Brunswick Corporation

Woodward Governor Company

Michael J Lemancik

Steven J Andrasko

Jason S Arbuckle

Andrew J Przybyl

Kenneth G Gable

Thomas S Kirchhoff

Steven M Anschuetz

Daniel J Balogh

Steven J Gonring

Travis C Malouf

Mark W Henker

Jeffery C Ehlers

Walter B Ross

Vojislav V Divljakovic

Steven L Van Camp

Robert M Hackbarth

Matthew W Snyder

Aaron J Ward

Matthew Eric Derginer

Robert Raymond Osthelder

Eric S Mueller

Phillip K Gaynor

Kurt D Willows

James M Horak

John R Boatman

John W Wyant

William D Lanyi

Brett J McNalley

Randy K Novak

Joseph S Dimig

Jose B Figueroa, Jr

A marine propulsion system for marine vessel includes at least one battery configured to power a vessel load, a plurality of marine drives, and a control system. Each of the plurality of marine drives includes an engine, an alternator driven by the engine to charge the battery, and a propulsor selectively driven by the engine to propel the marine vessel. Each of the plurality of marine drives is configured to operate in a propulsion mode in which the engine is operated to rotate the propulsor to propel the marine vessel in a generator mode in which the engine is operated to charge the battery while the marine vessel remains stationary. The control system is configured to select a subset of the plurality of marine drives and then to operate the subset of marine drives in the generator mode to charge the battery while the marine vessel remains stationary.

Marine propulsion and generator systems and methods

A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel includes an engine effectuating rotation of an output shaft, multiple batteries configured to power a marine vessel load, and an alternator having a rotor that is driven into rotation by the output shaft and that outputs a charge current to the batteries. The marine propulsion system further includes a control system configured to operate the engine in a propulsion mode and a generator mode. Upon receiving a generator mode command to start the engine in the generator mode, the control system operates the engine in accordance with a set of generator parameters to charge the batteries while a shift system of the marine propulsion system is locked in a neutral position such that the propulsor cannot be engaged and the marine vessel remains stationary.

A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel has an outboard motor including a cowl covering an internal combustion engine that powers the outboard motor and an accelerometer mounted to the outboard motor. A control module is communicatively connected to the accelerometer. The control module receives information regarding an acceleration of the outboard motor from the accelerometer. The control module uses the information regarding the acceleration of the outboard motor to do at least one of the following: determine an angle of the outboard motor with respect to gravity; determine an amount of oil in an oil sump of the outboard motor; and determine if a reading of the amount of oil in the oil sump is accurate.

Systems and methods for enhancing features of a marine propulsion system

A marine propulsion system includes at least two parallel propulsion devices that each generate forward and reverse thrusts, wherein the parallel propulsion devices are oriented such that their thrusts are parallel to one another, and at least one drive position sensor configured to sense a drive angle of the parallel propulsion devices. A lateral thruster is configured to generate starboard and port thrust to propel the marine vessel. A user input device is operable by a user to provide at least a lateral thrust command to command lateral movement of the marine vessel and a rotational thrust command to command rotational movement of the marine vessel. A controller is configured to control the parallel propulsion devices and the lateral thruster based on the lateral steering input and/or the rotational steering input and the drive angle so as to provide the lateral movement and/or the rotational movement.

Marine propulsion control system and method

A method includes accepting inputs to a marine vessel's control module, the inputs defining first and second waypoints and a desired heading, and defining a desired track between the first and second waypoints. Ideal steering and thrust commands required to orient the vessel at the desired heading and to maneuver the vessel from the first to the second waypoint are generated and carried out. The method includes measuring a current position and heading of the vessel; calculating a cross-track error based on the current position as compared to the desired track; and calculating a heading error based on the current heading as compared to the desired heading. The method includes generating corrective steering and thrust commands that are required to minimize the cross-track error and the heading error. The propulsion system propels the marine vessel according to the corrective steering and thrust commands, as appropriate.

Vessel maneuvering methods and systems

A trim control system includes a memory storing a plurality of trim profiles, each trim profile defining a unique relationship between a plurality of vessel speeds and respective propulsion device trim angles. The unique relationship is: (a) a calibrated relationship developed by determining optimal trim angles for a particular propulsion device powering a particular marine vessel at a number of tested vessel speeds and a number of different conditions; or (b) developed by modifying a nominal relationship between a number of vessel speeds and a number of corresponding trim angles. An input device allows a user to select one of the trim profiles from the memory so as to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle relative to vessel speed. A controller determines a setpoint trim angle corresponding to measured vessel speed according to the selected trim profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.

Systems and methods for automatically controlling attitude of a marine vessel with trim devices

A method for controlling movement of a marine vessel near an object includes accepting a signal representing a desired movement of the marine vessel from a joystick. A sensor senses a shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel and a direction of the object with respect to the marine vessel. A controller compares the desired movement of the marine vessel with the shortest distance and the direction. Based on the comparison, the controller selects whether to command the marine propulsion system to generate thrust to achieve the desired movement, or alternatively whether to command the marine propulsion system to generate thrust to achieve a modified movement that ensures the marine vessel maintains at least a predetermined range from the object. The marine propulsion system then generates thrust to achieve the desired movement or the modified movement, as commanded.

Methods for controlling movement of a marine vessel near an object

A method for steering a marine vessel powered by a marine engine and having a steerable marine device includes initiating a docking mode, and in response to initiation of the docking mode, reducing a steering ratio between input signals corresponding to steered positions of a steering wheel and output signals corresponding to desired steering angles of the marine device, such that the steering ratio is less than the steering ratio would otherwise be were the vessel in a non-docking mode. Input signals are accepted from the steering wheel, and output signals are generated based on the input signals and the reduced steering ratio. The output signals are sent to a steering actuator coupled to the marine device, which controls a position of the marine device to the desired steering angles.

System and methods for steering a marine vessel

A method for controlling movement of a marine vessel includes controlling a propulsion device to automatically maneuver the vessel along a track including a series of waypoints, and determining whether the next waypoint is a stopover waypoint at or near which the vessel is to electronically anchor. If the next waypoint is the stopover waypoint, a control module calculates a distance between the vessel and the stopover waypoint. In response to the calculated distance being less than or equal to a threshold distance, the propulsion device's thrust is decreased. In response to sensing that the vessel thereafter slows to a first threshold speed, the vessel's speed is further reduced. In response to sensing that the vessel thereafter slows to a second, lower threshold speed or passes the stopover waypoint, the propulsion device is controlled to maintain the vessel at an anchor point that is at or near the stopover waypoint.

Station keeping and waypoint tracking methods

A trim control system automatically controls trim angle of a marine propulsion device with respect to a vessel. A memory stores trim base profiles, each defining a unique relationship between vessel speed and trim angle. An input device allows selection of a base profile to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle versus vessel speed, and then optionally to further refine the aggressiveness. A controller then determines a setpoint trim angle based on a measured vessel speed. If the user has not chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from the selected base profile. However, if the user has chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from a trim sub-profile, which defines a variant of the relationship between vessel speed and trim angle defined by the selected base profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.

Systems and methods are for controlling movement of a marine vessel extending along a longitudinal axis between a bow and a stern and along a lateral axis between a port side and a starboard side, having a first propulsion device located closer to the stern than to the bow and steerable about a first steering axis perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral axes, a second propulsion device located closer to the bow than to the stern and steerable about a second steering axis perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral axes. An input device is configured to input a request for movement of the marine vessel. A control module is configured to control steering and thrust of the first and second propulsion devices to achieve a resultant movement of the marine vessel commensurate with the request for movement.

Systems and methods for controlling movement of a marine vessel using first and second propulsion devices

A method for maneuvering a marine vessel powered by a propulsion system includes accepting inputs to an electronic navigation device and generating a desired track based on the inputs. The desired track includes a series of waypoints, each waypoint in the series of waypoints being associated with a respective heading. The method also includes sending position and orientation information corresponding to each waypoint and its associated heading to a control module. Based on the position and orientation information, the control module generates steering and thrust commands that are required to maneuver the marine vessel from a current waypoint and heading in the series to a following waypoint and heading in the series. According to the steering and thrust commands, the propulsion system thereafter propels the marine vessel along the desired track to each waypoint and its associated heading in succession. A corresponding system is also disclosed.

Systems and methods for reducing steering pressures of marine propulsion device steering actuators are disclosed. First and second sensors sense first and second conditions of first and second steering actuators. A third sensor senses an operating characteristic of the marine vessel. A controller is in signal communication with the first, second, and third sensors. In response to the marine vessel travelling generally straight ahead, the controller determines a target toe angle between the first and second marine propulsion devices based on the operating characteristic. The controller commands the first and second steering actuators to position the first and second marine propulsion devices at the target toe angle. The controller thereafter gradually adapts the target toe angle between the first and second marine propulsion devices until the controller determines that an absolute difference between the first condition and the second condition reaches a calibrated value.

Systems and methods for continuously adapting a toe angle between marine propulsion devices

Systems for maneuvering a marine vessel comprise a plurality of marine propulsion devices that are movable between an aligned position to achieve of movement of the marine vessel in a longitudinal direction and/or rotation of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal direction and an unaligned position to achieve transverse movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal direction. A controller has a programmable circuit and controls the plurality of marine propulsion devices to move into the unaligned position when a transverse movement of the marine vessel is requested and to thereafter remain in the unaligned position after the transverse movement is achieved. Methods of maneuvering a marine vessel comprise requesting transverse movement of the marine vessel with respect to a longitudinal direction and operating a controller to orient a plurality of marine propulsion devices into an unaligned position to achieve the transverse movement, wherein the plurality of marine propulsion devices remain in the unaligned position after the transverse movement is achieved.

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Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

Michael J Lemancik