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US-12617506-B2 - Device and method for autonomously controlling a boat

US12617506B2US 12617506 B2US12617506 B2US 12617506B2US-12617506-B2

Abstract

This relates to a control device for a boat, including members which provides steering, propulsion and safety functions for the boat. The control device includes: sensors; —a central processing unit; at least two peripheral modules which are associated with the member and which each include an interface for receiving data from the sensors; an interface for controlling the member associated therewith; a processing unit; and an interface for communicating with the central processing unit. The processing unit and the central processing unit are programmed to generate instructions for driving the member.

Inventors

  • Sébastien GRALL

Assignees

  • EXAIL

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220614
Priority Date
20210615

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A control device for a boat, that comprises members providing steering, propulsion and safety functions for the boat, including: sensors adapted to measure parameters relating to the operation of at least two of said members, a central unit, at least two peripheral modules each associated with one of said at least two members, and that each comprise: a measurement interface adapted to receive data coming from part at least one of the sensors, a control interface adapted to issue control instructions for the member that is associated therewith, a unit for processing the received data, and a communication interface adapted to communicate with the central unit, wherein the processing unit is programmed to generate first control instructions for the member associated therewith and to elaborate processed information to be transmitted to the central unit, as a function of the received data, and wherein the central unit is programmed to generate second control instructions for the member as a function of the processed information elaborated by the processing units of said at least two peripheral modules.
  2. 2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two members provide different functions.
  3. 3 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing units of the peripheral modules are physically identical.
  4. 4 . The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the peripheral modules are physically identical.
  5. 5 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication interface of each peripheral module includes a terminal block for connection to an electrical or optical conductor, which makes it possible to receive signals from the central unit.
  6. 6 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication interface of each peripheral module includes a radio chip for transmitting radio signals to the central unit.
  7. 7 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein one at least of the peripheral modules includes a cutting means for interrupting the power supply to the member with which it is associated and which is controlled by the processing unit according to the first control instructions.
  8. 8 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein a first one of the sensors is located outside the peripheral modules.
  9. 9 . The control device according to claim 8 , wherein said first one of the sensors comprises at least one of the following components: a flow meter, a pressure sensor, a tachometer, a hydrocarbon detector, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a dry contact, a liquid level detector.
  10. 10 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located inside the peripheral modules.
  11. 11 . The control device according to claim 10 , wherein said one of the sensors comprises at least one of the following components: a current sensor or a voltage sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor.
  12. 12 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein one at least of the two members is: a bilge pump, a fan, a fire circuit pump, a fuel supply circuit component or fuel supply circuit, a cooling circuit component or cooling circuit, a hydraulic circuit component or hydraulic circuit, or a sea water filter.
  13. 13 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the central unit is connected to a display screen and is programmed to transmit data to the display screen as a function of the processed information.
  14. 14 . A boat having a shell that houses members providing steering, propulsion and safety functions for the boat, wherein the boat includes a control device according to claim 1 .
  15. 15 . A method for controlling a boat according to claim 14 , comprising steps of: measuring parameters relating to the operation of at least two members by means of sensors, receiving data coming from the sensors through the measurement interfaces of the peripheral modules associated with said at least two members, processing the received data using the processing unit of each peripheral module to generate a first control instruction and to elaborate processed information, transmitting the first control instruction to the member with which each peripheral module is associated, transmitting the information processed by the processing units of the peripheral modules to the central unit, reprocessing the processed information using the central unit to generate second control instructions, transmitting the second control instructions to the peripheral modules, and transmitting the second control instructions from said peripheral modules to the members with which they are associated.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2022/066191 filed Jun. 14, 2022 which designated the U.S. and claims priority to FR 2106320 filed Jun. 15, 2021, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to boat field. More particularly, it relates to a control device to be installed in a boat, which comprises members providing steering, propulsion and safety functions. The invention finds a particularly advantageously application in the implementation of autonomous control means in existing ships, although it also applies to the manufacture of new ships. The invention also relates to a boat equipped with such a control device, as well as a method for controlling such a boat. STATE OF THE ART Rather conventionally, a boat comprises different propulsion, steering and safety members, such as motors, pumps, fans . . . . Beyond a certain size, a boat also includes a cockpit, from which it is possible to control these members and in which are provided member operating and malfunction warning indicators. Thanks to these indicators, it is possible to determine the location of any malfunction, which enables a quick intervention to remedy the problem. It is currently sought to market boats having semi-autonomous or fully autonomous control functions. It is therefore known to manufacture autonomous boats, also called drone-ships. It is also known to equip boats having already sailed, and initially devoid of such autonomous functions, with means enabling them to be autonomous. Such means are expensive to manufacture, and are also very costly to implement because such boats have not been designed to enable the integration of such means and the connection thereof to the already-existing systems. The greater the number of elements to be installed in a boat to make it autonomous, the greater the complexity. To fully understand the complexity of automating a boat, any one of the members of this boat can be considered, for example the bilge pump thereof. On a non-autonomous boat, a simple power light indicator is provided for detecting a potential malfunction. Another indicator can be provided to detect an abnormal level of liquid in the bilge. On the contrary, on an autonomous boat, these only indicators are no longer sufficient. It is indeed understood that, in case of malfunction, it is at least necessary to determine the malfunction origin and the impact on the boat safety. Therefore, many sensors have to be installed in areas that have not been designed for that purpose, then connected through the boat walls. This problem of sensor implementation and connexion also exists, albeit to a lesser extent, in the context of manufacture of new drone-boats. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In order to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the present invention proposes a control device for boat members, including: sensors adapted to measure parameters relating to the operation of at least two of said members,a central unit,at least two peripheral modules each associated with one of said at least two members. According to the invention, each peripheral module comprises: a measurement interface adapted to receive data coming from part at least of the sensors,a control interface adapted to issue control instructions for the member associate therewith,a unit for processing the received data, anda communication interface adapted to communicate with the central unit. Also according to the invention, the processing unit is programmed to generate first control instructions for the member associated therewith and to elaborate processed information to be transmitted to the central unit, as a function of the received data, whereas the central unit is programmed to generate second control instructions for the member as a function of the processed information elaborated by the processing units of said at least two peripheral modules. Therefore, the invention proposes a unit that is easily connectable and directly usable (“plug and play”) both in an old boat and in a new boat, in order to provide it with autonomous or semi-autonomous evolution capabilities. The use of a central unit and of semi-autonomous peripheral modules enables a sharing of the control tasks between two distinct levels (high level and low level). This makes it possible to place the sensor data processing function as close as possible to the relevant member (low level) and to provide the central unit with already processed and centralized information (high level). The central unit job is therefore made easier. The measured data being thus processed close to the relevant member, the quantity of data transmitted to the central unit and the quantity of cables required for this transmission are limited. This facilitates the implementation of the control system in a boat, in partic