Methods for controlling movement of a marine vessel near an object

• US 10,259,555 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Ward, Aaron J., Lemancik, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/246,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20180057132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/10 using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/40 for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2020/003 Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/42 Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements by jets B63H25/46; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method for controlling movement of a marine vessel near an object, the marine vessel being propelled by thrust generated by a marine propulsion system according to commands from a controller, the method comprising:

accepting, with the controller, a signal representing a desired movement of the marine vessel from a desired movement operational section;

resolving the desired movement of the marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a preselected point on the marine vessel;

determining a magnitude and a direction of a thrust vector of the marine propulsion system that will result in achievement of the target linear thrust and the target moment about the preselected point on the marine vessel;

sensing, with a sensor, a shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel and a direction of the object with respect to the marine vessel; and

with the controller, comparing the shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel to a predetermined range;

wherein in response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the object, the controller automatically nullifies any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause net thrust in the direction of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the object, the controller automatically nullifies any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause the marine vessel to yaw such that any portion of the marine vessel would not maintain the predetermined range from the object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to the marine vessel being beyond the predetermined range of the object, the method comprises generating the thrust vector that will result in achievement of the target linear thrust and the target moment about the preselected point on the marine vessel.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the object, the method further comprises generating any vector components of the thrust vector that do not cause net thrust in the direction of the object.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating thrust that will result in achievement of the target linear thrust and the target moment about the preselected point on the marine vessel as long as the marine vessel is beyond the predetermined range of the object, and meanwhile continuing to sense the shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel and continuing to compare the shortest distance to the predetermined range.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating net thrust in a direction that is opposite the direction of the object in response to the marine vessel coming within a given distance of the predetermined range from the object.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a magnitude of net thrust in the opposite direction based on a speed at which the marine propulsion system was operating as the marine vessel came within the given distance of the predetermined range from the object.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating net thrust in the opposite direction for a period of time that depends on a momentum of the marine vessel as the marine vessel came within the given distance of the predetermined range from the object.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating net thrust in the opposite direction in response to the marine vessel coming within the given distance of the predetermined range from the object, even when no signal from the desired movement operational section is received.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming that the marine propulsion system is operating in a given mode before automatically nullifying any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause net thrust in the direction of the object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming that the marine propulsion system is operating below a predetermined speed threshold before automatically nullifying any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause net thrust in the direction of the object.

12. A method for controlling movement of a marine vessel near an object, the marine vessel being propelled by thrust generated by a marine propulsion system, the method comprising:

accepting, with a controller, a signal representing a desired movement of the marine vessel from a joystick;

sensing, with a sensor, a shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel and a direction of the object with respect to the marine vessel;

with the controller, comparing the desired movement of the marine vessel with the shortest distance and the direction;

based on the comparison, selecting with the controller 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; and

generating thrust with the marine propulsion system to achieve the desired movement or the modified movement, as commanded.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

resolving the desired movement of the marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a preselected point on the marine vessel;

determining a magnitude and a direction of a thrust vector of the marine propulsion system that will result in achievement of the target linear thrust and the target moment about the preselected point on the marine vessel; and

with the controller, comparing the shortest distance between the object and the marine vessel to the predetermined range;

wherein in response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the object, the controller automatically nullifies any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause net thrust in the direction of the object and automatically nullifies any vector components of the thrust vector that would otherwise cause the marine vessel to yaw such that any portion of the marine vessel would not maintain the predetermined range from the object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the marine vessel being beyond the predetermined range of the object, the method comprises generating the thrust vector that will result in achievement of the target linear thrust and the target moment about the preselected point on the marine vessel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the object, the method further comprises generating any vector components of the thrust vector that do not cause net thrust in the direction of the object.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating net thrust in a direction that is opposite the direction of the object in response to the marine vessel coming within a given distance of the predetermined range from the object.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a magnitude of net thrust in the opposite direction and a period of time for which to generate net thrust in the opposite direction based on a speed at which the marine propulsion system was operating as the marine vessel came within the given distance of the predetermined range from the object.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising confirming that the marine propulsion system is operating in a given mode before generating thrust with the marine propulsion system to achieve the modified movement.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the given mode is a joysticking mode.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting one of a plurality of sensors with which to sense the shortest distance and the direction based on a previously saved actual distance between the object and the marine vessel.