Search

EP-4737856-A1 - AUTOMATIC DOCKING DEVICE, AUTOMATIC DOCKING SYSTEM, AUTOMATIC DOCKING METHOD, AND AUTOMATIC DOCKING PROGRAM

EP4737856A1EP 4737856 A1EP4737856 A1EP 4737856A1EP-4737856-A1

Abstract

An automatic docking device (100) includes a point cloud generation unit (120) and a navigation scenario generation unit (140). Based on a result of positioning of the position and the attitude of an object vessel by a GNSS/INS integrated navigation device (200), the point cloud generation unit (120) transforms relative coordinates corresponding to each point of a point cloud that corresponds to a result of ranging in an object berth by an object radar into absolute coordinates, and based on the absolute coordinates corresponding to each point transformed, generates an object map indicating a navigable area in the object berth, and indicating the absolute coordinates. The navigation scenario generation unit (140) generates a plan to guide the object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map, and the position and the attitude of the object vessel positioned, when the target position and the target attitude of the object vessel in the object berth are designated based on the object map.

Inventors

  • FUJITA, Masayasu
  • TAKIGUCHI, JUNICHI
  • KANEKO, KOJI

Assignees

  • MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230627

Claims (10)

  1. An automatic docking device to control, in an object berth, automatic docking of an object vessel that includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integrated navigation device, and an object radar to perform a ranging of a relative position of an object existing in a surrounding with an electromagnetic wave, the automatic docking device comprising: a point cloud generation unit to transform a relative coordinate corresponding to each point of a point cloud corresponding to a result of the ranging in the object berth by the object radar into an absolute coordinate, based on a result of a positioning of a position and an attitude of the object vessel by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device, and to generate an object map being a map indicating a navigable area in the object berth and indicating an absolute coordinate, based on the absolute coordinate corresponding to the each point transformed; and a navigation scenario generation unit to generate a plan to guide the object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map, and the position and the attitude of the object vessel positioned by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device when the target position and the target attitude of the object vessel in the object berth are designated based on the object map.
  2. The automatic docking device as defined in claim 1, wherein when the object radar performs the ranging in the object berth, a distance between the object vessel and a quay wall of the object berth is a distance in accordance with a shape of the object berth.
  3. The automatic docking device as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the object radar is a millimeter wave radar.
  4. The automatic docking device as defined in claim 3, wherein when the each point of the point cloud is regarded as an object point, a distance between the millimeter wave radar and the object point satisfies a ranging reference distance condition, and an angle between a center of the millimeter wave radar and the object point satisfies a ranging reference angle condition at a point of time when the ranging of the object point is performed by the millimeter wave radar.
  5. The automatic docking device as defined in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device corrects a positioning result by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device based on a velocity and an azimuth observed by the millimeter wave radar.
  6. The automatic docking device as defined in any one of claim 1 through claim 5, wherein the object vessel includes a magnetic azimuth sensor, and the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device corrects a positioning result by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device based on an azimuth observed by the magnetic azimuth sensor.
  7. The automatic docking device as defined in any one of claim 1 through claim 6, wherein the navigation scenario generation unit guides the object vessel in accordance with a plan generated, the object radar performs the ranging in the object berth, and the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device performs the positioning of a position and an attitude of the object vessel while the object vessel is being guided, the point cloud generation unit generates an updated map being a map indicating a navigable area in the object berth based on the result of the ranging in the object berth by the object radar, and the result of the positioning of the position and the attitude of the object vessel by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device, the updated map being a map indicating an absolute coordinate, while the object vessel is being guided, and the navigation scenario generation unit stops guiding of the object vessel when a difference exists between the navigable area indicated in the updated map, and the navigable area indicated in the object map.
  8. An automatic docking system comprising: the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device; a millimeter wave radar being the object radar; and the automatic docking device as defined in any one of claim 1 through claim 7.
  9. An automatic docking method performed by an automatic docking device being a computer to control, in an object berth, automatic docking of an object vessel that includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integrated navigation device, and an object radar to perform a ranging of a relative position of an object existing in a surrounding with an electromagnetic wave, the automatic docking method comprising: by the automatic docking device, transforming a relative coordinate corresponding to each point of a point cloud corresponding to a result of the ranging in the object berth by the object radar into an absolute coordinate, based on a result of a positioning of a position and an attitude of the object vessel by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device, and generating an object map being a map indicating a navigable area in the object berth and indicating an absolute coordinate, based on the absolute coordinate corresponding to the each point transformed; and by the automatic docking device, generating a plan to guide the object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map, and the position and the attitude of the object vessel positioned by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device when the target position and the target attitude of the object vessel in the object berth are designated based on the object map.
  10. An automatic docking program executed by an automatic docking device being a computer to control, in an object berth, automatic docking of an object vessel that includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integrated navigation device, and an object radar to perform a ranging of a relative position of an object existing in a surrounding with an electromagnetic wave, the automatic docking program comprising: a point cloud generation process to transform a relative coordinate corresponding to each point of a point cloud corresponding to a result of the ranging in the object berth by the object radar into an absolute coordinate, based on a result of a positioning of a position and an attitude of the object vessel by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device, and to generate an object map being a map indicating a navigable area in the object berth and indicating an absolute coordinate, based on the absolute coordinate corresponding to the each point transformed; and a navigation scenario generation process to generate a plan to guide the object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map, and the position and the attitude of the object vessel positioned by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device when the target position and the target attitude of the object vessel in the object berth are designated based on the object map.

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an automatic docking device, an automatic docking system, an automatic docking method, and an automatic docking program. Background Art In a conventional technique related to automatic docking of vessels, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) positioning is used when the location of a vessel is far from the docking position. In this case, GNSS positioning is susceptible to the influence of multipath. Additionally, there may be many structures around the docking position. Therefore, when a vessel gets close to the docking position, the vessel switches to automatic navigation in accordance with a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging, or an optical sensor). Patent Literature 1 discloses an automatic docking device using LiDAR. Citation List Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: JP 2022-106753 A Summary of Invention Technical Problem According to the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1, relative coordinates are used after switching to automatic navigation using LiDAR. Thus, a problem with the technique is that it is impossible to generate a navigation scenario for automatic docking unless a vessel moves to a point where a map can be generated using LiDAR. Further, a user needs to input the docking position according to the technique. Therefore, another problem with the technique is that it is troublesome to set the docking position every time, particularly in a case where the docking position is designated, as with cruisers. The present disclosure aims at generating a map indicating absolute coordinates, and automatically guiding vessels in berthing based on the map indicating the absolute coordinates generated, in an automatic docking technique for vessels. Solution to Problem An automatic docking device according to the present disclosure is an automatic docking device to control, in an object berth, automatic docking of an object vessel that includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integrated navigation device, and an object radar to perform a ranging of a relative position of an object existing in a surrounding with an electromagnetic wave, the automatic docking device comprising: a point cloud generation unit to transform a relative coordinate corresponding to each point of a point cloud corresponding to a result of the ranging in the object berth by the object radar into an absolute coordinate, based on a result of a positioning of a position and an attitude of the object vessel by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device, and to generate an object map being a map indicating a navigable area in the object berth and indicating an absolute coordinate, based on the absolute coordinate corresponding to the each point transformed; anda navigation scenario generation unit to generate a plan to guide the object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map, and the position and the attitude of the object vessel positioned by the GNSS/INS integrated navigation device when the target position and the target attitude of the object vessel in the object berth are designated based on the object map. Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present disclosure, a point cloud generation unit generates an object map being a map indicating a navigable area in an object berth, and indicating absolute coordinates, based on observation results by an object radar. A navigation scenario generation unit generates a plan to guide an object vessel so as to reach a target position with a target attitude based on the object map. The plan generated may be used to provide guidance for automatic docking of the object vessel. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to generate the map indicating the absolute coordinates, and to provide guidance for automatic docking based on the map indicating the absolute coordinates generated in the automatic docking technique of vessels. Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an automatic docking system 90 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the automatic docking system 90 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the automatic docking system 90 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 4 is a diagram describing processing of a velocity profile unit 131 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 5 is a diagram describing processing of a radar/Body coordinate transformation unit 132 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a position and attitude orientation device 300 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 7 is a diagram describing a coordinate system;Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an automatic docking device 100 according to First Embodiment;Fig. 9 i