Maneuvering control devices for vessels, vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12566436-B2
Application number	US-202318333541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2023
Priority date	Jun 13, 2023
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A maneuvering control device for vessels, and vessels are provided, which recognize docks with high accuracy. A maneuvering control device 1 for a vessel 500 includes: a vessel self-position data acquisition unit P that acquires position data on itself; a radar device R arranged on a hull, the radar device receiving a reflected wave from an object of a radio wave transmitted around the hull; and a vessel-maneuvering data processing unit 100 that creates a map of around the hull and estimates a vessel self-position by using the position data acquired by the vessel self-position data acquisition unit P and data on the reflected wave received by the radar device R, in which the vessel-maneuvering data processing unit 100 creates a map by removing received values below a threshold from the data on the reflected wave.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A maneuvering control device for vessels, the device comprising:
a vessel self-position data acquirer that acquires position data on itself; a radar device arranged on a hull, the radar device including a plurality of radar units each including a transmitter transmitting a radio wave around the hull and a receiver receiving a reflected wave from an object of a radio wave transmitted by the transmitter; a processor that creates a map and estimates a vessel self-position by using the position data acquired by the vessel self-position data acquirer and data on the reflected wave received by the radar device; and a receiving unit that receives a berthing instruction from a user, wherein the processor removes data of received values below a threshold of a detection level from the data on the reflected wave, the data on the reflected wave including data of detection level of received value regarding amount of reflection of radio wave, and creates a map by using data on a reflected wave that has been detected a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time in a range that can be considered to be the same point, among the data on the reflected: wave, wherein the receiving unit receives the berthing instruction including at least an instruction on a berthing side of the hull, and wherein the processor decreases processing frequency of the radar units provided on a side opposite to the berthing side instructed in the berthing instruction.

2 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vessel self-position data acquirer includes an inertia measurer that measures an inertial system, and wherein the processor estimates a vessel self-position by using a result of estimating a sway due to a disturbance by using a result of measurement by the inertia measurer.

3 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 1 ,
wherein transmission timings of at least adjacent radar units are out of synchronization.

4 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor removes a reflected wave with an RCS value below a threshold to create a map, the processor calculating the RCS from the data on the reflected wave.

5 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor estimates a dock in the map created, and executes processing of recognizing a berthable dock, based on a shape of the dock estimated.

6 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 5 ,
wherein, when the dock is estimated to have a U-shape including a walkway and two or more fingers where the vessels can berth at, a berthable vacant berth is extracted after detecting a vacant berth entrance.

7 . The maneuvering control device for vessels according to claim 5 ,
wherein, when the dock is estimated to include a berthable walkway, a berthable vacant berth is extracted without detecting a vacant berth entrance.

8 . A vessel, comprising:
a hull; a vessel self-position data acquirer that acquires position data on itself; a radar device arranged on the hull, the radar device including a plurality of radar units each including a transmitter transmitting a radio wave around the hull and a receiver receiving a reflected wave from an object of a radio wave transmitted by the transmitter; a processor that creates a map and estimates a vessel self-position by using the position data acquired by the vessel self-position data acquirer and data on the reflected wave received by the radar device; and a receiving unit that receives a berthing instruction from a user, wherein the processor removes data of received values below a threshold of a detection level from the data on the reflected wave, the data on the reflected wave including data of detection level of received value regarding amount of reflection of radio wave, and creates a map by using data on a reflected wave that has been detected a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time in a range that can be considered to be the same point, among the data on the reflected wave, wherein the receiving unit receives the berthing instruction including at least an instruction on a berthing side of the hull, and wherein the processor decreases processing frequency of the radar units provided on a side opposite to the berthing side instructed in the berthing instruction.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd
• Nidec Elesys Corp

Inventors

• Nojiri Daisuke
• Hashizume Takashi
• Nakamura Yuichi

Classifications

• G01S13/86

  Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder · CPC title

• G01S13/937

  of marine craft · CPC title

• B63B79/40

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

• B63B79/10 Primary

  using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers · CPC title

• G01S13/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title