Systems and Methods for Orienting a Marine Vessel to Enhance Available Thrust

• US 20110153126A1
• 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 8,478,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• 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 enhance available thrust in a station keeping mode. A control device having a memory and a programmable circuit is programmed to control operation of a plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain orientation of a marine vessel in a selected global position. The control device is programmed to calculate a direction of a resultant thrust vector associated with the plurality of marine propulsion devices that is necessary to maintain the vessel in the selected global position. The control device is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the actual heading with the thrust vector.

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 a marine vessel in a selected global position;

wherein the control device is programmed to calculate a direction of a resultant thrust vector associated with the plurality of marine propulsion devices that is necessary to maintain the vessel in the selected global position; and

wherein the control device is programmed to control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the actual heading with the thrust vector.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is programmed to actively maintain the actual heading of the marine vessel in alignment with the thrust vector by repeatedly calculating the direction of the thrust vector and changing the actual heading of the marine vessel to align with the thrust vector.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein when the actual heading and the thrust vector are not aligned, the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to create a moment arm that causes rotation of the marine vessel about its center of gravity to thereby align the actual heading with the thrust vector.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the control device is programmed to calculate a rotational position of each propulsion unit in the plurality of propulsion units, and a respective magnitude of thrust output by each propulsion unit in the plurality of propulsion units that are necessary to cause the marine vessel to rotate until the actual heading of the marine vessel and the thrust vector are aligned.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is operable in at least two modes, including a mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading and a mode wherein the control device does not control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading.

6. A system according to claim 1, comprising a user input device providing the control device with a signal that is representative of an operator desired movement.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the user input device comprises a joystick.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the user input device allows an operator to select between at least two operating modes of the control device, including a mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading and a mode wherein the control device does not control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading.

9. A system according to claim 1, comprising a global positioning system device providing a signal representative of a present global position of the marine vessel.

10. A system according to claim 1, comprising a compass device providing a signal representative of actual heading of the marine vessel to the control device.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the actual heading is the longitudinal direction in which a bow of the vessel is directed.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein aligning thrust vector and the actual heading causes an output thrust of each of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to be aligned with the actual heading.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls operation of the marine propulsion devices such that the selected global position of the marine vessel remains constant while the thrust vector and the actual heading are aligned.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of marine propulsion devices comprises first and second marine propulsion devices.

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

providing a plurality of marine propulsion devices coupled to the marine vessel;

selecting a global position of the marine vessel;

determining an actual heading of the marine vessel in the global position;

providing a control device having a memory and a programmable circuit, wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices; and

operating the control device to

(a) control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to maintain the global position of the marine vessel;

(b) calculate a direction of a thrust vector associated with the plurality of marine propulsion devices, which is necessary to maintain the global position of the marine vessel; and

(c) control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the direction of the thrust vector and the actual heading.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising operating the control device to repeat steps (a) through (c) to actively maintain alignment of the thrust vector and the actual heading.

17. A method according to claim 15, comprising selecting between two modes of operation including a mode wherein the control device controls operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading and a mode wherein the control device does not control operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the thrust vector and the actual heading.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the control device controls operation of the marine propulsion devices such that the selected global position of the marine vessel remains constant while the thrust vector and the actual heading are aligned.

19. A method according to claim 15, comprising controlling operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to create a moment that causes rotation of the marine vessel about its center of gravity to thereby align the actual heading with the thrust vector.

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

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

control means for maintaining orientation of a marine vessel in a selected global position;

control means for calculating a direction of a resultant thrust vector associated with the plurality of marine propulsion devices that is necessary to maintain the vessel in the selected global position; and

control means for controlling operation of the plurality of marine propulsion devices to change the actual heading of the marine vessel to align the actual heading with the thrust vector.