Ship control device, a ship control method, and a ship control program

1 . A ship control device to be mounted on a ship, comprising:

an interface configured to acquire operation input from each of a first operator used in a low-speed navigation control mode and a second operator used in a high-speed navigation control mode; and

processing circuitry configured to:

determine a target direction or a throttle opening based on the operation input,

wherein the low-speed navigation control mode includes a manual operation control mode by operation of the first operator and an automatic navigation control mode for holding a direction using the target direction, or holding the throttle opening,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the target direction or the throttle opening used for an automatic navigation based on the operation input from the first operator in the automatic navigation control mode, and automatically navigate the ship based on the operation input from the first operator,

wherein the first operator is configured to comprise a joystick acquiring the operation input of a first tilting of a shaft in a port direction or a starboard direction and a twisting of a head,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the target direction based on the first tilting or the twisting,

wherein the first operator is further configured to comprise a throttle range selection button for selecting from a plurality of candidates a throttle range which the throttle opening is set by an operation input of a second tilting of the shaft of the joystick in the bow or stern direction of the ship, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select and set the throttle range from the plurality of candidates for the throttle range based on the operation input to the throttle range selection button.

2 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first operator is configured to comprise a joystick and an operation button, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to switch from the manual operation control mode to the automatic navigation control mode for holding the direction or the throttle opening at the time of the operation input to the operation button, and

set the target direction or throttle opening used for the automatic navigation based on the operation input to the joystick satisfying a predetermined condition during the automatic navigation control mode.

3 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to perform a direction control by changing a command rudder angle based on the operation input of the first tilting or the twisting of the joystick during the automatic navigation control mode,

acquire a heading when a stop of the operation input of the first tilting or the twisting of the joystick is detected, and

set the heading to the target direction.

4 . The ship control device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the command rudder angle proportional to an amount of the first tilting or an amount of the twisting.

5 . The ship control device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set a first range in which the command rudder angle assigned to the amount of the first tilting or the amount of the twisting gradually increases, and a second range in which the command rudder angle assigned to the amount of the first tilting or the amount of the twisting sharply increases, and

wherein the first range is larger than the second range.

6 . The ship control device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first range is a range in which the amount of the first tilting or the amount of the twisting is smaller than the second range.

7 . The ship control device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect the stop of the operation input of the first tilting or the twisting when the operation input of the first tilting or the twisting of the joystick has not been acquired for more than a predetermined time.

8 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to give priority to the first tilting over the twisting and adopt the first tilting for setting the target direction.

9 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set a change rate of the target direction based on amount of the first tilting or an amount of the twisting.

10 . The ship control device according to claim 9 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set the change rate of the target direction as a discrete value.

11 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to stop the automatic navigation control mode and switches to the manual operation control mode when the second tilting of the shaft of the joystick in the bow direction or the stern direction is within a cancel range of the automatic navigation control mode, or when an operating speed of the first tilting or second tilting exceeds a predetermined speed.

12 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first operator is further configured to acquire an operation input for enabling an intermittent throttle control, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate an intermittent throttle signal having a High level and a Low level when the intermittent throttle control is enabled.

13 . The ship control device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the first operator is further configured to acquire the operation input for setting the intermittent throttle control, and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set a duty ratio or frequency of the intermittent throttle signal based on the operation input for setting the intermittent throttle.

14 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to set a forward throttle range and a reverse throttle range differently.

15 . The ship control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to adjust the throttle opening based on the amount of the twisting operated in a state where the second tilting is maximum.

16 . A ship control method, comprising:

obtaining operation input from each of a first operator used in a low-speed navigation control mode and a second operator used in a high-speed navigation control mode,

determining a target direction or a throttle opening based on the operation input,

wherein the low-speed navigation control mode includes a manual operation control mode by operation of the first operator and an automatic navigation control mode for holding a heading using the target direction, or holding the throttle opening,

setting the target direction or the throttle opening used for an automatic navigation based on the operation input from the first operator in the automatic navigation control mode, and automatically navigating the ship based on the operation input from the first operator,

wherein the first operator is configured to comprise a joystick acquiring the operation input of a first tilting of a shaft in a port direction or a starboard direction and a twisting of a head,

setting the target direction based on the first tilting or the twisting, wherein the first operator is further comprises a throttle range selection button for selecting from a plurality of candidates a throttle range which the throttle opening is set by an operation input of a second tilting of the shaft of the joystick in the bow or stern direction of the ship, and

selecting and setting the throttle range from the plurality of candidates for the throttle range based on the operation input to the throttle range selection button.

17 . A non-transient computer-readable recording medium, recording a ship control program, enabling a computer to:

acquire operation input from each of a first operator used in a low-speed navigation control mode and a second operator used in a high-speed navigation control mode,

determine a target direction or a throttle opening based on the operation input,

wherein the low-speed navigation control mode includes a manual operation control mode by operation of the first operator and an automatic navigation control mode for holding a heading using the target direction, or holding the throttle opening,

set the target direction or the throttle opening used for an automatic navigation based on the operation input from the first operator in the automatic navigation control mode, and automatically navigate the ship based on the operation input from the first operator,

wherein the first operator is configured to comprise a joystick acquiring the operation input of a first tilting of a shaft in a port direction or a starboard direction and a twisting of a head,

set the target direction based on the first tilting or the twisting, wherein the first operator is further comprises a throttle range selection button for selecting from a plurality of candidates a throttle range which the throttle opening is set by an operation input of a second tilting of the shaft of the joystick in the bow or stern direction of the ship, and

select and set the throttle range from the plurality of candidates for the throttle range based on the operation input to the throttle range selection button.