Systems and methods for steering a marine vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628920-B2
Application number	US-202117215884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2021
Priority date	Mar 29, 2021
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A method of controlling a steering system on a marine vessel includes, in response to receiving a user input to engage a quick steer mode, employing a reduced steering ratio to translate positions of a steering wheel to desired steering angles of a marine drive. A vessel speed of a marine vessel is determined and then compared to a threshold vessel speed. An output limit is determined to prevent the marine vessel from further exceeding the threshold vessel speed while the quick steer mode is engaged. The marine drive is automatically controlled based on the output limit and a steering actuator associated with the marine drive is controlled based on the reduced steering ratio.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a steering system on a marine vessel, the method comprising:
in response to receiving a user input to engage a quick steer mode, employing a reduced steering ratio to translate positions of a steering wheel to desired steering angles of a marine drive;
determining a vessel speed of the marine vessel;
comparing the vessel speed to a threshold vessel speed;
upon determining that the vessel speed exceeds the threshold vessel speed, determining output limit to prevent the marine vessel from further exceeding the threshold vessel speed while the quick steer mode is engaged; and
controlling the marine drive based on the output limit and controlling a steering actuator associated with the marine drive based on the reduced steering ratio and the positions of the steering wheel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output limit prevents effectuating a user commanded vessel speed increase only in a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output limit includes a reduced demand to the marine drive in a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reduced demand is a percentage of a user demand input.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining the reduced demand based on at least one of a user demand input, a vessel speed, gear position of the marine drive, and a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the reduced demand includes utilizing a forward reduced demand table when the direction of travel is forward and the user demand input requests a forward demand, and utilizing a reverse reduced demand table when the direction of travel is backward and the user demand input requests a reverse demand, and wherein the forward reduced demand table and the reverse reduced demand table each provide reduced demand values based on user demand input values.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reduced demand values in the reverse reduced demand table are greater than the reduced demand values in the forward reduced demand table for the same user demand input values.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output limit includes at least one of an revolutions per minute (RPM) limit to limit a rotational speed of the marine drive and a thrust output limit to limit a thrust output of the marine drive.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the vessel speed of the marine vessel includes measuring vessel speed with a vessel speed sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the vessel speed of the marine vessel includes accessing a pseudo vessel speed table providing vessel speed values based on user demand input values.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising adapting the pseudo vessel speed table to the marine vessel by storing a measured vessel speed produced at each of a range of user demand inputs.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to receiving a user input to disengage the quick steer mode, employing a normal steering ratio between positions of the steering wheel and desired steering angles of the marine drive, wherein a larger steering angle change is effectuated in response to a movement of the steering wheel when the reduced steering ratio is employed compared to a steering angle change in response to the movement of the steering wheel when the normal steering ratio is employed.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising decreasing a number of permitted wheel turns lock-to-lock upon engaging the quick steer mode.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller to compare the vessel speed to the threshold vessel speed and determine the output limit based on the comparison, and wherein controlling the marine drive based on the output limit includes determining a reduced demand based on a user demand input and the output limit.

15. A steering system for a marine vessel, the system comprising:
a steerable marine drive rotatable about a steering axis to desired steering angles;
a steering actuator configured to rotate the marine drive about the steering axis;
a steering wheel rotatable by a user;
a wheel position sensor configured to sense a position of the steering wheel;
a one or more controllers collectively configured to:
in response to receiving a user input to engage a quick steer mode, employ a reduced steering ratio to translate positions of a steering wheel to desired steering angles of a marine drive;
determine a vessel speed of the marine vessel;
compare the vessel speed to a threshold vessel speed;
upon the vessel speed exceeding the threshold vessel speed, determine an output limit to prevent the marine vessel from further exceeding the threshold vessel speed while in the quick steer mode; and
control the marine drive based on the output limit and control the steering actuator associated with the marine drive based on the reduced steering ratio the positions of the steering wheel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the output limit prevents effectuating a user commanded vessel speed increase only in a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the output limit includes a reduced demand to the marine drive in a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the reduced demand is a percentage of a user demand input.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more controllers is further configured to determine the reduced demand based on at least one of a user demand input, a vessel speed, and a direction of travel of the marine vessel.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more controllers is further configured to determine the reduced demand utilizing a forward reduced demand table when the direction of travel is forward and the user demand input requests a forward demand, and utilizing a reverse reduced demand table when the direction of travel is backward and the user demand input requests a reverse demand; and
wherein the forward reduced demand table and the reverse reduced demand table each provide reduced demand values based on user demand input values and wherein the reduced demand values in the reverse reduced demand table are greater than the reduced demand values in the forward reduced demand table for the same demand input values.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more controllers is further configured to, in response to receiving a user input to disengage the quick steer mode, employ a normal steering ratio between positions of the steering wheel and desired steering angles of the marine drive, wherein a larger steering angle change is effectuated in response to a movement of the steering wheel when the reduced steering ratio is employed compared to a steering angle change in response to the movement of the steering wheel when the normal steering ratio is employed.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more controllers utilizes proportional integral derivative (PID) controller to compare the vessel speed to the threshold vessel speed and determine the output limit based on the comparison, and wherein controlling the marine drive based on the output limit includes determining a reduced demand based on a user demand input and the output limit.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Karnick Kyle F
• Przybyl Andrew J
• Gable Kenneth G
• Van Buren David M

Classifications

• B63H2025/022

  Steering wheels; Posts for steering wheels · CPC title

• B63H25/24

  by electrical means · CPC title

• B63H25/04 Primary

  automatic, e.g. reacting to compass · CPC title

• B63H20/12

  Means enabling steering · CPC title

• B63H25/02 Primary

  Initiating means for steering {, for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring} · CPC title