Patent ID: 12208869

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Example apparatus are described herein. Other example embodiments or features may further be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the drawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

FIG.1is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a disturbance estimation apparatus1for estimating disturbance acting on a ship200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2illustrates an exemplary scenario for determination of the disturbance data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The disturbance estimation apparatus1may be installed on the ship200for estimating disturbance acting on the ship200while navigation of the ship200from a source location to a destination location and while maintaining a fixed position of the ship200. The disturbance acting on the ship200must be continuously monitored. The disturbance estimation apparatus1is configured to be used for automatically maintaining the selected position or heading direction of the ship200by estimating the disturbance acting on the ship200due to tidal currents, wind currents, and the like. Automatic maneuvering (auto-pilot) of the ship200, controls movement of the ship200, such as navigation or maintaining the fixed position the ship200, with assistance of the disturbance estimation apparatus1.

The disturbance estimation apparatus1includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver2, a navigation data receiver3, a thrust data receiver4, processing circuitry5, and a display6.

The GNSS receiver2obtains a plurality of signals from a global navigation network system and determines a position of the ship200based on the plurality of signals (hereinafter also referred to as “GNSS signal”) to generate the actual position of the ship200. The GNSS receiver2provides the actual position of the ship200to the navigation data receiver3. The determination of the position of the ship200based on the GNSS signal may performed periodically or continuously, and a moving direction and a moving speed of the ship200may be determined along with the actual position of the ship200. In one embodiment, the moving direction and the moving speed may be determined by a device other than the GNSS receiver2, such as a ship speedometer. Along with the actual position, the time at which the actual position is generated is acquired and provided to the navigation data receiver3.

The navigation data receiver3acquires navigation data including the actual position P1indicating the position of the ship200at time T1on a water surface and the actual position P2indicating position of the ship200at time T2(i.e., predicted arrival time T2). In one embodiment, the navigation data receiver3receives the actual position P1or P2from the GNSS receiver2. The thrust data receiver4receives thrust data indicating a magnitude and a direction of a thrust force driving the ship200during navigation. The processing circuitry5estimates a predicted position P2′ of the ship at a future point in time and a predicted arrival time T2of the ship200to reach the predicted position P2′ by inputting the navigation data and the thrust data into a first trained model which outputs the predicted position P2′ of the ship200at the future point in time and the predicted arrival time T2. The processing circuitry5determines disturbance data including a drift direction of the ship200drifted by an external force based on a difference between the predicted position P2′ estimated by the first trained model and the actual position P2of the ship200at the predicted arrival time T2. The disturbance data indicates disturbance acting on the ship200and assists to control movement of the ship200for accurate navigation or holding the ship200at a fixed position. The processing circuitry5outputs the disturbance data.

With continued reference toFIG.1, the processing circuitry5includes a position and time estimator51, a disturbance calculator52, a disturbance data output terminal53, and a first machine training unit54. Referring now toFIGS.1and2, an operative state of the ship200is evaluated, based on the thrust data acquired by a sensor (shown later) mounted on the motor (engine) or a hull of the ship200.

It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that although “motor” is referred to in the current embodiment of the present disclosure, alternatively “engine of an internal combustion” may be used in addition to an electric motor, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, the disturbance calculator52further determines a drift speed of the ship200. The disturbance data further includes the drift speed of the ship200drifted by the external force. The disturbance calculator52determines the drift speed, based on dividing a distance between the predicted position P2′ and the actual position P2by a time required to reach to the actual position P2(InFIG.2, the time from T1to T2). In one embodiment, the disturbance calculator52determines the disturbance data when the magnitude and the direction of the thrust force of the ship200are at the substantially constant for a predetermined time, i.e., the magnitude and direction of the thrust force are within predetermined ranges during a specific time interval. In another embodiment, the disturbance calculator52determines the disturbance data when a direction and a speed of the ship200are at the substantially constant for a predetermined time, i.e., the direction and the speed of the ship200are within predetermined ranges during a specific time interval.

Referring now toFIGS.1and2, in one scenario, from time T1to T2, the ship200should arrive at P2′, but due to the disturbance, the ship200arrives at P2. A vector from P2to P2′ can be interpreted as a direction and a magnitude of the disturbance. If the trained model can estimate the arrival point P2′ at T2assuming no disturbance, the disturbance can be calculated from the difference between the estimated arrival point P2′ and the actual arrival point P2at that time T2. The time T2is arbitrary and examples of time T2include, but are not limited to, after 1 second, after 1 minute, and after 10 minutes.

Referring now toFIGS.1and2, the disturbance data output terminal53may be operably coupled with, and hence in communication with the disturbance calculator52and the display6. The disturbance data output terminal53outputs the disturbance data for displaying the disturbance data on the display6that assists in controlling the navigation and/or movement of the ship200.

FIG.3illustrates a chart300including a region surrounding the ship200and the disturbance data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The display6may be located on-board the ship200and provided with, or in electrical connection to, the processing circuitry5on the ship200, as the ship instrument for purposes as will be explained in detail later herein. The display6displays the chart300including a region (for example, Redfish cove) where the ship200navigates. In addition, in one embodiment, the display6displays the disturbance data including the drift direction at a display position on the chart300. In another embodiment, the display6displays the disturbance data including the drift direction and the drift speed at a display position on the chart300. The display position corresponds to a location at which the disturbance data is determined. The disturbance data is stored in a database (not shown) of the disturbance estimating apparatus1as time series data as “drift direction” (direction information of ship movement) and “drift speed” (speed information of ship movement). The information is stored in association with the time and position information of each disturbance estimation process. The display6may be a multifunctional display that may be used to store to the database the above information.

The display6may be configured as, for example, a display screen that forms part of a navigation assisting device to which a ship operator, i.e., a user, who operates the ship200refers. However, the display6is not limited to the above configuration, and, for example, it may be a display screen for a portable computer which is carried by a ship operator's assistant who monitors the surrounding situation from the ship200, a display screen for a passenger to watch in the cabin of the ship200, or a display part for a head mounted display, such as a wearable glass, worn by a passenger.

FIG.4illustrates a chart400including a region surrounding the ship200and the disturbance data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The display6may be located on-board the ship200and provided with, or in electrical connection to, the processing circuitry5on the ship200, as the ship instrument for purposes as will be explained in detail later herein. The display6displays the chart400including a region (for example, Redfish cove) where the ship200navigates. In addition, the display6displays the disturbance data including the drift direction and the drift speed at a display position on the chart400. The display position corresponds to a location at which the disturbance data is determined. The disturbance data is stored in a database (not shown) of the disturbance estimating apparatus1as time series data as “drift direction” (direction information of ship movement) and “drift speed” (speed information of ship movement). The information is stored in association with the time and position information of each disturbance estimation process. The display6may be a multifunctional display that may be used to store to the database the above information.

FIG.4shows the ship200cruising west to east (from left to right) in Redfish Cove, Florida. The drift direction is indicated by arrows on the screen. In this embodiment, the drift speed is also calculated, and its magnitude is known by the length of the arrow.

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that although in the current embodiment, the drift direction and drift speed are displayed using arrows, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In various other embodiments, the drift direction and drift speed may be displayed in any suitable manner, for example, the inside of the circle may be displayed in a gray scale together with the drift direction and drift speed, or the state of the wave may be displayed in a moving image, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG.5is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the disturbance estimation apparatus1for estimating the disturbance acting on the ship200, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The disturbance estimation apparatus1further includes a ship information receiver7that acquires ship information including a size, a weight, a draft, or a shape of the ship200. The position and time estimator51inputs the ship information into the first trained model such that the first trained model outputs the predicted position P2′ and the predicted arrival time T2according to the ship information. The disturbance data further includes the drift speed of the ship200. The drift speed varies depending on a size and a shape of the ship200, even if the disturbance factors such as tidal currents and wind currents are the same. Here, the speed of the ship200which is acted by the disturbance is defined as the speed with which the ship200is moved by the disturbance, that is “drift speed of disturbance.” When the magnitude and direction of the thrust force is at substantially constant for the predetermined time, the estimation processing of the disturbance data is started. Thus, the disturbance calculator52determines the drift direction and the drift speed of the ship200.

FIG.6is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the disturbance estimation apparatus1for estimating the disturbance acting on the ship200, according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The processing circuitry5further includes a correcting unit55that acquires measurement information measured by a tidal current meter and an anemometer. The measurement information includes tidal current information measured by the tidal current meter and wind information measured by the anemometer. The correcting unit55determines presence or absence of the disturbance based on the measurement information and retrains the first trained model using corrected data as training data to output a corrected predicted position based on the actual position P2arrived at the predicted time T2when the absence of the disturbance is determined.

FIG.7is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the disturbance estimation apparatus1for estimating the disturbance acting on the ship200, according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The disturbance estimation apparatus1further includes a basic data receiver8, and the processing circuitry5further includes a drift position estimator56, a drift output terminal57, and a second machine training unit58. The basic data receiver8acquires basic data including a time, the tidal current information and the wind information at a specific time. The drift position estimator56estimates a predicted drifting position considering that the ship200drifts by the disturbance during navigation, by inputting the basic data, the predicted position, and the predicted arrival time into a second trained model. The second machine training unit58including the second trained model outputs the predicted drifting position.

FIG.8is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the disturbance estimation apparatus1for estimating the disturbance acting on the ship200, according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The disturbance estimation apparatus1further includes the ship information receiver7and the basic data receiver8, and the processing circuitry5further includes the drift position estimator56, the drift output terminal57, and the second machine training unit58. The basic data receiver8acquires basic data including the time, the tidal current information and the wind information at the specific time. The drift position estimator56estimates the predicted drifting position considering that the ship200drifts by the disturbance during navigation, by inputting the basic data, the predicted position, and the predicted arrival time into the second trained model. The second machine training unit58including the second trained model outputs the predicted drifting position.

Further, the ship information receiver7acquires the ship information including the size, the weight, the draft, or the shape of the ship200. The drift position estimator56inputs the ship information into the second trained model such that the second trained model outputs the predicted position and the predicted arrival time according to the ship information.

In one embodiment, the disturbance estimating apparatus1further includes a motor or propeller or gear (not shown) including a motor rotational speed sensor or a propeller rotational speed sensor or a gear sensor (not shown), respectively, and a rotational speed sensor (not shown). The motor or propeller or gear is associated with driving of the ship200having a configuration for measuring the generated propulsion force (thrust force) as the motor or propeller or gear rotational speed sensor. The disturbance estimation apparatus1further includes a rudder (not shown) including a rudder sensor (not shown). The rudder is also associated with driving of the ship200having a configuration for measuring a rudder angle (hereinafter also referred to as a “thrust direction”) as the rudder sensor. The measured thrust force and the thrust direction are provided to the rotational speed sensor and the rudder sensor to generate the thrust data. The thrust data corresponds to a rotational speed of the motor or propeller or gear and the rudder angle. The rotational speed is measured by the sensor attached to the motor or propeller or gear. The rudder angle is measured by the rudder sensor. The rotational speed sensor and the rudder sensor provide the thrust data to the thrust data receiver4. Examples of the communication mode utilized by the sensors and other elements, include but are not limited to, serial communication (NMEA 0183), Ethernet, CAN (NMEA 2000), based on the environment of the ship200.

FIG.9is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the first machine training unit54, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The first machine training unit54includes a data processing module902, a training module904, and an output module906. During the learning process, the data processing module902receives the thrust data, the ship information, and the navigation data as the input data, and processes the input data to generate the training data.

Further, the training module904stores a learning program908, a parameter before learning910, and a hyper parameter912. The training module904receives the training data from the data processing module902, and trains a first neural network to learn the predicted position and the predicted arrival time using the thrust data, the navigation data, and the ship information as the training data, the learning program908, and the hyper parameter912. The training data may contain the ship information. The hyper parameter912is a parameter whose value is used to control the training of the first neural network. The output module906received the output of the training module904, and stores a learned program914and a learned parameter916based on the output of the training module904. The output module906provides the trained first neural network to the position and time estimator51based on the learned program914, the learned parameter916, and an inference program918stored in the output module906.

After the learning process, the trained first neural network receives the input data as a reference. The position and time estimator51determines the predicted position P2′ of the ship200at a future point in time and the predicted arrival time T2of the ship200. The first neural network training involves the use of an error function. Weights are adjusted such as to minimize a sum of average of the error function on the training data. The process of adjusting the weights is commonly referred to as training. A penalty term is generally applied to the error to restrict the weights in some manner that is thought desirable. The penalty term is used to penalize the magnitudes of weights. In this manner, the first neural network is trained and provides more accurate output with each repetition of a task, such as the generation of the disturbance data. Based on the disturbance data, the ship200navigates safely.

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the second machine training unit58is structurally and functionally similar to the first machine learning unit54.

FIGS.10A and10B, collectively, represent a flow chart illustrating a disturbance estimation method1000in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

At step1002, the navigation data receiver3acquires the navigation data including the actual position and time of the ship200. At step1004, the thrust data receiver4receives the thrust data indicating the magnitude and the direction of the thrust force of the ship200. At step1006, the processing circuitry5estimates the predicted position P2′ of the ship200at a future point in time and the predicted arrival time T2of the ship200to reach the predicted position P2′ by inputting the navigation data and the thrust data into the first trained model.

At step1008, the processing circuitry5acquires the actual position P2at the predicted arrival time T2. At step1010, the processing circuitry5determines whether each of magnitude and direction of thrust force is at substantially constant for the predetermined time. If at step1010, the processing circuitry5determines that each of the magnitude and direction of thrust force is not at substantially constant for the predetermined time, step1010is executed again. If at step1010, the processing circuitry5determines that each of the magnitude and direction of thrust force is at substantially constant for the predetermined time, step1012is executed. Wherein, “constant” means that each of a value of the magnitude and direction of thrust force remains greater than the predetermined lower limit and less than the predetermined upper limit. The processing circuitry may determine that each of magnitude and direction of thrust force is substantially constant for the predetermined period of time based on sensor information, or the determination may be made externally and input externally to the processing circuitry.

At step1012, the processing circuitry5determines whether direction and speed ship movement are at substantially constant for the predetermined time. If at step1012, the processing circuitry5determines that each of the direction and speed ship movement is not at substantially constant for the predetermined time, step1010is executed again. If at step1012, the processing circuitry5determines that each of the direction and speed ship movement are at substantially constant for the predetermined time, step1014is executed. Wherein, “constant” means that each of a value of direction and speed of the ship movement remains greater than a predetermined lower limit and less than a predetermined upper limit. The processing circuitry5may determine that each of direction and speed of the ship movement is substantially constant for the predetermined period of time based on the sensor information, or the determination may be made externally and input externally to the processing circuitry5.

At step1014, the processing circuitry5determines the disturbance data including the drift direction of the ship200drifted by an external force based on a difference between the predicted position P2′ estimated by the first trained model and the actual position P2of the ship200at the predicted arrival time T2.

At step1016, the display6displays a chart including a region where the ship200navigates. At1018, the display6displays the disturbance data including the drift direction and the drift speed at a display position on the chart.

It is to be understood that not necessarily all objectives or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment described Herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain embodiments may be configured to operate in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All processes described herein may be embodied in, and fully automated via, software code modules executed by a computing system that includes one or more computers or processors. The software code modules may be stored in any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all methods may be embodied in specialized computer hardware.

Many other variations other than those described herein will be apparent from this disclosure. For example, depending on the embodiment, certain actions, events, or functions of any of the algorithms described herein may be performed in different sequences, and may be added, merged, or excluded altogether (e.g., not all described actions or events are required to execute the algorithm). Moreover, in certain embodiments, operations or events are performed in parallel, for example, through multithreading, interrupt handling, or through multiple processors or processor cores, or on other parallel architectures, rather than sequentially. In addition, different tasks or processes can be performed by different machines and/or computing systems that can work together.

The various exemplary logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or executed by a machine such as a processor. The processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, or a combination thereof. The processor can include an electrical circuit configured to process computer executable instructions. In another embodiment, the processor includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable device that performs logical operations without processing computer executable instructions. The processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, the processor may also include primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the signal processing algorithms described herein may be implemented by analog circuitry or mixed analog and digital circuitry. A computing environment may include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system that is based on a microprocessor, mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a computing engine within the device.

Unless otherwise stated, conditional languages such as “can,” “could,” “will,” “might,” or “may” are understood within the context as used in general to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional languages are not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Disjunctive languages, such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood with the context as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such a disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.

Any process descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or parts of code, including one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or elements in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed out of order from that shown, or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved as would be understood by those skilled in the art.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” should generally be interpreted to include one or more described items. Accordingly, phrases such as “a device configured to” are intended to include one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devices can also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations. For example, “a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B and C” can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry out recitations B and C. The same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce embodiment recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced embodiment recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.).

For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the floor of the area in which the system being described is used or the method being described is performed, regardless of its orientation. The term “floor” can be interchanged with the term “ground” or “water surface”. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms such as “above,” “below,” “bottom,” “top,” “side,” “higher,” “lower,” “upper,” “over,” and “under” are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.

As used herein, the terms “attached,” “connected,” “coupled,” and other such relational terms should be construed, unless otherwise noted, to include removable, moveable, fixed, adjustable, and/or releasable connections or attachments. The connections/attachments can include direct connections and/or connections having intermediate structure between the two components discussed.

Numbers preceded by a term such as “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein include the recited numbers, and also represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of the stated amount. Features of embodiments disclosed herein preceded by a term such as “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein represent the feature with some variability that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result for that feature.

It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, the elements of which are to be understood as being among other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.