Ship Control Gateway for Propulsion Machine Position Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of operations due to multiple propulsion machines and devices on a hull leads to a higher risk of control failure from erroneous settings and requires significant labor to identify and correct these errors.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a propulsion machine position determiner that uses a gateway device and communication bus to connect propulsion machine controllers, allowing for the recognition and relative positioning of propulsion machines, thereby reducing the risk of erroneous settings and the labor required to identify them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple propulsion machines and devices are mounted on a hull to enhance functionality, then the system's adaptability and versatility are improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A gateway device is introduced as an intermediary between propulsion machine controllers and other control devices. The gateway manages communication protocols and data flow, simplifying the overall system architecture despite multiple propulsion machines. This mediator handles the complexity of inter-device communication, allowing the system to maintain versatility while reducing operational complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple propulsion machines and devices are mounted on a hull to enhance functionality, then the system's adaptability and versatility are improved, but the ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary that centralizes control functions. Instead of operators managing multiple individual controllers, the gateway provides a unified interface that simplifies operation. It handles communication with all propulsion machines and devices, reducing the operational burden despite the increased number of components.
3Device complexity
If traditional communication connections are used between controllers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the loss of information about propulsion machine positions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device implements a feedback mechanism where each propulsion machine controller transmits its position information to the gateway. The gateway collects and manages this information, ensuring that position data is available to the control system. This feedback loop prevents information loss while maintaining relatively simple communication connections through the centralized gateway architecture.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] To reduce a risk of operation failure due to an erroneous setting of a system. To reduce labor to be spent for finding an erroneous setting. [Solution] Each of a plurality of propulsion machines of the control system includes a propulsion machine controller. The propulsion machine position determiner of the control system includes the propulsion machine controllers and a gateway device. The gateway device has a plurality of connection ports connected to a communication bus, and includes a single or a plurality of gateway controllers connected to each other in series via the connection ports and the communication bus. The propulsion machine controllers of two of the propulsion machines are communicably connected to different connection ports of the gateway controller provided corresponding to a pair of the two propulsion machines. The gateway controllers individually communicate with the two propulsion machine controllers to recognize the presence or absence of the propulsion machines having the propulsion machine controllers, and outputs recognition information based on recognition results of the propulsion machines from the different connection ports.