Systems and methods for setting engine speed in a marine propulsion device

• US 9,555,869 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: O'Brien, William P., Arbuckle, Jason S., Andrasko, Steven J., Przybyl, Andrew J., Gable, Kenneth G., Van Buren, David M., Smedema, Gene A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Johnny H
• Application Number:
  US14/610,377
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 701/85, 701/110, 123/319, 123/327, 123/339.12, 123/339.15, 123/339.16, 123/339.19, 123/339.23, 123/344, 123/352, 123/3, 123/99
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/14 relating to internal-combustion engines of outboard type B63H20/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/045 for outboard marine engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/141 using a feed-forward control element
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/60 said parameters being related to the driver demands or status
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/107 and deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1401 characterised by the control or regulation method F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/08 Throttle valves specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of such valves in conduits

Abstract

A method for setting an engine speed of an internal combustion engine in a marine propulsion device of a marine propulsion system to an engine speed setpoint includes determining the engine speed setpoint based on an operator demand and predicting a position of a throttle valve that is needed to achieve the engine speed setpoint. The method also includes determining a feed forward signal that will move the throttle valve to the predicted position, and after moving the throttle valve to the predicted position, adjusting the engine speed with a feedback controller so as to obtain the engine speed setpoint. An operating state of the marine propulsion system is also determined. Depending on the operating state, the method may include determining limits on an authority of the feedback controller to adjust the engine speed and/or determining whether the operator demand should be modified prior to determining the engine speed setpoint.

Claims

1. A method for setting an engine speed of an internal combustion engine in a marine propulsion device of a marine propulsion system to an engine speed setpoint, the method comprising:

determining the engine speed setpoint based on an operator demand;

predicting a position of a throttle valve of the engine that is needed to achieve the engine speed setpoint;

determining a feed forward signal that will move the throttle valve to the predicted position;

after moving the throttle valve to the predicted position, adjusting the engine speed with a feedback controller so as to obtain the engine speed setpoint; and

determining an operating state of the marine propulsion system, wherein depending on the operating state, the method further comprises;

determining limits on an authority of the feedback controller to adjust the engine speed, wherein the authority limits comprise at least one of maximum and minimum proportional term limits and maximum and minimum integral term limits; and

determining whether the operator demand should be modified prior to determining the engine speed setpoint when the operating state is a joysticking mode or a throttle-only mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating state comprises operation in an operator-selected control mode, and further comprising selecting the authority limits based on the operator-selected control mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising waiting to switch from a first operator-selected control mode to a second operator-selected control mode until the operator demand is less than an upper demand limit associated with the second operator-selected control mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating state comprises operation in the joysticking mode, in which a direction and a magnitude of thrust of the marine propulsion device are determined based on a position of a joystick.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising modifying the operator demand prior to determining the engine speed setpoint to account for one of a gear ratio and a pitch of a propeller of the marine propulsion device when the marine propulsion system is operating in the joysticking mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating state comprises operation in the throttle-only mode, in which the operator demand can be varied while a transmission of the marine propulsion system is in neutral.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether the operator demand exceeds a predetermined threshold when the marine propulsion system is operating in the throttle-only mode, and if so, modifying the operator demand by capping it at the predetermined threshold prior to determining the engine speed setpoint.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising multiplying the feed forward signal by a fractional gain when the marine propulsion system is operating in the throttle-only mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating state comprises one of acceleration of the engine speed and deceleration of the engine speed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising calculating a demand delta between a current operator demand and a previous operator demand, and using the demand delta and the engine speed setpoint to determine the authority limits.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising filtering the previous operator demand to the current operator demand such that the demand delta progressively decreases, and using the decreasing demand delta and the engine speed setpoint to determine the authority limits.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the feedback controller with less authority to adjust the engine speed during deceleration of the engine speed than during acceleration of the engine speed.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the feedback controller with increasingly more authority to adjust the engine speed as the demand delta progressively decreases.

14. A marine propulsion system for setting an engine speed of an internal combustion engine in a marine propulsion device to an engine speed setpoint, the system comprising:

a throttle valve controlling an amount of air provided to the engine;

an input device for inputting an operator demand;

an electronic control unit that determines the engine speed setpoint based on the operator demand, predicts a position of the throttle valve that is needed to achieve the engine speed setpoint, and determines a feed forward signal that will move the throttle valve to the predicted position; and

a feedback controller that adjusts the engine speed so as to obtain the engine speed setpoint after the throttle valve has been moved to the predicted position;

wherein the electronic control unit determines an operating state of the marine propulsion system; and

wherein depending on the operating state, the electronic control unit further determines;

limits on an authority of the feedback controller to adjust the engine speed, wherein the authority limits comprise at least one of maximum and minimum proportional term limits and maximum and minimum integral term limits; and

whether the operator demand should be modified prior to determination of the engine speed setpoint when the operating state is a joysticking mode or a throttle-only mode.

15. The marine propulsion system of claim 14, wherein the operating state comprises operation in an operator-selected control mode, and wherein the electronic control unit selects the authority limits based on the operator-selected control mode.

16. The marine propulsion system of claim 15, wherein the electronic control unit prevents a switch from a first operator-selected control mode to a second operator-selected control mode until the operator demand is less than an upper demand limit associated with the second operator-selected control mode.

17. The marine propulsion system of claim 14, wherein the input device comprises a joystick, and wherein the operating state comprises operation in the joysticking mode, in which a direction and a magnitude of thrust of the marine propulsion device are determined based on a position of the joystick.

18. The marine propulsion system of claim 17, wherein the electronic control unit modifies the operator demand prior to determining the engine speed setpoint to account for one of a gear ratio and a pitch of a propeller of the marine propulsion device when the marine propulsion system is operating in the joysticking mode.

19. The marine propulsion system of claim 14, wherein the operating state comprises operation in the throttle-only mode, in which the input device can be used to vary the operator demand while a transmission of the marine propulsion system is in neutral.

20. The marine propulsion system of claim 19, wherein the electronic control unit determines whether the operator demand exceeds a predetermined threshold when the marine propulsion system is operating in the throttle-only mode, and if so, modifies the operator demand by capping it at the predetermined threshold prior to determining the engine speed setpoint.

21. The marine propulsion system of claim 14, wherein the operating state comprises one of acceleration of the engine speed and deceleration of the engine speed.

22. The marine propulsion system of claim 21, wherein the electronic control unit calculates a demand delta between a current operator demand and a previous operator demand, and uses the demand delta and the engine speed setpoint to determine the authority limits.

23. The marine propulsion system of claim 22, wherein the feedback controller has less authority to adjust the engine speed during deceleration of the engine speed than during acceleration of the engine speed.