JPH08337197A - Automatic steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To realize the correct and safe automatic steering by operating and displaying the turning circle in which the locus toward a target route forms a semi-circle and the turning angular velocity. CONSTITUTION: An estimating operation part 1 and an effective supporting information conversion part 2 operate the turning circle in which the locus from the route of a ship to the target route following the ship speed and the hull characteristics forms a semi-circle and the turning angular velocity. The azimuth of the output of the gyrocompass is operated by a ship motion estimating operation part 11 of the estimating operation part 1, and transmitted to a ship parameter estimating operation part 12 . The ship parameter estimating operation part 12 estimates the ship parameters, and transmits them to a ship characteristics index conversion part 13 . The ship characteristics index conversion part 13 obtains the follow-up index and the turning index to express the ship characteristics, and transmits them to the effective supporting information conversion part 2. The effective supporting information conversion part 2 operates the constant turning circle command value and the constant turning speed from these values, and displays them on a display part 3. The correct and safe automatic steering can be realized thereby.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is used for automatic steering of a ship. The present invention is suitable for use in a minesweeper. In particular, it relates to a course stabilization technique during or after turning. The present invention relates to an improved technology of a prior application (Japanese Patent Application No. 6-260638, which has not been published at the time of filing the present application).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automatic steering system manually sets a target course and automatically steers a ship so that the heading deviation from the current course of the ship is "0". At this time, when the initial heading deviation is large, a large value is output for the command rudder angle, so a limiter is provided, and for values above a certain specified value, the actual steering of the ship does not exceed the specified load. Is done.

The output of the limiter is transmitted to the actuator, the actual steering angle is output and added to the disturbance element, and then transmitted to the rudder of the hull. Ship motion is measured as azimuth by a gyrocompass.

In the conventional automatic steering apparatus, when a target course with a large azimuth deviation is set, the turning is performed in accordance with the limit value of the limiter. Therefore, after the change of the needle, a steady deviation and an overshoot occur and a smooth automatic change of the needle is realized. I can't.

[0005] This means that when there are floating obstacles and other sea areas to be avoided, there is a possibility of actually passing a trajectory different from the originally predicted turning trajectory, and it is not possible to realize a safe needle change. I have a big problem. Therefore, it is necessary to change the needle in such a sea area by the burden of the helmsman without relying on the automatic steering device, which increases the burden on the helmsman.

Therefore, the applicant of the present application filed Japanese Patent Application No. 6-2606.
No. 38 (unpublished at the time of filing of the present application) made a proposal for solving this problem. This proposal will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the device of the prior application. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing motion system coordinates. According to this proposal, as shown in FIG. 6, the turning radius and the turning center together with the target course are set in advance on the plane coordinate axes as accumulated information. The rudder angle is adjusted so that the own ship trajectory draws an arc of the turning radius with respect to the turning center.

As a result, a smooth and stable automatic needle change can be realized, and the needle change course can be accurately predicted. Further, it is possible to reduce unnecessary movement during automatic needle change and save fuel consumption. In particular,
By automating the constant radius and constant speed turning, it is possible to carry out an effective minesweeping operation on a target ship such as a minesweeper.

[0008]

The problem of the conventional example is shown in FIG.
Will be described with reference to. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a problem of the conventional example. The technique proposed by the applicant of the present application is an excellent technique as described above, but when performing constant speed turning and constant radius turning, as shown in FIG. 8, a command constant speed (command turn rate) and a command turning radius are used. A person in charge of inputting information, such as a navigator, decided manually a value corresponding to the hull characteristics by determining a large amount of measurement information and experience or intuition. This imposes an excessive burden on the navigator and poses a serious problem in realizing an accurate and safe needle change.

For example, the officer in charge ignores the hull characteristics,
Even if the ship speed is high, if a small command turning radius that exceeds the ability of turning characteristics and tracking characteristics is input, the hull cannot follow the commands and the arc is contrary to the officer's expectation. It will make a turn without drawing.

Therefore, in order to effectively use the technique proposed by the applicant of the present application, accurate input of the command constant speed and the command turning radius based on the experience or intuition of the person in charge of information input is an important factor. It must be said that this is insufficient as an automatic steering device for the purpose of automatically changing hands.

The present invention has been made against such a background, and it is possible to realize an accurate and safe automatic needle change by providing a person in charge of inputting information such as a constant turning radius and a constant speed. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic steering device that can be used. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic steering device that can promptly input information for automatic needle change.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an automatic steering system including means for adjusting the steering angle so that the difference between the input target course and the current own course is zero.

Here, a feature of the present invention is a means for calculating a value relating to a turning radius and a turning angular velocity in which a locus from the course of the ship to a target course draws an arc in accordance with the ship speed and hull characteristics. And means for displaying the calculated value.

The hull characteristics are preferably turning characteristics and follow-up characteristics corresponding to the ship speed and the steering angle.

It is desirable that the values relating to the turning radius and the turning angular velocity include a limit value at which the locus becomes an arc.

It is desirable to have means for manually inputting the turning radius and turning angular velocity, and means for verifying that the turning radius and turning angular velocity input to the inputting means are within the limits. .

It is also possible to adopt a structure provided with means for automatically inputting the turning radius and the turning angular velocity calculated by the calculating means.

At this time, a table in which a large number of combinations corresponding to the values of the turning radius and the turning angular velocity are recorded, and one of the tables adapted to the values calculated by the calculating means are automatically selected and input. And means.

[0019]

When the automatic steering device is instructed to change the course from now on, the turning radius and the turning angular velocity at which the locus toward the target course can draw an arc are calculated according to the current ship speed and hull characteristics. For example, this calculation result is the minimum value of the turning radius that can draw an arc, or the maximum value of the turning angular velocity that can draw the arc. The person who inputs the data refers to this calculation result, for example,
When the turning radius is set, it should be set so that it does not become less than this calculation result, and when setting the turning angular velocity, it should be set so that it does not become more than this calculation result. Furthermore, when a person who inputs data attempts to input data in which the calculation result is ignored, an alarm may be issued for this.

Alternatively, a table of combinations of turning radii and turning angular velocities set by an empirical rule or a logical method is provided, data is selected from this table according to the calculation result, and this is automatically input. Good.

This makes it possible to avoid data input ignoring the ship speed and hull characteristics, so that the trajectory of the automatic needle change will be as expected in advance, and will be an unexpected trajectory at sea. It is possible to avoid a situation in which an obstacle is touched.

Here, the hull characteristic is, for example, data such as what the ship speed is, what the steering angle is and what the turning angular velocity is, or
It is a characteristic based on the data based on the motion performance of the hull such as how much the ship speed and how much the rudder angle is required to turn while drawing an arc.

[0023]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) The configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention is an automatic steering device provided with an automatic needle changing autopilot section 4 as means for adjusting the steering angle so that the difference between the input target course and the current own course is zero.

Here, the feature of the present invention is that it is a means for calculating values relating to a turning radius and a turning angular velocity in which the locus from the course of the ship to the target course draws an arc in accordance with the ship speed and hull characteristics. It is provided with an estimation calculation unit 1 and an effective support information conversion unit 2. The hull characteristics are turning characteristics and follow-up characteristics corresponding to the ship speed and the rudder angle.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The azimuth angle ψ _m of the gyro compass output is estimated by the hull motion estimation calculation unit 1 _{1, and} the azimuth ψ _m is estimated as [outer 1] to the hull parameter estimation calculation unit 1 ₂ .

[0027]

[Equation 1] To use as. Here hull parameter [External 2], performs estimation calculation of [External 3], and passes the result to the hull characteristic exponential conversion unit 1 _3.

[0028]

[Outside 1]

[0029]

[Outside 2]

[0030]

[Outside 3] Here, the followability index Tv and the turnability index K that represent the hull characteristics.
It is converted into an estimated value of v and passed to the effective support information conversion unit 2.

Here, the constant turning radius command value R _T ⁱ and the constant turning speed [outer 4] required by a person in charge of inputting information such as a sailor are calculated and provided to the display unit 2.

[0032]

[Outside 4] As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic needle changing autopilot unit 4 is
This is the same as FIG. 6 of the invention of the prior application already shown in the conventional example. The automatic variable needle autopilot unit 4 receives the turning radius _RT ⁱ and the constant speed (constant turn rate) [outer 4] manually input by the navigator, and receives the constant turning radius _RT ⁱ and the constant speed [outer 4] in a new direction ψ _c2. Outer 4] is a portion for automatically changing the needle. The first embodiment of the present invention includes an estimation calculation unit 1, a valid support information conversion unit 2, and a display unit 3, and the input operation unit 5 and the automatic needle changing autopilot unit 4 are the same as in the conventional case.

The operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be described with reference to. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention. The estimation calculation unit 1 will be described. Hull motion estimation calculation unit 1 of the estimation calculation unit 1
_{In 1} , the Kalman filter is used to estimate the azimuth angle and turn rate, which are the ship motion states. The estimation formula is

[0034]

[Equation 2] Is. As described above, [outer 5] is the estimated value of the turn rate [outer 6], and [outer 1] is the estimated value of the azimuth angle ψ, which is the Kalman filter output of the equation (1). Then, [outer 2] and [outer 3] are estimated values of the hull parameters α and β, and K _x is a Kalman filter gain.

[0035]

[Outside 5]

[0036]

[Outside 6] The gyro compass output ψ _m is used as the measurement value y. h is an observation matrix. K _x is obtained from the solution of the following equation.

[0037]

(Equation 3) Here [outer 7] is the following hull parameter estimation calculation unit 1 ₂
Obtained by

The hull parameter estimating / calculating unit 1 ₂ has a parameter θ that governs the hull characteristics (turning and tracking).
Estimate (α, β) by the following Kalman filter (S
1).

[0039]

[Outside 7]

[0040]

[Equation 4] The hull characteristic index conversion unit obtains the estimated values of the turning characteristic index Kv and the followability index Tv, which are hull characteristic indexes, from the estimated characteristic parameters [outer 7].

[0041]

(Equation 5) These Tv and Kv values are values that change according to the characteristics of the ship, and also change due to changes in the cargo (S2).

[0042] In the effective support information converting unit 2, the hull characteristic exponent obtained by hull characteristic exponential conversion unit 1 ₃ [External 8], from [External 9], the constant turning radius R _T ^i, heuristics to [outer 4] Or, theoretically, an _RT ⁱ suitable for the present ship, [External 4]
Is output to the display unit 3 (S3 to S8).

[0043]

[Outside 8]

[0044]

[Outside 9]

[0045]

(Equation 6)

[0046]

(Equation 7)

[0047]

(Equation 8) Is asked. u is the speed at the time of turning approach and is the output of navigation equipment.

R _T ⁱ is represented by the sum of the weights of R _T ¹ and R _T ² , and [outer 4] and [outer 10] and [outer 11]
It is represented by the sum of the weights of.

[0049]

[Outside 10]

[0050]

[Outside 11]

[0051]

[Equation 9] Becomes When considering both, it is decided according to the judgment of the navigator.

On the display unit 3, the constant turning radius _RT ⁱ and the constant speed command value obtained by the effective support information conversion unit 2 are sent to the display unit 3 and provided to the navigator.

The navigator manually inputs this R _T ⁱ and [outer 4] from the input operation unit 5 (S9). The subsequent steps are the same as the conventional example.

The setting of experience priorities L and d in determining R _T ⁱ , [outer 4] is equivalent to R _T ⁱ , even if determined based on the fuzzy rule, or R _T more suitable to the preference of a sailor.
ⁱ , [outer 4] can be decided.

At this time, when it can be judged from the information displayed on the display unit 3 that the input information is clearly an input error, an alarm may be given to the input person.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the information input by the person in charge of information input is automatically input in the second embodiment of the present invention. The command turning radius and turning speed determination table 6, which is a feature of the second embodiment of the present invention, will be described.

From the estimation calculation unit 1 ([outer 8], [outer 9])
When the value of is received, as shown in FIG. 4, [outer 8],
The corresponding position in the two-dimensional array is determined by the size of the value of [Outer 9]. For example,

[0059]

[Equation 10] In the case of, the array position for determining the rank is (1, 1). The value of ( _RT , [outer 6]) corresponding to this (1, 1) is [outer 12].

[0060]

[Outside 12] However, since the value of (R _T , [outer 6]) changes depending on the ship speed, here, tables corresponding to the ship speed according to the ship speed table (R _T , [outer 6]) are prepared. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the ship speed is u = u1, (R
_T, the [outer 6]) Table, NO = 1 in the (R _T, the [outer 6]) from the table ([External 8], corresponding to [outer 9]) value (R _T, [External 6]) It is determined (S11 to S13).

[(Outer 8], [Outer 9]) and (R _T , [Outer 6]) corresponding to the ship speed u are determined in advance by simulation and tabulated. This table is all written in the memory space of the processor. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the required memory space size is a data storage size of [(n × n) × L + (n × n)] × 2 + L 2. For example, n = 100,
If L = 50, 1 word = 16 bits = 2 bits
With the s processor, the memory size is about 2 megabytes, which is sufficiently realizable from the current performance of the processor.

The value (R _T ⁱ , [outer 4]) thus determined in the table is automatically input to the automatic needle changing autopilot unit 3 (S10).

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing the navigator with a constant turning radius and a constant turning speed suitable for the characteristics of the ship and the characteristics of the navigator, the burden on the navigator during turning can be greatly reduced. As a result, a safer and smoother turning can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram of a second embodiment device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the device of the prior application.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing motion system coordinates.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a problem of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Estimating calculation unit 2 Effective support information conversion unit 3 Display unit 4 Automatic needle change auto pilot unit 5 Input operation unit 6 Commanded turning radius and turning speed determination table

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An automatic steering device comprising means for adjusting a rudder angle so that a difference between an input target course and a current own vessel course becomes zero. An automatic steering apparatus comprising: a unit that calculates a value relating to a turning radius and a turning angular velocity in which a path from a course to a target course draws an arc; and a unit that displays the calculated value. 2. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hull characteristics are a turning characteristic and a following characteristic corresponding to a boat speed and a steering angle. 3. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the values relating to the turning radius and the turning angular velocity include a limit value at which the locus becomes an arc. 4. A means for manually inputting a turning radius and a turning angular velocity, and a means for verifying that the turning radius and turning angular velocity input to the inputting means are within the limits. The automatic steering device according to claim 1. 5. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for automatically inputting a turning radius and a turning angular velocity calculated by the calculating means. 6. A table in which a large number of combinations corresponding to the values of a turning radius and a turning angular velocity are recorded, and a means for automatically selecting and inputting one of the tables adapted to the values calculated by the calculating means. The automatic steering device according to claim 5, further comprising: