Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha

Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha

Takashi Mizokawa

Hirofumi Mochizuki

Morihiro Oishi

Tsuyoshi Kamiya

Hisashi Kazuta

A watercraft propulsion system has a control lever for giving instructions regarding the operating mode as well as the amount of output power from a source of driving force, and a controller for setting a propeller driving mode according to the instruction given by the control lever. When a reverse mode is instructed by the control lever, the controller sets the propeller driving mode depending on certain considerations such as user settings and battery charge. For instance, the controller may set the propeller driving mode to a mode in which the propeller is rotated in reverse by an electric motor or by the engine. Also, the controller may regulate electric power supply to the motor in light of battery charge. Other combinations are also contemplated.

Watercraft propulsion system and operating method

A watercraft propulsion system can be a hybrid type watercraft propulsion system including an engine and an electric motor both working as drive power sources for a propeller. When an operating lever instructs a speed reduction assist mode as a stopping mode, a controller can stop the engine and reverse the rotational direction of the electric motor to reversely rotate the propeller. The controller can determine whether the speed reduction assist mode is instructed or not based upon a mean movement speed of the operating lever and can control the electric motor based upon a speed of the watercraft. Alternatively, the controller can control the electric motor based upon instructions by the speed reduction assist lever.

Watercraft propulsion system and operation control method therefor

A boat propulsion unit includes an electric motor, a potentiometer arranged to detect the rotating angle of a throttle grip, a first stop mode sensor, a second stop mode sensor, and a controller including a CPU, and a disconnection and short detecting circuit. If the voltage signal fed by the disconnection and short detecting circuit is out of the specified range, the CPU detects the operation mode designated by the throttle grip based on the switching of the outputs from the first stop mode sensor and the second stop mode sensor. Then, the electric motor is driven in the forward operation mode and with the specified output power when the forward operation mode is designated, whereas, the electric motor is driven in the reverse operation mode and with the specified output power when the reverse operation mode is designated. Using this arrangement, the boat propulsion unit can obtain a minimum required boat operation as intended by the boat operator even when an abnormality has occurred in the controls.

Boat propulsion unit

A boat propulsion apparatus is constructed such that an operation mode can be switched to a reverse mode and an amount of an output can be set by an easy operation without a complicated structure and further in which a main body of the propulsion apparatus can be locked to a hull. The boat propulsion apparatus is provided with a main body and a locking mechanism. The main body of the propulsion apparatus is provided with an electric motor, a throttle grip, a potentiometer arranged to detect an indication by the throttle grip, a first controller arranged to control an operation mode and an output of the electric motor depending on an output of the potentiometer, and second controller arranged to control the locking mechanism depending on an indication provided by the throttle grip. According to an operation for turning the throttle grip to a reverse mode area, the controller switches the electric motor to the reverse mode, and the second controller operates the locking mechanism to lock the main body of the propulsion apparatus to a hull.

Boat propulsion apparatus

A watercraft propulsion system has a control lever for giving instructions regarding operating mode and output power from a source of driving force. A controller sets a propeller driving mode according to instructions given from the control lever. In an embodiment, an electric motor and an engine are included in the propulsion system, and the controller simultaneously controls both the engine and motor based on inputs from the control lever and sensed conditions.

An autonomous device behaving adaptively to a user includes a sensing unit; a recognition unit for recognizing user's command, a current user-related status, and a current user-unrelated status based on the sensed signals; a pseudo-personality-forming unit for establishing a pseudo-personality based on the result of the preceding recognition; a pseudo-emotion-forming unit for establishing pseudo-emotions based on the result of the preceding recognition and the pseudo-personality; an autonomous behavior-establishing unit for selecting autonomous behavior based on the result of the preceding recognition, the pseudo-personality, and the pseudo-emotions; a new behavior pattern generation unit for generating new patterns of autonomous behavior, linked to the autonomous behavior-establishing unit; a commanded behavior-establishing unit for constituting commanded behavior in accordance with the user's command; a behavior control unit for controlling behavior by combining the autonomous behavior and the commanded behavior; and an output device outputting the controlled behavior. The device comes to be viewed as a 'pet' or a 'friend' in a relatively short time.

Control system for controlling object using pseudo-emotions and pseudo-personality generated in the object

An autonomous device behaving adaptively to a user includes a sensing unit; a recognition unit for recognizing user's command, a current user-related status, and a current user-unrelated status based on the sensed signals; a pseudo-personality-forming unit for establishing a pseudo-personality based on the result of the preceding recognition; a pseudo-emotion-forming unit for establishing pseudo-emotions based on the result of the preceding recognition and the pseudo-personality; an autonomous behavior-establishing unit for selecting autonomous behavior based on the result of the preceding recognition, the pseudo-personality, and the pseudo-emotions; a commanded behavior-establishing unit for constituting commanded behavior in accordance with the user's command; a behavior control unit for controlling behavior by combining the autonomous behavior and the commanded behavior; and an output device outputting the controlled behavior. The device comes to be viewed as a &ldquo;pet&rdquo; or a &ldquo;friend&rdquo; with the passage of time.

A system guides a user (or a vehicle ) in reference to a target position via sound changes. The system (i) virtually disposes a sound source at the target position defined in a geographical data field covering the positional arrangement of the user and the target object, and (ii) actually outputs simulated sounds to the user as if the target position emitted sounds and the sounds were propagated from the target position to the user at the current position. The sounds change as the user moves in the geographical data field. For example, sound propagation paths, through which sound waves from the sound source are propagated to the user while being influenced by other objects or obstacles, are calculated based on positional data from a position detection system . Simulated sounds expressed by combining directly transmitted waves, diffraction waves, and reflection waves, which arrive at the user through the sound propagation paths, are generated, and the generated sounds are outputted from multiple speakers to in such a way that the three-dimensional position of the sound source can be identified.

Position guiding method and system using sound changes

An autonomous device behaving adaptively to a user includes a sensing unit; a recognition unit for recognizing user's command, a current user-related status, and a current user-unrelated status based on the sensed signals; a pseudo-personality-forming unit for establishing a pseudo-personality based on the result of the preceding recognition; a pseudo-emotion-forming unit for establishing pseudo-emotions based on the result of the preceding recognition and the pseudo-personality; an autonomous behavior-establishing unit for selecting autonomous behavior based on the result of the preceding recognition, the pseudo-personality, and the pseudo-emotions; a new behavior pattern generation unit for generating new patterns of autonomous behavior, linked to the autonomous behavior-establishing unit; a commanded behavior-establishing unit for constituting commanded behavior in accordance with the user's command; a behavior control unit for controlling behavior by combining the autonomous behavior and the commanded behavior; and an output device outputting the controlled behavior. The device comes to be viewed as a &ldquo;pet&rdquo; or a &ldquo;friend&rdquo; in a relatively short time.

An arrangement for determining the position of a vehicle along a two dimensional course and for steering the vehicle to maintain a desired preset path. A sensing device is incorporated that includes markers placed at known locations and an optical sensor sequentially makes three measurements of the angle between the vehicle and the sensors, the angular course of the vehicle and the distance travelled from the last sensing so as to provide an indication of the actual vehicle position and course. The actual position is then compared with the desired position and corrections are made by the steering mechanism.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Takashi Mizokawa