Controller for propulsion unit, control program for propulsion unit controller, method of controlling propulsion unit controller, and controller for watercraft
First Claim
1. A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stern and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat wherein the target bow direction information can correspond to a direction that is different from a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information which corresponds to a direction that is different than a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A boat control system can include a propulsion unit controller, a port outboard motor, and a starboard outboard motor. The propulsion unit controller can includes an electronic throttle valve control section, an electronic shift control section, an electronic steering control section, a target control value calculating section, and a GPS receiver. The target control value calculating section can be adapted to calculate engine revolutions and steering angles corresponding to target values of the port outboard motor and the starboard outboard motor based on target values preset by an operator and values detected by the GPS receiver.
-
Citations
18 Claims
- 1. A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stern and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat wherein the target bow direction information can correspond to a direction that is different from a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information which corresponds to a direction that is different than a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating means.
- 9. A program for controlling a propulsion unit controller for controlling multiple propulsion units on a boat, at least one propulsion unit provided at the port stern and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of the boat, wherein a computer implements a process using a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat wherein the target bow direction can be different than the target moving direction, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, with the bow directed in the target bow direction which is different than the target moving direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles calculated by the target control value calculating means.
- 10. A method of controlling a propulsion unit controller for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stern and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of a boat, the method comprising the steps of acquiring a target moving direction of the boat, acquiring a target moving speed of the boat, acquiring a target bow direction of the boat, detecting a current moving direction of the boat, detecting a current moving speed of the boat, detecting a current bow direction of the boat, acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, calculating target control values, the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles, of the propulsion units so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction based on the target moving direction, the target moving speed, the target bow direction, the current moving direction, the current moving speed, the current bow direction, and the geometric information, with the bow directed in the target bow direction which is different from the target moving direction, and controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion forces and the target steering angles calculated in the step of calculating the target control values.
- 11. A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one provided at the port stern and at least one provided at the starboard stern of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction acquiring device configured to acquire a target moving direction of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring device configured to acquire a target moving speed of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring device configured to acquire a target bow direction of the boat, a moving direction information detecting device configured to detect a current moving direction of the boat, a moving speed information detecting device configured to detect a current moving speed of the boat, a bow direction information detecting device configured to detect a current bow direction of the boat, a geometric information acquiring device configured to acquire geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating device configured to calculate target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction which is different from the target moving direction, and a propulsion unit control device configured to control the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating device.
Specification