Automatic Berthing Image Ranging System for Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional berthing operations for vessels rely heavily on manual skills and are costly when automated, with existing systems facing calculation overload issues, making them unsuitable for all vessels, especially those oscillating freely with small amplitude.
Innovation Solution
An automatic berthing image ranging system using an image capturing device and electronic control unit to capture and process images with patterns, calculate distances and angles, and perform trigonometry to estimate the acute angle between the vessel and the port, reducing calculation load and improving berthing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated ranging systems using radar sensing are deployed, then berthing automation is improved, but system cost and calculation load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex radar sensing systems with a simpler image capturing device (camera) to achieve automated berthing. The system uses image processing algorithms to extract position and angle information from captured images, substituting expensive radar technology with more affordable and computationally efficient computer vision techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses visual patterns (first pattern on vessel, second patterns on port) as reference markers that can be captured and processed. By creating a digital representation of the berthing scene through image capture and processing, the system avoids the need for expensive physical sensing infrastructure while achieving accurate position and angle measurement.
2Device complexity
If traditional manual berthing operations are used, then system cost is reduced, but berthing precision and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses patterns that are automatically captured and processed by the image capturing device and electronic control unit. The electronic control unit autonomously calculates position and angle information from the captured images without requiring manual intervention, achieving both simplicity and precision through automated image processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the berthing measurement problem from direct physical measurement to image parameter analysis. By capturing visual information and extracting geometric parameters (pixel coordinates, projection distances, calibration ratios) from images, the system achieves precise measurement using simpler computational methods.
3Measurement precision
If complex calculation algorithms are used for ranging, then measurement precision is improved, but calculation overload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential geometric information needed for berthing from the captured images. By focusing on specific pattern positions and using projection geometry to calculate distances and angles, the system avoids complex full-scene analysis while achieving sufficient precision for safe berthing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the image processing task into distinct steps: capturing reference image with patterns, extracting pattern positions, projecting to reference plane, calculating projection distances, determining calibration ratios, and computing final position and angle. This segmentation allows efficient processing at each stage rather than using a single complex algorithm.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an automatic berthing image ranging system for vessels and operation method thereof, the method comprising: obtaining a reference image around a position in which a vessel is located, the reference image comprises a first pattern and at least two second patterns; the reference image is projected to a reference plane to generate projection coordinates corresponding to the first pattern and the at least two patterns; determining a positional relationship between the vessel and a port by a predetermined distance, and the positional relationship is represented by an angle value.