also, if there is no possibility of a collision between control signals occurring in conjunction with the transfer of control right, the control right transfer unit 3300 can verify the control right transfer request as normal.

[0160] For the sake of explanation, let's assume that the ship is currently controlled by the navigation system, which is one of the autonomous control units 3110, and the onboard control unit 3130, and that the onboard control unit 3130 has requested a transfer of control to the docking / undocking system, which is one of the autonomous control units 3110.

[0161] The control transfer unit 3300 can confirm the onboard control unit 3130's request for control transfer to the docking / undocking system. This allows the control transfer unit 3300 to determine the possibility of a collision between the control signals of the navigation system and the docking / undocking system. Both the navigation system and the docking / undocking system can control other parts of the ship by generating control signals related to other parts of the ship. If the navigation system generates a control signal related to other parts of the ship at the same time as the docking / undocking system generates a control signal related to other parts of the ship, there is a possibility of a collision between the control signals. As a result, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine that there is a possibility of a collision between the control signals when control transfer is made and can verify the docking / undocking request from the onboard control unit 3130 as abnormal.

[0162] According to the embodiment, the control rights transfer unit 3300 can determine whether a control rights transfer request is normal based on the form of the control rights transfer request. For example, the control rights transfer unit 3300 can determine whether a control rights transfer request is normal based on whether the form of the data in the control rights transfer request matches a preset data form. That is, if the form of the data in the control rights transfer request matches a preset data form, the control rights transfer unit 3300 can determine that the control rights transfer request is normal. Also, if the form of the data in the control rights transfer request does not match a preset data form, the control rights transfer unit 3300 can determine that the control rights transfer request is abnormal.

[0163] The control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the control means to which the control right is to be transferred is the same as the control means that currently holds the control right. That is, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the first control right and the second control right are the same. As a result, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the control right transfer has been completed. According to the embodiment, if the first control right and the second control right are the same, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine that the control right transfer has been completed. Also, if the first control right and the second control right are not the same, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine that the control right transfer has not been completed.

[0164] According to the embodiment, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether or not it has received confirmation of a control right transfer request. That is, in response to a control right transfer request for the second control right, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether or not it has received an approval signal for the first control right or a confirmation signal for the second control right.

[0165] According to the embodiment, the control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether it has received confirmation of the control right transfer request within the set time. The control right transfer unit 3300 can determine whether it has received confirmation of the control right transfer request within the set time by comparing the difference between the transmission time of the approval signal for the first control right or the confirmation signal for the second control right and the reception time of the control right transfer unit 3300 with the set time.

[0166] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control rights. If the control transfer unit 3300 receives confirmation of a control transfer request within a set time, it can transfer control rights of the vessel from the first control right to the second control right. In this case, the control transfer unit 3300 can transmit a notification of completion of control transfer to both the first and second control right.

[0167] Furthermore, if the control transfer unit 3300 is unable to receive confirmation of the control transfer request within the set time, it is not required to transfer control of the vessel. In this case, the control transfer unit 3300 may transmit a refusal to transfer control to the first and second control authorities.

[0168] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine the control transfer process based on the current control means. That is, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine the control transfer process based on whether or not the first control unit is the autonomous control unit 3110. Since the autonomous control unit 3110 controls the ship based on artificial intelligence, there does not need to be another user controlling the autonomous control unit 3110. As a result, it may be impossible or unnecessary for the autonomous control unit 3110 to confirm the transfer of control. Therefore, the autonomous control unit 3110 may not confirm the request for transfer of control.

[0169] On the other hand, the remote control unit 3120 and the onboard control unit 3130 may have another user controlling them. Therefore, the remote control unit 3120 and the onboard control unit 3130 may need to confirm a request for transfer of control.

[0170] According to the embodiment, a control transfer request can be received. In response to the control transfer request, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the current control means is the autonomous control unit 3110. If the current control means is the autonomous control unit 3110, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control. That is, if the current control means is the autonomous control unit 3110, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control without further confirmation from the autonomous control unit 3110.

[0171] According to the embodiment, if the current control means is not the autonomous control unit 3110, the control transfer unit 3300 can wait for confirmation of the current control means. When the control transfer unit 3300 receives confirmation of the current control means, it can check the time of receipt of the confirmation of the current control means. The control transfer unit 3300 can compare the difference between the time of receipt of the control transfer request and the time of receipt of confirmation of the current control means with the set time. This allows the control transfer unit 3300 to determine whether the confirmation was received within the set time.

[0172] According to the embodiment, the control right transfer unit 3300 can transfer control right if it receives confirmation within a set time. That is, if the control right transfer unit 3300 receives confirmation within a set time, it can transfer control right of the vessel from the current control means to the control means corresponding to the control right transfer request. In other words, the control right transfer unit 3300 can transfer control right of the vessel from the first control right to the second control right.

[0173] According to the embodiment, the control rights transfer unit 3300 may refuse to transfer control rights if it is unable to receive confirmation within the set time or if it receives confirmation after the set time has elapsed.

[0174] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can authenticate the ship control unit 3100. That is, the control transfer unit 3300 can authenticate the ship control unit 3100 before transferring control rights, and then transfer control rights to the authenticated ship control unit 3100.

[0175] According to the embodiment, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can authenticate the ship control unit 3100 based on a centralized token management system (CTMS). For example, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can provide the control authority with a management screen for the ship control unit 3100. This allows the control authority to manage the authentication of each ship control unit 3100 based on the management screen. In this case, the transfer of control authority can be performed based on the approval of the control authority. That is, if a request for transfer of control authority is made from the second control authority and confirmation is made from the first or second control authority, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can provide control authority transfer status information to the control authority. If the control authority approves the transfer of control authority, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the ship from the first control authority to the second control authority.

[0176] According to the embodiment, the control delegation unit 3300 can authenticate the ship control units 3100 based on a decentralized token management system (BTMS). For example, the control delegation unit 3300 can record the control delegation record on the blockchain. That is, the control delegation unit 3300 can control the priority among the ship control units 3100, and tokens can be allocated to the ship control unit 3100 that currently has the highest priority. Starting with the first control unit, which is the control unit with the highest priority, the delegation of ship control can be recorded in the distributed ledger of the blockchain network. If there is a request for delegation of control from the second control unit, the control delegation unit 3300 can authenticate the second control unit through a collective authentication process. If authentication is successful, the control delegation unit 3300 can transmit the control token to the second control unit. As a result, the second control unit can be recorded after the first control unit in the distributed ledger of the blockchain network. In this manner, the control transfer unit 3300 can certify the transfer of control over a ship.

[0177] If the control status of the vessel is abnormal (safety status), the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the vessel based on the priority order among the vessel control units 3100.

[0178] According to the embodiment, the control authority delegation unit 3300 can set priority levels among the ship control units 3100. For example, the control authority delegation unit 3300 can set priority levels for the ship control units 3100 in the order of autonomous control unit 3110, remote control unit 3120, and onboard control unit 3130.

[0179] According to the embodiment, the control authority delegation unit 3300 can set the priority order between the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 included in the autonomous control unit 3110, but is not limited to this. For example, the control authority delegation unit 3300 can set the priority orders between the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112 to be equal, and set the autonomous control unit 3110, which is set by the user, to have a higher priority among the first autonomous control unit 3111 and the second autonomous control unit 3112.

[0180] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can set the priority order between the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122 included in the remote control unit 3120. For example, the control transfer unit 3300 can set the priority order between the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122 based on the distance between each remote control unit 3120 and the vessel.

[0181] As another example, the control transfer unit 3300 may, but is not limited to, determine the priority between the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122 based on the communication status between each remote control unit 3120 and the ship. For example, the control transfer unit 3300 may determine the priority between each remote control unit 3120 by considering additional factors in addition to the distance and communication status between each remote control unit 3120 and the ship.

[0182] In the following, we will assume that the priority of the first remote control unit 3121 is higher than that of the second remote control unit 3122.

[0183] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the autonomous control unit 3110 meets the operating conditions. If the autonomous control unit 3110 meets the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 may not perform another control transfer. In this case, the autonomous control unit 3110 can continue to control the vessel. If the autonomous control unit 3110 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the vessel.

[0184] According to the embodiment, if the autonomous control unit 3110 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the remote control unit 3120 meets the operating conditions. If the remote control unit 3120 meets the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control to the remote control unit 3120. If the remote control unit 3120 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine the operating conditions of the onboard control unit 3130.

[0185] According to the embodiment, if there are multiple remote control units 3120, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can determine whether each remote control unit 3120 satisfies the operating conditions. First, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the first remote control unit 3121 satisfies the operating conditions.

[0186] If the first remote control unit 3121 meets the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control to the first remote control unit 3121. If the first remote control unit 3121 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the second remote control unit 3122 meets the operating conditions. If the second remote control unit 3122 meets the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control to the second remote control unit 3122. If the second remote control unit 3122 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control to the onboard control unit 3130.

[0187] Although the remote control unit 3120 is described above as including a first remote control unit 3121 and a second remote control unit 3122, it is not limited to this. For example, if the remote control unit 3120 includes three or more remote control units 3120, the control authority delegation unit 3300 can set a priority order for each of the remote control units 3120 and, based on that priority order, sequentially determine whether each of the remote control units 3120 satisfies the operating conditions.

[0188] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can determine whether the onboard control unit 3130 meets the operating conditions. If the onboard control unit 3130 meets the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control to the onboard control unit 3130. If the onboard control unit 3130 does not meet the operating conditions, the control transfer unit 3300 can perform its own fallback system.

[0189] According to the embodiment, the control authority transfer unit 3300 can perform an autonomous fallback system. Here, the autonomous fallback system may be a process performed to meet the minimum risk condition (MRC) of the ship when all ship control units 3100 are not meeting the operating conditions.

[0190] For example, the self-fallback system may be an action that stops the vessel. That is, the self-fallback system may be an action that stops a vessel in operation by adjusting the vessel's rudder angle and engine output. Specifically, the self-fallback process may be an action that controls the vessel's rudder angle to 0 within a first set time and controls the vessel's engine output to 0 within a second set time.

[0191] According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can perform the self-fallback system based on the ship's status information. That is, the control transfer unit 3300 can adjust the execution time of the self-fallback system by taking into consideration the ship's position, the ship's navigation area, the distance to other ships adjacent to the ship, and so on.

[0192] For example, the control transfer unit 3300 can set a shorter execution time for the self-fallback system when the ship's navigation area is coastal compared to when the ship's navigation area is open ocean. As a result, when the ship's navigation area is coastal, the ship can come to a stop faster compared to when the ship's navigation area is open ocean.

[0193] Specifically, the control transfer system 3000 can set the execution time of its own fallback system to 90 seconds when the ship's navigation area is coastal, and can set the execution time of its own fallback system to 120 seconds when the ship's navigation area is oceanic, but is not limited to these settings.

[0194] The control transfer system 3000 can improve the operational efficiency of a vessel and reduce the possibility of a ship accident by transferring control in different ways based on the control status of the vessel. Furthermore, the control transfer system 3000 can enhance the security of ship operations by authenticating the control means.

[0195] The control transfer system 3000 can improve the efficiency of ship control by transferring control rights while considering the priority among the ship control units 3100. The control transfer system 3000 can prevent collisions between multiple ship control units 3100 and improve the operational efficiency of the ship by verifying the control transfer request.

[0196] The following describes the operation of the control delegation system 3000 with reference to Figure 5. Therefore, content that overlaps with Figure 5 will be briefly described.

[0197] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control rights under normal circumstances according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0198] Referring to Figure 6, the operation method of the control transfer system 3000 may include the steps of: confirming the operating conditions of each ship control unit 3100 (S110); receiving a control transfer request (S120); determining whether the control transfer request is valid (S130); determining whether the control means subject to control transfer and the control means currently holding control are the same (S140); determining whether confirmation of the control means subject to control transfer or the control means currently holding control has been received within a set time (S150); transferring control (S160); transmitting a control transfer refusal (S170); and transmitting a control transfer completion message (S180).

[0199] In step S110, the control transfer system 3000 can confirm the operating conditions of each ship control unit 3100. The control transfer system 3000 can confirm the operating conditions of each ship control unit 3100 based on the control functions of the ship control unit 3100, the ship's navigation area, the ship's position, and preset conditions.

[0200] In step S120, the control transfer system 3000 can receive a control transfer request. The control transfer system 3000 can receive a control transfer request from one of the ship control units 3100 that wishes to transfer control.

[0201] In step S130, the control right delegation system 3000 can determine whether the control right delegation request is normal. According to the embodiment, the control right delegation system 3000 can determine whether the control right delegation request is normal by verifying the control right delegation request. For example, the control right delegation system 3000 can verify the control right delegation request based on the possibility of a collision between control signals occurring due to the delegation of control rights. That is, if there is a possibility of a collision between control signals occurring due to the delegation of control rights, the control right delegation system 3000 can verify the control right delegation request as abnormal. Also, if there is no possibility of a collision between control signals occurring due to the delegation of control rights, the control right delegation system 3000 can verify the control right delegation request as normal.

[0202] In step S140, the control rights delegation system 3000 can determine whether the control means to which control rights are to be delegated is the same as the control means that currently holds control rights. In other words, the control rights delegation system 3000 can determine whether the first control rights and the second control rights are the same.

[0203] In step S150, the control right delegation system 3000 can determine whether it has received confirmation of the control means to which control right is to be delegated or of the control means currently holding control right within the set time. The control right delegation system 3000 can determine whether it has received confirmation of the control right delegation request within the set time by comparing the difference between the transmission time of the approval signal for the first control right or the confirmation signal for the second control right and the reception time of the control right delegation system 3000 with the set time.

[0204] In step S160, the control transfer system 3000 can transfer control. If the control transfer system 3000 receives confirmation of the control transfer request within the set time, it can transfer control of the vessel from the first control to the second control.

[0205] In step S170, the control transfer system 3000 may transmit a refusal to transfer control. If the control transfer system 3000 does not receive confirmation of the control transfer request within the set time, it is not required to transfer control of the vessel. In this case, the control transfer system 3000 may transmit a refusal to transfer control to the first and second control authorities.

[0206] In step S180, the control transfer system 3000 can transmit a message indicating completion of the transfer of control. The control transfer system 3000 can transmit a message indicating completion of the transfer of control to the control means before the transfer of control and to the control means after the transfer of control. That is, the control transfer system 3000 can transmit a message indicating refusal of the transfer of control to the first control and the second control.

[0207] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control rights by approval of a control means according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0208] Referring to Figure 7, the operation method of the control transfer system 3000 may include the steps of receiving a control transfer request (S210), determining whether the current control means is the autonomous control unit 3110 (S220), waiting for confirmation of the current control means (S230), determining whether confirmation has been received within a set time (S240), rejecting the control transfer (S250), and transferring control (S260).

[0209] In step S210, the control transfer system 3000 can receive a control transfer request. The control transfer system 3000 can receive a control transfer request from at least one of the ship control units 3100.

[0210] In step S220, the control delegation system 3000 can determine whether the current control means is the autonomous control unit 3110.

[0211] In step S230, the control delegation system 3000 can wait for confirmation of the current control means. According to this embodiment, if the current control means is not the autonomous control unit 3110, the control delegation unit 3300 can wait for confirmation of the current control means.

[0212] In step S240, the control transfer system 3000 can determine whether it received confirmation within the set time. The control transfer system 3000 can determine whether it received confirmation within the set time based on the confirmation reception time of the current control means and the set time. The control transfer unit 3300 can compare the difference between the control transfer request reception time and the confirmation reception time of the current control means with the set time. This allows the control transfer unit 3300 to determine whether it received confirmation within the set time.

[0213] In step S250, the control transfer system 3000 may refuse the transfer of control. According to the embodiment, the control transfer system 3000 may transmit a refusal to transfer control to the ship control unit 3100 that issued the control transfer request.

[0214] In step S260, the control transfer system 3000 can transfer control. According to the embodiment, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control if it receives confirmation within a set time. That is, if the control transfer unit 3300 receives confirmation within a set time, it can transfer control of the vessel from the current control means to the control means corresponding to the control transfer request. In other words, the control transfer unit 3300 can transfer control of the vessel from the first control to the second control.

[0215] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the transfer of control in an abnormal situation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0216] Referring to Figure 8, the steps of the control transfer system 3000 may include a step (S310) in which the autonomous control unit 3110 determines whether the operating conditions are met, a step (S320) in which the remote control unit 3120 determines whether the operating conditions are met, a step (S330) in which the onboard control unit 3130 determines whether the operating conditions are met, a step (S340) in which the autonomous control unit 3110 controls the ship, a step (S350) in which control is transferred to the remote control unit 3120, a step (S360) in which control is transferred to the onboard control unit 3130, and a step (S370) in which the self-fallback system is performed.

[0217] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for determining whether the remote control unit 3120 in Figure 8 meets the operating conditions.

[0218] Referring to Figure 9, the step of determining whether the remote control unit 3120 meets the operating conditions may include the steps of setting priority among multiple remote control units 3120, determining whether the first remote control unit 3121 meets the operating conditions, transferring control rights to the first remote control unit 3121, determining whether the second remote control unit 3122 meets the operating conditions, transferring control rights to the second remote control unit 3122, and transferring control rights to the onboard control unit 3130.

[0219] In other words, if the remote control unit 3120 includes a first remote control unit 3121 and a second remote control unit 3122, the control transfer system 3000 can set a priority order between the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122. Furthermore, the control transfer system 3000 can determine whether the operating conditions are met in order based on the priority order of the first remote control unit 3121 and the second remote control unit 3122, and transfer control rights based on the determination result.

[0220] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configurations of the ship's integrated platform 100 and the control server's integrated platform 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0221] Referring to Figure 10, a first vessel 1001 equipped with an integrated platform 100 and a control server 2000 are illustrated. The first vessel 1001 may be any one of one or more vessels that are controlled by the control server 2000.

[0222] A detailed description of a first vessel 1001 equipped with an integrated platform 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows:

[0223] In one embodiment, the first vessel 1001 includes various components within the vessel and a vessel-side integrated platform 100. Each component within the vessel may include one or more pieces of equipment within the vessel. The vessel-side data storage unit 110 can send and receive data with each component within the vessel. The vessel-side data storage unit 110 may include a vessel data transmission / reception module that can send and receive data with each component within the vessel.

[0224] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include a database, which may include an onboard data database and an onboard / offboard data database. The onboard data database may mean a database used to store onboard data, including data received from various components on board the ship. The onboard / offboard data database may mean a database used to store signals related to the control of the ship, data received from other ships or control servers.

[0225] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include a communication module. The communication module may be a module for sending and receiving data with other integrated platforms 100 via a network.

[0226] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include an interlocking module for the integrated management unit 120. The interlocking module for the integrated management unit 120 may be a module for sending and receiving data with the integrated management unit 120 included in the integrated platform 100.

[0227] As described above, in one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 may include a ship management information generation unit, an autonomous operation control unit, and a control rights delegation unit. The ship management information generation unit can generate information for monitoring the first ship, such as monitoring and diagnosis, provision of weather information, and proposal of the optimal route. The autonomous operation control unit can control autonomous operation. The control rights delegation unit can manage the control rights of the ship.

[0228] A detailed description of a control server 2000 equipped with an integrated platform 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows:

[0229] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include a database, which may include a database for onboard data, a database for onboard / offboard data, and a database for external data. The database for onboard data may refer to data used to store data related to one or more vessels controlled by the control server. The database for onboard / offboard data may mean a database used to store signals related to the control of the vessel. The database for external data may mean a database used to store data transmitted to and from outside the ship management system, such as weather data, coastline data, and water depth data.

[0230] In one embodiment, the data platform may include a weather data receiving module. The weather data receiving module may be a module for receiving weather data from a weather information provider (e.g., the Japan Meteorological Agency).

[0231] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include a weather and map data management module. The weather and map data management module may be a module that updates weather and map data that can be distributed to one or more vessels under control or used to determine the optimal route.

[0232] In one embodiment, the data platform may include a communication module. The communication module may be a module for sending and receiving data with other integration platforms 100 over a network.

[0233] In one embodiment, the data storage unit 110 may include an interlocking module for the integrated management unit 120. The interlocking module for the integrated management unit 120 may be a module for sending and receiving data with the integrated management unit 120 included in the integrated platform 100.

[0234] As described above, in one embodiment, the integrated management unit 120 may include a ship management information generation unit, an autonomous operation control unit, and a control rights delegation unit. The ship management information generation unit can generate information for monitoring one or more ships to be controlled. The autonomous operation control unit can control the autonomous operation of one or more ships to be controlled. The control rights delegation unit can manage the control rights of one or more ships to be controlled.

[0235] In addition to the components described above, the integrated platform 100 of this disclosure may further include components necessary for operating an autonomous ship system.

[0236] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation between a ship and a control server according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0237] Figure 11 illustrates an example of how weather data is distributed from a control server to a ship.

[0238] The operation of the first vessel 1001, as described with reference to Figure 11, can be understood as being performed by the first vessel equipment, specifically a processor included in the first vessel equipment, and the first vessel equipment may be equipped with an integrated platform 100. Similarly, the operation of the control server 2000, as described with reference to Figure 11, can be understood as being performed by the control server equipment, specifically a processor included in the control server equipment, and the control server equipment may be equipped with an integrated platform 100.

[0239] In one embodiment, in step 610, the control server 2000 can receive weather data from a weather information provider. In one embodiment, the weather data can be received by a weather data receiving module included in the data storage unit 110 (on the control server side). For example, the weather information provider may be the Japan Meteorological Agency.

[0240] In one embodiment, in step 620, the control server 2000 can store weather data in a database. In one embodiment, the weather data can be stored in an external data database included in the data storage unit 110 (on the control server side).

[0241] In one embodiment, in step 630, the control server 2000 can modify the weather and map data. In one embodiment, the modification of the weather and map data can be performed by a weather and map data management module included in the data storage unit 110 (on the control server side).

[0242] In one embodiment, in step 640, the control server 2000 may store the modified weather and map data in a database. In one embodiment, the modified weather and map data may be stored in the onboard / offboard data database included in the data storage unit 110 (on the control server side).

[0243] In one embodiment, in step 650, the control server 2000 can transfer weather and map data to the first vessel 1001. In one embodiment, the transmission of weather and map data can be performed by a communication module included in the data storage unit 110 (control server side).

[0244] In one embodiment, in step 660, the first vessel 1001 can store weather and map data received from the control server 2000 in a database. In one embodiment, the reception of weather and map data can be performed by a communication module included in the data storage unit 110 (ship side), and the received weather and map data can be stored in the onboard / offboard data database included in the data storage unit 110 (ship side).

[0245] In one embodiment, in step 670, the first vessel 1001 can transfer weather and map data to the vessel management information generation unit. In one embodiment, the transfer of weather and map data to the vessel management information generation unit can be performed by an interlocking module of the integrated management unit 120 included in the data storage unit 110 (ship side).

[0246] In one embodiment, in step 680, the first vessel 1001 can generate an integrated management interface. Specifically, the first vessel 1001 can generate and update the integrated management interface based on weather and map data. In one embodiment, the integrated management interface can be generated by the integrated management unit 120 (ship side), and the integrated management interface can be displayed via a display.

[0247] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which a control server calculates the optimal route according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0248] The operation described with reference to Figure 12 can be understood as being performed by the control server device, specifically by a processor included in the control server device, and the control server device may be equipped with an integrated platform 100.

[0249] In the ship management system of this disclosure, autonomous ships operate autonomously based on an optimal route, but the optimal route that forms the basis of autonomous operation is not calculated by the autonomous ship, but can be calculated by the control server. In other words, autonomous ships operate autonomously based on the optimal route transmitted by the control server.

[0250] In one embodiment, in step 710, the control server 2000 can receive weather data, coastline data, and depth data. In one embodiment, weather data can be received from a weather information provider, and coastline data and depth data can also be received from providers of related data, and in another embodiment, coastline data and depth data can be based on the latest data stored in a database.

[0251] In one embodiment, in step 720, the control server 2000 can receive data relating to the vessel. In one embodiment, the data relating to the vessel may be collected by a ship data transmission / reception module included in the ship's integrated platform 100, specifically in the ship's data storage unit 110. The data relating to the vessel may include data relating to the equipment on board the ship, data generated by the operation of the ship, and so on.

[0252] In one embodiment, in step 730, the control server 2000 can calculate the optimal route. Specifically, the control server 2000 can calculate the optimal route based on ship data and weather data.

[0253] In one embodiment, in step 740, the control server 2000 can insert the route based on the calculated optimal route into the map and generate new map data. That is, new map data can be generated by adding the changes that have occurred and the calculated optimal route to the existing map data.

[0254] In one embodiment, in step 750, the control server 2000 can transfer the new map data to the vessel. The vessel, having received the new map data, can apply the changes and operate accordingly.

[0255] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of controlling operations in consideration of environmental regulations according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0256] The operation described with reference to Figure 13 can be understood as being performed by the control server equipment, specifically by the processor included in the control server equipment, which may be equipped with the integrated platform 100.

[0257] As described above, the autonomous operation control unit provided in the integrated platform 100 of this disclosure can control the operation of a vessel in accordance with environmental regulations.

[0258] In one embodiment, in step 810, the control server can receive ship operation data. In one embodiment, the ship operation data may be collected by a ship data transmission / reception module included in the ship's integrated platform 100, specifically the ship's data storage unit 110, or generated by the integrated management unit 120.

[0259] In one embodiment, in step 820, the control server can determine whether the ship's operation complies with environmental regulations.

[0260] In one embodiment, the control server can repeatedly receive ship operation data if the ship's operation complies with environmental regulations. That is, if the ship's operation complies with environmental regulations, the control server can continue to monitor the ship's operation without taking any further action.

[0261] In one embodiment, in step 830, the control server may transmit a speed reduction or propulsion system change alarm if the ship's operation does not meet environmental regulations. That is, the control server may request the ship to reduce its speed or change its propulsion system. A ship that successfully receives the request will reduce its speed or change its propulsion system to comply with environmental regulations. For example, the ship's equipment that receives the request may provide a speed reduction or propulsion system change alarm via an integrated management interface (specifically, an autonomous operation control interface), and the ship's manager may control the ship's operation via the integrated management interface based on the alarm.

[0262] In one embodiment, the propulsion system may include a fuel-based system, an electric battery-based system, or a hybrid system combining fuel and electric batteries. Furthermore, the propulsion system may also include a system using environmentally friendly energy such as solar energy. Because the environmental impact may differ depending on the propulsion system, changing the propulsion system of a vessel may affect whether or not it complies with environmental regulations.

[0263] In one embodiment, in step 840, the control server may determine whether the modified ship's operation complies with environmental regulations. In one embodiment, the control server may also receive ship operation data from the ship in order to perform step 840.

[0264] In one embodiment, the control server can repeatedly receive ship operation data if the modified ship's operation complies with environmental regulations. That is, if the modified ship's operation complies with environmental regulations, the control server can continue to monitor the ship's operation without taking any additional control.

[0265] In one embodiment, in step 850, the control server may provide a route regeneration alarm for the vessel and request a review of the navigation guide if the modified vessel's operation does not meet environmental regulations. That is, the control server may request the vessel to regenerate its route and review the navigation guide because a reduction in the vessel's speed or a change in the vessel's propulsion system would not meet environmental regulations.

[0266] Figure 14 is a block diagram of the device equipped with the integrated platform 100.

[0267] As an example, the device 900 may be a device equipped with the integrated platform 100 described above with reference to Figures 1 to 13. As another example, the device 900 may be a device that controls at least a part of the operation of the device equipped with the integrated platform 100 described above with reference to Figures 1 to 13. Therefore, explanations that overlap with the above content with reference to Figures 1 to 13 will be omitted.

[0268] The device equipped with the integrated platform 100 shown in Figure 14 may be a ship device installed on a ship of the ship management system, as described above, or it may be a control server device installed on a control server.

[0269] Referring to Figure 14, the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 may include a communications unit 910, a processor 920, and a DB 930. Only components relevant to the embodiment are shown in the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 in Figure 14. Therefore, a person ordinary in the art will understand that other general-purpose components may be included in addition to those shown in Figure 14.

[0270] The communication unit 910 may include one or more components that enable wired / wireless communication with an external server or external device. For example, the communication unit 910 may include at least one of a local area communication unit (not shown), a mobile communication unit (not shown), and a broadcast receiving unit (not shown).

[0271] DB930 is hardware that stores various types of data processed within the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100, and can store programs for processing and controlling the processor 920.

[0272] The DB930 can include RAM (random access memory) such as DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), CD-ROM, Blu-ray or other optical disc storage, HDD (hard disk drive), SSD (solid state drive), or flash memory.

[0273] The processor 920 controls the overall operation of the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100. For example, the processor 920 can control the input unit (not shown), display (not shown), communication unit 910, DB930, etc., by executing a program stored in DB930. The processor 920 can control the operation of the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 by executing a program stored in DB930.

[0274] The processor 920 can be implemented using at least one of the following: ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electrical units for performing functions.

[0275] In one embodiment, the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 may be a mobile electronic device. For example, the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 can be a smartphone, tablet PC, PC, smart TV, PDA (personal digital assistant), laptop, media player, navigation system, camera-equipped device, and other mobile electronic devices. Alternatively, the device 900 equipped with the integrated platform 100 can be a wearable device such as a watch, glasses, headband, or ring, equipped with communication and data processing functions.

[0276] In other embodiments, the device 900 provided with the integrated platform 100 may be an electronic device incorporated within a ship. For example, the device 900 provided with the integrated platform 100 may be an electronic device inserted into the ship by tuning after the production process.

[0277] As yet another embodiment, the device 900 provided with the integrated platform 100 may be a server located outside the ship. The server can be realized as a computing device or a plurality of computing devices that communicate via a network to provide instructions, code, files, content, services, etc. The server can receive data necessary to determine the route of the ship from a device mounted on the ship and determine the route of the ship based on the received data.

[0278] As yet another embodiment, the process performed by the device 900 provided with the integrated platform 100 can be performed by at least a part of an electronic device with mobility, an electronic device incorporated within a ship, and a server located outside the ship.

[0279] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration block diagram of a control right conversion synchronization system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0280] Referring to FIG. 15, a control right conversion synchronization system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a ship control unit 410, a control right synchronization unit 420, and an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 44_{0}.

[0281] The ship control unit 410 is a configuration means for controlling the operation of a ship or an autonomous ship, and includes an autonomous control unit 411, a remote control unit 412, and an in-ship control unit 413.

[0282] The autonomous control unit 411 is a constituent means for controlling the autonomous operation of the ship, and performs all controls on the autonomous operation of the ship. When such an autonomous control unit 411 controls the control equipment 430 configured on the ship, it outputs a control value for controlling the control equipment 430, and uses the output control value to control the control equipment 430. The control value output from the autonomous control unit 411 is transmitted to the control equipment 430 via the control right synchronization unit 420, whereby the control equipment 430 can be controlled. Of course, when the autonomous control unit 411 receives the control right for the ship from the control right synchronization unit 420, it can control the ship. When the control right is delegated to another control unit, it can also receive a control error for adjusting the control value of the autonomous control unit 411.

[0283] The remote control unit 412 is a constituent means for controlling the operation of the ship based on a control signal received from a remote location, and performs all controls on the operation of the ship by remote control. When such a remote control unit 412 controls the control equipment 430 configured on the ship, it outputs a control value for controlling the control equipment 430, and uses the output control value to control the control equipment 430. The control value output from the remote control unit 412 is transmitted to the control equipment 430 via the control right synchronization unit 420, whereby the control equipment 430 can be controlled. Of course, when the remote control unit 412 receives the control right for the ship from the control right synchronization unit 420, it can control the ship. When the control right is delegated to another control unit, it can also receive a control error for adjusting the control value of the remote control unit 412.

[0284] The onboard control unit 413 is a configuration means for controlling the operation of a ship based on control signals received via user input on board, and performs all control over the operation of the ship through onboard control. When such an onboard control unit 413 controls control equipment 430 configured on the ship, it outputs control values ​​for controlling the control equipment 430, and uses the outputted control values ​​to control the control equipment 430. The control values ​​output from the onboard control unit 413 are transmitted to the control equipment 430 via the control right synchronization unit 420, thereby enabling the control equipment 430 to be controlled. Of course, when the onboard control unit 413 receives control rights to the ship from the control right synchronization unit 420, it can control the ship, and when control rights are delegated to another control unit, it can also receive control errors to adjust the control values ​​of the onboard control unit.

[0285] When a transfer of control rights is requested from any of the control units constituting the ship control unit 410, the control right synchronization unit 420 calculates the difference between the control value of the current control unit for the control equipment 430 and the control value of the transfer control unit that requested the transfer of control rights, and adjusts the control value of the current control unit so that the difference in control values ​​is within an error range for a predetermined first time period. Here, the first time period may be a buffer time set for at least a portion of the control right transfer time, and such a first time period cannot exceed the control right transfer time.

[0286] For example, if a transfer of control rights is requested via the remote control unit 412 while the onboard control unit 413 is controlling the ship, the control rights synchronization unit 420 calculates the difference between the control value of the onboard control unit 413 controlling the control equipment 430 and the control value received via the remote control unit 412. By adjusting the control value of the onboard control unit 413 during the buffer time so that the calculated difference in control values ​​falls within the error range, the control values ​​can be synchronized before the transfer of ship control rights from the onboard control unit 413 to the remote control unit 412.

[0287] Depending on the embodiment, the first time (or buffer time) for synchronizing control values ​​in the control right synchronization unit 420 can be set to vary based on at least one of the following: the operating area in which the vessel operates, the vessel classification, the classification and risk level of the controlled object, and the classification of the control unit that requested the transfer of control right.

[0288] Depending on the embodiment, the first time (or buffer time) can be set to differ according to the function classification, the classification of the control unit that requested the delegation of control rights, and the operating conditions based on the function classification. For example, the buffer time may be the value set initially, and such a buffer time can be set to 10 seconds by the control rights synchronization unit when the function classification is "navigation", the control unit classification is "remote", and the operating conditions based on the function classification are "ocean".

[0289] Depending on the embodiment, the control right synchronization unit 420 can also determine buffer times by subdividing them according to the function and operating area of ​​the vessel. For example, if the operating area of ​​the vessel is the open ocean, the control right synchronization unit 420 can set the buffer time to be longer than a predetermined standard time because there are no other vessels nearby. If the operating area is a narrow waterway, has a large volume of vessels, or is close to the coast, the buffer time can be set to be shorter than the standard time. As another example, the control right synchronization unit 420 can set different buffer times according to the risk level of each function. For example, if the vessel is carrying cargo and performing cargo handling, the risk level is high, so the buffer time can be set to be shorter than the standard time. If the vessel is performing navigation functions, the risk level is low, so the buffer time can be set to be longer than the standard time.

[0290] Depending on the embodiment, the control right synchronization unit 420 may also be set to have different buffer times depending on whether the vessel is a cargo ship or an LNG carrier, and the maximum buffer time may be set to have different buffer times depending on the control right to be delegated.

[0291] Furthermore, the control rights synchronization unit 420 may be subdivided according to the function and operating area of ​​the ship to determine the buffer time.

[0292] Depending on the embodiment, even if the control value of the current control unit is adjusted during the buffer time, the difference in the control values ​​may deviate from the error range. In this case, the control right synchronization unit 420 can request the control right holder to adjust the control value so that the difference in the control values ​​is within the error range. For example, if the current control unit is the onboard control unit 413 and the control unit that requested the transfer of control rights is the remote control unit 412, the control right synchronization unit 420 adjusts the control value of the onboard control unit 413 during the buffer time so that the difference between the control value of the remote control unit 412 and the control value of the onboard control unit 413 is within the error range. When the buffer time has elapsed and the unit 420 determines that the calculated difference in the control values ​​has deviated from the error range, it requests the remote control right holder who requested remote control to adjust the remote control value so that the difference in the control values ​​is within the error range. This information is provided via the remote control right holder's screen, allowing the remote control right holder to adjust the control value so that the difference in the control values ​​is within the error range. For example, before the remote controller receives control over the steering angle, they can adjust the wheel so that the current steering angle matches the control value transmitted through the remote controller's wheel, thereby ensuring that the difference in control values ​​is within the margin of error.

[0293] Depending on the embodiment, even if the control right synchronization unit 420 adjusts the control value of the current control unit during the buffer time, the difference in control values ​​may deviate from the error range. In this case, the control right synchronization unit 420 further adjusts the control value of the current control unit using a soft landing method during the remaining time of the control right delegation time, excluding the buffer time, so that the difference in control values ​​falls within the error range, thereby synchronizing the control values ​​between different control units. Here, the control right synchronization unit 420 can determine the soft landing method based on the error range of the control equipment 430 and the difference in control values ​​calculated after the buffer time has elapsed. That is, the control right synchronization unit 420 determines a reasonable error range for each control equipment 430 in accordance with the change in control value, provides a buffer time to adjust the difference in control values ​​between the current control right and the delegated control right, and after the buffer time has elapsed, automatically adjusts the control value using the soft landing method, thereby mitigating the difference in control values ​​between the current control right and the delegated control right and synchronizing the control values. For example, if the control right synchronization unit 420 has adjusted the control value to 10 during the buffer time and the delegated control value is 1, it can control the control value in a soft-landing manner so that the control value is linearly controlled from 10 to 1 for the remainder of the time.

[0294] Depending on the embodiment, the control right synchronization unit 420 may set the buffer time to "0" and adjust the current control value of the control unit in a soft landing manner during the control right delegation time so that the difference in control values ​​is within the error range, thereby synchronizing the control values ​​between different control units.

[0295] Thus, the system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can change the control value from an extreme on / off change to a linear change using a soft landing method, thereby enabling stable operation of the control equipment.

[0296] Figure 16 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the process of transferring control.

[0297] As illustrated in Figure 16, when the control right synchronization unit 420 receives a control right delegation request, it determines a buffer time 320 within the control right delegation time 310 between the current control right and the delegated control right, and adjusts the current control value toward the delegated control value during the buffer time 320 so that the difference between the current control value and the delegated control value is within the error range. Here, if the difference in control values ​​deviates from the error range after the buffer time 320 has elapsed, the control right synchronization unit 420 can synchronize the control values ​​by further adjusting the current control value using a soft-landing method during the remaining time 330 of the control right delegation time 310 so that the difference between the current control value and the delegated control value is within the error range.

[0298] Of course, the control right synchronization unit 420 may, after adjusting the current control value during the buffer time 320, further adjust the current control value during the remaining time 330 using a soft landing method, or it may not be limited to adjusting the current control value during the control right delegation time 310 using a soft landing method to synchronize so that the difference in control values ​​is within the error range. Conversely, it may also synchronize the control values ​​by adjusting the current control value using a soft landing method during the buffer time 320, and then further adjusting the current control value during the remaining time 330 using another adjustment method.

[0299] The control right synchronization unit 420 can perform control right synchronization by providing the HMI 440 with data transmitted and received through the transmission and reception of control right data, control right request data, data with the ship control unit, and control of control equipment, or by using data set or input from the HMI 440.

[0300] The HMI440 is an interface that provides control value monitoring screens, setting screens, and control rights confirmation screens.

[0301] Depending on the embodiment, the HMI 440 can display the control values of each controller via a control value monitoring screen, display the control values of controlled equipment, provide error displays for control right conversion and alarm for exceeding the synchronization buffer time when the control right is converted, etc. For example, the HMI 440 can monitor the control values of the current controller and the operation of the controlled equipment based on the control values.

[0302] Depending on the embodiment, when the control right is converted via a setting screen, the HMI 440 can provide settings for the buffer time, on / off of synchronization for each controlled equipment, setting of the control value error range for each controlled equipment, on / off of automatic soft landing mode control when the buffer time is exceeded, and setting of the landing time when soft landing is on, etc.

[0303] The control right confirmation screen can confirm the current control right of the ship and the controller who requested the transfer of the control right, etc.

[0304] Of course, the HMI 440 can display all types of data that can be displayed via an interface in relation to the control right conversion synchronization system of the present disclosure, and the data that can be displayed can be determined by the operator or individual who provides the technology of the present disclosure.

[0305] Thus, the control right conversion synchronization system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can synchronize the control values generated in response to a request for transfer of the control right of the ship.

[0306] In addition, the control right conversion synchronization system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure controls the difference in control values due to the transfer of the control right of the ship within a predetermined error range, thereby reducing the burden on the controlled equipment that may occur due to sudden fluctuations in the control right and preventing damage to the passengers and cargo.

[0307] Furthermore, the control right transfer synchronization system according to the embodiment of this disclosure controls the change in control values ​​due to the transfer of control rights of a ship using a soft landing method, thereby linearly controlling the change in control values ​​and stably controlling the drive of control equipment.

[0308] Furthermore, the control transfer synchronization system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can transfer control to the current control holder who requested the transfer once the control value synchronization for control transfer has been performed and the control transfer time has elapsed. Of course, if the difference between the current control value and the transferred control value deviates from the error range during the control transfer time, the control transfer synchronization system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can determine that the control transfer synchronization has failed and provide an alarm for "control transfer impossible" to the current control holder and the control holder who requested the transfer.

[0309] Furthermore, the control right transfer synchronization system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, when there are multiple control rights holders of the same system and a control right transfer is requested by each control rights holder of the same system, assigns a priority order to each control rights holder in order to prevent control conflicts, performs synchronization for control right transfer based on the priority order, and thereby enables control right transfer.

[0310] Furthermore, the control right transfer synchronization system according to the embodiments of this disclosure can select a control suitable for the vessel by predicting the control results based on the control values ​​of different control holders when their priority rights are the same, and selecting one of the control holders according to the predicted control results and the final objective. Here, the unselected control system can operate as a candidate system to ensure control redundancy. Here, the method for predicting the control results can be determined by the individual or business providing the technology of this disclosure.

[0311] Furthermore, the control transfer synchronization system according to the embodiments of this disclosure can also be applied when there are two navigation systems and two docking / undocking systems, where each of the two navigation systems and two docking / undocking systems can correspond to a control device.

[0312] Figure 17 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart for a control transfer synchronization method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 17 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart for the system of Figure 15.

[0313] Referring to Figure 17, in another embodiment of the control right transfer synchronization method of the present disclosure, in step (S410), when the control right synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) receives a control right transfer request from the transfer control unit that is the subject of the control right transfer, in step (S420), the control right synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) determines the error range of the control value by the controlled object or control equipment.

[0314] In step (S430), the control rights synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) calculates the difference between the control value of the current control unit and the control value of the delegated control unit for the controlled object or controlled equipment. In step (S440), the control rights synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) adjusts the control value of the current control unit so that the difference in control values ​​is within an error range for a predetermined time (buffer time) set in advance.

[0315] Depending on the embodiment, the buffer time can be set to vary based on at least one of the following: the operating area in which the vessel operates, the classification of the vessel, the classification and risk level of the controlled object, and the classification of the control unit that requested the delegation of control.

[0316] Depending on the embodiment, the buffer time can be set to differ depending on the functional classification, the classification of the control unit that requested the delegation of control rights, and the operating conditions based on the functional classification.

[0317] In step (S450), the control right synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) adjusts the control value of the current control unit during the buffer time. After the buffer time has elapsed, it determines whether the difference in the control values ​​is within the error range. In step (S470), the control right synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) or the delegation control unit (not shown) determines that the difference in the control values ​​is within the error range and, after the control right delegation time has elapsed, it delegates or transfers control of the ship from the current control unit to the delegation control unit.

[0318] On the other hand, in step (S460), if the control right synchronization unit (220 in Figure 15) determines that the difference in control values ​​deviates from the error range, it further adjusts the current control value of the control unit in a soft-landing manner for the remaining time after the buffer time in the control right delegation time so that the difference in control values ​​is within the error range, thereby adjusting the difference in control values ​​to be within the error range during the control right delegation time and delegating control right to the delegation control unit.

[0319] Furthermore, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, if the difference in the control values ​​deviates from the error range during the buffer time, the control holder receiving the control rights may be requested to adjust the control values ​​so that the difference in the control values ​​falls within the error range.

[0320] Even if the description of methods according to other embodiments of the present disclosure is omitted, apparatus according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may include all of the things described in the systems of Figures 15-16, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art of the present disclosure.

[0321] Figure 18 shows a block diagram of a computing system for performing a control transfer synchronization method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0322] Referring to Figure 18, the control transfer synchronization method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure described above can be implemented by a computing system. The computing system 4000 may include at least one processor 4100, memory 4300, user interface input device 4400, user interface output device 4500, storage 4600, and network interface 4700, all connected via a system bus 4200.

[0323] The processor 4100 may be a semiconductor device that processes instruction words stored in a central processing unit (CPU) or memory 4300 and / or storage 4600. The memory 4300 and storage 4600 may include various volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 4300 may include ROM (Read Only Memory) 4310 and RAM (Random Access Memory) 4320.

[0324] Accordingly, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein can be directly implemented by hardware, software modules, or a combination of both, executed by the processor 4100. The software modules may reside in a storage medium (i.e., memory 4300 and / or storage 4600) such as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disks, removable disks, or CD-ROMs. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor 4100, which can read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor 4100. The processor 4100 and the storage medium may also reside within an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside within a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor 4100 and the storage medium may reside within a user terminal as separate components.

[0325] With respect to the steps constituting the method according to the present invention, unless explicitly stated in order or otherwise, the steps may be performed in any order that suits them. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps are described. In the present invention, the use of all examples or exemplary terms (e.g., etc.) is simply for the purpose of illustrating the present invention in detail and is not limited by the claims, nor is the scope of the present invention limited by such examples or exemplary terms. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will see that the claims or their equivalents can be configured according to design conditions and factors, with various modifications, combinations, and changes added.

[0326] The embodiments described above can be realized by hardware components, software components, and / or combinations of hardware and software components. For example, the apparatus, methods, and components described in the embodiments can be realized using one or more general-purpose or special-purpose computers, such as processors, controllers, ALUs (arithmetic logic units), digital signal processors, microcomputers, FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), PLUs (programmable logic units), microprocessors, or any other device capable of executing and responding to instructions. The processing device can perform an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications performed on the OS. The processing device can also access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to software execution. For convenience of understanding, the processing device may sometimes be described as being one, but a person with ordinary skill in the art will see that the processing device may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing device may include multiple processors or one processor and one controller. Furthermore, other processing configurations, such as parallel processors, are also possible.

[0327] Software can include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of these, and can configure a processing unit to operate as desired, or instruct the processing unit independently or collectively. Software and / or data can be permanently or temporarily embodied in a type of machine, component, physical device, virtual device, computer storage medium or device, or transmitted signal wave, in order to be interpreted by a processing unit or to provide instructions or data to a processing unit. Software can also be distributed on a networked computing system and stored or executed in a distributed manner. Software and data can be stored on one or more computer-readable recording media.

[0328] The methods according to the embodiments are implemented in a form of program instructions that can be performed by various computer means and can be recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., individually or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be specifically designed and configured for the embodiments or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code, such as that produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the embodiments, and vice versa.

[0329] As described above, embodiments are illustrated by limited drawings, but a person with ordinary skill in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the foregoing. For example, the above techniques may be performed in a different order than described, and / or the components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. may be combined or assembled in a different manner than described, or substituted or replaced by other components or equivalents, and still the appropriate results may be achieved.

[0330] The above description is merely illustrative of the technical concept of the Disclosure, and any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the Disclosure pertains can make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the Disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only, and not to limit the technical concept of the Disclosure, and such embodiments do not limit the scope of the technical concept of the Disclosure. The scope of protection of the Disclosure shall be construed in accordance with the following claims, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be construed as being included within the scope of the Disclosure.

Claims

1. The ship control unit currently includes a first control unit that controls the operation of the ship and a second control unit that is subject to the transfer of control rights, A ship management system including a control transfer unit that transfers control of the ship from the first control unit to the second control unit based on at least one of the following: a control transfer request signal received from the first control unit or the second control unit, the priority order of the first control unit and the second control unit, and whether the first control unit and the second control unit meet the operating conditions.

2. A data storage unit that stores at least one of the following: data relating to one or more pieces of equipment inside the vessel, data generated by the operation of the vessel, or data received from outside the vessel; The system further includes a ship management information generation unit that generates information for monitoring the ship based on the data stored in the data storage unit, The ship management system according to claim 1, wherein the control authority transfer unit determines, based on data received from the ship management information generation unit, whether at least one of the first control unit or the second control unit satisfies the operating conditions, and transfers control authority of the ship based on the determination result.

3. The ship control unit includes a first remote control unit that controls the operation of the ship on land and a second remote control unit that controls the operation of the ship at a location different from the first remote control unit. The control authority delegation unit assigns a priority order to the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the first remote control unit, the second remote control unit and the operating conditions, The ship management system according to claim 1, wherein when a request for transfer of control rights to the remote control unit is received, the ship control unit with the higher priority among the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit is selected as the second control unit.

4. The ship management system according to claim 3, wherein the control authority delegation unit determines the priority order between the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the distance and communication status between the first remote control unit and the ship, respectively.

5. The second control unit is, A first autonomous control unit that controls the autonomous operation of the aforementioned vessel, It includes a second autonomous control unit that controls the autonomous operation of the vessel and controls at least one identical engine to the first autonomous control unit, The aforementioned control authority transfer unit is: The ship management system according to claim 1, which determines which of the first autonomous control unit and the second autonomous control unit to which control rights will be transferred, based on at least one of the following: a control rights transfer request signal received from the first autonomous control unit and the second autonomous control unit, the priority order of the first autonomous control unit and the second autonomous control unit, and whether or not the first autonomous control unit and the second autonomous control unit meet the operating conditions.

6. The system further includes an operating condition determination unit that determines operating conditions corresponding to each of the ship control units based on the control functions of the ship control unit, the ship's navigation area, and the ship's position. The ship control unit includes an onboard control unit located inside the ship and controlling the operation of the ship, a remote control unit located outside the ship and controlling the operation of the ship, and an autonomous operation control unit that controls the autonomous operation of the ship. The ship management system according to claim 1, wherein the control authority transfer unit identifies a first control unit that is currently controlling the ship and a second control unit that is the subject of the control authority transfer request, and transfers control authority of the ship from the first control unit to the second control unit based on the first control unit, the second control unit and the operating conditions.

7. The remote control unit includes a first remote control unit that controls the operation of the vessel on land and a second remote control unit that controls the operation of the vessel at a location different from that of the first remote control unit. The ship management system according to claim 6, wherein the control authority delegation unit assigns a priority order between the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the first remote control unit, the second remote control unit and the operating conditions.

8. When the control authority transfer unit receives a request for transfer of control authority to the remote control unit, The ship management system according to claim 7, wherein the remote control unit with the higher priority among the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit is selected as the second control unit.

9. The ship management system according to claim 7, wherein the control authority delegation unit determines the priority of the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit based on the distance and communication status between the first remote control unit and the ship, respectively.

10. The first control unit is currently controlling the operation of the vessel, and the first control unit receives a request for transfer of control from the second control unit, which is the subject of the transfer of control rights. In response to the request for transfer of control rights, the steps include: calculating the difference between the control value of the first control unit and the control value of the second control unit for the controlled object; The steps include adjusting the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in the control value is within an error range for a predetermined first time period, A method for synchronizing the transfer of control rights, comprising the step of transferring control rights of the vessel from the first control unit to the second control unit after the control rights transfer time has elapsed.

11. The step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit is: The control right transfer synchronization method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit so that the difference in the control value is within the error range during the first hour of the predetermined control right transfer time from the time the transfer of control right is requested.

12. The step of setting the first time based on at least one of the following: the operating area in which the vessel operates, the classification of the vessel, the classification and risk level of the controlled object, and the classification of the second control unit, The control rights transfer synchronization method according to claim 10, comprising the step of setting the first time according to the functional classification, the classification of the second control unit, and the operating conditions based on the functional classification.

13. The step of calculating the difference in the aforementioned control values ​​is: During the first time, after the control value of the first control unit has been adjusted, the step includes again calculating the difference in the control value, The step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit is: The control rights transfer synchronization method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of requesting the second control unit to adjust the control value of the second control unit so that the difference in the control value deviates from the error range.

14. The step of calculating the difference in the aforementioned control values ​​is: During the first time, after the control value of the first control unit has been adjusted, the step includes again calculating the difference in the control value, The step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit is: The control transfer synchronization method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of adjusting the control value of the first control unit in a soft landing manner for the remaining time of the control transfer period so that the difference in the control value falls within the error range if the difference in the control value deviates from the error range.

15. The control right transfer synchronization method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of determining the error range by the controlled object when a transfer of control right is requested from the second control unit.

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