Marine Vessel Control Device Wireless Lanyard Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine vessel control systems require the vessel operator to always wear a lanyard for emergency response functions, which compromises user comfort, especially at low speeds.
Innovation Solution
A control device for marine vessels that includes a wireless master unit and a wireless slave unit integrated with the lanyard, allowing for wireless communication and enabling the control unit to detect lanyard detachment, vessel speed, and communication status to control the engine accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vessel operator always wears the lanyard for emergency response function, then the safety and emergency response capability are improved, but the user comfort is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the emergency response function based on vessel speed. At low speeds, the system allows operation without lanyard attachment while maintaining monitoring capability. At high speeds, the system requires lanyard attachment for emergency response. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the safety requirement adaptive to operating conditions rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the emergency response function based on vessel speed. When vessel speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system enables the emergency response function that requires lanyard attachment. When speed is below the threshold, the system disables this requirement. This parameter-based control allows the system to maintain safety when needed while improving comfort when the risk is lower.
2Speed
If the engine is stopped immediately when lanyard is detached, then the emergency response speed is improved, but the vessel operator may be left behind at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines the emergency response action based on vessel speed. At low speeds, immediate engine stop is executed when lanyard detachment is detected. At high speeds, the system delays the engine stop or implements different control measures. This dynamic response strategy resolves the contradiction by adapting the emergency response speed to the current operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the response time and control action parameters based on vessel speed. When speed is below the threshold, the response time is set to immediate stop. When speed exceeds the threshold, the response time is extended or alternative control measures are taken. This parameter adjustment allows the system to respond quickly when safe to do so while preventing harmful outcomes at high speeds.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device of a marine vessel includes a wireless master unit to wirelessly communicate with a wireless slave unit possessed or worn by a vessel operator, and a processor configured or programmed to function as a detecting unit to detect that an engaging portion of a lanyard connectable to a connecting portion provided on a hull of the marine vessel is detached from the connecting portion, an obtaining unit to obtain a physical quantity that indicates at least one of a rotation speed of a drive source that propels the hull and a vessel speed, a judging unit to judge a state of wireless communication between the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit, and a control unit to control the drive source based on a detection result obtained by the detecting unit, the physical quantity obtained by the obtaining unit, and a judgment result obtained by the judging unit.