Moving body control device, moving body control method, and moving body control program

• US 10,000,270 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Kazuya, Maeno, Hitoshi, Imasaka, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, JOVON E
• Application Number:
  US15/538,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 440 53
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/15 for monitoring environmental variables, e.g. wave height or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/40 for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/425 Propulsive elements, other than jets, substantially used for steering or dynamic anchoring only, with means for retracting, or otherwise moving to a rest position outside the water flow around the hull
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/42 Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements by jets B63H25/46; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships

Abstract

A moving body control device includes a moving body direction sensor, a position sensor, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry estimates a direction of disturbance. The processing circuitry sets a target position and a starting position. The processing circuitry controls a propulsion generator and a movement direction adjuster such that a heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance. The processing circuitry changes the starting position based on a distance between the target position and a position of the moving body sensed by the position sensor.

Claims

1. A moving body control device for controlling a moving body that comprises a propulsion generator that propels the moving body in a particular direction and a movement direction adjuster that adjusts a movement direction by propulsion of the propulsion generator, the moving body control device comprising:

a moving body direction sensor configured to sense a heading direction of the moving body;

a position sensor configured to sense a position of the moving body; and

processing circuitry configured;

to estimate a direction of disturbance that moves the moving body;

set a target position and a starting position;

to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that

the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and

when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position set by the processing circuitry, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance; and

to change the starting position based on a distance between the target position and the position of the moving body sensed by the position sensor.

2. The moving body control device according to claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to change the starting position based on the distance between the target position and the position of the moving body when the moving body drifted by the disturbance is closest to the target position.

3. The moving body control device according to claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to change the starting position based on an average distance between the target position and the position of the moving body calculated for a specific length of time including a timing when the moving body drifted by the disturbance is closest to the target position.

4. The moving body control device according to claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to change the starting position based on the distance and a specific coefficient.

5. The moving body control device according to claim 1, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

8. The moving body control device according to claim 2, wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to change the starting position based on the distance and a specific coefficient.

9. The moving body control device according to claim 3, wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to change the starting position based on the distance and a specific coefficient.

10. The moving body control device according to claim 2, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

11. The moving body control device according to claim 3, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

12. The moving body control device according to claim 4, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

13. The moving body control device according to claim 8, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

14. The moving body control device according to claim 9, wherein

the disturbance is wind that moves the moving body, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to a direction of the wind.

6. A moving body control method for controlling a moving body that comprises a propulsion generator that propels the moving body in a particular direction and a movement direction adjuster that adjusts a movement direction by propulsion of the propulsion generator, the method comprising:

estimating a direction of disturbance that moves the moving body;

sensing a heading direction of the moving body;

sensing a position of the moving body;

controlling the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction is opposite to the direction of the disturbance and

setting a target position and a starting position,

the setting of the target position and the starting position including changing the starting position based on a distance between the target position and the position of the moving body, and

the controlling of the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster including controlling the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a moving body control program that is executed by a moving body control device, for controlling a moving body that comprises a propulsion generator that propels the moving body in a particular direction and a movement direction adjuster that adjusts a movement direction by propulsion of the propulsion generator, the program causing the moving body control device to execute:

estimating a direction of disturbance that moves the moving body;

sensing a heading direction of the moving body;

sensing a position of the moving body;

controlling the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that the heading direction is opposite to the direction of the disturbance; and

setting a target position and a starting position,

the setting of the target position and the starting position including changing the starting position based on a distance between the target position and the position of the moving body, and

the controlling of the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster including controlling the propulsion generator and the movement direction adjuster such that when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance.