Trailering support device and method, and marine vessel including trailering support device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12486007-B2
Application number	US-202318528845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2023
Priority date	Dec 16, 2022
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A trailering support device able to load a hull onto a trailer includes one or more controllers configured or programmed to acquire characteristic information indicating a relationship between a steering angle of the hull and a turning radius of the hull; acquire relative position information between the trailer and the hull; detect the steering angle of the hull; predict future movement of the hull based on the acquired characteristic information, the acquired relative position information, and the detected steering angle; generate a predicted trajectory; and provide notification of a positional relationship between the hull and the trailer and provide notification of the generated predicted trajectory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A trailering support device for loading a hull onto a trailer, the trailering support device comprising:
one or more controllers configured or programmed to function as:
a first acquisition unit to acquire characteristic information indicating a relationship between a steering angle of the hull and a turning radius of the hull;
a second acquisition unit to acquire relative position information between the trailer and the hull;
a detector to detect the steering angle of the hull;
a generation unit to predict future movement of the hull based on the characteristic information acquired by the first acquisition unit and the steering angle detected by the detector, and to generate a predicted trajectory; and
a control unit configured to, on a display, display an image showing a positional relationship between the hull and the trailer based on the relative position information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and display the predicted trajectory on the image in a superimposed manner so as for a vessel operator to operate a steering device so that the predicted trajectory passes through a trailer displayed on the image.

2 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic information includes information indicating a speed at which the turning radius changes from a current value to a steady value according to the steering angle.

3 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic information includes information indicating the turning radius with respect to a combination of the steering angle and at least one parameter of an output of a propulsion device that propels the hull, a speed of the hull, or an acceleration of the hull.

4 . The trailering support device according to claim 3 , wherein
the detector is configured to further detect the at least one parameter; and the generation unit is configured to generate the predicted trajectory based on the characteristic information, the relative position information, the detected steering angle, and the detected at least one parameter.

5 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector is configured to further detect disturbance information; and the generation unit is configured to generate the predicted trajectory based on the characteristic information, the relative position information, the detected steering angle, and the detected disturbance information.

6 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein the relative position information includes position information of one of the hull and the trailer with reference to the other of the hull and the trailer as a reference.

7 . The trailering support device according to claim 6 , wherein the relative position information further includes a first azimuth which is an azimuth of the trailer as viewed from the hull and a second azimuth which is an azimuth of the hull as viewed from the trailer.

8 . The trailering support device according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
estimate the first azimuth and the second azimuth at a position where the trailer and the hull define a predetermined positional relationship on the predicted trajectory; and in a case where at least one of the estimated first azimuth or the estimated second azimuth exceeds an allowable range, provide notification that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed.

9 . The trailering support device according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is configured to provide notification that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is able to be performed in a case where the predicted trajectory passes through the trailer and neither the estimated first azimuth nor the estimated second azimuth exceeds the allowable range.

10 . The trailering support device according to claim 8 , wherein the allowable range is a range of about-30 degrees or more and about +30 degrees or less.

11 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to provide notification that the loading of the hull is not able to be performed in a case where the predicted trajectory does not pass through the trailer.

12 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the hull moves by a predetermined distance and/or a predetermined period of time elapses after last generation of the predicted trajectory, the generation unit is configured to generate a new predicted trajectory based on the acquired characteristic information, the newly detected relative position information, and the newly detected steering angle.

13 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein the second acquisition unit is configured to specify the trailer on which the hull is to be loaded when acquiring the relative position information.

14 . The trailering support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector is configured to further detect a speed of the hull; the relative position information includes a distance between the hull and the trailer; and the generation unit is configured to not generate the predicted trajectory in a case where at least one of the speed of the hull or the distance does not satisfy a predetermined condition.

15 . A trailering system comprising:
a marine vessel including a hull; and a trailering support device to load the hull onto a trailer, the trailering support device including: one or more controllers configured or programmed to function as:
a first acquisition unit to acquire characteristic information indicating a relationship between a steering angle of the hull and a turning radius of the hull;
a second acquisition unit to acquire relative position information between the trailer and the hull;
a detector to detect the steering angle of the hull;
a generation unit to predict future movement of the hull based on the characteristic information acquired by the first acquisition unit and the steering angle detected by the detector, and to generate a predicted trajectory; and
a control unit configured to, on a display, display an image showing a positional relationship between the hull and the trailer based on the relative position information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and display the predicted trajectory on the image in a superimposed manner so as for a vessel operator to operate a steering device so that the predicted trajectory passes through a trailer displayed on the image.

16 . A trailering support method for loading a hull onto a trailer, the trailering support method executable by a computer and comprising:
acquiring characteristic information indicating a relationship between a steering angle of the hull and a turning radius of the hull; acquiring relative position information between the trailer and the hull; detecting the steering angle of the hull; predicting future movement of the hull based on the acquired characteristic information and the detected steering angle, and generating a predicted trajectory; and displaying, on a display, an image showing a positional relationship between the hull and the trailer based on the relative position information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and display the predicted trajectory on the image in a superimposed manner so as for a vessel operator to operate a steering device so that the predicted trajectory passes through a trailer displayed on the image.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Hiroshi

Classifications

• B63C3/12

  using cradles (vehicles in general for transporting boats or the like B60P) · CPC title

• B60P3/1075 Primary

  Guiding means for loading the boat (using rollers B60P3/1066) · CPC title

• G06T7/80

  Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration · CPC title

• B63B79/40

  for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules · CPC title

• B63B49/00 Primary

  Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids (nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) · CPC title