Sperry Marine Inc.

David A Bennett

Rebecca A Bird

Jeffrey C Johnson

Eldon John Thompson

Gregory Schluge

Ronald K Richey

Albert L Coleman

John F Yancey, Jr

Steven E Schubert

A ship steering system has a multiplicity of selectable steering stations. A continuously rotating helm at each steering station generates digital rudder control signals which cause a predetermined rudder movement for each 360.degree. of helm rotation. Steering stations are selected through a multiplexer controlled at a command steering station. The steering system is operable from the command steering station in a plurality of modes, which includes auto-pilot, helm (full-follow-up), and tiller (non-follow-up). Helm and/or tiller modes of operation are available at steering stations remote from the command steering station. The system provides for an emergency takeover from the helm or autopilot modes by automatically establishing the tiller mode when the tiller stick is moved. When in the autopilot mode an alarm system provides an alert should the course deviate from a selected course tolerance.

Configurable marine steering system

The rudder order bias integrator of a marine autopilot is reactivated upon substantial completion of a turning maneuver in response to heading error, heading rate and the derivative portion of the rudder order signal. Upon reactivation, the integrator time constant is ramped from a predetermined small value to the normal large time constant of the integrator.

Enhanced performance bias integrator for marine automatic pilot system

Growing community of inventors

Charlottesville, VA, United States of America

David A Bennett