Ship handling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10078332-B2
Application number	US-201515519939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A ship handling device may be provided with which a ship moves and turns in a target orientation toward target coordinates without monitoring the behavior of the ship against disturbance or the characteristics of the ship. The ship handling device moves the ship toward the target coordinates and in the target orientation from a GPS device and a signal from an orientation sensor, wherein the target coordinates and the target orientation are calculated from operation of a joystick lever, and a thrust is generated by a propulsion device so as to move the ship to the target coordinates and the target orientation after a signal finalizing the target coordinates and the target orientation has been acquired.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ship handling device configured to make a ship move to target coordinates and turn to a target orientation based on a signal from a GPS device and a signal from an orientation sensor, wherein
the ship handling device is configured to
calculate the target coordinates and the target orientation based on an amount of operation on an operating tool,
set a movement control stop zone based on the target coordinates,
set a turn control stop zone based on the target orientation,

make the ship move toward the target coordinates and turn to the target orientation after acquiring a signal finalizing the target coordinates and the target orientation, and
control the ship in such a manner that, when current coordinates calculated from the signal from the GPS device are in the movement control stop zone and a current orientation calculated from the signal from the orientation sensor is in the turn control stop zone, the current coordinates and the current orientation are maintained.

2. The ship handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the ship handling device is configured to
display the current coordinates and the current orientation on a display device,
display the target coordinates and the target orientation on the display device in accordance with the amount of operation on the operating tool,
change the target coordinates displayed, in accordance with a movement of the ship, and
change the target orientation displayed, in accordance with a turning of the ship.

3. The ship handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the ship handling device is configured to display one graphic representing the current coordinates and the current orientation, and to display another graphic representing the target coordinates and the target orientation.

4. The ship handling device according to claim 2 , wherein the ship handling device is configured to display one graphic representing the current coordinates and the current orientation, and to display another graphic representing the target coordinates and the target orientation.

Assignees

• Yanmar Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tamura Gakuji
• Watanabe Jun
• Wakahara Hiroaki
• Hara Naohiro

Classifications

• G01D5/00

  Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable (G01D3/00 takes precedence; specially adapted for apparatus giving results other than momentary value of variable G01D1/00) · CPC title

• B63H21/21

  Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels · CPC title

• B63H21/22

  the propulsion power units being controlled from exterior of engine room, e.g. from navigation bridge; Arrangements of order telegraphs · CPC title

• B63H2025/026

  using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring · CPC title

• B63H21/213

  Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers · CPC title