Program, method and device for controlling movable body

• US 10,183,733 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2015
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• 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): Avila, Stephen P
• Application Number:
  US15/538,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20180015994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/045 making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/465 Jets or thrusters 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 25/06 Steering by rudders by rudders carrying propellers B63H25/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/38 Rudders
• 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: B63H 25/46 Steering or dynamic anchoring by jets or by rudders carrying jets steering or dynamic anchoring by deflecting or directing main propulsion jets B63H11/00

Abstract

The purpose is to provide a program, method and device for controlling a movable body (e.g., single-propeller single-rudder ship) to move the movable body while keeping it orientated in a given direction. A controlling module may cause the movable body to stay at a fixed point position by controlling a thrust generator and a moving direction adjustor to orient the movable body to a direction of a disturbance estimated by a disturbance direction estimating module so that the movable body is not drifted by the disturbance. Every time the changing module sequentially changes the fixed point position, the controlling module may move the movable body to the changed fixed point position. Thus, the control device of the movable body of this disclosure may sequentially move the movable body while keeping it oriented to the direction of the disturbance.

Claims

1. A control device of a movable body including a thrust generator configured to thrust the movable body in a specific direction, and a moving direction adjustor configured to adjust a direction in which the movable body moves by the thrust, comprising:

a movable body direction sensor configured to detect an oriented direction of the movable body;

a position sensor configured to detect a position of the movable body; and

processing circuitry configured to;

estimate a direction of a disturbance that moves the movable body;

set a fixed point position that is a position at which the movable body is to stay; and

control the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that;

the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and

the movable body stays at the fixed point position set by the processing circuitry;

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to sequentially change the fixed point position when a distance between the position of the movable body detected by the position sensor and the fixed point position is shorter than a first given distance.

2. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, further comprising a velocity sensor configured to detect a velocity at which the movable body moves,

wherein the processing circuitry changes the fixed point position when the velocity detected by the velocity sensor is lower than a given velocity.

3. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry changes the fixed point position every given period of time.

4. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry accepts an input of a target path along which the movable body is to move, and changes the fixed point position on the inputted target path.

5. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein,

the disturbance is a wind that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the wind.

6. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein,

the disturbance is a tidal current that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the tidal current.

7. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry accepts an input of a target object that is a target of the movement of the movable body, and controls the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor according to an orientation of the inputted target object.

8. The control device of the movable body of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry controls the oriented direction of the movable body to be a direction in which the target object is located.

9. The control device of the movable body of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry changes the fixed point position to be located in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the target object is located, and to have a second given distance from the target object.

10. The control device of the movable body of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry controls the oriented direction of the movable body to be orthogonal to a direction in which the target object is located.

11. The control device of the movable body of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry changes the fixed point position to be located in the direction in which the target object is located, and to have a third given distance from the target object.

12. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein when a deviation angle between the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor and the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry becomes equal to or larger than a given angle, the processing circuitry only controls the oriented direction of the movable body to oppose to the direction of the disturbance.

15. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein,

the disturbance is a wind that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the wind.

16. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein,

the disturbance is a tidal current that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the tidal current.

17. The control device of the movable body of claim 2, wherein,

the disturbance is a wind that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the wind.

18. The control device of the movable body of claim 2, wherein,

the disturbance is a tidal current that moves the movable body, and

the processing circuitry controls the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor opposes to a direction of the tidal current.

19. The control device of the movable body of claim 1, wherein when a deviation angle between the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the movable body direction sensor and the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry becomes equal to or larger than a given angle, the processing circuitry only controls the oriented direction of the movable body to oppose to the direction of the disturbance.

13. A method of controlling a movable body including a thrust generator configured to thrust the movable body in a specific direction, and a moving direction adjustor configured to adjust a direction in which the movable body moves by the thrust, comprising:

estimating a direction of a disturbance that moves the movable body;

detecting an oriented direction of the movable body;

detecting a position of the movable body;

setting a fixed point position that is a position at which the movable body is to stay;

controlling the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the detecting the movable body direction opposes to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the estimating the disturbance direction, and so that the movable body stays at the fixed point position set by the setting the position; and

sequentially changing the fixed point position when a distance between the position of the movable body and the fixed point position is shorter than a first given distance.

14. A program for controlling a movable body executed by a control device of the movable body with a thrust generator configured to thrust the movable body in a specific direction, and a moving direction adjustor configured to adjust a direction in which the movable body moves by the thrust, comprising:

estimating a direction of a disturbance that moves the movable body;

detecting an oriented direction of the movable body;

detecting a position of the movable body;

setting a fixed point position that is a position at which the movable body is to stay;

controlling the thrust generator and the moving direction adjustor so that the oriented direction of the movable body detected by the detecting the movable body direction opposes to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the estimating the disturbance direction, and so that the movable body stays at the fixed point position set by the setting the position; and

sequentially changing the fixed point position when a distance between the position of the movable body and the fixed point position is shorter than a first given distance.