Ship Body Control Device Using Deviation Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ship body control devices require large-scale configurations to control heading and thrust, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A ship body control device comprising a rudder controller, sensor, and autopilot controller that calculates and sets rudder angle and propulsion force commands based on the angle of deviation from a target direction, using thresholds to adjust rudder and propulsion settings automatically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional control device for ship body is used, then the ship body can be oriented and held in a fixed direction, but the configuration becomes large-scale and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into three functional modules: a sensor unit for detecting ship body direction, an autopilot controller for calculating rudder angle commands, and a rudder controller for executing the commands. This segmentation allows each module to perform a specific function with simplified hardware, avoiding the need for a large-scale integrated system while maintaining reliable ship body orientation control
Solution Approach 2:
The autopilot controller performs multiple functions: it receives ship body direction data from the sensor, calculates the angle of deviation from the target direction, determines the appropriate rudder angle command based on deviation magnitude, and outputs the command to the rudder controller. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each control task, simplifying the overall device configuration
2Extent of automation
If threshold-based rudder angle control is implemented, then automatic heading control is achieved, but the control responsiveness may be reduced for small deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts its response based on the magnitude of the angle of deviation. When the deviation exceeds the first threshold, the system responds with a fixed turning rudder angle for rapid correction. When the deviation is between the first and second thresholds, a proportional rudder angle is applied for gradual adjustment. When the deviation is below the second threshold, the current rudder angle is maintained to avoid unnecessary adjustments. This dynamic response strategy achieves automatic heading control while optimizing responsiveness to different deviation scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the rudder angle parameter based on the deviation parameter. By establishing a relationship between the angle of deviation and the rudder angle command with reference to predefined thresholds, the system automatically adjusts the control parameter (rudder angle) according to the state parameter (deviation angle), achieving adaptive automatic heading control without requiring complex real-time calculations
Data Source
AI summary
A ship body control device is provided, which includes a rudder controller configured to control a rudder angle of a ship, a sensor configured to measure a ship body direction of the ship, and an autopilot controller configured to output a rudder angle command to the rudder controller. The autopilot controller includes an angle-of-deviation calculating module configured to calculate a deviation angle of a stern direction from a target stern direction based on the ship body direction, and a rudder angle command setting module configured to set the rudder angle command so as to maintain a current rudder angle when the deviation angle is less than a first threshold, and to change it to a given fixed turning rudder angle when the deviation angle is the first threshold or more.