System and method for positioning an aquatic vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618537-B2
Application number	US-202017032300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 27, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A pontoon boat including a thruster system is disclosed. The pontoon boat executes various operations relating to a speed and heading of the pontoon boat.

First claim

We claim:

1. A pontoon boat comprising:
a plurality of pontoons;
a deck supported by the plurality of pontoons, the deck having an outer perimeter;
a plurality of sensors supported by the plurality of pontoons;
a propulsion system having at least one prime mover which propels the pontoon boat through a body of water; and
at least one controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the at least one prime mover, the at least one controller configured to monitor a location of the pontoon boat and determine a relationship of the pontoon boat to a boundary in the body of water, wherein:
the boundary corresponds to a shape that is defined by at least a first point and a second point on a map that includes the body of water;
the pontoon boat is capable of navigating on both a first side of the boundary and a second side of the boundary; and
the second side of the boundary opposite the first side of the boundary.

2. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to control the propulsion system to maintain the pontoon boat on a first side of the boundary.

3. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one memory including a plurality of operator profiles, a first operator profile includes the boundary and a second operator profile does not include the boundary, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine which operator profile is currently associated with the pontoon boat and, if the second operator profile is associated with the pontoon boat, the at least one controller permits the pontoon boat to cross the boundary.

4. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , further comprising a locator operatively coupled to the at least one controller, the locator providing an indication of the location of the pontoon boat to the at least one controller.

5. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one sensor monitoring an above water region proximate the pontoon boat, wherein the at least one controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor to determine a position of an environmental object proximate the pontoon boat and to control the propulsion system to avoid contact with the environmental object.

6. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pontoons includes a port side pontoon, a starboard side pontoon, and a third pontoon positioned between the port side pontoon and the starboard side pontoon, each of the plurality of pontoons extending longitudinally under the deck.

7. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system includes an outboard motor positioned at a stern of the deck of the pontoon boat.

8. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system includes a thruster system including at least one water inlet in the plurality of pontoons and a plurality of water outlets in the plurality of pontoons.

9. The pontoon boat of claim 8 , wherein the at least one water inlet and the plurality of water outlets are provided in a third pontoon that is positioned between a port side pontoon and a starboard side pontoon of the plurality of pontoons.

10. The pontoon boat of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of water outlets includes at least two of a port-bow outlet, a port-stern outlet, a starboard-bow outlet, and a starboard-stern outlet.

11. The pontoon boat of claim 8 , wherein the thruster system further includes at least one fluid pump which pumps fluid from the at least one inlet towards at least one of the plurality of outlets.

12. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , further comprising a warning device operably coupled to the at least one controller, the at least one controller causing the warning device to announce a warning in response to the location of the pontoon boat approaching within a first distance of the boundary.

13. The pontoon boat of claim 12 , wherein the warning device provides at least one of an audible warning, a visual warning, and a tactile warning.

14. A method of controlling a position of a pontoon boat relative to a boundary, the method comprising the steps of:
monitoring a location of the pontoon boat with at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat;
determining a relationship of the pontoon boat to a boundary in a body of water with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, wherein:
the boundary corresponds to a shape that is defined by at least a first point and a second point on a map that includes the body of water; and
the pontoon boat is capable of navigating on both a first side of the boundary and a second side of the boundary; and

in response to the location of the pontoon boat approaching within a first distance of the boundary, with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, providing a warning to an operator of the pontoon boat.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising in response to the location of the pontoon boat approaching within the first distance of the boundary automatically controlling, with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, the propulsion system to maintain the pontoon boat on the first side of the boundary.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of automatically controlling, with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, the propulsion system to maintain the pontoon boat on the first side of the boundary includes the step of altering the position of the pontoon boat with a thruster system carried by at least one of the plurality of pontoons.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of receiving a user input of at least two positions which influence at least a portion of the shape.

18. A method of controlling a position of a pontoon boat relative to a boundary, the method comprising the steps of:
monitoring a location of the pontoon boat with at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat;
determining a relationship of the pontoon boat to a boundary in the water with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, the pontoon boat capable of navigating on both a first side of the boundary and a second side of the boundary; and
in response to the location of the pontoon boat approaching within a first distance of the boundary automatically controlling, with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, the propulsion system to maintain the pontoon boat on the first side of the boundary.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of automatically controlling, with the at least one controller associated with the pontoon boat, the propulsion system to maintain the pontoon boat on the first side of the boundary includes the step of altering the position of the pontoon boat with a thruster system carried by at least one of the plurality of pontoons.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of receiving a user input of at least two positions which influence a shape of at least a portion of the boundary.

21. A pontoon boat for navigating through water having a plurality of environmental objects, the pontoon boat comprising:
a plurality of pontoons;
a deck supported by the plurality of pontoons, the deck having an outer perimeter;
a plurality of sensors supported by the plurality of pontoons;
a propulsion system having at least one prime mover which propels the pontoon boat through the water; and
at least one controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the at least one prime mover, the at le

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Schmid Andrew C
• Kirchner Katie C
• Donoughe Michael F
• Smith Jeremy C
• Donat Blair A
• Marshall Gabriel A
• Fishburn Bradley R

Classifications

• B63B1/125

  comprising more than two hulls (B63B1/107 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63B29/02 Primary

  Cabins or other living spaces; Construction or arrangement thereof · CPC title

• B63H11/04

  by means of pumps · CPC title

• B63B3/48

  Decks (planking B63B5/06) · CPC title

• B63H25/46

  Steering or dynamic anchoring by jets {or by rudders carrying jets (steering or dynamic anchoring by deflecting or directing main propulsion jets B63H11/00)} · CPC title