System and method for controlling movement of a marine vessel

• US 7,727,036 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Rinker, Jeffrey W., Poorman, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US11/965,605
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 440/1
• US Class Current: 440/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/06 to decrease vessel movements by using foils acting on ambient water constructional aspects of bilge keels B63B3/44 ; foils mounted on the housing of outboard motors B63H20/34
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/026 using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring
• 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: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass

Abstract

A system and method are provided for controlling movement of a marine vessel. An operator controllable device outputs a signal that is representative of an operator-desired rate of position change of the vessel about or along an axis. A sensor outputs a signal that is representative of a sensed actual rate of position change of the vessel about or along the axis. A rate of position change controller outputs a rate of position change command based upon the difference between the desired rate of position change and the sensed rate of position change. A vessel coordination controller controls movement of the vessel based upon the rate of position change command.

Claims

1. A system for controlling movement of a marine vessel, the system comprising:

a operator controllable device having an output that is representative of a operator-desired rate of position change of the vessel about or along an axis;

a sensor having an output that is representative of a sensed actual rate of position change of the vessel about or along the axis;

a rate of position change controller outputting a rate of position change command based upon the difference between the desired rate of position change and the sensed actual rate of position change; and

a vessel coordination controller controlling movement of the vessel based upon the rate of position change command;

wherein the rate of position change controller is configured to interpret a lack of movement of the operator controllable device to be a request for active suppression of position change rather than as a request for no position change.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the axis is the yaw axis and the desired rate of position change is the operator-desired yaw rate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the manually controllable device outputs a signal that is proportional to movement of a joystick.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein movement of the joystick is a function of operator-desired velocity about the yaw axis of the marine vessel.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein zero movement of the joystick outputs a desired yaw change rate of zero.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator controllable device is a proportional integral controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an inertial motion unit.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising an actuator controller controlling actuators for driving the movement of the vessel based upon output from the vessel coordination controller.

9. A method for controlling movement of a marine vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

operating a manually controllable device to detect a operator-desired rate of position change of the vessel about or along an axis;

sensing an actual rate of position change of the vessel about or along the axis;

outputting a rate of position change command based upon the difference between the operator-desired rate of position change and the sensed actual rate of position change;

controlling movement of the vessel based upon the rate of position change command;

wherein the rate of position change controller is configured to interpret a lack of movement of the operator controllable device to be a request for active suppression of position change rather than as a request for no position change.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the axis is the yaw axis and the operator-desired rate of position change is the operator-desired yaw rate.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the manually controllable device is a joystick and comprising the step of outputting a signal that is proportional to movement of a joystick.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein movement of the joystick is a function of operator-desired velocity about the yaw axis of the marine vessel.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising the step of outputting a desired yaw change rate of zero when the joystick is not moved.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the operator controllable device is a proportional integral controller.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the actual rate of position change is sensed with an inertial motion unit.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising the steps of outputting an actuation control signal to an actuator controller and driving the movement of the marine vessel based upon the actuation control signal.

17. A system for controlling movement of a marine vessel about a yaw axis, the system comprising:

a joystick having an output that is representative of a desired yaw change rate;

a sensor having an output that is representative of a sensed actual yaw rate of the marine vessel;

a yaw rate controller outputting a yaw rate command based upon the difference between the desired yaw change rate and the sensed actual yaw rate;

a vessel coordination controller outputting an actuation command based upon the yaw rate command; and

an actuator controlling movement of the marine vessel based upon the yaw rate command;

wherein the rate of position change controller is configured to interpret a lack of movement of the operator controllable device to be a request for active suppression of position change rather than as a request for no position change.