Marine Propulsion Proximity Control for Directional Velocity Limiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine vessel propulsion control systems fail to effectively limit velocity in the direction of an object based on proximity, potentially leading to collisions due to environmental factors like currents and waves, and lack awareness of acceleration limits necessary for safe obstacle avoidance.
Innovation Solution
A propulsion control system equipped with proximity sensors and a controller that calculates and enforces velocity limits in various directions to maintain a predetermined buffer distance from objects, limiting user input authority to prevent collisions by determining maximum acceleration and velocity limits based on object proximity and buffer distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the marine vessel operates without velocity limiting based on proximity, then the vessel can maintain higher speed and productivity, but the risk of collision with objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts velocity limits based on real-time proximity measurements to objects. As the vessel approaches objects, the velocity limit automatically decreases, and when farther away, the limit increases. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing high speed when safe and reducing speed only when necessary to avoid collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the distance between the vessel and nearby objects using proximity sensors, and uses this feedback to adjust velocity limits. The controller receives proximity measurements and dynamically modifies the velocity limit accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that balances collision avoidance with maintaining productivity.
2Reliability
If the system automatically limits velocity based on proximity, then collision avoidance improves, but the operator's control authority is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary velocity limit parameter that mediates between the operator's desired velocity and the actual vessel velocity. Rather than directly controlling the vessel, the system sets velocity limits that the propulsion system enforces, allowing the operator to command velocities while the system ensures safety constraints are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the velocity parameter dynamically based on proximity conditions. The velocity limit is adjusted as a safety parameter rather than a direct control restriction, allowing the operator to maintain control within safe boundaries while the system automatically enforces collision avoidance through parameter modification.
3Reliability
If the system considers acceleration limits for velocity limiting, then safe obstacle avoidance improves, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-determines acceleration limits based on the vessel's characteristics and stores them for use during operation. By calculating and storing acceleration limits in advance rather than computing them in real-time during velocity limiting, the system achieves safe obstacle avoidance while minimizing the computational complexity during critical proximity situations.
Data Source
AI summary
A propulsion control system for a marine vessel includes a propulsion system comprising at least one propulsion device configured to propel the marine vessel, a proximity sensor system configured to generate proximity measurements describing proximity of objects surrounding the marine vessel, and a control system. The control system is configured to receive the proximity measurements, generate a most important object (MIO) dataset based on the proximity measurements, wherein the MIO dataset defines a closest proximity measurement in each of a plurality of directions with respect to the marine vessel, calculate a velocity limit dataset based on the MIO dataset, wherein the velocity limit dataset defines a velocity limit in each of the plurality of directions, and control the propulsion system based on the velocity limit dataset.