Marine Vessel Axis-Lock Navigation for Precise Docking Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation control systems for marine vessels are inadequate for assisting users in maneuvering in tight quarters, such as docking or navigating through narrow passages, as they require manual control of all three axes (surge, sway, and yaw) while compensating for environmental factors like current, wind, and waves. Additionally, autonomous control modes do not allow user control over any axis, and velocity control systems lack sufficient resolution for precise position control.
Innovation Solution
A navigation control system and method that enable a user to lock a subset of axes (surge, sway, and yaw) and control the remaining axis or axes. The system receives a lock control instruction specifying which axes are locked and which are user-controllable, defines a movement track for the unlocked axis based on the current GPS position and heading, and controls propulsion to maintain vessel position with respect to the locked axes while allowing user control of the unlocked axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control of all three axes (surge, sway, and yaw) is required, then user control over vessel movement is comprehensive, but the complexity of operation increases significantly making it difficult to maneuver in tight quarters
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into independent axis controllers, allowing each axis (surge, sway, yaw) to be controlled separately. Users can selectively enable or disable control for each axis, reducing the operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive control capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically adapts its complexity based on operational needs. The ability to selectively lock or unlock axes allows the system to transition between full manual control mode (when user expertise and situation demand it) and simplified control mode (when maneuvering in tight quarters), making the complexity dynamic rather than static.
2Reliability
If autonomous control modes are implemented, then the system can automatically compensate for environmental factors, but users lose the ability to control any axis manually
Solution Approach 1:
Different control modes are applied to different axes based on local operational requirements. The system allows selective application of autonomous control to specific axes while maintaining manual control on others, enabling users to have autonomous compensation where needed (e.g., yaw axis for heading stability) while retaining manual control where user judgment is preferred.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to be multi-functional, supporting both autonomous and manual control modes for each axis. This universality allows the same hardware and software platform to adapt to different operational scenarios, providing environmental compensation when required while preserving user control capability when desired.
3Productivity
If velocity control systems are used, then the system can provide automated propulsion control, but the resolution is insufficient for precise position control in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the actual position of the vessel and comparing it with the desired position. This closed-loop control allows the system to make real-time adjustments to propulsion commands, achieving precise position control even in tight spaces by correcting errors based on actual versus desired state comparisons.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs preliminary calculations to determine the precise propulsion commands needed to achieve desired position changes. By pre-calculating the required thrust vectors and accounting for vessel dynamics before execution, the system can achieve higher position control resolution than simple velocity control alone would provide.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel includes receiving a lock control instruction designating two locked axes and one unlocked axis out of a surge access, a sway access, and a yaw access. Upon receiving the lock instruction, a current GPS position and a current heading of the marine vessel are sensed and a movement track is defined for the unlocked axis based on the current GPS position and the current heading. The movement track is defined such that the vessel position with respect to each of the two locked axes is unchanged. A thrust command input is received and then at least one propulsion device is controlled to move the marine vessel on the movement track based on the thrust command input while automatically maintaining the vessel position with respect to each of the two locked axes.