NAVIGATION ROUTE GENERATION DEVICE, AUTOMATIC STEERING SYSTEM, AND NAVIGATION ROUTE GENERATION METHOD

• US 20160101838A1
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: KOJIMA, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,616,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 Maritime or waterways transport

Abstract

There is provided a navigation route generation device with which a host moving body can be navigated by offsetting it parallel to a line on the current travel direction of the host moving body by a simple operation, without changing the preset destination or bearing. A plotter that is part of an automatic steering system of a ship comprises a current route acquisition component, a parallel route generator, and a navigation route setting component. The current route acquisition component acquires the travel direction of the host ship. The parallel route generator generates a parallel route, which is a route that is parallel to the travel direction acquired by the current route acquisition component. The navigation route setting component sets the parallel route generated by the parallel route generator to the navigation route of the host ship.

Claims

1. A navigation route generation device, comprising:

a travel direction acquisition component configured to acquire a travel direction of a host moving body;

a parallel route generator configured to generate a parallel route, which is a route parallel to the travel direction acquired by the travel direction acquisition component; and

a navigation route setting component configured to set the parallel route generated by the parallel route generator to be a navigation route of the host moving body.

2. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the travel direction is a current travel direction of the host moving body.

3. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a host moving body position acquisition component configured to acquire a host moving body position,

wherein a direction acquired by the travel direction acquisition component is the travel direction based on the host moving body position acquired by the host moving body position acquisition component with respect to a nearest waypoint.

4. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, wherein

a direction acquired by the travel direction acquisition component is the travel direction at an arbitrary point along a route set based on a navigation plan.

5. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a distance setting component configured to set a distance between the host moving body and the parallel route,

wherein the parallel route generator is configured to generate a parallel route based on the distance.

6. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a disposition setting component configured to set whether a disposition of the parallel route with respect to the travel direction is on the right side or the left side with respect to the travel direction,

wherein the parallel route generator is configured to generate the parallel route based on the disposition of the parallel route.

7. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a point setting component configured to set an arbitrary point that has deviated to the right side or the left side with respect to the travel direction,

wherein the parallel route generator is configured to generate the parallel route including the point.

8. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a display component configured to display a parallel route generated by the parallel route generator.

9. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an obstacle detector configured to detect an obstacle that lies on a line along the travel direction; and

a notification component configured to notify a user when an obstacle has been detected by the obstacle detector.

10. The navigation route generation device according to claim 9, wherein

the notification component is configured to notify the user of an option of the parallel route that avoids the obstacle detected by the obstacle detector.

11. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a parallel route cancellation component configured to issue a command to return from the parallel route to a route on a line in the direction of travel prior to the generation of the parallel route.

12. The navigation route generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a route transition setting component configured to set a route transition parameter, including one or more of a transition route, speed during transition, transition duration, and steering angle, up until the host moving body reaches the parallel route from the position of the host moving body.

13. The navigation route generation device according to claim 8, comprising:

a graph display component configured to display on the display component a graph indicating a current travel direction of the host moving body; and

a graph movement component configured to move the graph displayed on the display component parallel,

wherein the parallel route generator is configured to generate the parallel route on the moved graph or on an extension line of the graph.

14. The navigation route generation device according to claim 13, further comprising

a touch panel configured to sense touch operation,

wherein the graph movement component is configured to move the graph parallel according to the touch operation.

15. The navigation route generation device according to claim 13, further comprising

a dial-type input component configured to sense an amount of rotation,

wherein the graph movement component is configured to move the graph parallel according to the amount of rotation.

16. The automatic steering system, comprising:

the navigation route generation device according to claim 1; and

an automatic steering device configured to automatically steer the host moving body,

wherein the automatic steering device is configured to perform steering according to the parallel route generated by the navigation route generation device.

17. A navigation route generation method, comprising:

acquiring a travel direction of a host moving body;

generating a parallel route with respect to the travel direction; and

setting the parallel route to be a navigation route of the host moving body.

18. The navigation route generation method according to claim 17, further comprising

acquiring a host moving body position,

wherein the travel direction is the travel direction based on the host moving body position with respect to a nearest waypoint.

19. The navigation route generation method according to claim 17, wherein

the travel direction is the travel direction at an arbitrary point along a route set based on a navigation plan.