WATERCRAFT SPEED CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090209152A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enovation Controls, LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Econtrols Incorporated
• Inventors: Guglielmo, Kennon H., Shouse, Kenneth R., Grogan, Joseph, Walser, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 440/87
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S

Abstract

An automatic speed control system that provides desired watercraft velocity over land. The coupled algorithms correct engine speed and torque using inertia based measurements, GPS, and tachometer measurements, and the corrections are augmented and enhanced by velocity/speed and torque/speed relationships that are dynamically and adaptively programmed with real-time data collected during replicated operations of the watercraft in specified conditions.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said system comprising:

a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;

a control input device capable of accepting an input of a predetermined velocity for said watercraft;

a tachometer device capable of measuring the speed of said engine propelling said watercraft;

a control module comprising;

an engine speed algorithm capable of creating a first engine speed output correction from said velocity magnitude and said predetermined velocity;

an engine speed comparator capable of determining the engine speed error between said tachometer speed measurement and said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm;

an engine torque algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said engine speed error; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

4. An apparatus as in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

5. A system as in claims 1 or 2, said control module further comprising:

an additional engine torque algorithm capable of creating a second engine torque output correction corresponding to an input representative of said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm, said second engine torque output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the torque required to change the engine speed of an engine propelling said watercraft an amount approximately equal to said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm; and

a torque comparator capable of summing said first engine torque output correction of said engine torque algorithm and said second engine torque output correction of said additional engine torque algorithm, said sum being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of building a table of discrete data pairs of engine speed correction and torque required to produce said engine speed correction as said watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, said additional engine torque algorithm being capable of determining interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from said data pairs collected during said calibration operation of said watercraft.

7. A system as in claim 5 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of building a table of discrete data pairs of engine speed and torque required to produce said engine speed as said watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, said additional engine torque algorithm being capable of determining interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from said data pairs collected during said calibration operation of said watercraft.

8. A system as in claim 6 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of determining a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating said table.

9. A system as in claim 7 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of determining a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating said table.

2. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said system comprising:

a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;

control input device capable of accepting an input of a predetermined velocity for said watercraft;

a tachometer device capable of measuring the speed of said engine propelling said watercraft;

a control module comprising;

an engine speed algorithm capable of creating a first engine speed output correction from said velocity magnitude and said predetermined velocity;

an engine torque algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said tachometer speed measurement and said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

3. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said system comprising:

a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;

control input device capable of accepting an input of a predetermined velocity for said watercraft;

a control module comprising;

an engine speed algorithm capable of creating a first engine speed output correction from said velocity magnitude and said predetermined velocity;

an additional engine speed algorithm capable of creating a second engine speed output correction corresponding to an input representative of said predetermined velocity, said second engine speed output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the speed of an engine propelling said watercraft at a velocity approximately equal to said predetermined velocity; and

an engine speed comparator capable of summing said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm and said second engine speed output correction of said additional engine speed algorithm, said sum capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

10. A system as in claim 3 wherein said additional engine speed algorithm is capable of building a table of discrete data pairs of velocity magnitude and engine speed of said watercraft as said watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, said additional engine speed algorithm being capable of determining interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from said data pairs collected during said calibration operation of said watercraft.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein said additional engine speed algorithm is capable of determining a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating said table.

12. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said system comprising:

a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;

a control input device capable of accepting an input of a predetermined velocity for said watercraft;

a tachometer device capable of measuring the revolutions per minute of a drive shaft of said engine propelling said watercraft;

a control module comprising

an engine speed algorithm capable of creating a first engine speed output correction from said velocity magnitude and said predetermined velocity;

an engine torque algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said tachometer revolutions per minute measurement and said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

14. A system as in claims 12 or 13 wherein said velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

13. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said system comprising:

a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;

a control input device capable of accepting an input of a predetermined velocity for said watercraft;

a tachometer device capable of measuring the speed of said engine propelling said watercraft;

a control module comprising an algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said tachometer speed measurement, said velocity measurement, and said predetermined velocity; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.