Ship control device and ship control method

Abstract

The ship control device is provided with processing circuitry. The processing circuitry receives operation inputs from an actuator that controls the propulsion state of the ship, including the propulsion force and moving direction. The processing circuitry controls the navigation of the ship in a plurality of navigation modes, including a manual navigation mode using the operation inputs and an automatic navigation mode that maintains the propulsion state. When the processing circuitry receives a direction change operation input to change the moving direction in the operation input in the automatic navigation mode, the propulsion force of the ship is changed from the maintained propulsion force.

1 . A ship control device, comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:
 receive an operation input from an operating device that operates a propulsion state including a propulsion force and a moving direction of the ship; 
 control a navigation of the ship by a plurality of navigation modes including a manual navigation mode based on the operation input and an automatic navigation mode for maintaining the propulsion state; and 
 change the propulsion force of the ship from a maintained propulsion force upon receiving a direction change operation input for changing the moving direction during the automatic navigation mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 reduce the propulsion force by a predetermined change rate.   
     
     
         3 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 adjust an amount of change in the propulsion force according to an amount of change in the moving direction corresponding to the direction change operation input or a current ship speed.   
     
     
         4 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 set a rudder angle control range different for the manual navigation mode and the automatic navigation mode when the direction change operation input is received.   
     
     
         5 . The ship control device according to  claim 4 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 set the rudder angle control range in the automatic navigation mode narrower than the rudder angle control range in the manual navigation mode.   
     
     
         6 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 adjust a control timing of the moving direction by the direction change operation input after a change of the propulsion force in the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         7 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the propulsion force is one of a ship speed, a throttle opening, or an engine speed, and   the moving direction is a heading or a rudder angle.   
     
     
         8 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 maintain the propulsion force to a predetermined propulsion force for the automatic navigation mode upon receiving an operation input for activating the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         9 . The ship control device according to  claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 approach the propulsion force for the automatic navigation mode from the propulsion force at that time while adjusting acceleration upon receiving an operation input for activating the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         10 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 control the navigation by the automatic navigation mode for maintaining a predetermined propulsion force for automatic navigation mode and the movement direction at the time when the operation input is not performed for a predetermined time after the movement direction is changed by the operation input.   
     
     
         11 . The ship control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the operating device includes a joystick including a head and a shaft, and   the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 set a set value of the propulsion force by a first inclination of the shaft in a bow and stem direction of the ship, and 
 set a set value of the moving direction by a second inclination of the shaft in a port and starboard direction of the ship or rotation of the head. 
   
     
     
         12 . The ship control device according to  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 stop the automatic navigation mode and switch to the manual navigation mode when the first inclination is within a release range of the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         13 . The ship control device according to  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 adjust an amount of change in the propulsion force according to an amount of change in the moving direction by the direction change operation input or a current ship speed.   
     
     
         14 . The ship control device according to  claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 set a rudder angle control range different between the manual navigation mode and the automatic navigation mode when the direction change operation input is received.   
     
     
         15 . The ship control device according to  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 set the rudder angle control range in the automatic navigation mode narrower than the rudder angle control range in the manual navigation mode.   
     
     
         16 . The ship control device according to  claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 adjust a control timing of the moving direction by the direction change operation input after a change of the propulsion force in the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         17 . The ship control device according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the propulsion force is one of a ship speed, a throttle opening, or an engine speed, and   the moving direction is a maintaining or a rudder angle.   
     
     
         18 . The ship control device according to  claim 17 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 maintain the propulsion force to a predetermined propulsion force for the automatic navigation mode upon receiving an operation input for activating the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         19 . A ship control method, comprising:
 receiving an operation input from an operating device that operates a propulsion state including a propulsion force and a moving direction of the ship;   controlling a navigation of the ship by a plurality of navigation modes including a manual navigation mode based on the operation input and an automatic navigation mode for maintaining the propulsion state; and   changing the propulsion force of the ship from a maintained propulsion force upon receiving a direction change operation input for changing the moving direction during the automatic navigation mode.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 receive an operation input from an operating device that operates a propulsion state including a propulsion force and a moving direction of the ship;   control a navigation of the ship by a plurality of navigation modes including a manual navigation mode based on the operation input and an automatic navigation mode for maintaining the propulsion state; and   change the propulsion force of the ship from a maintained propulsion force upon receiving a direction change operation input for changing the moving direction during the automatic navigation mode.