Marine Vessel Propulsion Control for Lateral Course Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Marine vessels equipped with joysticks for maneuvering often deviate from the intended lateral direction due to external disturbances such as tidal currents and wind, making it difficult to maintain the desired course.
Innovation Solution
A marine vessel propulsion control system that includes a boat control unit (BCU) to adjust the thrust direction and magnitude of outboard motors, using lateral assist, correction controls in the front-rear and yaw directions, and midway turning controls to keep the vessel on a set movement target line despite external disturbances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If control is performed to reduce the moving speed of the marine vessel in the front-rear direction when the marine vessel starts to move in the lateral direction, then the marine vessel can move more accurately in the lateral direction, but it takes time for the moving speed to sufficiently decrease, causing the marine vessel to move forward or backward while deviating from the desired lateral direction
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary actions by predicting the marine vessel's future position and attitude based on current state and environmental conditions. The BCU calculates anticipated deviations and pre-adjusts motor thrust before deviations occur, eliminating the need for reactive speed reduction and maintaining both accuracy and responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors the marine vessel's actual position, attitude, and environmental conditions, then feeds this information back to the BCU. The BCU compares actual state with target state and dynamically adjusts motor thrust in real-time, enabling continuous course correction without requiring speed reduction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the marine vessel receives external disturbances during moving in the lateral direction and rotates in a yaw direction, then the lateral direction with respect to the marine vessel rotates according to the turning, but the marine vessel moves in a direction different from the initially desired lateral direction
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the marine vessel's actual position, attitude, and environmental conditions, then feeds this information back to the BCU. The BCU compares actual state with target state and dynamically adjusts motor thrust in real-time, enabling continuous course correction without requiring speed reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system transitions from static course setting to dynamic adaptation. The BCU continuously updates the movement target line based on real-time vessel attitude and environmental conditions, allowing the course to dynamically adjust as the vessel rotates or experiences external disturbances, maintaining accuracy throughout the maneuver.
Data Source
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AI summary
A marine vessel that is able to cause a marine vessel to hold a course in a lateral direction desired by a marine vessel operator is provided. The marine vessel includes a plurality of propulsion devices configured such that are each able to individually control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated, a rod-shaped operation piece for moving the marine vessel in a tilting direction, and a controller configured or programmed to control the magnitude and the direction of the thrust generated by each of the plurality of propulsion devices so as to move the marine vessel in the tilting direction of the operation piece. When the operation piece is tilted toward a lateral direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction of the marine vessel, the controller is configured or programmed to execute first control that moves the marine vessel in the lateral direction, and causes each of the plurality of propulsion devices to generate a thrust, which eliminating a deviation in the front-rear direction from a position of the marine vessel when the operation piece is tilted, during moving of the marine vessel in the lateral direction. When the operation piece is tilted with respect to the front-rear direction of the marine vessel while the marine vessel moves in the lateral direction, the controller is configured or programmed to interrupt the first control and execute second control that causes each of the plurality of propulsion devices to generate a thrust corresponding to tilting with respect to the front-rear direction of the operation piece.