System and method for controlling handling of a marine vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9733645-B1
Application number	US-201414484702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A system and method are for controlling handling of a marine vessel having a steerable component that is steerable to a plurality of positions to vary a direction of movement of the vessel. A controller is communicatively connected to an actuator of the steerable component and a user input device provides to the controller an operator-initiated steering command to steer the steerable component to one of the plurality of positions. A sensor provides to the controller an indication of an undesired course change of the marine vessel. The controller has a vessel direction control section that outputs a command to the actuator to change a position of the steerable component from the one of the plurality of positions so as to automatically counteract the undesired course change. The vessel direction control section is active only when the operator-initiated steering command is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling handling of a marine vessel, the system comprising:
a steerable component coupled to the marine vessel and steerable to a plurality of positions so as to vary a direction of movement of the marine vessel;
a controller communicatively connected to an actuator of the steerable component;
a user input that provides to the controller an operator-initiated steering command to steer the steerable component to one of the plurality of positions; and
a sensor that provides to the controller an indication of an undesired course change of the marine vessel;
wherein the controller has a vessel direction control section which, in response to the indication of the undesired course change, outputs a command to the actuator to change a position of the steerable component from the one of the plurality of positions to automatically counteract the undesired course change;
wherein the vessel direction control section is active only when the operator-initiated steering command is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vessel direction control section does not change the position of the steerable component to automatically counteract the undesired course change when the operator-initiated steering command is greater than the predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vessel direction control section can change the position of the steerable component to automatically counteract the undesired course change by up to progressively decreasing predetermined amounts as the operator-initiated steering command approaches the predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a yaw rate sensor that provides a sensed actual yaw rate of the marine vessel, and the vessel direction control section is a yaw rate control section that compares the sensed actual yaw rate to a predetermined desired yaw rate and outputs the command to change the position of the steerable component to achieve the predetermined desired yaw rate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a heading sensor that provides a sensed actual heading of the marine vessel, and the vessel direction control section is a heading control section that compares the sensed actual heading to a predetermined desired heading and outputs the command to change the position of the steerable component to achieve the predetermined desired heading.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vessel direction control section is active only when the marine vessel is not in an autopilot heading hold mode.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the vessel direction control section is active only when the operator-initiated steering command provided by the user input has been straight-ahead for longer than a predetermined period of time.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the vessel direction control section is active only when the marine vessel is on plane.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a roll sensor that determines an actual roll angle of the marine vessel, wherein the vessel direction control section is active only when the actual roll angle of the marine vessel is less than a predetermined roll angle.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein a steering wheel provides the user input and the operator-initiated steering command is a steering wheel angle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the steerable component is a pod drive.

12. A method for controlling handling of a marine vessel having a steerable component steerable to a plurality of positions so as to vary a direction of movement of the marine vessel, the method comprising:
receiving an operator-initiated steering command;
outputting a command to an actuator to steer the steerable component to one of the plurality of positions that corresponds to the operator-initiated steering command;
receiving an indication of an undesired course change of the marine vessel from a sensor;
determining if the operator-initiated steering command is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and
in response to receiving the indication of the undesired course change and to the operator-initiated steering command being less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, outputting a command to the actuator to change the position of the steerable component from the one of the plurality of positions to automatically counteract the undesired course change.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising maintaining the steerable component at the one of the plurality of positions if the operator-initiated steering command is greater than the predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising changing the position of the steerable component to counteract the undesired course change by up to progressively decreasing predetermined amounts as the operator-initiated steering command approaches the predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising carrying out the method only when the marine vessel is not in an autopilot heading hold mode.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising carrying out the method only when the operator-initiated steering command has been straight-ahead for longer than a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining if the marine vessel is on plane and carrying out the method only when the marine vessel is on plane.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising measuring an actual roll angle of the marine vessel and carrying out the method only when the actual roll angle of the marine vessel is less than a predetermined roll angle.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving the indication of the undesired course change from a yaw rate sensor.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving the indication of the undesired course change from a heading sensor.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Andrasko Steven J
• Arbuckle Jason S
• Ward Aaron J

Classifications

• B63H2025/022

  Steering wheels; Posts for steering wheels · CPC title

• G05D1/0206 Primary

  specially adapted to water vehicles · 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