Boat having prioritized controls

• US 7,674,145 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Makoto, Okuyama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US11/728,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20070227429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 440 84- 87, 440/1, 440/61.T, 701/21, 744/80.B
• US Class Current: 440/61.00T
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/08 Means enabling movement of the position of the propulsion element, e.g. for trim, tilt or steering; Control of trim or tilt initiating means for steering B63H25/02
• 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

An outboard motor control system can have a first PTT switch and a second PTT switch in a first steering station and in a second steering station respectively, and a third PTT switch in a location outside of a boat hull. Operation instruction given by each PTT switch can be input to a first microcomputer of a first ECU. The first microcomputer can determine if the inputted operation instruction is to be sent to the outboard motor, based on which PTT switch the operation instruction came from, whether the main switch is ON or OFF, and which steering station has precedence in boat control.

Claims

1. A boat comprising:

a boat propulsion unit operator operatively connected to a first steering station, a second steering station, and a boat propulsion unit;

a plurality of operation instruction output devices arranged to transmit operation instructions to the boat propulsion unit operator to control trim and tilt angles of the boat propulsion unit;

an operation instruction selector arranged to select the operation instructions transmitted by the plurality of operation instruction output devices and to send the selected operation instruction to the boat propulsion unit; and

a main switch arranged to select ON or OFF of a main power supply to the boat propulsion unit;

wherein

the plurality of operation instruction output devices include a first operation instruction output device mounted at the first steering station, a second operation instruction output device mounted at the second steering station, and a third operation instruction output device mounted on an outer surface of the boat propulsion unit or on a hull of the boat; and

the operation instruction selector prioritizes selection of the operation instructions from the first operation instruction output device, the second operation instruction output device, and the third operation instruction output device based in part on whether the main switch is ON or OFF.

2. The boat according to claim 1, wherein, when the main switch is OFF, and only a first operation instruction is input by the first operation instruction output device, the operation instruction selector sends the first operation instruction to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the boat propulsion unit.

3. The boat according to claim 1, wherein, when the main switch is OFF, and only a second operation instruction is input by the second operation instruction output device, the operation instruction selector does not send the second operation instruction to the boat propulsion unit.

4. The boat according to claim 1, wherein, when the main switch is OFF, and only a third operation instruction is input by the third operation instruction output device, the operation instruction selector sends the third operation instruction to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the boat propulsion unit.

5. The boat according to claim 1, wherein, when the main switch is OFF, and the first operation instruction and the third operation instruction are input simultaneously, the operation instruction selector does not send either of the first and the third operation instructions to the boat propulsion unit.

6. The boat according to claim 1, further comprising a steering station selector arranged to switch a priority in boat control between the first steering station and the second steering station, wherein when the main switch is ON, and the first operation instruction and the second operation instruction are input simultaneously, the steering station selector sends only the operation instruction transmitted by the operation instruction output device of the steering station having priority in the boat control to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the boat propulsion unit.

7. The boat according to claim 6, wherein when the main switch is ON, and the operation instruction transmitted by the operation instruction output device at the steering station not having priority in the boat control is input simultaneously with the third operation instruction, the operation instruction selector sends only the third operation instruction to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the boat propulsion unit.

8. The boat according to claim 6, wherein when the main switch is ON, and the operation instruction transmitted by the operation instruction output device of the steering station having priority in the boat control is input simultaneously with the third operation instruction, the operation instruction selector does not send either of the operation instructions.

9. The boat according to claim 1, further comprising a steering station selector arranged to select the first steering station or the second steering station to control the boat, wherein the operation instruction selector is arranged to select from the operation instructions transmitted from at least two of the first operation instruction output device, the second operation output device, and the third operation instruction output device regardless of a selection of the steering station selector.

10. A boat comprising:

a propulsion unit;

a first control station including a first switch;

a second control station including a second switch;

a main switch arranged to select ON or OFF of a main power supply to the boat propulsion unit; and

a control unit;

wherein the first and second switches are arranged to transmit operation instructions to control trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit;

the control unit is arranged to process the operation instructions transmitted by the first and second switches based on a priority given to the first and second switches and to send the operation instructions to the propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit, the priority based in part on whether the main switch is ON or OFF.

11. The boat according to claim 10, further comprising a third switch mounted on an outer surface of the boat propulsion unit or on a hull of the boat, the third switch arranged to transmit operation instructions to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

12. The boat according to claim 10, wherein, when the main power switch is OFF and the operation instruction is transmitted only by the first switch, the control unit is arranged to send the operation instruction transmitted by the first switch to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

13. The boat according to claim 10, wherein, when the main power switch is OFF and the operation instruction is transmitted only by the second switch, the control unit is arranged to not send the operation instruction from the second switch to the propulsion unit.

14. The boat according to claim 13, further comprising a third switch mounted on an outer surface of the boat propulsion unit or on a hull of the boat;

wherein, when the main power switch is OFF and the operation instruction is transmitted only by the third switch, the control unit is arranged to send the operation instruction transmitted by the third switch to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

15. The boat according to claim 11, wherein, when the main power switch is OFF and the operation instruction is transmitted only by the third switch, the control unit is arranged to send the operation instruction transmitted by the third switch to the boat propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

16. The boat according to claim 11, wherein, when the main power switch is OFF and the operation instructions are transmitted by the first switch and the third switch simultaneously, the control unit is arranged to not send either of the operation instructions to the propulsion unit.

17. The boat according to claim 11, further comprising at least one control station selector switch to assign priority to one of the first control station and the second control station;

wherein, when the main power switch is ON and the operation instructions are transmitted by the first switch and the second switch simultaneously, the control unit is arranged to send only the operation instruction transmitted by the switch of the control station having priority to the propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

18. The boat according to claim 17, wherein, when the main power switch is ON and the operation instructions are transmitted by the switch at the steering station that is not assigned priority and the third switch simultaneously, the control unit is arranged to send only the operation instruction transmitted by the third switch to the propulsion unit to control the trim and tilt angles of the propulsion unit.

19. The boat according to claim 17, wherein, when the main power switch is ON, and the operation instructions are transmitted by the switch of the steering station that is assigned priority and the third switch simultaneously, the control unit is arranged to not send either of the operation instructions to the propulsion unit.

20. The boat according to claim 11, further comprising a station control selector switch arranged to select the first control station or the second control station to control the boat, wherein the control unit is arranged to select the operation instructions transmitted from at least two of the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch regardless of a selection of the station control selector switch.