Dynamic Ship Route Planning for Real-Time Collision Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation systems for ships fail to effectively adapt to changing oceanographic conditions and unexpected obstacles, leading to a need for real-time assistance in navigating to avoid collisions.

Innovation Solution

A navigation planning system that includes modules for acquiring planned routes, movable body and obstacle information, calculating collision risk, and setting evasion routes when necessary, using sensors and satellite data to adjust ship paths in real-time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a fixed planned route is used for navigation, then route planning simplicity is improved, but collision risk increases when obstacles or changing oceanographic conditions appear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute planning simplicityVSAvoidcollision avoidance capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system dynamically adjusts the planned route based on real-time obstacle detection and oceanographic condition monitoring. The route is no longer fixed but adapts continuously to changing environmental factors, resolving the contradiction between route planning simplicity and collision avoidance capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback loops where sensor data from obstacle detection devices and oceanographic sensors continuously inform route adjustments. This closed-loop control enables the system to maintain simplicity while improving reliability through real-time responses to detected hazards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If real-time obstacle detection and route adjustment systems are implemented, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidance capabilityVSAvoidnavigation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system integrates multiple functions into a unified platform: obstacle detection, oceanographic monitoring, collision risk calculation, and route adjustment all operate within a single integrated system. This multi-functionality improves collision avoidance while managing overall system complexity through consolidation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-adjustment of navigation routes based on automated obstacle detection and risk assessment. The autonomous route modification capability reduces the need for complex manual intervention systems while maintaining high collision avoidance capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensor modules are used for acquiring obstacle information, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle position detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor module quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple sensor modules for obstacle detection are merged into an integrated detection system that processes information centrally. This combination maintains high measurement precision through multiple data sources while reducing overall complexity through unified processing architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4597036A1Navigation planning system and navigation planning method
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 FURUNO ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP4597036A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4597036A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4597036A1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A navigation planning system (1) is provided. The system configured to acquire a planned route indicating a navigation planning route of a movable body (200) on a water, acquire movable body information including a position, a moving direction, and a speed of the movable body, and acquire obstacle information including a position, a moving direction, and a speed of a plurality of obstacles located in a surrounding area of the movable body (200). Further, the system calculates a collision risk value indicating a risk level of collision between the movable body and an obstacle from the plurality of obstacles based on the movable body information and the obstacle information, and determines a necessity of evasion based on comparing the collision risk value with a threshold value. Finally, the system is configured to set an evasion route different from the planned route when the necessity of the evasion is determined.