WO2017129859A1

WO2017129859A1 - An arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel

Info

Publication number: WO2017129859A1
Application number: PCT/FI2017/050030
Authority: WO
Inventors: Esa JOKIOINEN; Kenneth SOLBERG; Mika Hyvönen; Antti KOLU
Original assignee: Rolls-Royce Oy Ab
Priority date: 2016-01-29
Filing date: 2017-01-20
Publication date: 2017-08-03
Also published as: EP3408718A1; EP3408718A4

Abstract

Autonomous operation is used for reducing operation costs and improving safety of marine vessels. An arrangement for defining a state for an autonomous or tele-operated marine vessel is disclosed. The state will depend on conditions of the onboard systems, current navigational situation observed by the ships sensors, as well as capability of the currently available data links (104, 105, 106). Once the state has been defined it will govern what kind of operation modes are available and what data is sent for the remote operator (107). The difference between a state and a mode is that autonomous system can switch between different states independently of the operator whereas operation mode has to be selected by the user.

Description

AN ARRANGEMENT FOR DEFINING A STATE FOR A MARINE VESSEL

DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND

In the following an arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel will be described. State means a technical and operational status of the vessel which governs the available operation modes for the vessel or it's operator. The arrangement can be used in vehicles capable of operating in remote control or in partial or full autonomous modes. Autonomous operation of different vehicle types has been a popular research topic recently. Some of the development results are limited to some vehicle types and some of the results apply only to a particular vehicle type. For example, autonomous landing arrangement for aircrafts requires different mechanisms than an autonomously operated passenger car in city environment. Some of the solutions can rely online communications and others need to be able to make decisions without help of external systems.

Autonomously operated marine vessels also have their own characteristics. When compared to other vehicles they are relatively slow moving and must be able to operate also in severe weather conditions as it is not always possible to predict weather precisely or to make a change to the determined route for avoiding a storm. Furthermore, traffic conditions are variable. In some sea areas there are a lot of marine vessels while in others marine vessels can sail for a long period of time without passing other marine vessels in the vicinity of the marine vessel. A further characteristic is that the communication network coverage varies in the operating areas of a marine vessel. For example, when a marine vessel is operating in coastal areas it may be possible to use mobile communication networks, such as 3G or LTE network for providing a network access to the marine vessel. However, marine vessels travel also in very remote areas where also satellite based communication services are limited. Thus, a marine vessel typically includes a wide range of communication means that have different coverage, technical capabilities and costs.

In some operating conditions the wide range of communication means facilitates use of systems that are dependent on external systems. The use of external systems may require high data bandwidth or low latency. At the same time the marine vessel should be able to operate without external systems because the only communication link may be of low bandwidth and high latency.

One computer-controlled system used in a marine vessels is a dynamic positioning system (DP) , which is a system for maintaining vessels position and heading automatically by using a control computer and marine vessels own propulsion system. In addition to propellers and thrusters different sensors are used. For example, satellite positioning systems, vessel orientation sensor, weather sensors, motion sensors and similar sensors may be used. Dynamic positioning system can be used for controlling the position of the vessel to a fixed point over a bottom or relative to a moving object like another marine vessel. The conventional use of dynamic positioning system is to keep the vessel stationary in conditions wherein anchoring is difficult or impossible. However, as described above, dynamic positioning systems may be used for moving marine vessels so that they maintain the location relative to a predetermined point, such as another vessel that is moving or to navigate the vessel along a predefined track towards a waypoint SUMMARY

Autonomous operation is used for reducing operation costs and improving safety of marine vessels. An arrangement for defining a state for an autonomous or tele-operated marine vessel is disclosed. The state will depend on conditions of the onboard systems, current navigational situation observed by the ships sensors, as well as capability of the currently available data links. Once the state has been defined it will govern what kind of operation modes are available and what data is sent for a remote operator. The difference between a state and a mode is that autonomous system can switch between different states independently of the operator whereas operation mode has to be selected by the user. Systems responsible for autonomous operation must be able to react for various situations on their routes that may be in areas where data link coverage is limited. State may be determined by using situational analysis combined with the availability of data links so that the system does not propose autonomous operation mode that needs a faster data link than available. If autonomous operation mode cannot be chosen an emergency plan will be launched or a person on board may take the control.

In an embodiment a method for defining a state for a marine vessel is disclosed. In the method information using at least one sensor is collected. Then an initial state for a marine vessel based on said collected information is determined. Based on the initial state a suitable data link and the availability of the suitable data link is determined. A state for said marine vessel is determined based on said initial state and availability of said determined suitable data link. Then available operation modes for said marine vessel based on said determined state are determined .

In a further embodiment the method further comprises selecting a portion of collected information based on said selected state transmitting said selected portion of collected information to a remote operator .

In another embodiment when said suitable data link is unavailable the method further comprises transmitting a message to a remote operator indicating unavailability of said suitable data link and informing about the available operation modes. In an embodiment the transmission are prioritized in the local network. In a further embodiment the prioritization is requested from external networks. In another embodiment the method comprises receiving a response from said remote operator.

In another embodiment said collected information as a response for unavailable suitable link is reduced, for example by further compression or scaling of image material. In another embodiment method further comprises determining technical condition of ships systems. The determined technical condition may then be used in determination of the initial state.

In an embodiment the method described above is implemented as a computer program. In another embodiment the an apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to execute computer programs, at least one memory configured to store computer programs and related data, and at least one data communication interface configured to communicate with external data communication networks is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to perform the method described above. In an embodiment a marine vessel comprising the apparatus is disclosed. The disclosed arrangement for selecting a state for a marine vessel facilitates autonomous or remote control operation of a marine vessel. This is achieved by determining a state for the vessel which governs the possible operation modes and changing between the modes. The autonomous operation reduces operation costs because less human labor is needed on board. Using the arrangement described above and in more detail below it is possible to produce marine vessels that operate mostly or even completely independently. Particularly the arrangement is useful in situations where earlier conventional solutions have required human interaction. At least some of these situations can now be solved without human interaction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of an arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments and together with the description help to explain the principles of an arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example embodiment,

Fig. 2a is a partial flow diagram of a method in an example embodiment,

Fig. 2b is a partial flow diagram of a method in an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . In figure 1 a block diagram of an example embodiment of an arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel.

In the figure a plurality of components on a marine vessel are shown. These components comprise an autonomous navigation system (ANS) 100, a network element 101, a first control computer, such as dynamic positioning system, 102, a second control computer 103, which may also be a dynamic positioning system, and a plurality of data communication links 104 - 106. The figure further illustrates a remote operator 107 that is typically located in a service center or a similar. Optionally there can also be a local onboard operator. A person skilled in the art understands that a marine vessel includes a plurality of other components that are not shown in the figure. Control computers mentioned above may be of similar or different construction. Typically there are two independent control computers so that if the primarily used control computer breaks there is a backup system that can be used. These systems are not typically used at the same time.

In the figure a network topology where all communications are arranged through the network element 101 is shown. This is a typical simple network topology that is used for the sake of simplicity. Also other network topologies and arrangements can be used for achieving an arrangement for defining a state selecting an operation mode for a marine vessel as described in the following. In the example embodiment the network element 101 is configured to route data communications from a plurality of components, such as ANS 100 and the second control computer 103 to the plurality of data communication links 104 - 106. In addition to the routing functionality the network element 101 may comprise common data communication services, such as network address translation, firewall, data traffic prioritization and similar.

Furthermore, as the network element is connected to a plurality of data communication links the network element 101 is able to control the use of data communication links 104 - 106. For example, typically it is not necessary and desirable to keep all possible links open because of related costs. The network element 101 is able to open and close the data communication links according to the need and preferences. Furthermore, the network element 101 may receive instructions for opening and closing a data communication link from other components on the marine vessel. These other components may be relevant to the arrangement for selecting an operation mode for a marine vessel, however, they may be also relating to other arrangements, such as ordinary telecommunications or entertainment systems.

In the figure two independent control computers 102 and 103 are shown. In the embodiment control computers are used for moving the marine vessel according to a determined route. In the embodiment the first control computer 102 is connected to the ANS 100, which is further connected to the network element 101. The second control computer 103 is directly connected to the network element 101. In the embodiment of figure 1 the first control computer 102 is used by the ANS 100 and the second control computer 103 is used by the remote operator 107 when the marine vessel is in remote operating mode. Local operator can use either of the systems 102 or 103 manually. The arrangement described above is only an example and other arrangements are possible. It is possible that the marine vessel has a different number of control computers, for example, only one. In such embodiment the communication from the remote operator 107 may be transmitted through the ANS 100, however, the ANS is not typically responsible for any actions when the marine vessel is in remote operation mode. Instead of second control computer 103 the marine vessel may comprise another system that is capable of moving the vessel according to determined instructions .

In the description above control computers systems are described as such, however, they are further connected to systems controlling propellers, rudders and/or thrusters for moving the marine vessels. Furthermore, they are connected to a plurality of sensors that are needed for acquiring the information needed for dynamic positioning. In addition to the conventional sensors, the marine vessel may include additional sensors, such as cameras, for obtaining information that may be used in remote operating.

In figure 1 Autonomous navigation system 100 (ANS) is disclosed. ANS 100 is a computing system comprising at least one computer or other computing unit. Thus, the ANS 100 comprises at least one processor 108 and at least one memory 109. Furthermore, the ANS 100 comprises a data communication interface 110, which is typically a network card and corresponding drivers. As mentioned, the computing system may be composed of a plurality of computers, such as servers. These computers may be configured to host a plurality of virtual computers. Thus, the computing system may be shared with other systems of the marine vessel.

ANS 100 further comprises four entities that are ship state definition entity 111, voyage planning entity 112, situational awareness entity 113 and collision avoidance entity 114. Implementation of these entities typically involves computer program code that is configured to collect relevant information and then to instruct systems, such as the first control computer to control the movements of the marine vessel by actuating propellers, rudders and/or thrusters. Functionality of these entities will be described below in more detail.

Figure 2 discloses a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of an arrangement for defining a state for a marine vessel. If the method is performed in the embodiment disclosed in figure 1 ship state definition entity 111 is responsible for execution of the method. The state definition is a two layer process. First layer is a state flow machine, which takes a situational awareness system data (position, speed, heading, uncertainties of measurements, object type, size and classification) and own ship localization data (position, speed, heading) as input. Based on that it first calculates individually for each detected object, for example a detected target ship (TS) , the Ship Situational Assessment Definition (SSAD) value. This defines in which sector (port, starboard, stern) and in which heading in own ship (OS) local frame the TS ship is detected. The same assessment is repeated for every detected TS to see how they see the OS. Finally, based on this data, Velocity Obstacle (VO) , Closest Point of Approach (CPA) algorithms (both individually for each TS) , or similar, and classification data of the TS, the OS is categorized either a give way, stand-on, overtaking, overtaken ship. Combining all SSAD data and defining all possible maneuvers available, a final suggestion of the Operational state of the ship is defined. This suggested Operational state is then fed to second layer of the state flow machine, which will then evaluate this suggestion against communication link availability, ship sailing conditions (port, open sea, narrow passage etc.) and ship condition monitoring data. If the suggestion is accepted, suggested state will be the current operational state of the ship, in which all controls are based on. If the suggested state is not accepted, the ship will use the best possible maneuver approach instead. For example, in the port area when a re-planning of the route (operational state 3 suggested) is not allowed, the evasive movement (operational state 2) is selected as an operational state and the remote operator is immediately alerted and collision possibility prioritized data link is opened (for example in the night a thermal camera data link looking at closest TS, which could possible cause a collision) . For better understanding of the method table 1 has provided .

In the table four different operation levels have been disclosed. In the table it is disclosed what kind of actions are considered for each of the levels. Correspondingly, the last column discloses what kind of data may need to be transmitted. The division into five levels is only an example and different divisions may be used. Correspondingly the operator of the marine vessel determines which data he is wishing to transfer with regard of each of the levels. In addition to the above mentioned information the table could include information regarding the bandwidth requirement for data communications, however, that can be computed also based on the actual data that needs to be sent. For example, the marine vessel may include intelligence for determining how many photos need to be sent and the requirement for large number of photos is naturally higher than just for one photo. It should be noted that the traffic in different situations is typically asymmetric and there is more traffic from the marine vessel to the remote operator as there is no need for remote operator to send, for example video stream. However, the same typically applies to data communication links. The linked chosen needs to be suitable for sending and receiving.

State definition of the vessel depends on operational state of the vessel described above as well as on the condition of the onboard systems and the data link. This information is needed as the system will have to know which modes are available and can be entered at any given time. For example if the sensor systems of the vessel are not giving reliable data the system cannot suggest proceeding or moving to any of the autonomous modes but instead it will have to ask for remote operator interference if the data link allows or as a final solution go to an emergency mode .

In the following tables 2 - 4 are provided for better understanding of the general framework relating to the state and data link selection. A person skilled in the art understands that tables are only examples and it is possible to have, for example, different number of levels in each category than in tables below.

Table 2 below illustrates example the possible variables in the ship technical condition parameters .

LEVEL DATA LINK ONBOARD SENSOR

SYSTEMS RELIABILITY

A Bandwidth and All systems All sensors working and giving latency in available and no reliable data

acceptable limits alarms in

for all operation essential

modes systems

B Limited data link All systems Single sensor out of

available and available but tolerances

latency within with minor

tolerances for alarms

tele-operation .

Tele-operation

possible but not

all sensor data

can be transferred

to shore.

C Latency or All systems More than one sensor out of bandwidth not available but tolerances

sufficient for with critical

teleoperation . alarms (i.e.

Limited data reduced

transfer between redundancy

ship and shore. level )

ANS commands

possible but not

tele-operation

D Data link One or more of Sensor information not

completely down or essential reliable

very weak. Data systems not

link not sufficent operable

for any kind of

remote operations . Total ship condition is product of above levels. Table 3 below gives examples of some cases.

DATA LINK ONBOARD SENSOR SHIP TECHNICAL Note

SYSTEMS RELIABILITY CONDITION

A A A AAA All normal

B A A BAA Data link minor problem, rest normal

C A A CAA Data link

moderate problem, rest normal

D A A DAA datalink down, rest normal

A B A ABA Single sensor

out of

tolerances , rest normal

A C A ACA More than one

sensor out of tolerances , rest normal

A D A ADA Sensor data not reliable, rest normal

A A B AAB Minor alarm in onboard system, rest normal

A A C AAC Major alarm in onboard system, rest normal

A A D AAD Onboard

critical system failure, rest normal The above table shows normal condition as well as single failure of different levels in the key systems and is for example only. The full table would include also multiple consequent failure cases such as BBB, CCC, DDD, etc.

The overall ship state is product of the ship condition as well as operational status. Example of combining this information is shown in the below Table 4.

The method described above using three letters and one digit indexing for different states is only an example. In practice combining the operational state and technical condition can also be done by various algorithms.

In figure 2 the method starting point 200 is illustrated. Even if the method has been illustrated as a sequential steps for the sake of clarity it is in reality ongoing process. It may be interrupted, for example, when a separate process for remote operation is used or when the marine vessel is controlled by a human onboard.

During the process information is continuously collected, step 201. A modern marine vessel includes a plurality of sensor that can collect information. For example, there are sensors that are observing weather and environment. A typical important measures are wind speed and wind direction, but also others, such as air pressure, rain and temperature may be relevant. Water temperature and currents may be measured from the water. The marine vessel includes systems that measure the operation of the marine vessel. For example, the propulsion power and angles of thrusters and rudders may be collected. A draught sensor may be used for measuring draught. Also other underwater sensors may be used. Cameras may be used for imaging the environment from various angles. Images may be still images or video stream depending on the need. Cameras may also be located under water. Radars and lidars (Light Detection and Ranging) are also typically used for detecting objects in the vicinity of the marine vessel. The position, orientation and heading of a marine vessel may be determined, for example, by using satellite or transponder based systems supported by compasses, gyroscopes, inclinometers and similar. Sensors and devices mentioned above are only examples and also other sensors may be attached to the system. Collected information may be used by plurality of entities and the use of information is not limited to the example of figure 2.

During the collection of data an initial state for the marine vessel is defined. This is performed by collecting information from all systems and combining the information. As mentioned that in the following example it is assumed that the marine vessel control systems and sensors are operating normally. Thus, the initial state might be directly the operational state, for example, a major evasive maneuver needed. However, in case of problems this might not be enough. For example, in case of sensor problems, such as contradicting information from different sensors or complete sensor blackout, it is not possible to solve the major evasive maneuver autonomously and thus, the solution may be requesting remote operate mode instead of operational state level 3. All sensors and systems are continuously monitored and the initial state is selected accordingly. Some examples given above are not intended to cover the initial state selection as whole as this information may vary on ship operators, routes and even sub^¬ sections of routes.

In addition to the above discussed states additional states may be used, for example, when an intrusion is detected. In the present examples an intrusion may be an intrusion to the computer systems involved with embodiments disclosed above or intrusion to the on board control facilities, for example, an unauthorized person may try to control the marine vessel. In such cases the remote operator needs to be informed so that the vessel can be kept safe. In such cases different strategies may be used than ordinary cases wherein the situation is caused, for example, by technical failures, severe weather conditions or other traffic. For example, it is possible to use a state wherein all possible information is sent secretly to the remote operate so that, for example, a possible hijacker does not know it and important information is collected for further actions.

The method continues with a series of determinations as illustrated in the figure. The order of determinations may be different. It is also possible to implement the determinations as events launched by an external trigger so that they may also run in parallel.

In the figure it is first determined if the marine vessel is in remote operation mode or if remote operation mode has been requested but is not yet initiated, step 202. It is possible that the remote operation mode is requested by the autonomous system as described. For example, as disclosed above if the sensor systems of the vessel are not giving reliable data the system cannot suggest proceeding or moving to any of the autonomous modes but instead it will have to ask for remote operator interference if the data link allows or as a final solution go to an emergency mode as described in below. In the following example it is assumed that onboard systems are providing reliable data and no sensor reliability problems have been detected.

In case of remote operation mode level A data link is needed for data communications. Data link levels referred here are explained in table 2. Thus, a request for remote operation is set, step 203. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. The datalink selection will be explained in detail later. If the marine vessel is not in remote operation mode or remote operation mode has not been requested, the method proceeds to the next determination. The mentioned level is comparable to a status or an initial status of a marine vessel. Thus, the level does not only tell needed level of data communications but also serves as a very brief status description .

If the marine vessel is not in remote operation mode it is assumed that the marine vessel is in autonomous operation mode in this example. It is naturally possible that the marine vessel is in local operation mode, however, in that case the responsibility of operation is taken by a person. Based on the information collected the autonomous control system controls the marine vessel and monitors continuously if it is able to operate the marine vessel autonomously, step 204. In normal conditions the marine vessel typically is able to maintain the autonomous operation mode, however, it is possible that something unexpected happens so that the autonomous control system cannot act. For example, it is possible that a sensor breakage causes false information that will prevent autonomous operation. If the marine vessel is not able to operate autonomously a request for level 4 operation is set, step 211. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. In this example level A data link is required. If the marine vessel is able to operate autonomously, the method will continue to the next determination.

Next the risk of collision is determined, step 205. At least part of collected information is analyzed by collision avoidance entity with possible support from situational awareness entity. For example, if there is an unexpected obstacle on the route, it is determined that there is a risk of collision. An example of such obstacle is another marine vessel which is on a same or intersecting route so that maintaining current speeds a collision will occur. If a risk of collision is determined, the method proceeds to the next determination. If there is no risk of collision detected, a request for level 1 operation is set, step 206. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. In this example level C data link is needed, however, in some conditions also level D may be acceptable even if it can mean that the link is completely down.

When a risk of collision is detected, then it is decided if a small maneuver is a sufficient action to the situation, step 207. For example, small maneuver may be slowing down or speeding up for time being or make a small change to the route so that the collision avoided. When the risk of collision is over the original route may be followed again. If such small maneuver is sufficient, a request for level 2 operation is set, step 208. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. In this example level C data link is needed. If small maneuver is not sufficient, the method will proceed to the next determination .

When small maneuver is not sufficient to solve the problem, it is determined if the problem can be solved by major evasive maneuver, such as complete re-planning of the route, step 209. Such re-planning may be requested from voyage planning entity. For example, the navigated route may be a limited channel so that the marine vessel cannot easily leave the used navigable passage and the passage is blocked by another marine vessel. If the problem can be solved by major evasive maneuver, a request for level 3 operation is set, step 210. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. In this example level B data link is needed. If the problem cannot be solved by major evasive maneuver, a request for level 4 operation is set, step 211. Then the method proceeds to the datalink selection, step 212. In this example level A data link is needed.

When the needed level of operation is known it is possible to choose a suitable datalink based on the level and particularly based on the need of bandwidth associated with the level. For example, the marine vessel may comprise a high bandwidth, low bandwidth satellite connections and a mobile communications network connections. The data transfer speed may vary. For example, a mobile communication network can be very slow or very fast. Thus, the actual quality of the link may need to be determined so that it actually matches the need associated with certain level.

The datalink selection, step 212, may be, for example, performed as follows. In case of levels 1 and 2, low bandwidth satellite and medium quality mobile communication are accepted. In case of levels 3 - 4 and remote operation, high bandwidth satellite and high quality mobile communication are accepted. In the following examples it is assumed that only low bandwidth satellite is available.

In the first example risk of collision is detected but it can be solved by small maneuver. For example, there is another marine vessel crossing the route and the collision can be avoided by slowing down and steering a little bit to the direction from where the other marine vessel is arriving. Thus, the crossing marine vessel is yielded from behind. Because small maneuver is considered enough, level 2 was requested. As explained above, it is determined that level 2 requires only low bandwidth satellite communication. When the availability is tested, step

213, it is noticed that the needed data link is available and the operation mode of the marine vessel can be changed to the requested one.

When the link is available, the information necessary for the small maneuver is collected, step

214. In the example it may include information about the incident. Information may include the estimated crossing route of the other marine vessel, own planned route, proposed solution and small status check. Additional information may be collected from supporting systems, such as the systems 112 - 114 of figure 1. The decision on what information is necessary can be made for example, based on the direction of the hazard that the ship is trying to avoid, other traffic around the ship and weather. In case of first example the image of the camera that is towards the marine vessel in collision course is transmitted to the remote operator. Image of the other cameras are not required for making the decision, but they may be requested by the remote operator. In case of heavy fog when the camera image is blocked, thermal camera image is selected instead.

Collected information can also contain historical information. It shows the remote operator how the ship ended up in the situation where it is now. For that reason, a memory buffer is required that consists of all sensor data from selected period of time. For example, it contains all data from the last 120s. The remote operator can also request additional historical information if required, for example specific cameras historical data.

When the data collection is ready it is transmitted to the remote operator, step 217. Typically also the small maneuver requires an approval from the remote operator. When the operator has approved the maneuver, an approval message will be received at the marine vessel. Lastly the approved maneuver is performed and then the method restarts and the autonomous operation returns to normal operating mode .

In a second example the risk of collision could be avoided by making a major evasive maneuver.

However, as explained above it requires high bandwidth data link and only low bandwidth satellite communication is available. Thus, the test of step 213 will fail as there is no suitable data link available.

The remote operator will be informed about the situation, step 215.

Thus, the situation in the example is that there is a risk of collision that requires an action that cannot be performed with the available data link.

In such case there are typically two options. It is first determined if it is possible that a person on board takes the control, step 219. If there is a person who can take the control the method is stopped and the marine vessel is then in manual control by the person, step 220. If there is no person who could take the control, an emergency program is launched, step 221. The emergency program may include several plans. For example, the marine vessel may be stopped and then it will wait for further instructions or after stopping it may be guided to an emergency point, which may be, for example, the last known route point. When the acute emergency is over the necessary data may be sent over a lower bandwidth link so that the remote operator can detect if the problem can be solved by remote means .

The above disclosed second example may include an additional phase, wherein when first it is determined that a suitable datalink is not available the data that needs to be transmitted is further processed, for example, by reducing the resolution of the images to be transmitted so that the needed data could be sent over a link that is not adequate for full information. If such reprocessing is enough then the method can continue according to the determined state. The functionality described would be, for example, implemented before step 215.

In the description above an arrangement for improving autonomous operation of a marine vessel has been described. By using the arrangement it is possible to increase the autonomous operation and to prevent situations wherein the marine vessel would in in an operation mode requiring better data link than the data links currently available.

In the description above a method for determining a status for a marine vessel partially based on available data link has been described. It is possible to modify the basic principles by using known data communication technologies, for example, by adding more data links of same or different type. One example of improving the data bandwidth is using prioritization. The network system in the marine vessel can be controlled so that in case of need for emergency data the emergency data is prioritized so that it gets sent before anything else is sent. Correspondingly, the used data link may provide prioritization when requested. Thus, a request for prioritized data transfer may be sent during the method. If the prioritization is relevant for selecting the data link it needs to be done before step 213 is performed so that it is known if the requested data link is available.

The above mentioned method may be implemented as computer software which is executed in a computing device able to communicate with other computing devices. When the software is executed in a computing device it is configured to perform the above described inventive method. The software is embodied on a computer readable medium so that it can be provided to the computing device, such as the ANS 100 of figure 1.

As stated above, the components of the exemplary embodiments can include computer readable medium or memories for holding instructions programmed according to the teachings of the present inventions and for holding data structures, tables, records, and/or other data described herein. Computer readable medium can include any suitable medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Common forms of computer-readable media can include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other suitable magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CD±R, CD±RW, DVD, DVD-RAM, DVD1RW, DVD±R, HD DVD, HD DVD-R, HD DVD-RW, HD DVD- RAM, Blu-ray Disc, any other suitable optical medium, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other suitable memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave or any other suitable medium from which a computer can read .

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the arrangement for selecting an operation mode for a marine vessel may be implemented in various ways. The arrangement for selecting an operation mode for a marine vessel and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for defining a state for a marine vessel comprising:

collecting information using at least one sensor; determining an initial state for a marine vessel based on said collected information; determining a suitable data link for said initial state ;

determining availability of said determined suitable data link;

determining a state for said marine vessel based on said initial state and availability of said

determined suitable data link; and

determining available operation modes for said marine vessel based on said determined state.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein when said suitable data link is available the method further comprising:

selecting a portion of collected information based on said selected state; and

transmitting said selected portion of collected information to a remote operator.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein when said suitable data link is unavailable the method further comprising: transmitting a message to a remote operator indicating unavailability of said suitable data link and informing about the available operation modes .

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the method further comprising: prioritizing said transmissions in the local network.

5. A method according to any of preceding claims 1 - 4, wherein the method further comprising: receiving a response from said remote operator.

6. A method according to any of preceding claims 1 - 5, wherein the method further comprising: sending a request for prioritized data transmissions over said determined suitable link.

7. A method according to any of preceding claims, wherein the method further comprising reducing said collected information as a response for unavailable suitable link.

8. A method according to any of preceding claims 1 - 7, wherein the method further comprises determining technical condition of ships systems.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein determining an initial state for a marine vessel further based on said determined technical condition of ship systems.

10. A computer program for a server comprising code adapted to cause the method according to any of claims 1 - 9 when executed on a data- processing system.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor (108) configured to execute computer programs;

at least one memory (109) configured to store computer programs and related data, and

at least one data communication interface (110) configured to communicate with external data

communication networks;

wherein said apparatus is configured to perform the method according to any of preceding claims 1 - 9.

12. A marine vessel comprising an apparatus according to claim 11.