Methods and systems for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel to enhance proximity sensing in a marine environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904996-B2
Application number	US-202117523681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Nov 1, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A method for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel powered by a marine propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion devices includes operating at least one proximity sensor to determine a relative position of the marine vessel with respect to an object, the at least one proximity sensor having a field of view (FOV), identifying a trigger condition for expanding the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor, and determining whether the object will be sufficiently captured based on recent vessel angle data of the marine vessel. Upon determining that the object will not be sufficiently captured, thrust and/or steering position of at least one of the plurality of propulsion devices is controlled to expand the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor by inducing a roll movement or a pitch movement of the marine vessel.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel powered by a marine propulsion system including a plurality of propulsion devices controllable to propel the marine vessel with respect to first, second, and third perpendicular axes defining six degrees of freedom, the method comprising:
operating at least one proximity sensor to determine a relative position of the marine vessel with respect to an object, the at least one proximity sensor having a field of view (FOV);
identifying a trigger condition for expanding the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor;
determining whether the object will be sufficiently captured based on recent vessel angle data of the marine vessel, including at least one of a recent pitch, roll, and/or yaw angle measurement of the marine vessel; and
upon determining that the object will not be sufficiently captured, controlling thrust and/or steering position of at least one of the plurality of propulsion devices to expand the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor by inducing a roll movement or a pitch movement of the marine vessel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether an object will be sufficiently captured includes calculating an FOV based on the recent vessel angle data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining whether an object will be sufficiently captured further includes determining a sufficient FOV to capture the object and comparing the sufficient FOV to the FOV based on the recent vessel angle data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object at a predefined relative position with respect to the marine vessel based on a current and/or instructed direction of movement of the marine vessel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object within a threshold distance of the marine vessel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object of a threshold size within the threshold distance of the marine vessel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of a predefined object type.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the predefined object type is at least one of a dock or a slip.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of a threshold concentration of objects within a predefined radius relative to a current position of the marine vessel.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an environment map identifying relative positions of objects based on a present location of the marine vessel and the field of view of the at least one proximity sensor; and
wherein the trigger condition includes engagement of an automatic propulsion control mode where a controller controls the plurality of propulsion devices based on the environment map.

11. A propulsion control system for a marine vessel, the propulsion control system comprising:
a plurality of propulsion devices steerable to propel the marine vessel;
at least one proximity sensor that determines a relative position of the marine vessel with respect to an object, the at least one proximity sensor having a field of view (FOV);
a controller configured to:
identify a trigger condition for expanding the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor;

determine whether the object will be sufficiently captured based on recent vessel angle data of the marine vessel, including at least one of a recent pitch, roll, and/or yaw angle measurement of the marine vessel; and
upon determining that the object will not be sufficiently captured, control thrust and/or steering position of at least one of the plurality of propulsion devices to expand the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor by inducing a roll movement or a pitch movement of the marine vessel.

12. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein determining whether an object will be sufficiently captured includes calculating an FOV based on the recent vessel angle data.

13. The propulsion control system of claim 12 , wherein determining whether an object will be sufficiently captured further includes determining a sufficient FOV to capture the object and comparing the sufficient FOV to the FOV based on the recent vessel angle data.

14. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object at a predefined relative position with respect to the marine vessel based on a current and/or instructed direction of movement of the marine vessel.

15. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object within a threshold distance of the marine vessel.

16. The propulsion control system of claim 15 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object of a threshold size within the threshold distance of the marine vessel.

17. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of the object being a predefined object type.

18. The propulsion control system of claim 17 , wherein the predefined object type is at least one of a dock or a slip.

19. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger condition includes detection of a threshold concentration of objects within a predefined radius relative to a current position of the marine vessel.

20. The propulsion control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate an environment map identifying relative positions of objects based on a present location of the marine vessel and the field of view of the at least one proximity sensor; and
wherein the trigger condition includes engagement of an automatic propulsion control mode where the controller controls the plurality of propulsion devices based on the environment map.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Derginer Matthew Eric
• Ward Aaron J
• Malouf Travis C

Classifications

• B63H21/21 Primary

  Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels · CPC title

• B63H20/12 Primary

  Means enabling steering · CPC title

• G05D1/0875

  specially adapted to water vehicles · CPC title

• B63H2020/003

  Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units · CPC title

• B63H2021/216

  using electric control means · CPC title