JP2002090171A - Automatic sea route retention device of ship - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic sea route retention device inexpensive and easily mountable on an existing ship, capable of generating sea route data as if the sea route is drawn in handwriting on a paper nautical chart, so as to be familiar with an aged person who is unfamiliar with a computer. SOLUTION: In this automatic sea route retention device, only the own ship position, the traveling direction and the traveling speed from a GPS receiver are used as sensor data for executing automatic sea route retention, and a direct command rudder angle signal is outputted to a steering device, to thereby dispense with linkage to an expensive gyro compass or an autopilot. Furthermore in the automatic sea route retention device, the sea route data can be generated as if the sea route is drawn in handwriting on the paper nautical chart, by providing a touch panel on an electronic nautical chart display screen, and touching an optional point on the electronic nautical chart by a touch pen, to thereby enable to set the sea route.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic route holding device for automatically controlling a ship so that the ship travels along a previously planned route.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an automatic route holding device for automatically controlling a ship so that the ship travels along a previously planned route, for example, those shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are provided. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the automatic route holding device. In FIG. 7, 1 is a line indicating the range of the automatic route holding device, 2 is an electronic chart database unit for storing electronic chart data, and 3 is the position of the own ship and a plan. A screen display unit that superimposes a route or the like on an electronic chart from the electronic chart database unit 2 and displays the same on a display unit, a route planning unit that plans and stores a planned route of the ship, a trackball, a push button, and the like. 6b is a user interface unit for setting a route plan and switching screens by the operation of. The automatic route is maintained based on the own ship position from the GPS receiver 11, the heading data from the gyro compass 16, and the planned route data. , A target azimuth calculation unit for calculating the target azimuth of the own ship; 9, a display for displaying the screen information of the screen display unit 3; Rack balls and push buttons, 11 is a GPS receiver for detecting the position, speed and direction of movement of the ship, 12 is a steering mechanism for steering the rudder, 15 is an automatic route in which the heading of the ship from the gyro compass 16 is An autopilot that calculates a command steering angle of the rudder so as to be a target bearing from the target bearing calculation unit 6 of the holding device 1 and outputs a command steering angle signal to the steering mechanism 12, and 16 detects the heading of the ship. Gyro compass.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the automatic route holding device and the hull. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic route holding device, and 11 denotes a GPS receiver for detecting the position, speed and moving direction of the ship. , 12 is a steering mechanism that steers a rudder to give a turning force to the hull 14, 13 is a propulsion mechanism that steers a main engine and a propeller to give a propulsive force to the hull 14, and 14 is an automatic navigation system. Hull on which the device 1 is mounted, 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes an autopilot that calculates a command steering angle and outputs a command steering angle signal to the steering mechanism 12 so that the heading of the own ship from the gyro compass 16 becomes the target bearing from the automatic route holding device 1. Is a gyro compass that detects the heading of the ship.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a conventional automatic route holding device is a device in which automatic route holding cannot be performed without an autopilot and a gyro compass. In addition, the setting of the planned navigation route can be performed by operating a trackball and a push button to set an arbitrary point on the screen as a change point, and repeating the process to set the navigation route.

[0005]

In recent years, domestic coastal shipping has been facing an urgent situation of prolonged recession, shortage of human resources, aging and frequent landing accidents. There is a need for an automatic route maintenance device that is easy to operate and that can be easily added to existing ships.

In the conventional automatic route holding device, the route is held by instructing the autopilot with the target direction by numerical data by digital communication. However, this target direction is instructed to the autopilot by digital communication. It is necessary to provide an interface that allows the autopilot side to input the target direction from outside by digital communication. Further, in order to calculate the target heading, it is necessary to connect the automatic route holding device to the gyro compass and input the heading data from the gyro compass.

[0007] However, when considering additional equipment to an existing ship, an autopilot mounted on an existing coastal ship has an interface capable of inputting a target direction from outside through digital communication, or an automatic gyro compass. Only a very small number of heading data can be output to the route keeping device, and in order to add an automatic route keeping device, an interface that can input the target direction from outside via digital communication is expensive. Since it is necessary to additionally install or re-install an expensive gyro compass that can output the autopilot and heading data to the automatic route keeping device, it is actually a major remodeling, and the cost and the location of the equipment are limited. It is difficult to introduce automatic route maintenance equipment into existing coastal vessels.

[0008] In addition, when a route is planned in the conventional automatic route holding device, the latitude / turn of the changing point forming the route is calculated.
In order to specify the longitude coordinates, there are two methods of numerically inputting the latitude / longitude coordinates of each changing point with a numeric keypad, and specifying the coordinates of the changing point on an electronic chart by operating a trackball and an enter key.

[0009] However, the above-mentioned method is difficult for elderly people who are not familiar with computers that have previously created a route by hand using a compass and a ruler on a paper chart.
It is very unfamiliar and difficult to operate, and is often shunned by seafarers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an autopilot and a heading provided with an interface capable of inputting a target heading, which is always necessary for a conventional automatic route holding device, from outside by digital communication. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic route holding device that does not require connection with a gyro compass capable of outputting data to the automatic route holding device.

[0011] Further, the present invention provides an automatic route holding device capable of creating route data as if a route were handwritten on a paper chart so that elderly people who are not familiar with computers can easily become familiar with the route. It is.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a perpendicular line is drawn from the position of the own ship from the GPS receiver to the currently held route, A point on the channel separated by a specified distance in the forward direction of the channel from the intersection of the perpendicular and the above channel is set as the target point,
The direction of a line segment connecting the own ship position and the above-mentioned target point with the own ship position as a base point is defined as the target moving direction. The target movement direction and GP
An automatic route holding device capable of holding an automatic route by outputting a command steering angle value calculated based on a deviation of the own ship moving direction data from the S receiver to a steering mechanism as a command steering angle signal.

Further, in the invention of claim 2, an arbitrary point on the electronic chart displayed on the screen is used for touching, as if the route was handwritten on a paper chart using a touch panel mounted on the screen. By specifying the point with a pen or the like, the point can be set as a change point, and by repeating this point, an automatic route holding device capable of drawing a route is provided.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic route holding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a line indicating the range of the automatic route holding device, 2 denotes an electronic chart database unit for storing electronic chart data, and 3 denotes an electronic chart from the electronic chart database unit 2 for the position of a ship, a planned route, and the like. A screen display unit for superimposing and displaying on a display unit, a route planning unit for planning and storing a planned navigation route of the ship, and a route planning setting and screen switching by operating a touch panel, a trackball, a push button, and the like. The user interface unit to perform, 6a is the position of own ship from the GPS receiver 11,
A target moving direction calculating unit for calculating a target moving direction of the own ship for maintaining an automatic route based on the moving speed and the planned navigation route data from the route planning unit 4;
a command steering angle calculating unit for calculating a command steering angle of the rudder based on the target moving direction data from the a and the own ship moving direction data from the GPS receiver 11 so as to eliminate the deviation between the moving direction of the own ship and the target moving direction. , 8 is a command steering angle output unit that outputs a command steering angle signal to the steering mechanism 12 based on the command steering angle data from the command steering angle calculation unit 7, 9 is a display that displays screen information of the screen display unit 3, Reference numeral 10a denotes a touch panel, a trackball, and a push button, which are operation units of the user interface unit 5.
Is a GPS receiver for detecting the position, speed and moving direction of the ship, and 12 is a steering mechanism for steering the rudder.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the automatic route holding device and the hull. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic route holding device, and 11 denotes a GPS receiver for detecting the position, speed and moving direction of the ship. , 12 is a steering mechanism that steers a rudder to give a turning force to the hull 14, 13 is a propulsion mechanism that steers a main engine and a propeller to give a propulsive force to the hull 14, and 14 is an automatic navigation system. It is a hull on which the device 1 is mounted.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 17 denotes an electronic chart display screen of a display (with a touch panel on the surface), 18 denotes a land display section of the electronic chart, and 19 denotes a danger contour line. Display unit, 20 is a navigation route, 21 is a turning point, 22 is a touch pen for touch panel touch, 23
Is the hand of an operator who operates a touch pen to create a route. As shown in FIG. 3, the operator touches the turning point No. n on the electronic chart display screen, and then touches the turning point No. n + 1, as if drawing a route on a paper chart. Scheduled route can be set.

Next, a specific procedure for setting a scheduled navigation route according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

The electronic chart data recorded in advance is read into the screen display unit 3, and an electronic chart display screen is displayed on the display 9 (step 30).

On the electronic chart display screen displayed on the display 9, an arbitrary position to be set as a change point is touched with the touch pen 22 (step 31). The position touched by the touch pen is detected by the user interface unit 5 as coordinates of the touch panel 10a (step 32).

The route planning unit 4 calculates the coordinates of the electronic chart corresponding to the detected coordinates of the touch panel 10a, and registers the coordinates as the coordinates of the turning point (step 3).
3). The coordinate data of the registered changing point is passed from the route planning unit 4 to the screen display unit 3 and the changing point mark 21 is displayed on the display 9.
Is displayed (step 34).

Then, on the electronic chart display screen of the display unit 9, the user touches an arbitrary position to be set next as a change point with the touch pen 22 (step 35). The position touched by the touch pen is detected as coordinates of the touch panel 10a by the user interface unit 5 (step 3).
6).

The route planning unit 4 calculates the coordinates of the electronic chart corresponding to the coordinates of the detected touch panel 10a, and registers the coordinates as the coordinates of the turning point (step 3).
7). The coordinate data of the registered changing point is passed from the route planning unit 4 to the screen display unit 3 and the changing point mark 21 is displayed on the display 9.
Is displayed (step 38).

On the screen display section 3, the inflection point registered in step 33 and the inflection point registered in step 37 are connected by a line segment and displayed on the display 9 (step 39).

Thereafter, the above-mentioned steps 35 to 39 are repeated to prepare the planned navigation route data (step 4).
0).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG.
Hull, 20 is the route, 20a is the route currently holding the route, 21 is the turning point, 24 is the vertical line drawn from the own ship position to the route 20a currently holding the route, and 25 is the smooth route control. The pre-reading distance L, 26 calculated in consideration of the moving speed of the own ship from the GPS receiver in order to perform the pre-reading, the distance of the pre-reading distance L 25 from the intersection of the perpendicular line 24 and the currently maintained route 20 a Points X and 27 in the forward direction on the navigation route 20a are line segments drawn from the own ship position toward the point X26 (the direction of this line segment is set as a target movement direction), and 28 is a movement of the own ship from the GPS receiver. The direction 29 is the direction deviation θ between the line segment 27 and the own ship moving direction 28.

Next, a specific procedure for maintaining the automatic route using the pre-created planned route data in the first embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

The planned navigation route data planned by the route planning unit 4 and the own ship position and moving speed data from the GPS receiver 11 are read into the target moving direction calculation unit (step 41).

From the position of own ship, the route 20
A perpendicular line 24 is drawn with respect to a (step 42). From the intersection of the perpendicular line 24 and the route 20a, a point X26 on the route 20a in the forward direction of the route 20a is calculated by the look-ahead distance L25 calculated in consideration of the own ship moving speed. The look-ahead distance L is obtained as L = moving speed of own ship × KL (KL is a look-ahead distance calculation coefficient) (step 43).

Next, a line segment 2 from the own ship position to the point X26
7, the direction of the line segment 27 is calculated as the target movement direction (step 44).

The target steering direction and the GP
A deviation θ29 from the own receiver moving direction 28 from the S receiver 11 is calculated (step 45). The command steering angle is calculated so as to eliminate the deviation θ29. The command steering angle is the command steering angle = Kθ
θ (Kθ is a steering angle conversion coefficient) (step 4
6).

A command steering angle signal output unit outputs a command steering angle electric signal (for example, ± 10 VDC: ± 40 d) corresponding to the command steering angle value.
eg) is output to the steering mechanism (step 47). By repeating the above steps 41 to 47 every unit time,
Automatic route maintenance can be realized.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, expensive autopilot and heading data provided with an interface for newly inputting a target heading from outside by digital communication can be transmitted to the automatic route holding device. There is no need to separately add or re-install an expensive gyro compass that can output the data, and it is possible to easily and inexpensively install the automatic navigation system on existing ships.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since it is possible to create route data on an electronic chart, as if handwriting a route on a paper chart that has been used for many years, it is possible to use a computer. Even elderly people who do not have access can carry out route planning without difficulty, and the practicality is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic route holding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a relationship between the automatic navigation device and the hull according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an image diagram showing an embodiment of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the embodiment of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a specific procedure for setting a scheduled navigation route according to the embodiment of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a specific procedure for performing automatic route keeping in the embodiment of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a conventional automatic route holding device.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a relationship between a conventional automatic route holding device and a hull.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Line which shows the range of an automatic route maintenance apparatus 2 ... Electronic chart database part 3 ... Screen display part 4 ... Route planning part 5 ... User interface part 6a ... Target movement direction calculation part 6b ... Target direction calculation part 7 ... Command steering angle Arithmetic unit 8 ... Command steering angle output unit 9 ... Display 10a ... Touch panel, track ball and push button 10b ... Track ball and push button 11 ... GPS receiver 12 ... Steering mechanism 13 ... Propulsion mechanism 14 ... Hull 15 ... Autopilot 16: Gyro compass 17: Electronic chart display screen (with a touch panel on the surface) 18: Land display section 19: Danger contour line display section 20: Navigation route 20a: Navigation route currently holding the navigation route 21 ... Point change point mark 22: Touch pen 23: Operator Hand 24: a perpendicular drawn from the ship's position to the currently held route 20a 25: look-ahead distance L 26 ... A point X27 in the forward direction on the currently held route 20a from the intersection of the perpendicular 24 and the currently held route 20a to the point X26 from the own ship position to the point X26. 28 ... own ship moving direction 29 ... direction deviation θ

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kohei Otsu 2-6-1 Ecchujima, Koto-ku, Tokyo F-term in Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine 2F029 AA04 AB07 AB13 AC02 AC08 AC14 AC19 5H180 AA25 FF05 FF10 FF11 FF23 FF27 FF32 5H301 AA04 AA10 CC03 CC06 FF08 FF11 GG14 HH02

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A GPS receiver which is mounted on a ship and detects position, movement direction and movement speed data of the ship,
A route planning unit that plans and stores the planned navigation route of the ship, an electronic chart database unit that stores electronic chart data, GP
A target moving direction calculation unit for calculating a target moving direction of the own ship for the own ship to sail on the planned route based on the position, the moving speed of the own ship from the S receiver, and the planned route data, and the own ship from the GPS receiver. A command steering angle calculating unit that calculates a command steering angle based on the deviation between the moving direction data and the target moving direction, a command steering angle output unit that outputs the command steering angle to the steering mechanism as a rudder control signal, the position of the ship, A screen display unit that superimposes the moving direction, moving speed, planned route, etc. on the electronic chart and displays it on the display, and sets the route plan and switches the screen by operating the touch panel, trackball, push buttons, etc. attached to the screen Comprises a user interface section, calculates a heading sensor such as a gyro compass that detects the heading of the ship, and calculates a command steering angle so that the ship's heading is the target heading, and sends a command steering angle signal to the steering mechanism. Automatic route holding device, wherein a concatenation of output to autopilot is not required. 2. A means for planning and creating a route directly on an electronic chart screen by designating an arbitrary point on a touch panel attached to the screen on an electronic chart displayed on the screen with the touch pen or the like mounted on a ship. 2. The automatic route holding device according to claim 1, further comprising: