Systems and Methods for Orienting a Marine Vessel to Minimize Pitch or Roll

• US 20110153125A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Arbuckle, Jason S., Gable, Kenneth G., Robertson, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/00 Equipment to decrease pitch, roll, or like unwanted vessel movements; Apparatus for indicating vessel attitude for amphibious vehicles B60F3/0038
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/08 to decrease vessel movements by using auxiliary jets or propellers for steering or dynamic anchoring B63H25/00
• 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 25/42 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for orienting a marine vessel minimize at least one of pitch and roll in a station keeping mode. A control device having a memory and a programmable circuit is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain orientation of a marine vessel in a selected global position and heading. The control device receives at least one of actual pitch and actual roll of the marine vessel in the global position and controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to change the heading of the marine vessel to minimize at least one of the actual pitch and the actual roll while maintaining the marine vessel in the selected global position.

Claims

1. A system for orienting a marine vessel, comprising:

a plurality of marine propulsion devices for orienting a marine vessel; and

a control device having a memory and a programmable circuit, the control device programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain orientation of the marine vessel in a selected global position and heading;

wherein the control device receives at least one of pitch and roll of the marine vessel in the global position;

wherein the control device is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to change the heading of the marine vessel to minimize at least one of the pitch and the roll while maintaining the marine vessel in the selected global position.

2. A system according to claim 1, comprising an inertial measurement unit measuring and providing the at least one of the pitch and the roll to the control device.

3. A system according to claim 1, comprising a user input device allowing a user to select between at least two different modes of control device operation, including a Pitch Minimization Mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to minimize the pitch and a Roll Minimization Mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to minimize the roll.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the user input device comprises a joystick.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the marine vessel extends along a longitudinal axis from a bow to a stern and wherein the marine vessel extends along a lateral axis from a ports side to a starboard side, the longitudinal axis being perpendicular to the lateral axis, and wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to reduce the roll by creating an effective moment arm on the marine vessel that causes the marine vessel to rotate until the longitudinal axis is aligned with a direction in which an external wave force is acting on the marine vessel.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the marine vessel extends along a longitudinal axis from a bow to a stern and wherein the marine vessel extends along a lateral axis from a ports side to a starboard side, the longitudinal axis being perpendicular to the lateral axis, and wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to reduce the pitch by creating an effective moment arm on the marine vessel that causes the marine vessel to rotate until the lateral axis is aligned with a direction in which an external wave force is acting on the marine vessel.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is programmed to minimize the at least one of the pitch and the roll by performing a gradient search method.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the gradient search method comprises:

a. measuring a first peak pitch;

b. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined positive amount;

c. measuring a second peak pitch; and

d. repeating steps (a) through (c) if the first peak pitch is greater than the second peak pitch.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the gradient search method comprises:

e. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined negative amount if the first peak pitch is less than the second peak pitch.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the gradient search method comprises:

a. measuring a first peak roll;

b. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined positive amount;

c. measuring a second peak roll; and

d. repeating steps (a) through (c) if the first peak roll is greater than the second peak roll.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the gradient search method comprises:

e. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined negative amount if the first peak roll is less than the second peak roll.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is programmed to actively control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to continuously minimize the at least one of pitch and roll.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to create a moment arm that causes rotation of the marine vessel about its center of gravity to minimize the at least one of pitch and roll.

18. A method according to claim 13 wherein the gradient search method comprises:

a. measuring a first peak pitch;

b. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined positive amount;

c. measuring a second peak pitch; and

d. repeating steps (a) through (c) if the first peak pitch is greater than the second peak pitch.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the gradient search method further comprises:

e. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined negative amount if the first peak pitch is less than the second peak pitch.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the gradient search method comprises:

a. measuring a first peak roll;

b. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined positive amount;

c. measuring a second peak roll; and

d. repeating steps (a) through (c) if the first peak roll is greater than the second peak roll.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the gradient search method further comprises:

e. changing the heading of the marine vessel by a predetermined negative amount if the first peak roll is less than the second peak roll.

14. A method for orienting a marine vessel, comprising:

operating a control system for maintaining a global position and heading of the marine vessel;

determining at least one of pitch and roll of the marine vessel in the global position; and

operating the control system to change the heading of the marine vessel to minimize at least one of the pitch and the roll while maintaining the marine vessel in the global position.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the marine vessel extends along a longitudinal axis from a bow to a stern and wherein the marine vessel extends along a lateral axis from a port side to a starboard side, the longitudinal axis being perpendicular to the lateral axis, and comprising operating the control system to reduce roll by creating an effective moment arm on the marine vessel that causes the marine vessel to rotate until the longitudinal axis is aligned with a direction in which an external wave force is acting on the marine vessel.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the marine vessel extends along a longitudinal axis from a bow to a stern and wherein the marine vessel extends along a lateral axis from a ports side to a starboard side, the longitudinal axis being perpendicular to the lateral axis, and comprising operating the control system to reduce pitch by creating an effective moment arm on the marine vessel that causes the marine vessel to rotate until the lateral axis is aligned with a direction in which an external wave force is acting on the marine vessel.

17. A method according to claim 14, comprising minimizing the at least one of the pitch and the roll by performing a gradient search method.

22. A method according to claim 14 comprising operating the control system to change the heading of the marine vessel by controlling operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to create a moment arm that causes rotation of the marine vessel about a center of gravity of the marine vessel.

23. A system for orienting a marine vessel, comprising:

a plurality of marine propulsion devices for orienting a marine vessel;

control means for controlling operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain orientation of a marine vessel in a selected global position and heading;

control means for receiving at least one of pitch and roll of the marine vessel in the global position; and

control means for controlling operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to change the heading of the marine vessel to minimize at least one of pitch and roll of the marine vessel while maintaining the marine vessel in the selected global position.

24. A system according to claim 23, comprising selecting between at least two different modes of control device operation including a Pitch Minimization Mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to minimize pitch and a Roll Minimization Mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion units to minimize roll.