Intelligent maneuvering system for easier boat handling

Abstract

The invention relates to an Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling, which is an accessory for boating and boat maneuvering. This system enables easy and precise boat maneuvering based on actual measurements, computer modeling, and mathematics, according to the control values provided by a Joystick or a mobile phone App. It allows the boat to be maneuvered in the desired heading with the required force and rotation around its vertical axis. This significantly enhances the boat's maneuverability and truly enables agile movement of the boat in the desired manner. The system consists of three propulsion propeller drives, one of which may be the original bow thruster of the boat. Propeller drives are installed in the boat with an angular offset about 120 degrees, in which case the reference values for their six infinitely adjustable force vectors are calculated by the microcomputer to achieve the desired maneuvering effect. Using the maneuvering system's calculation software and the thrust forces of the infinitely adjustable motor drives, the boat can be rotated in place, driven in any arbitrary direction while keeping the bow heading unchanged, or rotated during linear motion. On the boat (FIG. 2 ), ( 1 ) three propeller drives ( 3 ) and ( 5 ) are installed, whose rev is controlled by the motor controller ( 23 ) or the hydraulic system valve ( 24 ). The Joystick ( 28 ) steering values are converted into thrust control commands for each motor controller in the maneuvering mathematics calculation. The content of the patent claims specifies a propulsion system implemented with three motor drives ( 3 ) and ( 5 ) arranged 120° apart, where the power of each motor drive ( 3 ) and ( 5 ) is controlled individually according to the maneuvering command given by the Joystick ( 28 ) based on the vector mathematics calculations performed by the control system's software taking into account the actual installing locations and dimensions of propeller drives relative to the COB as well as the effects of changes in hydrodynamic resistance when maneuvering in different directions, as determined by CFD calculations.

1 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling, designed to replace or complement the conventional combination of a boat's ( 1 ) bow thruster ( 41 ), stern thruster ( 42 ), and main engine(s) ( 43 ), along with their controls ( 47 ) used for maneuvering at displacement speeds, and to enable easy and precise maneuvering of the boat, characterized by the fact that the calculation of the control values for the force vectors in the maneuvering system takes into account the actual installation dimensions and orientations of the propeller drives, their relation to the centre of buoyancy (COB) ( 22 ) or to a point near the centre of buoyancy functioning as the effective centre of rotation around the boat's vertical axis, and the actual dimensions of the boat's hull form above and below the waterline as input parameters for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations of hydrodynamic and acrodynamic drag in different headings. If necessary, the system compensates for their effect on the boat's undesired rotation around its vertical axis, by continuously adjusting individual thrust forces (F1O or F1V), (F2E or F2T), and (F3E or F3T), based on the heading (FJoy) and turning (RJoy) commands given by the Joystick ( 28 ) or the mobile phone ( 39 ) App 
     
     
         2 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in the  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the software parameters allow the boat type and boat specific error correction factors to be set between the calculated COB ( 22 ) position and the verified and measured behaviour of the boat via the mobile phone App or, if necessary, via remote connection, so that the boat can perform full 360-degree horizontal movement toward a fixed direction without any unwanted rotation around its vertical axis, including the ability to rotate around its vertical axis during movement, or rotate in place without any horizontal movement, based on the heading (FJoy) and turning (RJoy) commands given by the Joystick ( 28 ) or the mobile phone ( 39 ) App. 
     
     
         3 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 2 , characterized by the fact that COB and CFD calculations improve the efficient use of position, accelerometer, magnetometer, anemometer and spatial awareness sensor data for maneuvering in desired direction maintaining the original orientation of the keel line of the boat, the system compensates for the effects of the boat's asymmetrical drag on steering and prevents uncontrolled rotation around the vertical axis by simplifying the maneuvering software's algorithms. 
     
     
         4 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 3 , characterized by the fact that a mobile phone ( 39 ) App application software acting as a user interface is equipped with a remote control capability for the boat, wherein the phone's built-in orientation detecting accelerometer is utilized to control the boat as with a Joystick ( 28 ) by tilting and/or rotating the phone to the desired position. The direction of tilting determines the desired movement direction, and the magnitude of tilting dictates the desired propulsion force. Rotating the phone in the plane parallel to the water surface determines the desired turning direction, while the angular acceleration dictates the turning force. A button on the phone's touch screen acts as a selection button for the control function and releasing it stops all movement. 
     
     
         5 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 4 , characterized by the fact that a streamlined water flow controller ( 10 ) is installed on the side near the stern of the boat to prevent water from flowing through the propeller tunnels ( 4 ) at high speeds stopping the propellers when not used. 
     
     
         6 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 5 , characterized by the fact that the control system has ability to charge the battery ( 26 ) using the energy generated by the rotation of the electric motors of the two propeller drives ( 3   a ,  3   b  and  3   d ) at the stern ( 6 ) of the boat ( 1 ) utilizing the flow of water. This is achieved when the boat is moving at low speeds using the combustion engine(s), for example, when approaching a harbour. This enables high-power charging independent of the shore power supply in combustion engine-powered boats. 
     
     
         7 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 6 , characterized by the fact that the control system ( 21 ) microcomputer ( 30 ), application software calculates and limits the combined electrical power consumption of the propellers drives ( 3   a ,  3   b  and  3   d ) according to the maximum permissible electrical power output and output current of the battery bank ( 26 ) measured by the BMS ( 27 ), set as parameters, preventing battery damage and extending its lifespan. 
     
     
         8 . Intelligent Maneuvering System for Easier Boat Handling as claimed in any of the  claims 1 to 7 , characterized by the fact that the propeller drives pivot between the maneuvering position ( 19 ) and the forward moving position ( 20 ) using the propulsion thrust of the stern propeller drives ( 3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d ) without an external actuator and are locked in their positions for use by means of an electrically controlled mechanical locking device ( 16 ).