Marine Vessel Heading Control for Pitch and Roll Minimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art vessel positioning systems often cause marine vessels to pitch and roll simultaneously, leading to passenger discomfort due to combined motion over waves.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising marine propulsion devices and a control device with programmable circuitry to maintain a selected global position and heading, allowing user input to select between Pitch Minimization Mode and Roll Minimization Mode, adjusting the vessel's heading to minimize either pitch or roll while maintaining position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vessel maintains its global position and heading using prior art station keeping systems, then the vessel remains at the desired position, but the vessel experiences both pitching and rolling motion over waves causing passenger discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the heading parameter of the vessel to minimize either pitch or roll motion. By adjusting the heading angle relative to wave direction, the control system reduces the harmful combined pitching and rolling motions while maintaining the vessel at its desired global position through propulsion device adjustments
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the vessel heading is changed to minimize pitch or roll, then passenger comfort is improved, but the vessel may deviate from the selected global position
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts both the heading angle and the propulsion device outputs to simultaneously achieve pitch or roll minimization while maintaining the desired global position. The control device continuously monitors vessel motion and position, making real-time adjustments to propulsion forces to balance both objectives
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the control system adjusts propulsion devices to minimize either pitch or roll, then passenger comfort is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to control both pitch and roll simultaneously through complex multi-axis adjustments, the system inverts the approach by selecting to minimize only one parameter (either pitch or roll) at a time through heading adjustment. This simplifies the control logic while still providing significant comfort improvement
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for orienting a marine vessel minimize at least one of pitch and roll in a station keeping mode. A control device having a memory and a programmable circuit is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain orientation of a marine vessel in a selected global position and heading. The control device receives at least one of actual pitch and actual roll of the marine vessel in the global position and controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to change the heading of the marine vessel to minimize at least one of the actual pitch and the actual roll while maintaining the marine vessel in the selected global position.