EP3610464A1

EP3610464A1 - Indicator method and system for a vessel

Info

Publication number: EP3610464A1
Application number: EP18716293.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Edwin Simon Van Buren; Markus DE JONG
Original assignee: Damen Components Holding BV
Current assignee: Damen Components Holding BV
Priority date: 2017-04-11
Filing date: 2018-04-11
Publication date: 2020-02-19
Also published as: EP3389021B1; EP3389021A1; WO2018189271A1

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring an efficiency of a vessel during waterway navigation. The method comprises: obtaining an efficiency indication (SEI) corresponding to a time interval, and providing the efficiency indication to a display device (80) and/or to a processor unit. Obtaining the efficiency indication includes: acquiring an indication of a fuel consumption (FC) by the vessel in the time interval; acquiring an indication of a distance travelled by the vessel in the time interval; acquiring an indication of fluctuation of a rudder angle (RA) during at least the time interval, and calculating the efficiency indication based on the indication of the fuel consumption, the indication of the distance, and the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle.

Description

Indicator Method and System for a Vessel

Technical Field

[0001 ] The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring an efficiency for a vessel, and to a vessel provided with such a system . Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program product arranged to perform the proposed method , and to a computer readable medium comprising such a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] Control assistance display methods and systems for marine vessels are known. Such display methods and systems serve to provide helpful information to a human operator of the vessel (e.g. a helmsman), which allows this operator to make better decisions with regard to setting and adjustment of vessel controls.

[0003] Patent document US4129087A describes a display system for assisting a human operator in manually controlling a ship. This display system comprises a computer that is configured to calculate an optimum rudder angle and to show the calculated rudder angle and an actual rudder angle on a display. An ordered rudder angle produced by the helm wheel and a gyrocompass heading are used by the computer to determine an optimum rudder angle, which is shown to the operator via a pursuit-type rotating ring display. Legend indicators show the human operator when the helm wheel is correctly or incorrectly positioned, as well as the direction in which to move.

[0004] The information content based on gyrocompass heading and rudder angles presented by this known display system to the vessel operator is rather limited. Waterway navigation based on set gyrocompass headings is less suitable in waterways with limited size and/or wherein significant vessel manoeuvring can be expected , e.g. during inland waterway navigation. In these settings, a rudder angle guidance indicator based on gyrocompass heading is of little use to the vessel operator. It would be desirable to provide an assistive indicator method and system that allow a vessel operator to make better informed decisions regarding steering adjustments, and which may allow generation of additional visual information regarding the vessel's dynamic behaviour in a clear and readily accessible manner.

Summary of Invention

[0005] Therefore, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring an efficiency of a vessel during waterway navigation. The method comprises obtaining an efficiency indication SE corresponding to a time interval At\, and providing the efficiency indication to a display device and/or to a processor unit. Obtaining of the efficiency indication includes:

- acquiring an indication of a fuel consumption FCi by the vessel in the time interval;

- acquiring an indication of a distance D, travelled by the vessel in the time interval; - acquiring an indication of fluctuation of a rudder angle (RA) during at least the time interval, and

- calculating the efficiency indication based on the indication of the fuel consumption, the indication of the distance, and the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle.

[0006] Calculation of the efficiency indication may for instance involve dynamic adjustment of this efficiency indication to an improved value if the indication of rudder angle fluctuation corresponds to sufficiently stable rudder behaviour.

[0007] The ship efficiency indicator may provide a vessel operator an increased awareness of the vessel's dynamic behaviour in relation to fuel efficiency, and of the impact of excess rudder fluctuations on this fuel efficiency. By also considering rudder angle fluctuations, the efficiency indication provides current information on optimal steering behaviour, not only when sailing straight ahead but also through curves (e.g . in bends of a river). Indicator-assisted fine-tuning of steering helps in reducing the number and magnitude of steering motions, which may in turn lead to desired reductions in fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions by the propulsion system , and/or wear of the steering mechanism .

[0008] The time interval Ah relates to a recent point in time and a finite period that directly precedes it. The recent point in time is preferably the current time, but slight delays in the order of seconds or less may be inherently present e.g . due to processing lag and/or synchronization issues. The travelled distance and the fuel consumption are determined over this time interval, and are therefore "local" observables representative of recent/current vessel dynamics, which can be dynamically updated at desired update rates. Preferably, the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle is acquired over a reference time interval that also relates to the current point in time, but which extends over a longer reference time length Ai_a back in time. Criteria for defining rudder angle fluctuation can thus be decoupled from the update rate of the efficiency indication, especially in cases where short SEI update rates are desired.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the obtaining of the efficiency indication SEI, also includes acquiring an indication of fluctuation of a rate of turn (ROT) of the vessel during at least the time interval At\, and calculating of the efficiency indication is also based on the indication of fluctuation of the rate of turn.

[0010] Calculation of the efficiency indication may for instance involve dynamic adjustment of this efficiency indication to an improved value if both the indication of rudder angle and turning rate fluctuations correspond to sufficiently stable steering behaviour.

[001 1 ] The turning rate of the vessel directly depends on the rudder angle, but also on inertial effects. Short-lived rudder angle fluctuations do to not necessarily cause substantial changes in ROT, and a current ROT will only converge towards a desired ROT (and associated rudder angle) after a certain response time. The efficiency indication for the operator may therefore also consider the effect of fluctuations in the vessel turning rate on the fuel efficiency. The operator can thus be dynamically made aware that gradual rudder motions and stable ROT are preferred over fluctuating (e.g . erratic) rudder corrections while navigating a curve. The relevance of such awareness increases in settings wherein more manoeuvring is required (e.g. for inland waterway navigation). Preferably, the indication of fluctuation of ROT is acquired over a reference time interval that also relates to the recent point in time, but which extends over the longer reference time length Ai_a back in time. The criteria for defining turning rate fluctuation can thus also be decoupled from the update rate of the efficiency indication.

[0012] According to an embodiment, calculation of the efficiency indication includes:

- comparing the indication of fluctuation of rudder angle against a first threshold value, and

- adjusting the efficiency indication to an improved value if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle remains below the first threshold.

[0013] By comparing rudder angle fluctuations against a threshold value and improving the efficiency indication if fluctuations are deemed small, the operator can be dynamically made aware that gradual rudder motions are preferred over erratic rudder corrections while navigating a curve. The fluctuation tolerance may be set beforehand. The rudder angle may for instance be deemed (quasi) constant if the rudder angle fluctuations stay within first fluctuation threshold during the reference time length Ai_a that is at least as long as the time interval At, over which the fuel consumption and travelled distance are determined. Each pair of rudder angles measured at consecutive times may be mutually compared, to assess whether one or more of the resulting differential values exceeds the first fluctuation threshold. Alternatively or in addition, other numerical or statistical approaches may be employed to assess the magnitude of fluctuations.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, calculation of the efficiency indication includes:

- comparing the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle against a first threshold value;

- comparing the indication of fluctuation of the rate of turn against a second threshold value, and

- adjusting the efficiency indication to an improved value only if both the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle and the rate of turn remain below the respective first and second threshold values.

[0015] By comparing both rudder angle and vessel turning rate fluctuations against threshold values and improving the efficiency indication only if both fluctuations remain sufficiently low, the operator can be made aware that gradual rudder motions are preferred only when they contribute to a desired constant turning rate for navigating a curve. The fluctuation tolerances may be set beforehand, and may be different for turning rate and rudder angle. The tolerances may be made dependent on current speed over ground measurements. The tolerances ensure that the ship efficiency indicator is not affected by relatively small fluctuations, which may for example be caused by non-controllable circumstances like local water turbulence close to the rudder.

[0016] Similarly, the turning rate may be deemed (quasi) constant if the turning rate fluctuations stay within second fluctuation threshold during reference time length Ai_a that is at least as long as the time interval At\. Each pair of ROT values measured at consecutive times may be mutually compared to assess whether one or more of the resulting differential values exceeds the second fluctuation threshold, but other numerical or statistical approaches may be used as an addition or an alternative to the above.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises:

- initially determining a reference efficiency term EEOL; - calculating a current efficiency term EEOh based on the indication of the fuel consumption and the indication of the distance acquired for the time interval Δ¾;

Here, calculation of the efficiency indication SEh includes determining a ratio between the reference efficiency term and the current efficiency term.

[0018] The current efficiency term may be calculated based on real-time measured fuel consumption rate and travelled distance. In this way, the ship efficiency indicator provides realtime information, with a resolution determined by the chosen time interval At,. The current efficiency term may for example include a ratio between the fuel consumption and the travelled distance. It may for instance via be calculated via EEOh = FCi / (Mc^■ D), Mc being a factor related to an (absolute or relative) mass of the cargo carried by the vessel. The reference efficiency term EEOIr is a pre-determined reference energy term, which may be a copy of the value used in the preceding time interval At^. EEOL may be initially estimated. The efficiency indication may for example include a ratio between the reference energy term and the current efficiency term, and may for instance be calculated via SEh = 100% ^■ EEOL / EEOh.

[0019] According to a further embodiment, the adjusting of the efficiency indication comprises:

- maintaining the reference efficiency term EEOL, if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle equals or exceeds the first threshold value, and

- overwriting the reference efficiency term with the current efficiency term EEOh, if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle remains below the first threshold value.

[0020] The reference efficiency term may overwritten if the rudder angle is deemed stable, in which case the reference value is replaced by the current efficiency term. The efficiency indication thus assumes a new optimal value, when the vessel navigates straight ahead or traverses a curve with stable rudder behaviour. Subsequent efficiency terms will be compared against the latest stable efficiency term, to allow dynamic presentation of efficiency indications that are related to recent low-fuel consumption situations, even in curves.

[0021] According to an alternative further embodiment, the adjusting of the efficiency indication (SEh) comprises:

- maintaining the reference efficiency term EEOL, if at least one of the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle and the rate of turn equals or exceeds its respective first or second threshold value, and

- overwriting the reference efficiency term with the current efficiency term EEOh, if both the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle and the rate of turn remain below the respective first and second threshold values.

[0022] The vessel turning rate typically changes in response to a changing rudder angle, but the response delay depends on inertial effects and other factors. In this embodiment, the reference efficiency term will be overwritten if and only if both the turning rate and rudder angle are deemed stable. The efficiency indication then assumes a new optimal value when the vessel navigates straight ahead or traverses a curve with a stable rudder angle and a stabilized vessel turning rate. [0023] In further embodiments, the method may additionally include a step in which the current efficiency term EEOh is first set as the new reference efficiency term EEOL in the case that EEOh < EEOL, in order to set the current efficiency indication SEI, to 100%.

[0024] According to an embodiment, acquiring of the indication of the distance travelled by the vessel in the time interval At, comprises:

- acquiring consecutive measurements of a speed over ground (SOG) of a hull of the vessel with respect to ground during the time interval, and

- integrating the measurements of the speed over ground to calculate the distance travelled by the vessel in the time interval.

[0025] The travelled distance may be determined from the speed over ground of the vessel.

Numerical integration techniques may be used, e.g. based on averaged SOG values and time sub-intervals. The speed over ground can be measured using a Global Navigation Satellite

System (GNSS) receiver present on the vessel.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the method comprises:

- measuring an indication of draught of the vessel, and

- calculating a cargo mass percentage Mc from the indication of draught.

[0027] The (absolute or relative) cargo load of the vessel may be taken into account, to compare efficiency terms between distinct trips of a vessel or between different vessels. An indication of the draught may be measured and be included in the calculation of the current efficiency term. For instance, calculation of the current efficiency term may be based on the draught of the vessel, in addition to fuel consumption and travelled distance. Alternative method embodiments may rely on actual cargo mass (instead of draught), which may be measured directly or determined in advance via known procedures.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the method comprises displaying at least the efficiency indication SE at a bridge of the vessel. A graphical or tabulated representation of historical SEI values may be simultaneously displayed. Other parameters that may be displayed to the bridge may be (but are not limited to) the current speed over ground, fuel consumption rate, CO2 emission rate, rudder angle, and/or vessel turning rate.

[0029] According to a second aspect, and with advantages and effects described herein above with reference to the first aspect, there is provided a system for monitoring an efficiency of a vessel during waterway navigation. The system comprising a sensor arrangement and a processor device which are jointly configured to execute the method in accordance with the first aspect.

[0030] According to an embodiment, the system comprises a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor. The first sensor is configured to measure a fuel consumption rate of a propulsion system of the vessel, in order to acquire an indication of a fuel consumption by the vessel in time interval At\. The second sensor is configured to measure a speed of the vessel, in order to acquire an indication of a distance travelled by the vessel in the time interval. The third sensor is configured to measure a pivot angle of a rudder blade relative to a hull of the vessel, in order to acquire an indication of fluctuation of a rudder angle during at least the time interval. The processor device is configured to calculate an efficiency indication SEI, corresponding to the time interval, based on the indication of the fuel consumption, the indication of the distance, and the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle.

[0031 ] According to an embodiment, the system further comprises a fourth sensor, which is configured to measure a ROT of the hull of the vessel, in order to acquire an indication of fluctuation of a rate of turn during at least the time interval At\.

[0032] The first, second, third, and fourth sensors are preferably configured to repeatedly (e.g . continuously or intermittently) measure the respective indications.

[0033] According to an embodiment, the system comprises a display device, which is configured to dynamically display the efficiency indication SEI, corresponding to the time interval At, to a vessel operator.

[0034] According to a third aspect, and with advantages and effects described herein above with reference to the first and second aspects, there is provided a marine vessel comprising a system in accordance with the second aspect.

[0035] In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product configured to provide instructions to carry out a method according to the first aspect, when loaded on a computer device.

[0036] In a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium, comprising a computer program product according to the fourth aspect.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0037] Embodiments will now be described , by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings, like numerals designate like elements. Multiple instances of an element may each include separate letters appended to the reference number. For example, two instances of a particular element "20" may be labelled as "20a" and "20b". The reference number may be used without an appended letter (e.g. "20") to generally refer to an unspecified instance or to all instances of that element, while the reference number will include an appended letter (e.g. "20a") to refer to a specific instance of the element.

[0038] Figures 1 a and 1 b schematically show side and top views of a vessel according to an embodiment;

[0039] Figure 2 schematically presents a system model according to an embodiment;

[0040] Figures 3a and 3b show schematic flow diagrams of a method for calculating a ship efficiency indication according to an embodiment, and

[0041 ] Figure 4 shows a graphical user interface according to an embodiment.

[0042] The figures are meant for illustrative purposes only, and do not serve as restriction of the scope or the protection as laid down by the claims. Description of Embodiments

[0043] The following is a description of certain embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the figures. Cartesian coordinates will be used to describe spatial relations for exemplary embodiments.

[0044] Reference symbol X is used to indicate a longitudinal direction, which corresponds to the elongated direction of the vessel hull. Prepositions "front" and "rear" pertain to this longitudinal direction X. The "for" or "forward" direction +X extends towards the bow of the vessel. The "aft" direction -X extends towards the stern of the vessel. Reference symbol Y is used to indicate a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. This lateral direction Y generally relates to the terms "left" and "right". The lateral direction Y relates to the athwartship directions ("aport" i.e. towards the port side +Y of the vessel, and "astarboard" means towards the starboard side -Y). Reference symbol Z is used to indicate a vertical direction that is

perpendicular to X and Y. Prepositions "above" and "below" pertain to the vertical direction Z.

[0045] It should be understood that the directional definitions and preferred orientations presented herein merely serve to elucidate geometrical relations for specific embodiments. The concepts of the invention discussed herein are not limited to these directional definitions and preferred orientations.

[0046] Figures 1a and 1 b schematically show a vessel 10, which in this exemplary embodiment forms a cargo ship for inland waterway navigation. Figure 1 a shows a side view of the vessel 10 and figure 1 b shows a top view of the vessel 10. The vessel 10 comprises a hull 12 with an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction X, which corresponds to the (main) propulsion direction of the vessel 10. The hull 12 defines a bow 14 in a forward direction +X, a stern 16 in an aft direction -X, and a keel 18 on a lower side of the hull 12.

[0047] On a lower side of the stern 16, the hull 12 accommodates a propulsion system 20 and a rudder system 30, which may be formed in various ways known in the art. In this example, the propulsion system 20 comprises a propeller 22, a propeller shaft 26, and a nozzle 24. The propeller 22 is fixed to the propeller shaft 26 to form a body that is rotatably coupled to the hull 12. The propeller 22 is rotatable with respect to the hull 12 about a nominal propeller axis Ap, to generate hydrodynamic propulsion forces. The nozzle 24 forms a non-rotating annular shell that surrounds the propeller 22 in a radial direction centred on the propeller axis Ap. Different propulsion systems may be employed in other vessel embodiments. Such propulsion systems may for example comprise more propellers, different propeller geometries, different nozzle geometries, or omit any nozzle.

[0048] The rudder system 30 is employed to provide steering capability to the vessel 10. The rudder system 30, comprises a rudder blade 32, a rudderstock 34, and a steering actuator 36. The rudder blade 32 is pivotably coupled to the hull 12 via the rudderstock 34. The rudder blade 32 is directly attached to the rudderstock 34, which extends at one distal end inside the rudder blade 32, where it is mechanically fixed to the rudder blade 32. This rudderstock 34 forms a rigid shaft that extends along a nominal rudder axis Ar, which in this embodiment is directed predominantly along the vertical direction Z. The rudderstock 34 is directly surrounded in a radial direction by a rudder trunk (not indicated), which forms a watertight enclosure around an upper portion of the rudderstock 34.

[0049] The rudder blade 32 has a hydrodynamic profile. The rudderstock 34 and rudder blade 32 are jointly pivotable with respect to the hull 12 abound the rudder axis Ar, to generate hydrodynamic pressure differentials between two sides of the rudder blade 32. Typically, the predominant direction of motion for ordinary vessels corresponds with a keel line of the hull 12. The rudder blade 32 has an elongated shape that extends along a nominal rudder plane. The orientation of this rudder plane with respect to the keel line defines a rudder pivot angle (or "rudder angle") RA, as shown in figure 1 b.

[0050] The rudderstock 34 is coupled to the steering actuator 36 on another end. The steering actuator 36 can be operated to pass steering torques from the steering actuator 36 (e.g.

generated by a servo-mechanism) via the rudderstock 34 on to the rudder blade 32. Different rudder systems may be employed in other vessel embodiments. Such rudder systems may for example comprise multiple rudders and/or different rudder geometries, for example (semi-) balanced rudders, flaps rudders, etc.

[0051] A steering torque exerted on the rudder blade 32 will cause the rudder angle RA to change, which in turn will cause a change in the hydrodynamic pressure differential between the sides of the rudder blade. The resulting lift force, which is proportional to the rudder angle RA, exerts a torque on the vessel 10 as a whole and causes the vessel 10 to turn in the water. The steering forces correlate with the angle of incidence of the rudder blade 32 with respect to the propulsion direction, as well as with the propulsion speed of the vessel 10 with respect to the water. The turning behaviour of the vessel may be quantified by a turning rate (or "rate of turn" ROT), which may be approximated by a relative change of a turning angle Δα with respect to ground per time increment At i.e. ROT ^« Aa/Ai.

[0052] The human operator controls the vessel 10 directly, typically by means of steering controls (e.g. a steering handle) and propulsion controls, which are typically located on the bridge of the vessel 10. Steering signals from the steering controls are transmitted to the steering actuator 36, to control the rudder blade 32 and adjust the rudder angle RA.

[0053] The vessel 10 further comprises an efficiency monitoring system 40. Measured indications of fuel consumption FC, travelled distance D, fluctuations in rudder angles RA, and possibly also in turning rates ROT, may be used by the monitoring system 40 to dynamically calculate ship efficiency indications (SEI). The SEI values are to be displayed on a display device 80, to inform the human operator of the impact of current steering and propulsion behaviour on current fuel efficiency.

[0054] Figure 2 shows a simplified block diagram of components and communication lines in the exemplary monitoring system 40 from figures 1a-b. The monitoring system 40 comprises a plurality of sensors 42, 44, 46, 48, a plurality of functional sub-systems 52, 54, 56, a data bus 60, a central processor 70, a data memory 72, and a display device 80. [0055] The sensors 42-48 are adapted to measure a plurality of real time input parameters, which relate to a dynamic state of the vessel 10 during operation. In this case, the measuring parameters comprise a rudder angle RA, a vessel rate of turn ROT, a vessel speed with respect to ground SOG, and an instantaneous fuel consumption rate FC. The sensors 42-48 and system 40 are configured to sample and acquire data in an automated manner, without requiring human interaction.

[0056] The monitoring system 40 comprises at least one fuel consumption sensor 42, which is configured to provide indications proportional to instantaneous volume transport of fuel per unit time through the corresponding fuel supply line. In vessel embodiments wherein the propulsion system 20 includes multiple engines and propellers 22, the monitoring system 40 may comprise a fuel consumption sensor 42 for each engine/propeller pair, as schematically indicated by elements 42a and 42b in figure 2. The fuel consumption sensors 42 may for example be implemented by flow sensors located in respective fuel supply lines of the vessel's propulsion system 20.

[0057] The monitoring system 40 comprises a GNSS positioning device 44, which is configured to determine an instantaneous position of the vessel 10 with respect to an earth global coordinate system, via reception and processing of radio signals from a constellation of GNSS satellites. Temporal dynamics of the position information from the GNSS positioning device 44 are used to derive a (near) instantaneous speed of the vessel 10 with respect to ground SOG(t).

[0058] The monitoring system 40 comprises rudder angle sensors 46a, 46b, which are adapted for measuring individual instantaneous rudder angles RAa(t) and RAb(t) for each rudder blade 32a-32b of the vessel 10 (expressed in degrees).

[0059] The monitoring system 40 also comprises a turning rate sensor 48, which is adapted for measuring an indication of the instantaneous rate of turn ROT(t) for the vessel 10 (expressed in degrees per second). This turning rate sensor 48 may for example involve differential measurements by means of an internal gyroscope (which may be based on mechanical, MEMS, fibre optic, solid state ring laser, or other operating principles), possibly supplemented by position measurement from the GNSS positioning device 44.

[0060] The sensors 42-48 are connected to corresponding sub-systems 52, 54, 56, via respective communication lines. Each of the subsystems 52-56 may be formed as a distinct functional unit with electronic circuitry provided on a dedicated printed circuit board, and configured to operate independently of and simultaneously with the other subsystems. Analogue measurement values may be intermittently retrieved from the individual sensors 42-48 by the corresponding sub-systems 52-56. In this embodiment, measurements from the sensors 42-48 are received by the respective subsystems 52-56 through existing data interfaces (for example serial RS485 interfaces). Communications between the sensors 42-48 and the corresponding sub-systems 52-56 may proceed according to protocols implemented in the respective sensors 42-48.

[0061] Raw data measured by the sensors 42-48 may be pre-processed in the respective subsystem 52-56, before being transmitted to the central processor 70. Such pre-processing of measurement data may comprise error detection and handling, down sampling, outlier rejection, statistical processing (e.g. averaging) and the like. For example, in this exemplary vessel 10 with two propeller systems 22 and fuel consumption sensors 42a-b, the first subsystem 52 may be configured to integrate over measurements from the fuel sensors 42a-b, to provide a combined fuel consumption rate for a specific time interval. Similarly, the third sub-system 56 may be configured to repeatedly calculate an average for each synchronous pair of rudder angles RAa(t) and RAb(t) from rudder angle sensors 46a-b, to obtain a single average rudder angle RA(t) at each measurement time t. The second sub-system 54 may be configured to execute preprocessing functions on measurements received from the GNSS positioning device 44 and the turning rate sensor 48. When pre-processing of the data received from the sensors 42-48 has been carried out by the sub-systems 52-56, the data are forwarded as messages via the data bus 60 to central processor 70.

[0062] The central processor 70 includes a microprocessor unit, which is configured to process data input received from subsystems 52-56. The central processor 70 is communicatively coupled to a data memory unit 72 (e.g. a solid state hard drive or SD memory unit), which provides persistent data storage. The data memory 72 may be used for storage of current and historical measurement data, intermittent calculation results, a set of historical indicator values, and/or calculated statistics in relation to the aforementioned information.

[0063] The central processor 70 is in signal communication with display device 80 via communication link 76. The central processor 70 calculates (and possibly updates) indictor data for display by display device 80. The central processor 70 and display device 80 (and possibly also the data memory 72) may be integrated into a single device, for instance a panel pc. This is not required, though.

[0064] In this example, data inputs for calculating the ship efficiency indication SEI comprise rudder angle RA, vessel turning rate ROT, fuel consumption rate FC, and speed of the vessel 10 with respect to ground SOG.

[0065] Figures 3a and 3b show flowcharts of an exemplary method 100 for dynamically calculating and real-time monitoring of a ship efficiency indication SEI. Figure 3a illustrates that the exemplary method 100 includes an initialization phase 102 and an operational phase 104.

[0066] In part 106 of the initialization phase 102, a fixed length is set for reference time intervals Ai_a that relate to the assessment of stability of the rudder angle RA and the turning rate ROT. As discussed above, this rudder angle RA may be an average of individual rudder angles for distinct rudder blades 32. In 108, a fixed length is set for measurement time intervals Ati that relate to the averaging or integrating of other measured values. The set length for Ai_a is at least equal to but preferably larger than the set length for At\. For an inland waterway vessel, the fixed length for the measurement time intervals At, may for instance be in a range of 1/10 of a second to 20 seconds.

[0067] An initial value of a reference efficiency term EEOL is estimated in 1 10. This reference efficiency term EEOL may for example be an energy efficiency operational indication, which may be based on previous efficiency determinations by this vessel or on an averaged metric for this particular type of vessel. [0068] A first fluctuation threshold 1 18 for the rudder angle RA and a second fluctuation threshold 120 for the rate of turn ROT are defined in steps 1 14 and 1 16 respectively. The rudder angle RA is deemed constant if an acquired indication of rudder angle fluctuation stays below first fluctuation threshold 1 18 during reference time length At_a. Similarly, the turning rate ROT is considered constant if an acquired indication of turning rate fluctuation stays below second fluctuation threshold 120 during reference time length At_a.

[0069] In the exemplary method, sample averaging techniques may be employed to reduce the effects of measurement noise. During a brief sample time period in which the measurement signal is assumed to remain essentially constant, an observable Q(t) is repeatedly sampled at consecutive times tj. This brief sample time period should be shorter than the set length for At. The resulting sample values Q are then averaged, to obtain a time averaged value <Q>, via

[0070] For instance, a set of N draught measurement samples T(tj) with j = 1 , N is acquired in 122, during a brief initial time period after cargo loading but prior to departure from the quay. This set of samples is averaged to obtain an average draught measurement <T> via

[0071] In step 124, the cargo mass percentage Mc 126 is calculated from the average draught measurement <T>, and from a known maximum draught value T⁺ and minimum draught value T^". The cargo mass percentage Mc is a dimensionless term, with a value between 0% and 100% of T⁺. The cargo mass percentage Mc is calculated as

In vessels that lack a draught or cargo mass sensing system, the cargo mass percentage may instead be entered manually, e.g. based on cargo weight data from the bill of lading.

[0072] In the operational phase 104, which is active during vessel navigation, the method 100 progresses through a sequence of operations associated with a particular measurement time interval At. This sequence includes obtaining 130 an efficiency indication SEh corresponding to the time interval At, followed by displaying 134 of the obtained efficiency indication SEh to an operator of the vessel 10. This sequence is repeated for consecutive time intervals At,, corresponding with progressing values for running index i.

[0073] Figure 3b shows the operational phase 104 of the exemplary method 100 in more detail. The obtaining 130 of the efficiency indication SEh corresponding to time interval At,, is sub-divided into two logical sub-routines 138, 162. The first subroutine 138 is associated with measuring and averaging efficiency-related parameters during the current measurement time interval At,, while the second subroutine 162 is associated with an assessment of steering stability during the current assessment time interval At_a.

[0074] The current measurement time interval At, is associated with time stamp ti. The current measurement time interval At, starts at time t = ts At, and ends on t = ti. The reference time interval At_a relating to the second subroutine 162 is also associated with current time stamp ti, but starts at time t = t, - At_a (with At_a≥ At) and ends on t = ti.

[0075] Averaged <SOG> values are repeatedly determined in 140 during measurement time interval At. The averaged <SOG> values 142 are used to calculate 144 a distance D, 146 travelled by the vessel 10 in time interval At, via

Here, the measurement time interval At, has been subdivided into K sequential sub-periods Ah (with Ah < At), and the distance D, in time interval At, is approximated here by a sum of products of averaged <SOG> values times corresponding sub-periods Ah. A factor C may be used to convert units of measured SOG to units of distance. C equals 1.852/3.6 when SOG is expressed in knots (nautical miles per hour), At in seconds, and D, in metres.

[0076] The first subroutine 138 further includes acquiring an indication of a fuel quantity FCi consumed by the vessel 10 in the measurement time interval At. In step 148, an averaged <FC> is repeatedly determined during the measurement time interval At, from which the fuel consumption FCi 154 (in litres per hour) is calculated in 152. If the sub-periods Atk are all of equal duration, then FCi may be numerically calculated via

[0077] The current energy efficiency term EEO 158 is calculated in step 156, based on the cargo mass percentage Mc 126, as well as on the fuel consumption FCi and the distance D, travelled in the measurement time interval At,, using

[0078] The second subroutine 162 includes acquiring an indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle RA and an indication of fluctuation of the turning rate ROT during the current reference time interval At_a.

[0079] In step 164, the instantaneous rudder angle RA is repeatedly sampled by the rudder angle sensor 46. Similarly, the vessel turning rate ROT is repeatedly sampled by the turning rate sensor 48 in step 170. During the reference time interval At_a, averaged rudder angles <RA> 168 are repeatedly calculated in 166, and averaged turning rates <ROT> 174 are repeatedly calculated in 172. These averaged values <RA> and <ROT> are stored in a register.

[0080] In step 176, differential values are determined between each pair of subsequent averaged rudder angles <RA> 168, to obtain an indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle RA during the reference time interval At_a. Similarly, differential values are determined between each pair of subsequent averaged turning rates <ROT> 174 in step 176, to obtain an indication of fluctuation of the turning rate ROT during the reference time interval At_a.

[0081] These indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle RA and the ROT are compared against their respective threshold values 1 18, 120, to check whether the rudder angle RA and the rate of turn ROT can be considered stable during reference time interval At_a. [0082] If both the fluctuations of RA and ROT remain below the predetermined threshold values, then the current efficiency term EEOh 158 is set as the new reference efficiency term EEOl in 178.

[0083] If at least one of the fluctuations of the rudder angle RA and the rate of turn ROT equals or exceeds its respective threshold value, then the previous reference efficiency term EEOL is maintained in 180.

[0084] After having obtained the reference efficiency term EEOL (via step 178 or 180) and the current efficiency term EEOh (via step 158), the resulting ship efficiency indication SEh for the current measurement time interval Ah is calculated in 160, using

EEOI_r

S£/_{i =}—— - 100%

EEOIi

[0085] The efficiency indication SEh thus provides a dimensionless metric that expresses how the current efficiency term EEOh relates to a reference efficiency EEOL, expressed in % of the reference value. An increase in fuel consumption FCi and/or a decrease in the travelled distance Di during the current measurement time interval Ah will yield and increased EEOh, and thus a lowered SEh.

[0086] In some situations, a temporal decrease in fuel consumption by the propulsion system will not lead to a proportional decrease in travelled distance, for instance when the operator suddenly throttles down. Such situations give rise to a current efficiency term EEOh that is potentially lower than the reference efficiency term EEOL, and thus to an efficiency indication SEh that exceeds 100%. The method may therefore include an additional step in which the current efficiency term EEOh is first set as the new reference efficiency term EEOL in the case that EEOh < EEOL, in order to reset the current SEh to 100%.

[0087] However, by first assessing whether the rudder angle RA and the rate of turn ROT are considered stable during at least time interval Ah, and then assigning the current term EEOh to the reference term EEOL if this condition is met, the system is able to reset the efficiency indication SEI to 100% when RA and ROT are deemed sufficiently stable. Subsequent SEI calculations 160 will thereafter be compared to this updated reference state, also if this reference state corresponds to a stable turning motion of the vessel.

[0088] The calculated ship efficiency indication SEh is then displayed together with the average fuel consumption FCi and the speed over ground SOG to an operator at the bridge, using the display device 80. This allows a vessel operator to obtain intuitive information of fuel/steering efficiency that also takes the effect of steering stability into account.

[0089] Figure 4 shows a graphical user interface that may be displayed by the display device 80 of the monitoring system 40. This display device 80 is provided at a bridge of the vessel 10, and is configured to dynamically display the ship efficiency indication SEh to a human operator on the bridge. This indication helps to increase the operator's awareness of the impact of fluctuations in rudder angle RA and/or vessel turning rate ROT on the energy efficiency, and allows the operator to optimize control of the rudder angle RA to improve this efficiency. [0090] The display device 80 in figure 4 is provided with a plurality of visual indicators 82, 84, 86, 88, 90 in a single screen, e.g. an LED image display. The first indicator 82 provides a graphical representation of the current rudder angle <RA>, as well as the deflection from the zero equilibrium value (all expressed in degrees °). The current rudder angle <RA> may have been averaged over synchronous measurements from distinct rudder angle sensors 46a-b. By inspecting the first indicator 82, the operator can directly observe the effect of rudder angle settings that may degrade fuel efficiency performance. Adjustment of set rudder angle will result in a gradual change in the measured rudder angle <RA>, which will be directly shown by the first indicator 82.

[0091] The second indicator 84 presents a dynamic representation of the current SEIi, as compared to the reference SEI that is associated with optimal efficiency expected under the present navigation conditions. The SEI is a dimensionless unit.

[0092] The third indicator 86 presents a current value for the rate of turn <ROT>.

[0093] The fourth indicator 88 dynamically depicts a current fuel consumption rate <FC>, which may have been averaged over measurements from multiple fuel consumption sensors 42a-b.

Here, <FC> is expressed in litres of fuel used per hour (l/h). A fifth indicator 89 may dynamically reflect a current CO2 emission rate (expressed in tons per hour, t/h), which is directly related to the current fuel consumption rate <FC>.

[0094] The sixth indicator 90 presents a dynamic representation for the measured speed over ground <SOG>. Here, the speed over ground is expressed in kilometres per hour (km/h). In other applications e.g. for sea-going vessels, SOG may be expressed in nautical miles per hour (NM/h).

[0095] Prompt display of an indication of current ship efficiency indicator SE in response to an initial steering adjustment allows the vessel operator to quickly fine-tune the steering settings, which may reduce the number and magnitude of steering motions as well as the resulting wear of the steering mechanism and the consumption of fuel.

[0096] In addition, any or all of the current and past calculated values for SEI, and for RA, ROT, FC, etc. may be stored in data memory 72. Such values may be averaged per trip, to form a history of efficiency metrics for this vessel 10. Such a trip history may be retrieved and presented on the display device 80 on request, to allow the vessel operator to compare efficiency metrics for the current trip with those of past trips, and to detect trends and increase overall vessel efficiency awareness.

[0097] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that alternative and equivalent embodiments of the invention can be conceived and reduced to practice. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

[0098] For instance, in alternative method embodiments, only measured or averaged values for the rudder angle and corresponding indications of rudder angle fluctuations may be taken into account in the calculation of the efficiency indication. In such cases, only a comparison of rudder angle fluctuations against a first threshold value may be a sufficient condition for adjusting the efficiency indication to an improved value.

[0099] The operator of a vessel may have a choice between manual steering control mode and autopilot control mode. In the autopilot mode, the autopilot monitors a deviation of an actual heading of the vessel with respect to a set course, and adapts the rudder angle RA accordingly. The human operator may monitor the autopilot response, and adjust the set a different heading if necessary.

[00100] The proposed efficiency monitoring system is to be installed on a vessel, for instance as part of the vessel 10 in figure 1. It should, however, be understood that the monitoring system may be implemented in various other vessels. Those skilled in the art and informed by the teachings herein will realize that the proposed monitoring system can be implemented also as a retrofit for an existing vessel. The efficiency monitoring system may be connectable to an existing monitoring system of the vessel. Any or all of the sensors that form part or interact with the efficiency monitoring system may already be present on the vessel as part of the existing monitoring system. For example, continuous or intermittent measurement of rudder angles may be obtained from rudder angle sensors that are part of the vessel's auto pilot system.

[00101] The efficiency monitoring system may comprise or be connectable to a wireless data transmission device (e.g. a WiFi modem or 3G/4G based communication device), which is configured to transmit a selection of acquired and/or calculated data to a remote display device (e.g. a smart phone, tablet, pc, etc.), to allow monitoring of vessel efficiency from other locations.

[00102] Also, it will be appreciated that the present invention need not be limited to a monitoring system for displaying assistive information as a visual aid to the vessel operator. Alternatively or in addition, the system may be used for directly controlling the settings of the vessel.

[00103] Although the exemplary embodiment in the detailed description related to a cargo ship for inland waterway navigation, the principles of the efficiency indicator system described herein and defined in the claims also pertain to other types of vessels, like pushing tugs, or sea-going vessels (e.g. short sea boats and ships).

[00104] Vessels may generally be provided with at least one rudder blade and propeller, but also with rudder system configurations having two or more rudder blades and/or with propulsion system configurations having two or more propellers. Such multi-rudder systems and/or multi- propulsion systems may be laterally spaced across the vessel hull (e.g. at the stern) at lateral mutual distances, preferably in an athwart symmetrical arrangement. The distinct rudder blades may be independently pivotable, and the respective instant rudder angles RA may be measured separately and directly averaged by the efficiency indicator system.

[00105] The monitoring system may comprise one or more propeller rotation rate sensors. In cases wherein the propulsion system of the vessel includes multiple propellers, the monitoring system may comprise further propeller rotation rate sensors for each propeller. This allows measurement of instantaneous propeller rotation rates for each propeller. [00106] Alternatively or in addition, other parameters can be monitored simultaneously, for example parameters of an external type like the temperature and currents in the surrounding water, weather, etc.

[00107] Those of skill in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[00108] Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. Various illustrative components, blocks, modules, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.

[00109] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[001 10] Algorithm steps described in connection with the method embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD- ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. List of Reference Symbols

10 vessel (e.g. boat, ship)

12 hull

14 bow

16 stern

18 keel

20 propulsion system (e.g. propeller assembly)

22 propeller

24 nozzle

26 propeller shaft

30 rudder system

32 rudder blade

34 rudderstock

36 steering actuator

40 efficiency monitoring system

42 first sensor (e.g. fuel consumption rate sensor)

44 second sensor (e.g. GNSS positioning device)

46 third sensor (e.g. rudder angle sensor)

48 fourth sensor (e.g. turning rate sensor)

52 first sub-system

54 second sub-system

56 third sub-system

60 data bus

62 first connector/adapter

64 second connector/adapter

66 third connector/adapter

70 processor device (e.g. CPU)

72 data memory (e.g. hard disk)

74 communication link

76 further communication link

80 display device (e.g. operator display)

82 first indicator (e.g. RA indicator)

84 second indicator (e.g. SEI)

86 third indicator (e.g. ROT indicator)

88 fourth indicator (e.g. FC indicator)

89 fifth indicator (e.g. CO2 indicator)

90 sixth indicator (e.g. SOG indicator)

100 monitoring method

102 initialization phase

104 operational phase 106 set reference time interval length

108 set measurement time interval length

1 10 estimate initial reference energy term EEOIr

1 12 EEOIr

1 14 define first fluctuation threshold (e.g. RA threshold)

1 16 define second fluctuation threshold (e.g. ROT threshold)

1 18 first fluctuation threshold Tra

120 second fluctuation threshold Trot

122 acquire draught measurements

124 calculate cargo mass percentage

126 cargo mass percentage Mc

130 obtain efficiency indication

132 (current/recent) efficiency indication SEI,

134 display efficiency indication

138 first subroutine

140 acquire (averaged) SOG values

142 (averaged) SOG values

144 calculate travelled distance

146 travelled distance D,

148 acquire (averaged) FC values

150 (averaged) FC values

152 calculate fuel consumption

154 fuel consumption FCi

156 calculate current efficiency term

158 current efficiency term EEO

160 determine current SEI,

162 second subroutine

164 acquire rudder angle measurements

166 average measurements

168 (averaged) RA values

170 acquire turning rate measurements

172 average measurements

174 (averaged) ROT values

176 compare differential RA and ROT values with threshold values

178 set new reference efficiency term

180 maintain previous reference efficiency term

Ar rudder axis

Ap propeller axis

X longitudinal direction (alongship direction; forward/aft directions ±X)

Y transversal direction (athwart direction; aport/astarboard directions ±Y) Z vertical direction

a turning angle

RA rudder angle

SEI ship efficiency indicator

FCi fuel consumption

ROT vessel turning rate

SOG speed over ground

D travelled distance

T measured draught sample

T minimum draught value

T⁺ maximum draught value

Mc cargo mass percentage

ti current time stamp

A reference time interval

measurement time interval

reference efficiency term (e.g. reference energy efficiency operational indicator) current efficiency term (e.g. current energy efficiency operational indicator)

Claims

1. A method (100) for monitoring an efficiency of a vessel (10) during waterway navigation, the method comprising:

obtaining (130) an efficiency indication (SEIi) corresponding to a time interval (At,), and - providing (134) the efficiency indication to a display device (80) and/or to a processor unit;

wherein obtaining the efficiency indication includes:

acquiring (148-152) an indication of a fuel consumption (FCi) by the vessel in the time interval;

- acquiring (140-144) an indication of a distance (Di) travelled by the vessel in the time interval;

acquiring an indication (164-168) of fluctuation of a rudder angle (RA) during at least the time interval, and

calculating (160) the efficiency indication based on the indication of the fuel consumption, the indication of the distance, and the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein obtaining (130) the efficiency indication (SEIi) further includes acquiring (170-174) an indication of fluctuation of a rate of turn (ROT) of the vessel (10) during at least the time interval (At,);

and wherein calculating (160) the efficiency indication is further based on the indication of fluctuation of the rate of turn.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein calculating the efficiency indication (SEIi) includes:

- comparing the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle (RA) against a first threshold value, and

adjusting the efficiency indication to an improved value if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle (RA) remains below the first threshold.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein calculating the efficiency indication (SE ) includes:

comparing (176) the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle (RA) against a first threshold value;

comparing (176) the indication of fluctuation of the rate of turn (ROT) against a second threshold value, and

adjusting (178, 180, 160) the efficiency indication to an improved value only if both the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle and the rate of turn (ROT) remain below the respective first and second threshold values.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 4, further comprising: initially determining (1 10) a reference efficiency term (EEOL);

calculating (156) a current efficiency term (EEOh) based on the indication of the fuel consumption (FCi) and the indication of the distance (Di) acquired for the time interval (At); wherein calculating (160) the efficiency indication (SEIi) includes determining a ratio between the reference efficiency term and the current efficiency term.

6. The method according to claims 3 and 5, wherein adjusting the efficiency indication (SEIi) comprises:

maintaining the reference efficiency term (EEOL), if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle (RA) equals or exceeds the first threshold value, and

overwriting the reference efficiency term with the current efficiency term (EEOh), if the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle (RA) remains below the first threshold value.

7. The method according to claims 4 and 5, wherein adjusting (178, 180, 160) the efficiency indication (SEh) comprises:

maintaining (180) the reference efficiency term (EEOL), if at least one of the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle (RA) and the rate of turn (ROT) equals or exceeds its respective first or second threshold value, and

overwriting (178) the reference efficiency term with the current efficiency term (EEOh), if both the indications of fluctuations of the rudder angle and the rate of turn (ROT) remain below the respective first and second threshold values.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 7, wherein acquiring (140-144) the indication of the distance (Di) travelled by the vessel (10) in the time interval (At,) comprises: - acquiring (140) consecutive measurements of a speed over ground (SOG) of a hull (12) of the vessel (10) with respect to ground (102) during the time interval;

integrating (144) the measurements of the speed over ground to calculate the distance travelled by the vessel in the time interval.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 8, further comprising:

measuring (122) an indication of draught (DS) of the vessel (10);

calculating (124) a cargo mass percentage (Mc) from the indication of draught.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 9, further comprising:

- displaying (134) at least the efficiency indication (SEh) at a bridge of the vessel (10).

1 1. A system (40) for monitoring an efficiency of a vessel (10) during waterway navigation, the system comprising a sensor arrangement (42, 44, 46, 48) and a processor device (70) which are jointly configured to execute the method in accordance with any one of claims 1 - 10.

12 The system (40) according to claim 1 1 , comprising:

a first sensor (42) configured to measure a fuel consumption rate (FCR) of a propulsion system (20) of the vessel, to acquire an indication of a fuel consumption (FCi) by the vessel in a time interval (At,);

- a second sensor (44) configured to measure a speed (SOG) of the vessel, to acquire an indication of a distance (Di) travelled by the vessel in the time interval;

a third sensor (46) configured to measure a pivot angle of a rudder blade (32) relative to a hull (12) of the vessel (10), to acquire an indication of fluctuation of a rudder angle (RA) during at least the time interval;

wherein the processor device (70) is configured to calculate an efficiency indication

(SEIi) corresponding to the time interval, based on the indication of the fuel consumption, the indication of the distance, and the indication of fluctuation of the rudder angle;

and wherein the system (40) optionally comprises a display device (80), configured to dynamically display the efficiency indication (SE ) corresponding to the time interval (At\) to a vessel operator.

13. The system (40) according to claim 1 1 or 12, comprising:

a fourth sensor (48) configured to measure a rate of turn (ROT) of the hull (12) of the vessel (10), to acquire an indication of fluctuation of a rate of turn during at least the time interval (At,).

14. A marine vessel (10) comprising a system (40) in accordance with any one of claims 1 1 - 13.

15. A computer program product configured to provide instructions to carry out a method according to any one of claims 1 - 10, when loaded on a computer device (70).

16. A computer readable medium, comprising a computer program product according to claim 15.