Cloud–Shore–Ship Collaborative Computing for Intelligent Navigation of Inland River Ships: Architecture Design, Operation Model, and Application

Intelligent navigation of inland vessels involves the collaboration of multiple traffic participants, including the vessels themselves, shore-based infrastructure, communication networks, and traffic clouds. The foundation of safe, stable, and efficient vessel operations lies in the construction of a unified information organization and computational architecture that logically integrates these elements. This article addresses the collaborative computing advantages of intelligent navigation for inland vessels by proposing a cloud–shore–ship collaborative computing architecture. The architecture is examined in detail from various perspectives, including its logical structure, collaborative computing process, and functional implementation. Furthermore, the theoretical operational process of the cloud–shore–ship collaborative computing architecture is modeled based on stackelberg game, and mathematical expressions for the cloud computing mode, ship–shore collaborative computing mode, and cloud–shore–ship collaborative computing mode are presented. The proposed architecture is then validated and analyzed through examples of multitask computing and collaborative perception. Simulation results indicate that the cloud–shore–ship collaborative computing framework can effectively reduce the processing delay and cost associated with intelligent navigation tasks. At the same time, it can increase the sensing range of the target by 28% and increase the sensing accuracy by 52% in the collaborative perception scenario. Finally, the cloud–shore–ship collaborative computing architecture is applied to the operational process of the Three Gorges lock, with analysis showing that the proposed framework enhances the efficiency of lock operations and reduces the waiting time for vessels. The proposed architecture highlights the importance of cloud–shore–vessel collaboration and clarifies the process of collaborative operation, which can effectively improve the level of navigation services compared with the traditional single information service approach. Thus, it provides a valuable reference scheme for the efficient service response of intelligent navigation tasks.