Marine automatic control systems using recursive estimation procedures

This paper presents a new approach of designing automatic control systems for marine vehicles using a recursive estimation algorithm in combination with a control law. The work is developed based on results of research done when the author was a postgraduate student at Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine (currently named as Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology), Japan. The method of designing a computer-based control system adopts a modem control algorithm in combination with an online estimation algorithm, so that the control system can adapt well to changes in the environment surrounding a marine vehicle. The control algorithms involve the dynamic systems with time-varying parameters. The control algorithms have been verified by both numerical computer simulation and full-scale experiment on board an actual ship. The author also proposes possible research and development of marine control systems based on the methods using the experimental facilities at the Australian Maritime College.