Hull attitude control apparatus

1 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull and an electric motor which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor detects or predicts the shaking of the hull, and

the motor control portion repeatedly rotates the electric motor forward and backward in accordance with the shaking of the hull.

2 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the motor control portion performs the control of the propeller in a state where the propeller rotation axis line is inclined relative to a horizontal direction by the inclination angle control portion.

3 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the motor control portion performs the drive control of the electric motor so as to generate the thrust force in a direction opposite to a direction of the shaking or a direction of the movement of the hull.

4 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the motor control portion changes the thrust force in accordance with a speed of the shaking or a speed of the movement of the hull.

5 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the state detection sensor detects or predicts the movement of the hull, and

in an anchorage state of the hull,

the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion rotate the electric motor forward and backward so as to generate a thrust force in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement of the hull, and

the motor control portion determines a drive time of the electric motor so as to stop the hull at a place.

6 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the outboard engine comprises, at a tilt-down position, an upper unit on which the electric motor is provided and which is arranged at an upper portion and a lower unit on which the propeller is provided and which is arranged at a lower portion of the upper unit,

the lower unit is provided to be rotatable relative to the upper unit around a lower unit rotation axis line that is in parallel with an alignment direction of the upper unit and the lower unit, and

a thrust force is generated in a direction opposite to the direction of the movement of the hull by rotating the lower unit relative to the upper unit.

7 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the outboard engine comprises, at a tilt-down position, an upper unit on which the electric motor is provided and which is arranged at an upper portion and a lower unit on which the propeller is provided and which is arranged at a lower portion of the upper unit,

the lower unit is provided to be rotatable relative to the upper unit around a lower unit rotation axis line that is in parallel with an alignment direction of the upper unit and the lower unit,

the propeller is provided at the tilt-down position so as to be offset rearward relative to the lower unit rotation axis line, and

when the propeller rotation axis line is inclined relative to a horizontal direction by the inclination angle control portion, in a state where the propeller is inverted around the lower unit rotation axis line from an attitude at a time of traveling of the hull, the outboard engine is inclined to a tilt-up position.

8 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the inclination angle control portion controls an inclination angle of the propeller rotation axis line by controlling a tilt-up angle of the outboard engine.

9 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the state detection sensor comprises a tilt angle sensor that is provided on the hull and detects a tilt of the hull, and

the shaking of the hull is detected based on a detection result of the tilt angle sensor.

10 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the state detection sensor comprises at least one of:

a distance sensor that is provided on the hull and detects a distance from an arrangement position to a water surface, and the shaking of the hull is detected based on a change of the distance detected by the distance sensor,

an object camera that images an object around the hull or a horizontal line as a reference, and at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is detected based on a shake of the object or of the horizontal line imaged by the object camera or by a change of a distance to the object, or

a small flight vehicle that detects an attitude of the hull, and at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is detected based on a detection result from the small flight vehicle.

11 . The hull attitude control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the state detection sensor comprises at least one of:

a plurality of buoys that float around the hull and a buoy detection sensor that detects a position of each of the plurality of buoys, a state of a wave around the hull is obtained based on a detection result of the buoy detection sensor, and at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is predicted based on the state of the wave, or

a wave camera that images a wave around the hull, and at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is predicted based on a state of the wave imaged by the wave camera.

12 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller, which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull, and an electric motor, which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor detects or predicts the movement of the hull, and

in an anchorage state of the hull,

the motor control portion rotates the electric motor forward and backward so as to generate a thrust force in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement of the hull, and

the motor control portion determines a drive time of the electric motor so as to stop the hull at a place.

13 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller, which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull, and an electric motor, which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor comprises a distance sensor that is provided on the hull and detects a distance from an arrangement position to a water surface, and

the shaking of the hull is detected based on a change of the distance detected by the distance sensor.

14 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull and an electric motor which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor comprises:

a plurality of buoys that float around the hull, and

a buoy detection sensor that detects a position of each of the plurality of buoys,

a state of a wave around the hull is obtained based on a detection result of the buoy detection sensor, and

the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is predicted based on the state of the wave.

15 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller, which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull, and an electric motor which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor comprises a wave camera that images a wave around the hull, and

the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is predicted based on a state of the wave imaged by the wave camera.

16 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull and an electric motor which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor comprises an object camera that images an object around the hull or a horizontal line as a reference, and

the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is detected based on a shake of the object or of the horizontal line imaged by the object camera or by a change of a distance to the object.

17 . A hull attitude control apparatus comprising:

an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on a hull and generates a thrust force at the hull and an electric motor which drives the propeller;

an inclination angle control portion that controls an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

a motor control portion that performs a drive control of the electric motor; and

a state detection sensor that detects or predicts at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the inclination angle control portion and the motor control portion perform a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result of the state detection sensor,

the state detection sensor comprises a small flight vehicle that detects an attitude of the hull, and

the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull is detected based on a detection result from the small flight vehicle.

18 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises: performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting,

the detecting or the predicting is of the shaking of the hull, and

the performing of the drive control comprises repeatedly rotating the electric motor forward and backward in accordance with the shaking of the hull.

19 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 18 .

20 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises: performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting,

the detecting or the predicting is of the movement of the hull, and

in an anchorage state of the hull, the performing of the drive control comprises:

rotating the electric motor forward and backward so as to generate a thrust force in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement of the hull, and

determining a drive time of the electric motor so as to stop the hull at a place.

21 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 20 .

22 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises:

performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting; and

detecting a distance from an arrangement position to a water surface by a distance sensor that is provided on the hull, and

the detecting or the predicting comprises detecting the shaking of the hull based on a change of the distance detected by the distance sensor.

23 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 22 .

24 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises:

performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting;

detecting a position of each of a plurality of buoys that float around the hull by a buoy detection sensor; and

obtaining a state of a wave around the hull based on a detection result of the buoy detection sensor, and

the detecting or the predicting comprises predicting the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on the state of the wave.

25 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 24 .

26 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises:

performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting; and

imaging a wave around the hull by a wave camera, and

the detecting or the predicting comprises predicting the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a state of the wave imaged by the wave camera.

27 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 26 .

28 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises:

performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting; and

imaging an object around the hull or a horizontal line as a reference by an object camera,

the detecting or the predicting comprises detecting the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a shake of the object or of the horizontal line imaged by the object camera or by a change of a distance to the object.

29 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 28 .

30 . A hull attitude control method comprising:

generating a thrust force at a hull by an outboard engine that comprises a propeller which is provided on the hull;

driving the propeller by an electric motor;

controlling an inclination angle of a propeller rotation axis line in the propeller;

performing a drive control of the electric motor; and

detecting or predicting at least one of shaking or movement of the hull,

wherein the hull attitude control method further comprises:

performing a control of the propeller so as to prevent the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result or a prediction result acquired in the detecting or the predicting; and

detecting an attitude of the hull by a small flight vehicle, and

the detecting or the predicting comprises detecting the at least one of shaking or movement of the hull based on a detection result from the small flight vehicle.

31 . A computer program product facilitating hull attitude control, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform the hull attitude control method of claim 30 .