Electronic control systems for marine vessels

• US 7,330,782 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corporation (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telefax Incorporated
• Inventors: Kern, Scott L., Graham, Dennis I., Carr, Daniel J., Lang, Howard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAULIEU, YONEL
• Application Number:
  US11/250,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 701/21, 701/36, 477/112, 744/71.VR, 744/733, 440/84
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• 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

Abstract

A control system for a marine vessel having one or more engines and a transmission associated with each engine is disclosed. The control system includes one or more control stations, each having a control arm and arm position means coupled to the control arm for providing an electrical signal that represents a position of the control arm within its operating range. The system includes one or more electronic control units, each of which is electro-mechanically coupled to an engine and a transmission. A first electronic control unit (ECU) includes input means for receiving the electrical signal, control means for controlling a throttle of a first engine and shift position of a first transmission based on the electrical signal, and output means for providing a control signal that represents a current position of the control arm to a second ECU. The second ECU is coupled to the first ECU via the communications link, and includes input means for receiving the control signal from the first ECU, and control means for controlling the throttle of a second engine and the shift position of a second transmission based on the power train control signal.

Claims

1. A control system for a marine vessel having an engine and a transmission associated with the engine, the control system comprising:

a first control station comprising a first control arm having an operating range, wherein the first control arm is configured to cause variance of a first electrical signal that represents a position of the first control arm within its operating range;

a second control station comprising a plurality of command input devices, a second control arm having an operating range, wherein the first control arm is configured to cause variance of a second electrical signal that represents a position of the second control arm within its operating range; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising;

signal input means, electrically coupled to the first control arm and the second control arm, for receiving the first and second electrical signals,

command input means, electrically coupled to the command input devices, for receiving a sequence of input command signals from the second control station, and

control means for comparing the sequence of input command signals to a predefined input command sequence to identify one of the first and second control station as a master station, and,

means for controlling a throttle of the engine and shift position of the transmission based on the electrical signals received from the master station.

2. A control system for a marine vessel having an engine, the control system comprising:

a control arm having an operating range, wherein the control arm is configured to cause variance of an electrical signal that represents a position of the control arm within its operating range;

a memory that contains first and second throttle range values, each said throttle range value corresponding to the operating range of the control arm;

first input means, coupled to the memory, for receiving at least one of the first and second throttle range values;

second input means for receiving a current throttle range indicator that identifies one of the first and second throttle range values as a current throttle range value; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) that is electrically coupled to the control arm comprising;

input means for receiving the electrical signal, and

control means for controlling a throttle of the engine based on the electrical signal and the current throttle range value.

3. A control system, comprising:

a first user interface movable through a first operating range, wherein the first user interface is configured to cause variance of a first signal that represents a position of the first user interface within the first operating range;

a command input device;

a second user interface movable through a second operating range, wherein the second user interface is configured to cause variance of a second signal that represents a position of the second user interface within the second operating range; and

a control unit that includes;

a signal input coupled to the first user interface and the second user interface and configured to receive at least one of the first signal and the second signal,

a command input coupled to the command input device and configured to receive an input command signal from the command input device, and

a processor configured to identify one of the first user interface and the second user interface as a master user interface by comparing the input command signal to a predefined input command sequence, and

an actuator configured to control at least one of a throttle of an engine and shift position of a transmission based on an electrical signal received from the master user interface.

4. A control system, comprising:

a first user interface operably connected to a first plurality of actuators that control throttles of a first plurality of engines and shift positions of a first plurality of transmissions operably connected to the first plurality of engines; and

a second user interface operably connected to a second plurality of actuators that control throttles of a second plurality of engines and shift positions of a second plurality of transmissions operably connected to the second plurality of engines,

wherein the first plurality of engines and the second plurality of engines include at least one common engine, and

wherein the first plurality of actuators position a throttle of at least one engine in the first plurality of engines in an idle mode upon being appropriately engaged from the first user interface.

5. A control system, comprising:

a first user interface;

a master controller operably connected to the first user interface, to a first throttle actuator that controls a throttle of a first marine engine, and to a first transmission actuator that controls a shift position of a first transmission operably connected to the first marine engine; and

a slave controller operably connected to the master controller, to a second throttle actuator that controls a throttle of a second marine engine, and to a second transmission actuator that controls a shift position of a second transmission operably connected to the second marine engine,

wherein the slave controller is configured to operate at least one of the second throttle actuator and the second transmission actuator based on a control signal received from the master controller.

6. A control system, comprising:

a first user interface operably connected to a first plurality of actuators that control throttles of a first plurality of marine engines and shift positions of a first plurality of transmissions operably connected to the first plurality of marine engines; and

a second user interface operably connected to a second plurality of actuators that control throttles of a second plurality of marine engines and shift positions of a second plurality of transmissions operably connected to the second plurality of marine engines,

wherein operation of the first plurality of marine engines and the second plurality of marine engines become synchronized when the first user interface and the second user interface are positioned substantially identically to each other.

7. A watercraft, comprising:

a plurality of marine engines;

a plurality of transmissions operably connected to the plurality of marine engines;

a first control station positioned at a first location in the watercraft, the first control station including;

a first control arm operably connected to a first subset of the plurality of marine engines and a first subset of the plurality of transmissions, and

a second control arm operably connected to a second subset of the plurality of marine engines and a second subset of the plurality of transmissions; and

a second control station positioned at a second location in the watercraft, the second control station including;

a third control arm operably connected to the first subset of the plurality of marine engines and the first subset of the plurality of transmissions, and

a fourth control arm operably connected to the second subset of the plurality of marine engines and the second subset of the plurality of transmissions,

wherein control of the plurality of marine engines and the plurality of transmissions is transferable between the first control station and the second control station.