Configurable remote control system and method for a marine vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020258331-A1
Application number	US-202016786215-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 13, 2019
Publication date	Aug 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A remote control system for a marine vessel includes a helm transceiver positioned on the marine vessel and configured to communicate with one or more fobs, and at least one operator fob configured to wirelessly transmit a fob signal to the helm transceiver on the marine vessel. A controller is configured to receive the fob signal transmitted by the operator fob and to determine an operator distance based on the fob signal. The operator distance is compared with one or more threshold distances, and then a system command is generated based on the comparison of the operator distance to the one or more threshold distances so as to control operation of one or more devices on the marine vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A remote control system for a marine vessel, the remote control system comprising:
a helm transceiver positioned on the marine vessel and configured to communicate with one or more fobs; at least one operator fob configured to wirelessly transmit a fob signal to the helm transceiver on the marine vessel; a controller configured to:
receive the fob signal transmitted by the operator fob;
determine an operator distance based on the fob signal;
compare the operator distance with one or more threshold distances; and
generate a system command based on the comparison so as to control operation of one or more devices on the marine vessel.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine an operator direction with respect to the marine vessel based on the fob signal from the operator fob and to generate at least one system command based further on the operator direction.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the operator direction as either toward the marine vessel or away from the marine vessel.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller determines the operator distance based on a radio signal strength indicator of the fob signal, and where the controller determines the operator direction based on a change in operator distance over time.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fob signal communicates a fob identification associated with the operator fob to the helm transceiver.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to store a set of system commands for each fob identification in a list of permitted fob identifications, wherein each system command in the set of system commands is associated with one of the threshold distances and an operator direction.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when fob signals are received from at least two fobs, select one of the at least two fobs as the operator fob and access the set of system commands associated with the fob identification for the fob selected as the operator fob.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the operator fob is selected based on a prioritized list of the permitted fob identifications.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the operator fob is selected based on an order of detection of the at least two fobs.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to verify that the fob identification is on the list of permitted fob identifications prior to selecting at least one system command from the set of system commands associated with the detected operator fob.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to select a fob as the operator fob and generate the system command based on a set of commands associated with the operator fob, wherein the operator fob is selected based on a prioritized list of permitted fobs.

12 . A method of remotely controlling systems on a marine vessel, the method comprising:
transmitting a fob signal from an operator fob worn by an operator; receiving the fob signal transmitted by the operator fob at a helm transceiver; determining an operator distance based on the fob signal; comparing the operator distance with one or more threshold distances; and controlling operation of one or more devices on the marine vessel based on the comparison.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein controlling operation of the one or more devices includes activating or deactivating at least one of a propulsion device, a door lock, a vessel light, an entertainment device, an environmental control system when the operator distance crosses one of the threshold distances.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining an operator direction with respect to the marine vessel based on the fob signal from the operator fob, wherein the activation or deactivation of the one or more devices is further based on the operator direction.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining an operator direction with respect to the marine vessel based on the fob signal from the operator fob; and controlling operation of one or more devices on the marine vessel based further on the operator direction.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the operator distance is determined based on a radio signal strength indicator of the fob signal, and where the operator direction is determined based on a change in operator distance over time.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
storing a set of system commands for each fob identification in a list of permitted fob identifications, wherein each system command in the set of system commands is associated with one of the threshold distances and the operator direction; wherein the fob signal communicates a fob identification associated with the operator fob to the helm transceiver; and controlling operation of one or more devices on the marine vessel based further on the fob identification.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further includes:
receiving fob signals from at least two fobs; selecting one of the at least two fobs as the operator fob; and access a set of system commands associated with a fob identification for the fob selected as the operator fob.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the operator fob is selected from the at least two fobs based on a prioritized list of permitted fob identifications.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the operator fob is selected based on an order of detection of the at least two fobs.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp
• Fell Marine Inc

Inventors

• Gonring Steven J
• Ross Walter B
• Eriksen Fredrik
• Røine Christian Frost

Classifications

• B60R2021/0095

  Boats · CPC title

• B60R25/04

  operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• B63H21/21

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