System and method for controlling a position of a marine vessel near an object
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a position of a marine vessel, the marine vessel being powered by a marine propulsion system and movable with respect to first, second, and third axes that are perpendicular to one another and define six degrees of freedom of potential vessel movement, the method comprising:
- measuring a present location of the marine vessel;
determining a present heading of the marine vessel;
based on the marine vessel'"'"'s present location, determining with a controller that the marine vessel is less than or equal to a predetermined range from a target location;
determining, with the controller, marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the present location to the target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the present heading to a target heading; and
in response to the marine vessel being less than or equal to the predetermined range from the target location, automatically controlling the marine propulsion system with the controller to produce components of the required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control;
allowing a wait time to pass after producing all components of the required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control; and
in response to expiration of the wait time;
measuring an updated present location of the marine vessel;
determining an updated present heading of the marine vessel;
determining, with the controller, updated marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the updated present location to the target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the updated present heading to the target heading; and
automatically controlling the marine propulsion system with the controller to produce components of the updated required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A marine vessel is powered by a marine propulsion system and movable with respect to first, second, and third axes that are perpendicular to one another and define at least six degrees of freedom of potential vessel movement. A method for controlling a position of the marine vessel near a target location includes measuring a present location of the marine vessel, and based on the vessel'"'"'s present location, determining if the marine vessel is within a predetermined range of the target location. The method includes determining marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the present location to the target location. In response to the marine vessel being within the predetermined range of the target location, the method includes automatically controlling the propulsion system to produce components of the required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control.
191 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a position of a marine vessel, the marine vessel being powered by a marine propulsion system and movable with respect to first, second, and third axes that are perpendicular to one another and define six degrees of freedom of potential vessel movement, the method comprising:
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measuring a present location of the marine vessel; determining a present heading of the marine vessel; based on the marine vessel'"'"'s present location, determining with a controller that the marine vessel is less than or equal to a predetermined range from a target location; determining, with the controller, marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the present location to the target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the present heading to a target heading; and in response to the marine vessel being less than or equal to the predetermined range from the target location, automatically controlling the marine propulsion system with the controller to produce components of the required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control; allowing a wait time to pass after producing all components of the required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control; and in response to expiration of the wait time; measuring an updated present location of the marine vessel; determining an updated present heading of the marine vessel; determining, with the controller, updated marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the updated present location to the target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the updated present heading to the target heading; and automatically controlling the marine propulsion system with the controller to produce components of the updated required marine vessel movements one degree of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for controlling a position of a marine vessel, the marine vessel being movable with respect to first, second, and third axes that are perpendicular to one another and define six degrees of freedom of potential vessel movement, the system comprising:
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a location sensor that measures a present location of the marine vessel; a heading sensor that determines a present heading of the marine vessel; a controller in signal communication with the location sensor and the heading sensor; and a marine propulsion system in signal communication with the controller; wherein the controller determines marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the present location to a target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the present heading to a target heading; wherein the controller controls the marine propulsion system to produce components of the required marine vessel movements no more than two degrees of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control; wherein the controller determines that the marine vessel is less than or equal to a predetermined range from the target location based on the marine vessel'"'"'s present location; wherein the controller controls the marine propulsion system to produce the components of the required marine vessel movements no more than two degrees of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control only after determining that the marine vessel is less than or equal to the predetermined range from the target location; wherein the controller allows a wait time to pass after producing all components of the required marine vessel movements no more than two degrees of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control, and wherein subsequently; the controller receives an updated present location of the marine vessel from the location sensor and an updated present heading from the heading sensor; the controller determines updated marine vessel movements that are required to translate the marine vessel from the updated present location to the target location and to rotate the marine vessel from the updated present heading to the target heading; and the controller controls the marine propulsion system to produce components of the updated required marine vessel movements no more than two degrees of freedom at a time during a given iteration of control. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification