Running control device for watercraft

• US 6,855,020 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaji, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, ANDREW D
• Application Number:
  US10/169,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 440/1, 440/84, 440/87, 701/21
• US Class Current: 440/84
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• 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: F02B 61/045 for outboard marine engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers

Abstract

To provide a running control device for a watercraft capable of effecting an easy cruising control of the watercraft even by a beginner, especially allowing a stable running while turning, and capable of reducing cavitation. A running control device 16 for a watercraft with a propulsion device 15 capable of controlling propulsion, comprises a propulsion control section 17 which controls propulsion, based on predetermined input information, said propulsion control section 17 comprising a target propulsion calculation module 18 for determining a target propulsion, based on predetermined input information including at least velocity of said watercraft; and an operation amount calculation module 19 for determining the amount of operation of said propulsion device 15, based on predetermined input information so as to obtain the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module 18.

Claims

1. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module configured to detect cavitation in the propulsion device based on speed changes of the propulsion device and determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, so as to suppress the cavitation in the propulsion device, such that the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module is obtained.

2. The propulsion control device set forth in claim 1, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watereraft, and an operation amount calculation module configured to determine the amount of operation of the engine output control module, based on predetermined input information, such that the target engine speed determined by said target engine speed calculation module is obtained.

3. The propulsion control device set forth in claim 2, wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to calculate the amount of operation of the engine output control module based on a fuzzy rule.

4. The propulsion control device set forth in claim 2 additionally comprising an electronic throttle valve controlled by the engine output control module.

5. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module for determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, such that the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module is obtained, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module configured to determine the amount of operation of the engine output control module, based on predetermined input information, such that the target engine speed determined by said target engine speed calculation module is obtained, and wherein the target engine speed calculation module is configured to determine the target engine speed based on at least a velocity of the watercraft, acceleration of the watercraft, engine speed, trim angle, pitch angle, an engine load request by a user, and at least one of steering angle and rolling angle.

6. The propulsion control device set forth in claim 5, wherein the target engine speed calculation module is configured to determine the target engine speed based on at least a steering angle and to decrease the target engine speed as the steering angle increases relative to a neutral position.

7. The propulsion control device set forth in claim 5, wherein the target engine speed calculation module is configured to determine the target engine speed based on at least a roll angle and to decrease the target engine speed as the roll angle increases relative to a neutral position.

8. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module for determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, such that the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module is obtained, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module configured to determine the amount of operation of the engine output control module, based on predetermined input information, such that the target engine speed determined by said target engine speed calculation module is obtained, and wherein the target engine speed calculation module is configured to determine the target engine speed based on a fuzzy rule.

9. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module for determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, such that the target propulsion detennined by said propulsion calculation module is obtained, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module configured to determine the amount of operation of the engine output control module, based on predetermined input information, such that the target engine speed determined by said target engine speed calculation module is obtained, and wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to determine the amount of operation of the engine output control module based on at least target engine speed, engine speed, velocity, acceleration of the watercraft, trim angle, pitch angle, and at least one of steering angle and roll angle.

10. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module for determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, such that the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module is attained, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watercraft, and wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to calculate the amount of operation of the engine output control module based on a fuzzy rule, and wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to increase the amount of operation as steering angle increases relative to a neutral position.

11. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a propulsion device, the propulsion control device comprising a propulsion control module for controlling propulsion of the watercraft based on input data, said propulsion control module comprising a target propulsion calculation module for determining a target propulsion based on predetermined input data including at least a velocity of the watercraft, and an operation amount calculation module for determining the amount of operation of the propulsion device, based on the predetermined input information, such that the target propulsion determined by said propulsion calculation module is attained, wherein said propulsion device comprises an engine, the propulsion control device comprising an engine output control module for controlling engine output using at least one of an intake air control device for controlling an amount of intake air delivered to the engine, a fuel injection device, and an ignition device, the engine output control module comprising, a target engine speed calculation module for determining a target engine speed based on predetermined input information, including data regarding a velocity of the watercraft, wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to calculate the amount of operation of the engine output control module based on a fuzzy rule, and wherein the operation amount calculation module is configured to increase the amount of operation as rolling angle increases relative to a neutral position.

12. A propulsion control device for a watercraft having a power source driving a propulsion device and a steering device, the propulsion control device being configured to detect cavitation based on speed changes in the power source and to reduce a power output of the power source when the steering device is moved to a position which causes the watercraft to turn, wherein the propulsion control device is configured to reduce the power output of the power source to suppress the cavitation occurring in the propulsion device.

13. The propulsion control device according to claim 12, wherein the propulsion device is a jet pump.

14. The propulsion control device according to claim 12, wherein the propulsion control device operates on a fuzzy-logic principle, the propulsion control device being trained by inexperienced watercraft writer.

15. The propulsion control device according to claim 12, wherein the watercraft is a personal watercraft.

16. A watercraft comprising a hull which defines a rider'"'"'s area, an engine supported by the hull, a propulsion device supported by the hull and driven by the engine, and engine input device disposed in the rider'"'"'s area and configured to be operable by a rider of the watercraft, and a propulsion control device configured to control a power output of the engine based on an output of the input device, the propulsion control device being configured control the output of the engine based on at least target engine speed, actual engine speed, a speed of the watercraft, acceleration of the watercraft, trim angle, pitch angle, and at least one of steering angle and roll angle.

17. The watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the propulsion control device is configured to operate according to a fuzzy-logic principle.

18. The watercraft according to claim 17, wherein the propulsion control device is trained by an experienced watercraft rider.

19. The watercraft according to claim 17, wherein the watercraft is a personal watercraft.

20. The watercraft according to claim 17, additionally comprising a straddle-type seat and handlebars mounted in the rider'"'"'s area and positioned such that a rider can operate the input device and the handlebars while sitting on the straddle-type seat.