Watercraft Auto-Docking Control Without Dock-Mounted Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current docking systems for watercraft require manual navigation and rely on sensors mounted on the dock, making the process stressful and costly, and there is a need for an automated solution that can navigate the watercraft autonomously to a target dock with an intuitive human-machine interface.
Innovation Solution
A watercraft auto-docking system comprising a user interface and a digital controller that graphically displays a map with selectable docks, allows users to select a target dock, and autonomously navigates the watercraft using an autopilot system along a generated docking path, eliminating the need for sensors on the dock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a docking assist system is used to help navigate the watercraft, then the user can stay on the intended course by compensating for external forces, but the user still requires manual navigation near the target dock and the system requires sensors mounted on the dock which increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual copies (images) of the dock and surrounding environment captured by cameras on the watercraft to create a virtual representation displayed on the display unit. This virtual copy allows the system to identify dock features and calculate docking paths without requiring physical sensors on the actual dock, thereby reducing installation complexity while maintaining docking assistance functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based detection system with an optical/image processing system. Instead of using physical sensors mounted on the dock to detect watercraft position, the system uses cameras to capture images, processes these images to identify dock features, and calculates the docking path based on image data, thereby eliminating the need for dock-mounted sensors
2Measurement precision
If sensors are mounted on the target dock for the docking assist system, then the system can detect watercraft position, but the cost of the docking assist system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the dock environment through image processing, using visual data to substitute for physical sensor infrastructure. This approach maintains position detection capability while eliminating the need for expensive sensor installation on the dock
Solution Approach 2:
The watercraft carries its own sensing equipment (cameras) and processing capability, making the system self-sufficient. The watercraft independently captures images, processes them to identify dock features, and calculates its own docking path without requiring external sensor infrastructure on the dock, thereby reducing overall system cost
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual navigation is required near the target dock, then the user can control the watercraft docking, but the docking process remains stressful and requires user skill
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback by displaying the captured images and calculated docking path on the display unit. This feedback loop shows the user the watercraft's position relative to the dock and the recommended path, making the docking process more intuitive and less stressful while maintaining user control and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the dock environment by processing images to identify dock features and calculate the optimal docking path before the user executes the docking maneuver. This preliminary action prepares the docking strategy in advance, reducing the cognitive load and stress on the user during the actual docking operation
Data Source
AI summary
A watercraft auto-docking system basically includes a user interface and a digital controller. The user interface includes a display monitor. The digital controller includes a processor, a computer memory and an I/O interface. The user interface is connected to the I/O interface. The digital controller is configured to graphically display a map image with at least one selectable dock on the display monitor. The digital controller is further configured to select a target dock for docking a watercraft in an auto-docking mode in response to a user input selecting a selectable dock on the map image using the user interface. The digital controller is configured to generate a docking path from a current location of the watercraft to a target location of the target dock. The digital controller is configured to autonomously navigate the watercraft using an autopilot system along the docking path until the watercraft reaches the target location of the target dock.