Collision Risk Calculation for Vessel Navigation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing collision risk calculation methods for vessels struggle to quantify collision risks represented as geometrical regions, making it difficult for navigation control to assess the degree of risk effectively.

Innovation Solution

A collision risk calculation program and device that converts region-type risk values into numerical values, allowing for the weighting of both numerical and region-type risk values to provide a total risk value, enabling quantitative assessment of collision risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If collision risk is represented as geometrical regions for intuitive recognition, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintuitive recognition of collision riskVSAvoidquantitative grasp of collision risk degree
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines geometrical region representation with numerical risk values by calculating the ratio of the dangerous region area to the total sea area. This merging allows the system to maintain the intuitive visual representation of collision risk while adding quantitative measurement capability, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the geometrical region concept into a quantifiable parameter by calculating the area ratio of the dangerous region to the total sea area. This parameter change converts the qualitative geometrical representation into a quantitative metric that can be precisely measured and compared, while still being derived from the original geometrical region concept.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If only numerical risk values are used for quantitative assessment, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantitative assessment of collision riskVSAvoidintuitive understanding of collision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges numerical risk values with geometrical region visualization by calculating the dangerous region area ratio and presenting it alongside or integrated with the visual representation. This combination allows navigation control to benefit from both the precision of numerical data and the intuitiveness of graphical display, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If collision risk is represented as geometrical regions, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual representation of collision riskVSAvoidquantitative data about collision risk degree
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines geometrical region display with numerical risk information by calculating and presenting the area ratio of dangerous regions to total sea area. This merging ensures that neither the visual representation nor the quantitative data is lost, but rather both are preserved and presented together, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and loss of information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the area ratio calculation as an intermediary that bridges the geometrical region representation and quantitative risk assessment. This intermediary transforms the visual geometrical information into a numerical form without losing the original geometrical context, thus preventing information loss while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3614364B1Collision risk calculation program, collision risk calculation method, and collision risk calculation device
Publication Date: 2023.07.05 FUJITSU LTD
  • EP3614364B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3614364B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3614364B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A collision risk calculation program configured to cause a processor to perform processing, the processing includes: executing acquisition processing that includes acquiring travel information regarding a position and velocity of each of a first vessel and a second vessel; executing region calculation processing that includes calculating a region having a possibility of future collision between the first vessel and the second vessel from the travel information of each of the first vessel and the second vessel; and executing first risk calculation processing that includes calculating a first risk value based on a maneuvering amount used by the first vessel or the second vessel in order to avoid the region.