Single-Propeller Ship Control for Orthogonal Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single-propeller single-rudder ships lack the ability to move orthogonally to their fore and aft direction and require large, costly spankers or thrusters for directional control, which are not economically suitable.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a thrust generator, moving direction adjustor, and modules for disturbance estimation, position detection, and fixed point management, allowing the ship to maintain orientation and move along a target path without additional directional equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single-propeller single-rudder ship uses conventional equipment (spanker or thruster) for directional control, then the ship can move in desired directions, but the equipment becomes significantly large scaled, high in cost, and unsuitable for economical ships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical directional control equipment (spanker or thruster) with a control system that utilizes the existing propeller and rudder through coordinated control. The control device calculates appropriate rudder angles and propeller thrust based on desired movement direction, substituting complex mechanical additions with intelligent control algorithms that achieve the same functional result using existing components.
2Device complexity
If a single-propeller single-rudder ship lacks orthogonal movement capability, then the equipment remains simple and economical, but the ship cannot move in directions orthogonal to its fore and aft direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic control to the existing propeller and rudder system, allowing the ship to achieve orthogonal and other non-traditional movement directions through real-time adjustment of thrust and rudder angle. Instead of adding fixed mechanical structures for specific directions, the system dynamically coordinates the propeller and rudder to generate movement in any desired direction, including orthogonal to the fore and aft axis.
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose is to provide a program, method and device for controlling a movable body (e.g., single-propeller single-rudder ship) to move the movable body while keeping it orientated in a given direction. A controlling module may cause the movable body to stay at a fixed point position by controlling a thrust generator and a moving direction adjustor to orient the movable body to a direction of a disturbance estimated by a disturbance direction estimating module so that the movable body is not drifted by the disturbance. Every time the changing module sequentially changes the fixed point position, the controlling module may move the movable body to the changed fixed point position. Thus, the control device of the movable body of this disclosure may sequentially move the movable body while keeping it oriented to the direction of the disturbance.