Marine Vessel Trailering Support With Predicted Hull Trajectory

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual trailering of marine vessels onto trailers is challenging due to the variable behavior of hulls in response to steering, making it difficult for inexperienced operators to accurately predict how the hull turns, especially when loading and unloading.

Innovation Solution

A trailering support device that acquires characteristic information on the relationship between steering angle and turning radius, relative position information between the trailer and hull, and detects the steering angle to predict the hull's future movement, generating a predicted trajectory and notifying the operator of the positional relationship.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual trailering is performed without prediction support, then the operator has full control over the hull, but the operator cannot accurately predict how the hull turns, making trailering difficult for inexperienced operators

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction accuracy of hull turningVSAvoiddifficulty of manual trailering operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of the predicted trajectory before the hull actually moves along that path. By using the detected steering angle and characteristic information to compute where the hull will turn beforehand, the operator receives advance guidance on the hull's behavior, enabling accurate prediction without waiting for the turning to occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trailering support device acts as an intermediary between the operator's steering input and the hull's actual movement. It detects the steering angle, processes it through the characteristic information, and presents the predicted trajectory as intermediate information that helps the operator understand and control the hull's turning behavior

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If characteristic information about steering angle and turning radius is acquired and used for prediction, then the accuracy of trajectory prediction is improved, but the complexity of the trailering support device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrajectory prediction accuracyVSAvoidcomplexity of trailering support device
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system utilizes characteristic information that represents predetermined relationships between steering angle and turning radius as adjustable parameters. By storing and applying these pre-determined parameter relationships rather than calculating complex physical models in real-time, the device achieves accurate prediction while maintaining relatively simple structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a virtual copy or model of the hull's expected trajectory based on detected steering input and characteristic information. This predicted trajectory copy allows the operator to see where the hull will go without physically trying different steering inputs, reducing the need for complex real-time control mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4385819B1Trailering support device and method, and marine vessel including trailering support device
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4385819B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4385819B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4385819B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A trailering support device capable of supporting a trailering operation for loading a hull onto a trailer. The trailering support device acquires characteristic information predetermined as information indicating a relationship between a steering angle of the hull and a turning radius of the hull, acquires relative position information between the trailer and the hull, detects the steering angle of the hull, predicts future movement of the hull based on the acquired characteristic information, the acquired relative position information, and the detected steering angle, and generates a predicted trajectory, and notifies of a positional relationship between the hull and the trailer and notifies of the generated predicted trajectory.