Watercraft Visual Mark Recognition for Harbor Docking Guidance

Solution Overview

Problem

Operating a watercraft in an unfamiliar harbor is challenging due to the difficulty in obtaining necessary operation information, such as docking position size, approach angle, and forbidden areas, which can lead to errors in navigation and trespassing.

Innovation Solution

A system equipped with cameras and controllers that capture and analyze images to recognize specific marks, using a control data set to retrieve watercraft operating information, enabling automated or assisted operation by integrating image data from multiple angles and executing commands to navigate safely and correctly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If automated control technology is used for watercraft operation, then operation precision is improved, but adaptability to unfamiliar harbors deteriorates due to lack of stored operation information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation precisionVSAvoidadaptability to unfamiliar harbors

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of operation marks and storing operation information (docking position, approach angle, forbidden areas) in advance during familiarization with a harbor. This pre-stored information is then retrieved and used for automated control in unfamiliar harbors, eliminating the need for preliminary information gathering at each new location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of operation information by capturing images of marks placed in the harbor environment and storing the extracted data. This copied information (docking positions, approach angles, forbidden areas) is then used for automated control operations in unfamiliar harbors without needing to physically visit or memorize each location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If operation information is preliminarily obtained for each harbor, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time increases due to information gathering requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to unfamiliar harborsVSAvoidtime for information gathering

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of operation marks and storing operation information (docking position, approach angle, forbidden areas) in advance during familiarization with a harbor. This pre-stored information is then retrieved and used for automated control in unfamiliar harbors, eliminating the need for preliminary information gathering at each new location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of operation information by capturing images of marks placed in the harbor environment and storing the extracted data. This copied information (docking positions, approach angles, forbidden areas) is then used for automated control operations in unfamiliar harbors without needing to physically visit or memorize each location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If automated control is implemented without stored harbor information, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to navigation errors and trespassing risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of watercraft operationVSAvoidnavigation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copy of operation information by capturing images of marks placed in the harbor environment and storing the extracted data. This copied information (docking positions, approach angles, forbidden areas) is then used for automated control operations in unfamiliar harbors without needing to physically visit or memorize each location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses visual feedback by capturing real-time images of the surrounding view and recognizing operation marks to provide continuous information about the watercraft's position relative to docking areas and forbidden zones. This feedback loop enables reliable automated navigation by constantly comparing actual position with stored operation information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11572147B2System for operating watercraft, method thereof and watercraft

Publication Date: 2023.02.07 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A camera produces image data representing an image of a surrounding view of a watercraft. A controller obtains the image data. The controller recognizes an image representing a specific mark in the image data. With reference to a control data set, the controller obtains watercraft operating information associated with the specific mark recognized in the image data. The control data set defines a relationship between the specific mark and the watercraft operating information.