Method for controlling the acceleration of a marine vessel used for water skiing

• US 7,361,067 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Smedema, Gene A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US11/591,807
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 440/1, 440/87
• US Class Current: 440/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/60 Arrangements for towing, e.g. for use with water-skis or wakeboards

Abstract

A system is provided which stores data relating to the operation of a marine vessel during a water skier launch procedure. The data can include a plurality of throttle handle positions that are stored at a frequency which is suitable for reproducing the movement profile of the handle during a launch procedure. The water skier launch profile is then stored so that it can be recalled and reactivated to repeat the acceleration profile of the boat.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the acceleration of a marine vessel having an engine, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of speed related magnitudes associated with an operational parameter of said marine vessel, said plurality of speed related magnitudes being received during the operation of said engine at a plurality of different speeds, said receiving step being performed during an actual launch of a water skier; and

storing said plurality of speed related magnitudes as an empirically derived water skier launch profile for repetition during a subsequent launch said water skier launch profile comprising said plurality of speed related magnitudes stored as a function of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes is received at a plurality of sequentially different speeds of said engine during a launch of a water skier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the position of a manually movable throttle handle as a function of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the operating speed of said engine as a function of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first signal which signifies the start of a calibration mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a second signal which initiates said step of receiving a plurality of speed related magnitudes.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a third signal which initiates said step of storing said plurality of speed related magnitudes as said water skier launch profile.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a start signal;

selecting said water skier launch profile;

controlling the operating speed of said engine according to said water skier launch profile.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of speed related magnitudes is separated from at least one other of said plurality of speed related magnitudes by an interstice which is generally equal to a first time interval.

10. A method for controlling the acceleration of a marine vessel having an engine, comprising the steps of:

receiving a calibration signal which signifies the start of a calibration mode of operation;

receiving an initiation signal;

receiving a plurality of speed related magnitudes associated with an operational parameter of said marine vessel, said plurality of speed related magnitudes being received during the operation of said engine at a plurality of different speeds, said plurality of speed related magnitudes being received at a plurality of sequentially different speeds of said engine during a launch of a water skier, said receiving step being performed during an actual launch of a water skier;

receiving a save signal; and

storing said plurality of speed related magnitudes as an empirically derived water skier launch profile for repetition during a subsequent launch, said water skier launch profile comprising said plurality of speed related magnitudes stored as a function of time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a start signal;

selecting said water skier launch profile;

controlling the operating speed of said engine according to said water skier launch profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the position of a manually movable throttle handle as a function of time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the operating speed of said engine as a function of time.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the velocity of said marine vessel as a function of time.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

each of said plurality of speed related magnitudes is separated from at least one other of said plurality of speed related magnitudes by an interstice which is generally equal to a first time interval.

16. A method for controlling the acceleration of a marine vessel having an engine, comprising the steps of:

receiving a calibration signal which signifies the start of a calibration mode of operation;

receiving an initiation signal;

receiving a plurality of speed related magnitudes associated with an operational parameter of said marine vessel in response to said initiation signal, said plurality of speed related magnitudes being received during the operation of said engine at a plurality of different speeds, said receiving step being performed during an actual launch of a water skier, said plurality of speed related magnitudes being received at a plurality of sequentially different speeds of said engine during a launch of a water skier;

receiving a save signal;

storing said plurality of speed related magnitudes as an empirically derived water skier launch profile for repetition during a subsequent launch said water skier launch profile comprising said plurality of speed related magnitudes stored as a function of time, in response to said save signal;

receiving a start signal;

selecting said water skier launch profile;

controlling the operating speed of said engine according to said water skier launch profile.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said plurality of speed related magnitudes define the position of a manually movable throttle handle as a function of time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

each of said plurality of speed related magnitudes is separated from at least one other of said plurality of speed related magnitudes by an interstice which is generally equal to a first time interval.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said initiation signal is a movement of a throttle handle subsequent to receipt of said calibration signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said start signal is a movement of a throttle handle by greater than a preselected magnitude.