Watercraft speed control device

• US 9,052,717 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enovation Controls, LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enovation Controls, LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walser, Michael W., Guglielmo, Kennon H., Grogan, Joseph, Shouse, Kenneth R
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US12/965,556
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/21, 701/54, 701/79, 701/84, 701/90, 701/93, 701/408, 701/412, 701/468, 701/500, 701/502, 701/507, 440/1, 440/2, 440/84, 440/87, 440/90, 180/170
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• 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: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An automatic speed control system that provides desired watercraft velocity over land. The coupled algorithms correct engine speed and torque using inertia based measurements, GPS, and tachometer measurements, and the corrections are augmented and enhanced by velocity/speed and torque/speed relationships that are dynamically and adaptively programmed with real-time data collected during replicated operations of the watercraft in specified conditions.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, the system comprising:

a velocity measuring device configured to obtain a velocity measuring device measurement of a velocity magnitude of a watercraft;

an inertia measuring device configured to obtain an inertia measuring device measurement of an acceleration of the watercraft;

a control input device configured to accept an input from a user of a predetermined desired velocity of the watercraft and an input from the user of a predetermined desired acceleration of the watercraft; and

a control module comprising;

a velocity comparator configured to determine a velocity magnitude difference between the predetermined desired velocity of the watercraft and the velocity measuring device measurement of the velocity magnitude of the watercraft;

an acceleration comparator configured to determine an acceleration magnitude difference between the predetermined desired acceleration of the watercraft and the inertia measuring device measurement of the acceleration of the watercraft; and

an engine speed algorithm configured to create a first engine speed output correction from the velocity magnitude difference and the acceleration magnitude difference, wherein the engine speed output correction causes the watercraft to be propelled at substantially the predetermined desired velocity according to the predetermined desired acceleration.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a tachometer device configured to measure a tachometer speed measurement of an engine propelling the watercraft;

the control module further comprising an engine torque algorithm configured to create a first engine torque output correction from the first engine speed output correction and the tachometer speed measurement, wherein the first engine torque output correction is configured to cause the watercraft to be propelled at substantially the predetermined velocity.

3. The system as in claim 2 wherein the control module further comprises:

an additional engine torque algorithm configured to create a second engine torque output correction corresponding to an input representative of the first engine speed output correction of the engine speed algorithm, the second engine torque output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the torque required to change the engine speed of the engine propelling the watercraft an amount approximately equal to the first engine speed output correction of the engine speed algorithm; and

a torque comparator configured to sum the first engine torque output correction of the engine torque algorithm and the second engine torque output correction of the additional engine torque algorithm, wherein the sum is configured to cause the watercraft to be propelled at substantially the predetermined velocity.

4. The system as in claim 3 wherein the additional engine torque algorithm is configured to build a table of discrete data pairs of engine speed correction and torque required to produce the engine speed correction as the watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, and wherein the additional engine torque algorithm is configured to determine interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from the data pairs collected during the calibration operation of the watercraft.

5. The system as in claim 4 wherein the additional engine torque algorithm is configured to determine a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating the table.

6. The system as in claim 3 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of building a table of discrete data pairs of engine speed and torque required to produce said engine speed as said watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, said additional engine torque algorithm being capable of determining interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from said data pairs collected during said calibration operation of said watercraft.

7. The system as in claim 6 wherein said additional engine torque algorithm is capable of determining a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating said table.

8. The system as in claim 2 wherein the velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

9. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a tachometer device capable of measuring the revolutions per minute of a drive shaft of said engine propelling said watercraft;

said control module further comprising an engine torque algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said first engine speed output correction and said tachometer revolutions per minute measurement; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein said velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

11. The system as in claim 9 wherein said control module further comprises:

an additional engine torque algorithm capable of creating a second engine torque output correction corresponding to an input representative of said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm, said second engine torque output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the torque required to change the engine speed of an engine propelling said watercraft an amount approximately equal to said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm; and

a torque comparator capable of summing said first engine torque output correction of said engine torque algorithm and said second engine torque output correction of said additional engine torque algorithm, said sum being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

12. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a tachometer device capable of measuring the speed of said engine propelling said watercraft;

said control module further comprising;

an additional engine speed comparator capable of determining the engine speed error between said first engine speed output correction and said tachometer speed measurement; and

an engine torque algorithm capable of creating a first engine torque output correction from said engine speed error; and

said first engine torque output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein said velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

14. The system as in claim 12 wherein said control module further comprises:

an additional engine torque algorithm capable of creating a second engine torque output correction corresponding to an input representative of said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm, said second engine torque output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the torque required to change the engine speed of an engine propelling said watercraft an amount approximately equal to said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm; and

a torque comparator capable of summing said first engine torque output correction of said engine torque algorithm and said second engine torque output correction of said additional engine torque algorithm, said sum being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.

15. The system as in claim 1 wherein said control module further comprises:

an additional engine speed algorithm capable of creating a second engine speed output correction corresponding to an input representative of said predetermined velocity, said second engine speed output correction representing a dynamic historical value of the speed of an engine propelling said watercraft at a velocity approximately equal to said predetermined velocity; and

an engine speed comparator capable of summing said first engine speed output correction of said engine speed algorithm and said second engine speed output correction of said additional engine speed algorithm; and

said sum capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at approximately said predetermined velocity.

16. The system as in claim 15 wherein said additional engine speed algorithm is capable of building a table of discrete data pairs of velocity magnitude and engine speed of said watercraft as said watercraft is repeatedly operated for calibration over a prevailing set of ambient conditions, said additional engine speed algorithm being capable of determining interpolated and extrapolated data points among and extending from said data pairs collected during said calibration operation of said watercraft.

17. The system as in claim 16 wherein said additional engine speed algorithm is capable of determining a condition of predetermined change in a predetermined parameter prior to updating said table.

18. The system as in claim 15 wherein said velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

19. The system as in claim 1 wherein the velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.

20. A system for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, the system comprising:

a velocity measuring device configured to obtain a velocity measuring device measurement of a velocity magnitude of a watercraft;

an inertia measuring device configured to obtain an inertia measuring device measurement of an acceleration of the watercraft;

a control input device configured to accept an input from a user of a predetermined desired velocity of the watercraft;

a control input device configured to accept an input from a user of a predetermined desired acceleration of the watercraft;

a tachometer device configured to measure a tachometer speed measurement of an engine propelling the watercraft; and

a control module comprising;

a velocity comparator configured to determine a velocity magnitude difference between the predetermined desired velocity of the watercraft and the velocity measuring device measurement of the velocity magnitude of the watercraft;

an acceleration comparator configured to determine an acceleration magnitude difference between the predetermined desired acceleration of the watercraft and the inertia measuring device measurement of the acceleration of the watercraft;

an algorithm configured to create a first engine torque output correction from the tachometer speed measurement, the velocity magnitude difference, and the acceleration magnitude difference, wherein the first engine torque output correction is configured to cause the engine propelling the watercraft to propel the watercraft at substantially the predetermined velocity according to the predetermined acceleration.

21. The system as in claim 20 wherein the velocity measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a GPS device, a paddle wheel, and a pitot tube.