Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha

Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha

Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Yamaha Motor Company Ltd

Takashi Okuyama

Makoto Ito

Noriyoshi Ichikawa

Isao Kanno

Takahiro Oguma

Masaru Suzuki

Masaru Kawanishi

Masahiko Kato

Hitoshi Motose

Shuji Iekura

Eifu Watanabe

Makoto Itoi

Takashi Sugimoto

Syu Akuzawa

Masaru Suemori

In a connection device connected to a network mounted in a boat, a protocol of a connection device connected to a network mounted in a boat is identified based on a communication ID in a certain message transmitted through the network. A device protocol is determined in accordance with the protocol of the network. Data communication in the network is performed in conformity with the device protocol. Accordingly, when the connection device is connected to the network, the connection device automatically identifies a protocol of the network and operates appropriately. Therefore, upward compatibility is maintained and usability is improved.

Connection device and program

In a device authentication control method and device, when a connection device is connected to a network mounted on a boat, it is determined whether or not the connection device corresponds to an authentication-free device. If the connection device does not correspond to an authentication-free device, an authenticating action is performed on the connection device. If the connection device does correspond to an authentication-free device, the connection device is exempted from the authenticating action. In this way, when a connection device does not correspond to an authentication-free device, an authenticating action is performed, but when the connection device corresponds to an authentication-free device, the connection device is exempted from an authenticating action. As a result, it is possible to handle specific connection devices as authentication-free.

Device authentication control method, device authentication control device, and boat

An ECU for a main remote control has a termination resistance having a first terminal connected to a high level signal line CAN of a CAN cable and a second terminal connected to an external terminal of a connector. The CAN cable also has a low level signal line CAN connected to an external terminal of a connector. A power wire VCC is divided at its midportion, and respectively connected to external terminals of the connector. When a connector is connected, the termination resistance is connected between the high level signal line CAN and the low level signal line CAN of the CAN cable by a jumper line, and power is supplied through a jumper line. When the connector is disconnected, the termination resistance is not connected and the ECU for a main remote control does not operate since no power is supplied thereto.

Electronic control device for remote control and teleoperation system using same

A remote control system for controlling a propulsion unit of a watercraft includes a plurality of remote controller side ECUs, all of which have the same construction in one embodiment. Each remote controller side ECU includes ECU discriminating terminal sections and an ECU determining section for determining a role of each remote controller side ECU based upon signals provided by the ECU discriminating terminal sections. The ECU determining section determines a role of the particular remote controller side ECU based upon the signals provided by the ECU discriminating terminal sections when the remote controller side ECU starts operating. The ECU determining section also reads out the most proper one of first through sixth exclusive use sections, which define the function of the ECU's role. A determination result is stored in first, second and third EPROMs so as to be used to determine the role.

Remote control system for a watercraft

A remote control apparatus for controlling multiple propulsion units of a boat is provided. The remote control apparatus, in one embodiment, comprises a body having a first control lever and a second control lever. An electronic control unit is disposed within the body of the remote control apparatus and comprises a storage device and a contact member. The storage device can store a correction value for calibrating the control levers, while the contact member determines when correction values can be entered into the storage device when the contact member is in an enabled state. The remote control apparatus can be calibrated before the apparatus is installed on the boat, thereby eliminating the need for an operator to calibrate the remote control apparatus. A boat having the remote control apparatus described herein and a method for storing a calibration value for the control lever are also provided.

Remote control apparatus for a boat

An electronic control device on an internal combustion engine side connected to an abnormal internal combustion engine detects an abnormality and outputs the abnormal signal; the target throttle opening angle signal is transmitted to the electric throttle actuator to set a throttle opening angle of an abnormal internal combustion engine to a predetermined opening angle; the abnormal signal is transmitted to the electronic control devices on a remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine; and the electronic control devices on a remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine, on receiving the abnormal signal, transmit the target throttle opening angle signal to the electronic control devices on an internal combustion engine side of a normal internal combustion engine.

Remote control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat

An outboard motor control system can have a first PTT switch and a second PTT switch in a first steering station and in a second steering station respectively, and a third PTT switch in a location outside of a boat hull. Operation instruction given by each PTT switch can be input to a first microcomputer of a first ECU. The first microcomputer can determine if the inputted operation instruction is to be sent to the outboard motor, based on which PTT switch the operation instruction came from, whether the main switch is ON or OFF, and which steering station has precedence in boat control.

Boat having prioritized controls

A remote control device for controlling a watercraft propulsion device of a watercraft having an engine that generates propulsive power can have a plurality of remote control device side ECUs. All of the plurality of remote control device side ECUs can have the same construction. Each remote control device side ECU can have an ECU discriminating terminal section, an ECU determining section configured to determine a role of the respective remote control device side ECU based upon a signal provided from the ECU discriminating terminal section, and an exclusive use section configured to operate based upon a signal provided from the ECU determining section to execute a function corresponding to the role that is specifically assigned.

Remote control device, remote control device side ECU and watercraft

A remote control operation unit can have a remote control shift lever through which a boat operator can remotely select between forward, neutral, and reverse drive modes. A boat propulsion unit can have a shift switching device for shifting and a shift actuator for operating the shift switching device. A controller can be configured to control the operation of the shift actuator in response to the operation amount of the remote control shift lever. The controller can also be configured to control the shift actuator such that the shift actuator achieves a first target position that is a position beyond a reference position of the shift actuator where a dog clutch is in the middle of a neutral range, when the remote control shift lever has been shifted from either a forward position or a reverse position to a neutral position.

Remote control system for boat

A watercraft includes a remote control device disposed on a side of a hull for maneuvering the watercraft, and a plurality of outboard motors disposed on a side of a stern of the hull for generating thrust under control of the remote control device. A remote control body of the remote control device encloses a plurality of first remote control side ECUs for controlling the respective outboard motors. The respective first remote control side ECUs are connected to each other through an ECU communication line enclosed in the remote control body and the respective first remote control side ECUs communicate operational information.

Watercraft

An outboard motor of a watercraft can include a shifting mechanism for performing gear shifting among forward, neutral, and reverse positions. A shift actuator can be configured to drive the shifting mechanism. A shift position sensor can be configured to detect a position of the shift actuator with respect to the forward, neutral, and reverse positions. A controller can be configured to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor. A start-regulation circuit can have a plurality of semiconductor devices configured to deactivate a starting motor of the engine when a starting switch of the engine is turned on in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor.

Watercraft propulsion apparatus and watercraft

A boat can be provided with an electrically controlled outboard motor, or other type of propulsion unit, for producing thrust according to an operation of a remote control unit provided in a hull of the boat. The remote control ECU which can output a remote control operation signal can be provided in the remote control unit. An engine ECU which can receive the remote control operation signal and control the outboard motor, can be provided in the outboard motor. The remote control unit and the outboard motor can have respective connectors directly connected to each other via a DBW CAN cable.

Boat

A watercraft propelled by an outboard motor includes an inspection system. The inspection system includes a terminal computer that conducts an inspection of an engine control device and a control unit. The computer includes a program that performs an inspection process that provides the control device with a command signal to start an inspection of the control device and that requests the control device to output a first response signal. The process determines whether the response signal is consistent with a first specified signal. The process provides the control unit with a command signal to start an inspection of the control unit and requests the control unit to output a second response signal. The process determines whether the second response signal is consistent with a second specified signal. The control device controls a throttle actuator and a shift actuator based upon the second response signal and provides the inspection system with an operating signal. The process determines whether the operating signal is consistent with the second specified signal. The computer includes an indicator panel or other display device to show the results of the determinations made by the inspection process.

Inspection system for watercraft

A method of steering a watercraft propulsion device mounted to a transom plate and having a steering drive unit which allows the watercraft propulsion device to rotationally move about a swivel shaft. The method can include calculating a steering control amount for the steering drive unit in accordance with the degree of operator's steering wheel displacement and a predetermined steering system response performance, and operating the steering drive unit based on the calculated control physical quantity, in which the predetermined steering system response performance can be, selected from a plurality of plurality of predetermined steering system response performance options.

Method and system for steering watercraft

A remote control device can be provided in a watercraft equipped with at least three outboard motors for operating the outboard motors by remote control. The remote control device can have a pair of shift levers and can be provided with a detection device for detecting positions of the shift levers. A remote control-side ECU can control the outboard motorsby signals from the detection device. The remote control-side ECU can include a plurality of ECUs corresponding to the outboard motors. The detection device can include a plurality of detection devices for the outboard motors disposed on the sides of the stern of a hull and one for the outboard motor disposed between the side outboard motors. Each of the detection devices can be connected to a respective one of the remote control-side ECUs.

Growing community of inventors

Hamamatsu, Japan

Takashi Okuyama