RU2795847C1 - Method and system for detecting objects in water for small boats - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: shipbuilding.

SUBSTANCE: method for detecting objects in the water for small boats includes capturing the surface of the water with a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a wide-angle camera, constantly transmitting the survey data to a control unit with installed software, processing data, making a decision based on the results of processing, and signalling on the unit, with light or light and sound, display on the display of data on coordinates of detected small objects, bypass trajectory. A system for detecting objects in the water for small boats is also claimed, including a block of interconnected video cameras, at least one of which is a stereo camera, a control unit with installed software, and an alert unit. The video camera unit additionally includes a monocular camera with adjustable focus and a wide-angle camera, and the control unit with installed software is made in form of a personal communication device and/or in form of a display with a system block.

EFFECT: ensuring detection of small-sized objects, signalling and collision avoidance.

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Description

The invention relates to shipbuilding, in particular to navigation systems used on small boats. There are various navigation systems, including optical radar systems, aimed at detecting and warning about large objects of oncoming ships. This is a disadvantage of these systems, since they do not allow - to determine small-sized objects in the water, in particular, flooded trees, logs, boards, people, garbage, dead animals, moose, deer, bears, etc. The need to develop a method and system for detecting objects in water for a small vessel is also related to the fact that when a small vessel moves, its bow often rises, especially in the planing mode, and the navigator is most often located either in the middle or in the stern which greatly reduces visibility. Also, this decision will be relevant at dusk and in conditions of poor visibility - fog, rain, excitement.

The closest analogue is the solution KR2020050808A(KR20200050808(A)) "SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING DEGREE OF COLLISION RISK AND GUIDING SAFE VOYAGE ROUTE THROUGH FUSING NAVIGATION SENSOR INSIDE SHIP AND IMAGE INFORMATION" COLLISIONS AND DEFINITIONS OF A SAFE TRAVEL ROUTE USING NAVIGATION COMBINATION INBOARD SENSOR AND IMAGE INFORMATION) with priority from 02.11.2018. The known solution discloses combining on-board navigation sensor data and image information, transmitting data to the control unit, predicting the risk of collision and estimating the predicted collision point in accordance with information about the azimuth and distance to another vessel using a safe navigation control system and based on information from the sensor position set on another ship, collision warning, and development of a bypass route.

The disadvantage of this solution is the impossibility of determining in the water during the movement of a small vessel small-sized objects that have a small silhouette visible above the water surface and a large inconspicuous part below the surface, according to the characteristic optical distortions that occur when they flow around water, flooded trees, boards, etc. collision warning and avoidance. Mandatory availability of a pre-installed automatic identification block on the object being determined. The impossibility of identifying objects by the characteristic optical distortions that occur when they flow around water.

The objective of the claimed solution is to develop a method for detecting in the water during the movement of a small vessel small-sized objects that have a small silhouette visible above the water surface and a large inconspicuous part below the surface, by characteristic optical distortions that occur when they flow around water, flooded trees, boards, etc. . warning and collision avoidance. Also, the development of a system for implementing the method.

To solve this problem, the system of Fig. 2 including interconnected, a video camera unit (1), a control unit (2) with installed software, for example, in the form of a personal communication device and / or a display with a system unit, an alert unit, in a particular case, a control unit and communication with the motor ( 3).

In a particular case of execution, the system may include IR (infrared) - searchlight and / or ultrasonic (ultrasonic) - sensors associated with the control unit for avoidance at very short distances (tens of centimeters) (not shown in the images).

Block of video cameras (1) of Fig. 1 includes a monocular camera (1.1) with adjustable focus for long-range identification, a stereo camera (1.2) for determining the exact distance, and a wide-angle camera (1.3) for searching for objects. In a particular case, it can be supplemented with a thermal imager (not shown in the images) connected to the control unit. The thermal imager is aimed at classifying the detected object as living or non-living. A living object can be:

- a person floating or lying on the water while resting face up;

- a bird, these are mainly gulls, ducks, less often geese;

- animals, moose, deer, bears, crocodiles, etc.

It should be noted that in the case when a person lies on the water face up, visually he is close to a snag or log, i.e. to an inanimate object.

Also, the following actions have been introduced into the system: when the bodies of dead people and animals are found, within the framework of the declared decision, they are equated to inanimate objects and further actions of the system are carried out as for inanimate objects; when birds are detected in the system, it is set to an exception and the system does not take any action.

The notification unit associated with the control unit includes light and/or sound notification elements.

The control and communication unit with the motor (3) is connected to the control unit (2) and controls the operation of the motor. Communication between system elements can be wired and/or wireless.

The control unit (2) is configured to process the data received from the video camera unit (1), make a decision based on the processing results, and perform actions depending on the result obtained.

A method for detecting objects in the water for a small boat includes capturing the water surface with a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a wide-angle camera, with continuous transmission of survey data to a control unit (2) with installed software, processing data, making a decision based on the results of processing, and performing actions depending on from the result obtained, for example, signaling on the block, light and / or light, and / or sound, displaying data on the coordinates of detected small objects (4), bypass trajectory.

In a particular case of execution, self-learning occurs at the decision-making stage. The process involves collecting data on successful and unsuccessful attempts to recognize potentially dangerous objects, followed by their automatic classification and automated finding of new features that reduce such errors using intelligent algorithms, such as neural networks.

The method additionally includes the operation of an IR illuminator and/or ultrasonic sensors and/or a thermal imager and the transfer of the data received from them to the control unit (2) with further data processing and making a decision based on the processing results, etc.

In a particular case, the method additionally includes the possibility of automatically reducing the speed, or completely stopping the engine of the motor (3) of the small boat (5) of FIG. 2.

The result is the detection of small objects, signaling and collision avoidance.

Brief description of explanatory materials:

fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a block of video cameras;

fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the process of detecting small objects in water.

Brief description of structural elements.

1 - block of video cameras;

1.1 - monocular camera;

1.2 - stereo camera;

1.3 - wide-angle camera;

2 - control unit;

3 - motor;

4 - small-sized object;

4.1 - man;

5 - small boat.

Implementation and examples of the invention.

On a small vessel, for example, a boat, elements of the claimed system are installed, namely interconnected, a video camera unit (1), a control unit (2) with installed software, for example, in the form of a personal communication device and / or a display with a system unit, a unit alerts, in particular the control unit and communication with the motor (3). They bring the system into working condition and go to the water. In the process of being on the water, the water surface is filmed with a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a wide-angle camera, with a constant transmission of the survey data to the control unit (2) with installed software, data processing, decision making on the results of processing, and performing actions depending on the result obtained. , for example, an alarm on the block, by light and / or light, and / or sound, displaying on the display data on the coordinates of detected small objects (4), bypass trajectory.

So, for example, a silhouette (4.1) that is poorly visible above the water surface falls into the visibility zone of these cameras. When processing data received from cameras, its presence is recognized by the characteristic optical distortions that occur when water flows around them, for example, wave interruption, other waves with a lower height than most waves on the water surface. An alarm is given on the notification unit, by light and / or light, and / or sound, and also the display of data on the coordinates of the detected small object (4), (4.1), the bypass trajectory.

In the case of a thermal imager, a thermal imager determines whether an object is alive or not. If it is a person or an animal, an alarm is given on the notification unit, by light and / or light, and / or sound, and also the display of data on the coordinates of the detected small object (4), (4.1), the bypass trajectory. If it is a bird, then the system ignores it, since birds are initially set to an exception.

In a particular case of execution, self-learning occurs at the decision-making stage.

In a particular case, the method additionally includes the operation of an IR illuminator and / or ultrasonic sensors and / or a thermal imager and the transfer of the data received from them to the control unit (2) with further processing of the data and making a decision based on the results of processing, etc.

In a particular case, if the method additionally includes the possibility of automatically reducing the speed, or completely stopping the engine of the motor (3) of the small boat (5) of Fig. 2, then the system automatically slows down or stops completely, for example, to help a person who is more than 100 m from the coast, or at least to find out if he needs help. If it is impossible to provide assistance, the system transmits the coordinates of the object to the coastal services.

To improve the operation of the system by updating and downloading the collected data on successful and unsuccessful attempts to detect dangerous objects, it can be connected to the Internet, but there is the possibility of exchanging information using removable media.

Claims (9)

1. A method for detecting objects in the water for a small vessel, including shooting by a group of cameras, at least one of which is a stereo camera, transferring the shooting data to a control unit with installed software, processing data, making a decision based on the results of processing, signaling, characterized in that that they shoot the water surface with a monocular camera, a stereo camera, and a wide-angle camera, the transmission of shooting data to the control unit is carried out constantly, the signaling on the unit is carried out by light or light and sound, the data on the coordinates of detected small objects, the bypass trajectory are displayed on the display. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at the decision-making stage, the control unit is self-learning in the form of collecting data on successful and unsuccessful attempts to recognize potentially dangerous objects, their subsequent classification and finding new features. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes the operation of a thermal imager or an IR illuminator and a thermal imager, or ultrasonic sensors and a thermal imager, or an IR illuminator and ultrasonic sensors and a thermal imager, and transferring the data received from them to the control unit. 4. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that, according to the results of processing, the speed is reduced, or the engine of the motor of the small vessel is completely stopped. 5. A system for detecting objects in the water for a small vessel for implementing the method according to claim 1, including a block of video cameras interconnected, at least one of them is a stereo camera, a control unit with installed software, an alert unit, characterized in that the block of video cameras additionally includes a monocular camera with adjustable focus and a wide-angle camera, a control unit with installed software is made in the form of a personal communication device and/or in the form of a display with a system unit. 6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that it additionally includes a control unit and communication with the motor, made with the possibility of reducing the speed or completely stopping the engine of the motor of a small boat. 7. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit is configured to self-learn in the form of collecting data on successful and unsuccessful attempts to recognize potentially dangerous objects, their subsequent classification and finding new features. 8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that it additionally includes a thermal imager associated with a control unit. 9. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the notification unit associated with the control unit includes light and/or sound notification elements.

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