JPH05185987A - Automatic steering device provided with multiple units - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve expansion ability by providing a plurality of units having different functions for each unit and a transmission route for connecting these units with each other to transmit information, and by adding a unit having a desired function when expansion of performance is required. CONSTITUTION:An automatic steering device 8 comprises distributed function units such as an automatic steering unit 1, a steering control unit 2, a display operation unit 3, and a transmission route 9. The automatic steering unit 1 comprises an input azimuth part 44, a course setter 45, and a CPU 4 for calculating optimal steering angle, instructing the steering angle, and for carrying out communication and information transmission among the units. The steering control unit 2 comprises a steering control part 46 based on the instruction of steering angle, a steering alarm input part 49 to which an operational signal is added from each part of a steering control system, and a CPU 5 for carrying out communication and information transmission among the units. The display operational unit 3 comprises am operational part 43 for setting parameters for switching systems and modes, a display part 42, an alarm process part 7, and a CPU 6 for carrying out communication and information transmission among the units, and each function is processed in a distributed manner.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic steering system for controlling a steering to keep a ship on a set course, and more particularly to a function-distributed automatic steering system comprising units having different functions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an automatic steering device as shown in FIG. 4, for example.

The automatic steering device 50 receives the azimuth information and the course setting value, and sends the steering operation amount to the steering device 47, and the steering device 4
7 moves the rudder, and the rudder 47 moves the rudder of the ship 48. The automatic steering device 50 is a central processing unit (CPU)
41, an operation unit 43 for inputting an instruction to the CPU 41,
A display unit 42 for displaying a result calculated by the CPU 41,
An azimuth input unit 44 for inputting the current azimuth information of the ship, a course setter 45 for inputting a course to be set, and an alarm input unit 49 for inputting alarm information when an abnormality occurs in each unit such as a steering device. And the steering angle command from the CPU
And a rudder control unit 46 for controlling the control unit 7.

As the ship keeps the set course, the CP
U41 is equipped with various functions such as estimation of ship motion characteristics based on ship type, ship type and cargo status, calculation of ship position and route, optimum steering control considering sea conditions, system self-inspection and alarm display. ing. All operations related to marine vessel maneuvering were performed through one unit including the CPU.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional automatic steering apparatus, when a single unit is required to meet the requirements of all users, it is provided with high performance and multi-function. It is necessary to use a CPU, but such a CPU is large in scale, and only the necessary functions are selected from a large number of functions according to the specifications required by the user, and the system is uneconomical. is there.

Further, the system does not have expandability and flexibility,
Not only can optional functions not be added quickly, but
There is a lot of waste when a system configuration having the minimum functions is used.

When a failure occurs in the arithmetic and control unit including the CPU, the entire module, which is large in scale and high in cost, must be replaced.

Further, there is a problem that reliability cannot be improved because a backup system cannot be easily obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic steering device having high expandability.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an automatic steering device for controlling a steering based on a set course and an actual course to hold a ship on the set course, in each unit. In addition, a plurality of units having different functions and a transmission line for connecting the units to transfer information are provided.

[0011]

In the automatic steering device for controlling the steering based on the set course and the actual course to hold the ship on the set course, the plurality of units have different functions, and the units have different functions depending on the transmission line. To connect and transfer information. Therefore, in order to expand the function, it is sufficient to add a unit having the function to be expanded, which is flexible.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration will be described. The automatic steering device 8 receives the azimuth information and the course setting value and sends the operation amount of the rudder to the steering gear 47. The steering gear 47 moves the rudder and the steering gear 47 causes the ship 4 to move.
The rudder of 8 is moved. The automatic steering device 8 includes an automatic steering unit 1, a rudder control unit 2, a function distribution unit of a display operation unit 3, and a transmission line 9.

The automatic steering unit 1 sets a course and a planned course, detects a deviation from the present course of the ship, generates a steering command for maintaining the course, and calculates the ship body dynamic characteristics and optimum control. And so on.

The rudder control unit 2 is the automatic steering unit 1
Based on a command from the steering control device, a steering control signal for maintaining the course and changing the needle is supplied to the steering machine 47, and a malfunction check of each unit of the steering control system is performed.

The display operation unit 3 displays actual steering angle, steering direction, declination angle, turning angular velocity, etc., self-inspection and failure warning of various parts, mode switching, setting of control parameters, operation of dammer, etc. Be seen.

Since the units whose functions are distributed are individually provided with the control function, the scale of each hardware can be reduced, the maintenance and inspection can be easily performed, and the service cost can be reduced.

Communication between the CPUs of the units is performed by the transmission line 9
And the modulator / demodulator intervenes between the units to perform bidirectional communication. The interface is RS232c, R
Standardized in S422 and the like, changes inside the unit can be performed without affecting communication.

Therefore, the present apparatus can improve the expandability, flexibility and reliability of the system.

Further, each unit will be described in detail. The automatic steering unit 1 includes an input bearing section 4 to which a bearing signal from a gyro compass indicating the current course of the ship is applied.
4, a course setting device 45, and a CPU 4 that performs optimum steering angle calculation for maintaining a course, a steering angle command, communication between units, and information transfer.

The rudder control unit 2 is the automatic steering unit 1
A rudder control unit 46 that outputs a rudder control signal based on a rudder angle command from the control unit, a rudder alarm input unit 49 to which operation signals from various parts of the rudder control system are added, and a CPU that performs communication and information transfer between units.
Have 5.

The display operation unit 3 includes an operation section 43 for system switching, mode switching, control parameter setting, etc., a display section 42 for steering mode, actual steering angle, steering direction, declination, turning angular velocity, etc., and operation of various parts. It has an alarm processing unit 7 for notifying an abnormality by comparing a level with a threshold value, and a CPU 6 for communication between units and information transfer.

By performing distributed processing of each function, a system having high performance and high functionality as a whole can be constructed by using a unit using an inexpensive CPU.

Since each unit individually shares an independent function and the communication between each unit can be standardized, it is easy to change the function and specification of the unit, and the system can be improved in flexibility and expandability.

It is not necessary to change the basic unit when the function is expanded.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment.

The automatic steering device 25 receives the azimuth information and the course setting value (not shown) and sends the operation amount of the rudder to the steering gear 47. The steering gear 47 moves the rudder and the steering gear 47 causes the steering gear 47 to move. The rudder of the ship 48 is moved. The automatic steering device 25 includes an automatic steering unit 21, a rudder control unit 22, and a display operation unit 2.
It has three function distribution units and a transmission line 26.

The units whose functions are distributed are arranged so that the transmission lines 26 interconnecting each other form a loop. Each unit is provided with a control function in a distributed manner, and transmits the received information to the transmission line 26 again and also transmits the information of the unit. As a result, communication between any units can be performed. Further, by adding the transmission line 27 indicated by the broken line, the directions of communication and information transfer can be reversed, so that even if some of the transmission lines 26 and 27 are broken or the unit becomes defective, the communication between normal units can be performed by the return communication. It can be done continuously and reliability can be improved.

According to this embodiment, communication between the units can be performed by using the loop-shaped transmission line for each of the transmission and the reception, the optional unit can be easily added, and the expandability of the system can be improved.

If a loop for transmission and reception for reverse transmission is provided, even if a part of the loop is broken or a unit failure occurs, communication between normal units can be performed and operation can be continued, so that reliability can be improved.

FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment. The automatic steering device 31 receives the direction information and the course setting value (not shown), and sends the steering operation amount to the steering gear A47A and the steering gear B47B. The automatic steering device 31 is an automatic steering unit A3.
2, automatic steering unit B33, rudder control unit A34,
It has a rudder control unit B35, a function distribution unit of the display operation unit 36, a transmission line 37, and a switch 38.

The automatic steering and rudder control units are duplicated, and either one is connected to the communication path. The automatic steering unit, the rudder control unit, and the steering gear are provided in two systems to improve reliability, and can be switched and used. By connecting each unit to the communication path via the switch 38 in the case of a failure, the unit in which the failure has occurred can be switched to a normal unit or the failed unit can be disconnected and used, thus providing redundancy. The system can be easily configured. This is especially effective when a redundant unit and a non-redundant unit are mixed in the system.

According to this embodiment, various system configurations having redundancy can be easily realized. In addition, even if redundant units and non-redundant units coexist, they can be configured and the system can be freely combined.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic steering device with high expandability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a ship including an automatic steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a ship including an automatic steering device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a ship including an automatic steering device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a ship including a conventional automatic steering device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Automatic steering unit, 2 ... Rudder control unit, 3 ... Display operation unit, 8 ... Automatic steering device, 9 ... Transmission path.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mamoru Takahashi 2-16-46 Minami Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Tokimec Co., Ltd.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An automatic steering device for controlling a steering based on a set course and an actual course to hold a ship on the set course, wherein a plurality of units each having a different function are connected to each other. , An automatic steering device having a transmission line for transferring information. 2. An automatic steering device for controlling a steering on the basis of a set course and an actual course to hold a ship on the set course, and an automatic steering unit for outputting a steering command based on the set course and the actual course. A rudder control unit that outputs a rudder control signal based on a command from the automatic steering unit, a display operation unit that displays a steering state, and a transmission path that connects the units and transfers information. Characteristic automatic steering device. 3. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the unit has a central processing unit. 4. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the transmission line connects the units in a loop shape. 5. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transmission line on the loop is doubled. 6. The automatic steering apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each of the automatic steering unit and the rudder control unit has a plurality of units and a switching device for connecting each unit to a transmission line. An automatic steering device characterized in that when one unit fails, it switches to the other.