Control system and ship

Abstract

Each of a plurality of propulsion machines of the control system includes a propulsion machine controller. The propulsion machine position determiner of the control system includes the propulsion machine controllers and a gateway device. The gateway device has a plurality of connection ports connected to a communication bus, and includes a single or a plurality of gateway controllers connected to each other in series via the connection ports and the communication bus. The propulsion machine controllers of two of the propulsion machines are communicably connected to different connection ports of the gateway controller provided corresponding to a pair of the two propulsion machines. The gateway controllers individually communicate with the two propulsion machine controllers to recognize the presence or absence of the propulsion machines having the propulsion machine controllers, and outputs recognition information based on recognition results of the propulsion machines from the different connection ports.

1 . A control system, comprising:
 a plurality of propulsion machines; and   a propulsion machine position determiner that determines relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines, wherein:
 the plurality of propulsion machines include respective propulsion machine controllers, 
 the propulsion machine position determiner includes the propulsion machine controllers and a gateway device, 
 the gateway device has a plurality of connection ports to which a communication bus is connected and includes a single or a plurality of gateway controllers connected in series via the connection ports and the communication bus, 
 the propulsion machine controllers of two of the plurality of propulsion machines are communicably connected to different connection ports of one of the gateway controllers which corresponds to the pair of the two propulsion machines, and 
 the gateway controller communicates with each of the two propulsion machine controllers connected to the connection ports to recognize the presence or absence of the propulsion machines having the propulsion machine controllers, and outputs recognition information based on recognition results of the propulsion machines from the different connection ports. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gateway device includes the plurality of the gateway controllers,   one of the plurality of gateway controllers receives the recognition result output from one of the other gateway controllers via the communication bus, and   the recognition result includes a result of recognition of the presence or absence of a propulsion machine having a propulsion machine controller connected to the one of the other gateway controllers.   
     
     
         3 . The control system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of gateway controllers are connected in series via the connection ports and the communication bus, and   the propulsion machine position determiner determines the total number of propulsion machines arranged in one direction and determines relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines in the one direction by sharing the recognition results of the propulsion machines in the individual gateway controllers through communication.   
     
     
         4 . The control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion machine position determiner determines, based on one of the plurality of propulsion machines which has a propulsion machine controller connected to only one of the connection ports of one of the gateway controllers, via the communication bus, relative positions of the other propulsion machines. 
     
     
         5 . The control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a receiver that receives an instruction input for configuration detection including a determination of relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines,   wherein the propulsion machine position determiner starts the configuration detection when the receiver receives the instruction input.   
     
     
         6 . The control system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a display that displays a detection result obtained by the propulsion machine position determiner. 
     
     
         7 . The control system according to  claim 6 , wherein the display selectably displays a correction instruction button for receiving an instruction to correct a setting corresponding to the detection result. 
     
     
         8 . The control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the display selectably displays an approval button for accepting approval of the detection result obtained by the propulsion machine position determiner. 
     
     
         9 . The control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers determine a configuration indicated by the detection result as a configuration of the plurality of propulsion machines when receiving the approval of the detection result performed by the approval button, and start control of the plurality of propulsion machines in accordance with the determined configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The control system according to  claim 6 , wherein;
 the propulsion machine position determiner further determines whether the detection result corresponds to an approval prohibition item, and   when the detection result corresponds to the approval prohibition item, the display displays prohibition of approval.   
     
     
         11 . The control system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a configuration information storage that stores configuration information of the plurality of propulsion machines indicated by the detection result approved by a selection of the approval button. 
     
     
         12 . The control system according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of control of the plurality of propulsion machines reflecting the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage, in accordance with driving states of the propulsion machines. 
     
     
         13 . The control system according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information while the propulsion machines are being driven. 
     
     
         14 . The control system according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an operation acceptor that accepts an operation for driving the plurality of propulsion machines,   wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of control of the plurality of propulsion machines reflecting the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage in accordance with an operation state of the operation acceptor.   
     
     
         15 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein;
 the operation acceptor includes a control head, and   the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the control head is at a position other than a neutral position.   
     
     
         16 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein;
 the operation acceptor includes a joystick, and   the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the joystick is at a position other than a neutral position.   
     
     
         17 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein;
 the operation acceptor includes an autopilot device, and   the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information during operation of the autopilot device.   
     
     
         18 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein;
 the operation acceptor includes a joystick, and   the plurality of propulsion machine controllers determine whether start of the control reflecting the configuration information is to be prohibited in accordance with the presence or absence of a lateral propulsion machine capable of propulsion in a lateral direction.   
     
     
         19 . The control system according to  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the lateral propulsion machine is not employed. 
     
     
         20 . A ship comprising:
 the control system according to  claim 1 , and   a hull including the control system.