Brunswick Corporation

Gene A Smedema

Jason S Arbuckle

Steven J Andrasko

Andrew J Przybyl

Kenneth G Gable

David M Van Buren

William P O'Brien

Michael P Dengel

Matthew W Snyder

Robert Raymond Osthelder

Lance W Ziemer

A system for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel by a marine drive is provided, the marine drive having a marine engine that effectuates rotation of propulsor through a shift system that shifts amongst at least a forward gear position, a reverse gear position, and a neutral position. The system includes a remote control having a lever movable to provide a throttle demand input for controlling the marine engine and a shift demand input for controlling the shift system. A shift demand sensor measures a shift demand lever position to provide the shift demand input, and a throttle demand sensor measures a throttle demand lever positions to provide the throttle demand input. A control module is configured to detect shift demand sensor failure based on the shift demand lever position values and assign a predetermined throttle demand lever position as shift command position. When the throttle demand lever position reaches the shift command position, a shift command is generated instructing a change in gear position of the shift system.

Method and system for controlling a marine drive during shift sensor fault

A method for setting an engine speed of an internal combustion engine in a marine propulsion device of a marine propulsion system to an engine speed setpoint includes determining the engine speed setpoint based on an operator demand and predicting a position of a throttle valve that is needed to achieve the engine speed setpoint. The method also includes determining a feed forward signal that will move the throttle valve to the predicted position, and after moving the throttle valve to the predicted position, adjusting the engine speed with a feedback controller so as to obtain the engine speed setpoint. An operating state of the marine propulsion system is also determined. Depending on the operating state, the method may include determining limits on an authority of the feedback controller to adjust the engine speed and/or determining whether the operator demand should be modified prior to determining the engine speed setpoint.

Systems and methods for setting engine speed in a marine propulsion device

A system and method are for diagnosing a fault state of a shift linkage in a marine propulsion device. A control lever is movable towards at least one of a maximum reverse position and a maximum forward position. A shift linkage couples the control lever to a transmission, wherein movement of the control lever causes movement of the shift linkage that enacts a shift change in the transmission. A shift sensor outputs a position signal representing a current position of the shift linkage. A control circuit diagnoses a fault state of the shift linkage when after the shift change the position signal that is output by the shift sensor is outside of at least one range of position signals that is stored in the control circuit.

Systems and methods for diagnosing a fault state of a shift linkage in a marine propulsion device

A control system is provided which allows the operator of a marine vessel to select a transmission position (e.g. forward, neutral, or reverse) and an engine speed in the event that a throttle lever malfunctions. By providing messages to the operator on an annunciator and receiving selections from the operator on a plurality of push button switches, a microprocessor selects gear positions and engine operating speed in response to commands received from the operator.

Backup method for controlling the operation of a marine vessel when a throttle lever is disabled

A system is provided which stores data relating to the operation of a marine vessel during a water skier launch procedure. The data can include a plurality of throttle handle positions that are stored at a frequency which is suitable for reproducing the movement profile of the handle during a launch procedure. The water skier launch profile is then stored so that it can be recalled and reactivated to repeat the acceleration profile of the boat.

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Princeton, WI, United States of America

Gene A Smedema