Boat speed control

• US 6,517,396 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cable Manufacturing & Assembly, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stephen W. Into
• Inventors: Into, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/609,515
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 440/87, 440/1, 440/84, 123/339, 123/350, 123/349, 123/361
• US Class Current: 440/84
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• 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

Abstract

A control system for controlling the speed of a boat of the type including a motor having a throttle control lever coupled to a throttle of the motor provides for stable and predictable control of the speed of a boat The control system includes a position detector configured to detect the position of the throttle control lever and to generate a first signal representative of a target speed of the motor; a sensor which generates a second signal representative of the actual speed of the motor; an actuator adapted to control the throttle; and a servo controller, which in response to the first signal and the second signal, generates an output to adjust the position of the actuator.

Claims

1. A speed control system comprising:

a first servo control loop to control the speed of a boat, the first servo control loop having a plurality of input signals and an output signal;

a second servo control loop to control the speed of the motor, the second servo control loop having a plurality of input signals, one of which is the output signal from the first servo control loop.

2. The control system of claim 1 further comprising a third servo control loop to control the position of an actuator coupled to a throttle of the motor.

3. The speed control system of claim 1 wherein the first servo control loop processes the input signals digitally to generate the output signal.