Station keeping methods
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method for maintaining position of a marine vessel in a body of water, the vessel being propelled by a marine propulsion device powered by an engine, the method comprising:
- accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected position;
utilizing position feedback control to determine an initial steering angle, an initial gear position, and an initial engine speed for the propulsion device that cause the propulsion device to produce a linear thrust vector that counteracts a net external force on the vessel and maintains the vessel in the initial selected position;
propelling the vessel to a new selected position;
accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position;
utilizing information related to one of the position feedback control and the linear thrust vector to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected position; and
controlling the propulsion device according to the predicted control parameters to maintain the vessel at the new selected position.
1 Assignment
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for maintaining position and/or heading of a marine vessel in a body of water includes accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected position and/or heading, and utilizing position/heading feedback control to determine initial steering angles, gear positions, and engine speeds for the vessel'"'"'s propulsion devices that cause the propulsion devices to produce thrust that counteracts a net external force and moment on the vessel and maintains the vessel at the initial selected position/heading. The method also includes propelling the vessel to a new selected position/heading, and accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading. The method next includes utilizing information related to one of the position/heading feedback control and the propulsion devices'"'"' thrust to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading, and controlling the propulsion device according to the predicted control parameters.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for maintaining position of a marine vessel in a body of water, the vessel being propelled by a marine propulsion device powered by an engine, the method comprising:
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accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected position; utilizing position feedback control to determine an initial steering angle, an initial gear position, and an initial engine speed for the propulsion device that cause the propulsion device to produce a linear thrust vector that counteracts a net external force on the vessel and maintains the vessel in the initial selected position; propelling the vessel to a new selected position; accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position; utilizing information related to one of the position feedback control and the linear thrust vector to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected position; and controlling the propulsion device according to the predicted control parameters to maintain the vessel at the new selected position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for maintaining orientation of a marine vessel in a body of water, the vessel being propelled by first and second marine propulsion devices powered by first and second engines, respectively, the method comprising:
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accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected heading; utilizing heading feedback control to determine initial steering angles, initial gear positions, and initial engine speeds for the first and second propulsion devices, respectively, which result in the first and second propulsion devices together producing a resultant moment about a preselected point on the vessel that counteracts a net external moment on the vessel and maintains the vessel at the initial selected heading; rotating the vessel to a new selected heading; accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected heading; utilizing information related to one of the heading feedback control and the resultant moment to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected heading; and controlling the first and second propulsion devices according to the predicted control parameters to maintain the vessel at the new selected heading. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for maintaining position and orientation of a marine vessel in a body of water, the marine vessel being propelled by first and second marine propulsion devices powered by first and second engines, respectively, the method comprising:
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determining initial steering angles, initial gear positions, and initial engine speeds for the first and second propulsion devices, respectively, which result in the first and second propulsion devices together producing a resultant linear thrust vector that counteracts a net external force on the vessel and maintains the vessel in an initial selected position, and which result in the first and second propulsion devices together producing a resultant moment about a preselected point on the vessel that counteracts a net external moment on the vessel and maintains the vessel at an initial selected heading; propelling the vessel to a new selected position; rotating the vessel to a new selected heading; accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position and at the new selected heading; calculating new steering angles, new gear positions, and new engine speeds for the first and second propulsion devices, respectively, that will result in the first and second propulsion devices together creating the same resultant linear thrust vector that was required to counteract the net external force on the vessel at the initial selected position and the same resultant moment that was required to counteract the net external moment on the vessel at the initial selected heading; and rotating the first and second propulsion devices to the new steering angles, respectively, placing the first and second propulsion devices in the new gear positions, respectively, and causing the first and second engines to rotate at the new engine speeds, respectively, to produce the same resultant linear thrust vector and the same resultant moment and maintain the vessel at the new selected position and the new selected heading. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification