Controller for propulsion unit, control program for propulsion unit controller, method of controlling propulsion unit controller, and controller for watercraft

• US 20050263058A1
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Motor Company Limited (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Motor Company Limited (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuyama, Takashi, Suemori, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,416,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/144.R
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/12 Means enabling steering
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2020/003 Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/22 the propulsion power units being controlled from exterior of engine room, e.g. from navigation bridge; Arrangements of order telegraphs
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass

Abstract

A boat control system can include a propulsion unit controller, a port outboard motor, and a starboard outboard motor. The propulsion unit controller can includes an electronic throttle valve control section, an electronic shift control section, an electronic steering control section, a target control value calculating section, and a GPS receiver. The target control value calculating section can be adapted to calculate engine revolutions and steering angles corresponding to target values of the port outboard motor and the starboard outboard motor based on target values preset by an operator and values detected by the GPS receiver.

Claims

1. A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stem and t least one unit provided at the starboard stem of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating means.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the geometric information includes at least one of:

a distance between the boat stem and the instantaneous center of the boat;

distances between the center line and the respective propulsion units at the port and starboard; and

numerical values related to the distances.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit is provided with an internal combustion engine, the propulsion unit control means including an intake air amount control section having a throttle valve being configured to control the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine by controlling the opening of the throttle valve, the controller further comprising a target engine revolution calculating means for calculating target engine revolutions of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target propulsion forces calculated by the target control value calculating means, and a target opening calculating means for calculating the target openings of the throttle valves of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target engine revolutions calculated by the target engine revolution calculating means, wherein the propulsion force control means controls the propulsion forces of the propulsion units by controlling the intake air amounts of the internal combustion engines by means of the intake air amount control section based on the target openings calculated by the target opening calculating means.

4. The controller of claim 2, wherein the propulsion unit is provided with an internal combustion engine, the propulsion unit control means including an intake air amount control section having a throttle valve being configured to control the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine by controlling the opening of the throttle valve, the controller further comprising a target engine revolution calculating means for calculating target engine revolutions of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target propulsion forces calculated by the target control value calculating means, and a target opening calculating means for calculating the target openings of the throttle valves of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target engine revolutions calculated by the target engine revolution calculating means, wherein the propulsion force control means controls the propulsion forces of the propulsion units by controlling the intake air amounts of the internal combustion engines by means of the intake air amount control section based on the target openings calculated by the target opening calculating means.

5. The controller of claim 1 in combination with a boat controller for controlling the operation of the boat.

6. The controller of claim 2 in combination with a boat controller for controlling the operation of the boat.

7. The controller of claim 3 in combination with a boat controller for controlling the operation of the boat.

8. The controller of claim 4 in combination with a boat controller for controlling the operation of the boat.

13. The controller of claim 1, wherein the propulsion unit is provided with an internal combustion engine, the propulsion unit control device including an intake air amount control section having a throttle valve being configured to control the intake air amount of the internal combustion engine by controlling the opening of the throttle valve, the controller further comprising a target engine revolution calculating device for calculating target engine revolutions of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target propulsion forces calculated by the target control value calculating device, and a target opening calculating device for calculating the target openings of the throttle valves of the port and starboard propulsion units respectively based on the target engine revolutions calculated by the target engine revolution calculating device, wherein the propulsion force control device controls the propulsion forces of the propulsion units by controlling the intake air amounts of the internal combustion engines with the intake air amount control section based on the target openings calculated by the target opening calculating device.

9. A program for controlling a propulsion unit controller for controlling multiple propulsion units on a boat, at least one propulsion unit provided at the port stem and at least one unit provided at the starboard stem of the boat, wherein a computer implements a process using a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles calculated by the target control value calculating means.

10. A method of controlling a propulsion unit controller for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stem and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of a boat, the method comprising the steps of acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, acquiring target bow direction information of the boat, detecting current moving direction information of the boat, detecting current moving speed information of the boat, detecting current bow direction information of the boat, acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, calculating target control values, the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles, of the propulsion units so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles calculated in the step of calculating the target control values.

11. A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one provided at the port stern and at least one provided at the starboard stem of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction information acquiring device configured to acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring device configured to acquire target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring device configured to acquire target bow direction information of the boat, a moving direction information detecting device configured to detect current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting device configured to detect current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting device configured to detect current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring device configured to acquire geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating device configured to calculate target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control device configured to control the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating device.

12. The controller of claim 11, wherein the geometric information includes at least one of:

a distance between the boat stem and the instantaneous center of the boat;

distances between the center line and the respective propulsion units at the port and starboard; and

numerical values related to the distances.

14. The controller of claim 11 in combination with a boat controller for controlling the operation of the boat.