Sun adjusted station keeping methods and systems
First Claim
1. A method of controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water, the vessel being propelled by a marine propulsion device, the method comprising:
- with a control module, determining a relative heading instruction describing a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun;
receiving a target global position for the marine vessel;
determining the position of the sun relative to the target global position based on a current date and a current time;
calculating a sun adjusted heading for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction;
determining an current heading of the marine vessel; and
with the control module, controlling the propulsion device to position the marine vessel at the target global position and align the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water includes determining, at a control module, a relative heading instruction describing a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun. A target global position for the marine vessel is received, and a position of the sun relative to the target global position is determined based on a current date and a current time. A sun adjusted heading is calculated for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction. A current heading of the marine vessel is determined, and propulsion devices on the marine vessel are controlled to position the marine vessel at the target global position and align the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water, the vessel being propelled by a marine propulsion device, the method comprising:
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with a control module, determining a relative heading instruction describing a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun; receiving a target global position for the marine vessel; determining the position of the sun relative to the target global position based on a current date and a current time; calculating a sun adjusted heading for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction; determining an current heading of the marine vessel; and with the control module, controlling the propulsion device to position the marine vessel at the target global position and align the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water, the system comprising:
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a marine propulsion device controllable to propel a marine vessel; a position determination device configured to determine a current global position of the marine vessel; a heading detector configured to determine a current heading of the marine vessel; a control module configured to; determining a relative heading instruction based on a user input, wherein the relative heading instruction describes a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun; receive a target global position for the marine vessel; determine the position of the sun relative to the target global position based on a current date and a current time; calculate a sun adjusted heading for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction; receive the current global position from the position determination device; receive the current heading of the marine vessel from the heading detector; and control the propulsion device to align that the current position of the marine vessel at the target global position and the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification