Wind-Assisted Vessel Routing Using Shared Area Weather Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional information processing systems for vessels propelled by wind power fail to optimize routes for maximizing thrust or reducing fuel consumption, and only consider weather and hydrographic conditions in a narrow linear range, lacking comprehensive consideration of wide-area conditions.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that acquires and utilizes area information based on actual operation data from other vessels, incorporating weather and hydrographic conditions to calculate routes suitable for wind power propulsion, considering tacking and gybing effects using polar diagrams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If weather and hydrographic condition forecasts are used for route calculation, then route planning can be performed in advance, but the accuracy of weather and hydrographic condition information is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Another vessel (1B) collects and stores area information including weather and hydrographic conditions in advance during its operations. This pre-collected data is then available for the subject vessel (1) to use in route calculation, eliminating the need for real-time forecast reliance while avoiding time-consuming data collection during the subject vessel's operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The subject vessel (1) uses area information collected by another vessel (1B) as a substitute for collecting data itself or relying on forecasts. This copied data from another vessel's operations provides accurate historical weather and hydrographic condition information for route planning without requiring the subject vessel to spend time on data collection.
2Measurement precision
If area information from another vessel is used for route calculation, then accurate weather and hydrographic condition information can be obtained, but information management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The information management system serves multiple functions: it stores area information collected by any vessel (1B), processes this data for route calculation by the subject vessel (1), and provides the information for calculating both position and course. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a unified information management platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the data collection function (performed by another vessel 1B), data storage, and route calculation functions (performed by the subject vessel 1) into an integrated system. By merging these functions and sharing area information across vessels, the system reduces overall complexity compared to each vessel having independent complete systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
An information processing apparatus (50) capable of calculating an appropriate route for a vessel (1) including a wind power propulsion unit (10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D) configured to propel a hull (11) by wind power, and a vessel (1) is provided. An information acquisition unit (51) acquires area information that is created based on the operation information acquired in each area by another vessel (1B) and includes information relating to at least one of weather and hydrographic condition in the area. Since the area information is information based on an actual operation information of another vessel (1B), the area information more accurately indicates a state of the weather and hydrographic condition in each area than the weather/hydrographic condition forecast. Therefore, a route calculation unit (52) can calculate a route suitable for propulsion by wind power in consideration of the accurate state of weather and hydrographic condition for an area covering a wide range. From the above, it is possible to calculate an appropriate route for the vessel (1) including the wind power propulsion unit (10) configured to propel the hull (11) by wind power.