Automatic ship handling system, ship control device, ship control method, and program

Abstract

This automatic ship handling system includes a ship and a communication device, the ship includes an actuator that has a function of generating a propulsion force for the ship and a function of generating a turning moment on the ship, an operation unit that receives an input operation for activating the actuator, and a ship control device that activates the actuator on the basis of at least the input operation received by the operation unit, the ship control device has a manual ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated on the basis of the input operation received by the operation unit, and an automatic ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated without a need for the operation unit to receive the input operation, and in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls a speed of the ship on the basis of a relative distance between the ship and the communication device.

1 . An automatic ship handling system that includes a ship and a communication device,
 wherein the ship includes   an actuator that has a function of generating a propulsion force for the ship and a function of generating a turning moment on the ship,   an operation unit that receives an input operation for activating the actuator, and   a ship control device that activates the actuator on the basis of at least the input operation received by the operation unit,   wherein the ship control device has   a manual ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated on the basis of the input operation received by the operation unit, and   an automatic ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated without a need for the operation unit to receive the input operation, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls a speed of the ship on the basis of a relative distance between the ship and the communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device activates the actuator such that the relative distance decreases and controls the speed of the ship to a smaller value as the relative distance becomes smaller.   
     
     
         3 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the communication device includes   a communication device position detection unit that detects a position of the communication device, and   a first communication unit that transmits information indicating the position of the communication device detected by the communication device position detection unit to the ship,   wherein the ship includes   a ship position detection unit that detects a position of the ship,   a second communication unit that receives the information indicating the position of the communication device transmitted by the first communication unit, and   a relative distance calculation unit that calculates the relative distance on the basis of the position of the communication device detected by the communication device position detection unit and the position of the ship detected by the ship position detection unit, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls the speed of the ship on the basis of the relative distance calculated by the relative distance calculation unit.   
     
     
         4 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the ship includes an overboard fall detection unit that detects that an occupant of the ship has fallen overboard, and   wherein, after the occupant of the ship is detected to have fallen overboard by the overboard fall detection unit, the relative distance calculation unit calculates the relative distance.   
     
     
         5 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the ship includes a relative distance detection unit that detects the relative distance, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls the speed of the ship on the basis of the relative distance detected by the relative distance detection unit.   
     
     
         6 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the ship includes an overboard fall detection unit that detects that an occupant of the ship has fallen overboard, and   wherein, after the occupant of the ship is detected to have fallen overboard by the overboard fall detection unit, the relative distance detection unit detects the relative distance.   
     
     
         7 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the ship includes a disembarkation detection unit that detects disembarkation of an occupant of the ship, and   wherein, after the disembarkation of the occupant of the ship is detected by the disembarkation detection unit, calculating or detecting the relative distance is performed.   
     
     
         8 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the communication device includes   a relative distance detection unit that detects the relative distance, and   a first communication unit that transmits information indicating the relative distance detected by the relative distance detection unit to the ship, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls the speed of the ship on the basis of the relative distance detected by the relative distance detection unit.   
     
     
         9 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the ship includes an overboard fall detection unit that detects that an occupant of the ship has fallen overboard, and   wherein, after the occupant of the ship is detected to have fallen overboard by the overboard fall detection unit, the relative distance detection unit detects the relative distance.   
     
     
         10 . The automatic ship handling system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the ship includes a disembarkation detection unit that detects disembarkation of an occupant of the ship, and   wherein, after the disembarkation of the occupant of the ship is detected by the disembarkation detection unit, the relative distance detection unit detects the relative distance.   
     
     
         11 . A ship control device comprising, in a ship:
 an actuator that has a function of generating a propulsion force for the ship and a function of generating a turning moment on the ship; and   an operation unit that receives an input operation for activating the actuator,   wherein the ship control device has   a manual ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated on the basis of the input operation received by the operation unit, and   an automatic ship handling mode in which the actuator is activated without a need for the operation unit to receive the input operation, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling mode, the ship control device controls a speed of the ship on the basis of a relative distance between the ship and a communication device.   
     
     
         12 . A ship control method for controlling a ship,
 the ship including   an actuator that has a function of generating a propulsion force for the ship and a function of generating a turning moment on the ship, and   an operation unit that receives an input operation for activating the actuator,   the method comprising:   a ship control step of activating the actuator on the basis of at least the input operation received by the operation unit,   wherein the ship control step includes   a manual ship handling step of activating the actuator on the basis of the input operation received by the operation unit, and   an automatic ship handling step of activating the actuator without a need for the operation unit to receive the input operation, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling step, a speed of the ship is controlled on the basis of a relative distance between the ship and a communication device.   
     
     
         13 . A program for causing a computer installed in a ship to execute a ship control step,
 the ship including   an actuator that has a function of generating a propulsion force for the ship and a function of generating a turning moment on the ship, and   an operation unit that receives an input operation for activating the actuator,   the ship control step being a step of activating the actuator on the basis of at least the input operation received by the operation unit,   wherein the ship control step includes   a manual ship handling step of activating the actuator on the basis of the input operation received by the operation unit, and   an automatic ship handling step of activating the actuator without a need for the operation unit to receive the input operation, and   wherein, in the automatic ship handling step, a speed of the ship is controlled on the basis of a relative distance between the ship and a communication device.