Docking Assist Control for Mobile Structures in Wind and Current
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated directional control systems for vehicles, particularly in watercraft, are expensive to retrofit, inaccurate, and fail to provide reliable docking or parking assist in crowded conditions or with external disturbances like wind or water currents.
Innovation Solution
A docking assist system incorporating a controller with sensors such as orientation, gyroscope, accelerometer, and GNSS, along with a steering actuator, to provide accurate and reliable automated or assisted docking by compensating for navigation hazards and environmental disturbances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional automated directional control systems are used, then directional control is provided, but the system is expensive to retrofit and produces results that are not accurate enough for reliable docking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a camera system that can serve multiple functions: it captures images for docking assistance, provides navigation information, and works in various environmental conditions. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for expensive purpose-built sensors, thereby reducing retrofit costs while maintaining high docking accuracy through intelligent image processing and control algorithms.
2Reliability
If conventional automated directional control systems are used, then directional control is provided, but the system fails to provide reliable docking in crowded conditions or with external disturbances like wind or water currents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously capturing images during the docking process, analyzing the target object's position and orientation, and adjusting control signals in real-time based on the deviation from the desired docking state. This closed-loop control system compensates for external disturbances such as wind and water currents,以及拥挤环境中的障碍物, thereby maintaining high docking reliability under varying environmental conditions.
3Measurement precision
If conventional automated directional control systems are used, then directional control is provided, but the results are not accurate enough to be used to provide reliable docking or parking assist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with an optical-based camera system combined with image processing algorithms. Instead of using multiple expensive purpose-built sensors for detecting position, orientation, and distance, the system uses a single camera to capture images and derives all necessary docking parameters through computational methods, thereby achieving high docking precision while reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide docking assist for mobile structures. A docking assist system includes a logic device, one or more sensors, one or more actuators/controllers, and modules to interface with users, sensors, actuators, and/or other modules of a mobile structure. The logic device is adapted to receive docking assist parameters from a user interface for the mobile structure and perimeter sensor data from a perimeter ranging system mounted to the mobile structure. The logic device determines docking assist control signals based, at least in part, on the docking assist parameters and perimeter sensor data, and it then provides the docking assist control signals to a navigation control system for the mobile structure. Control signals may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.