Systems and methods for automatically trailering a marine vessel on a boat trailer
First Claim
1. A system for automatically trailering a marine vessel, the system comprising:
- a set of coded tags coupled to a boat trailer, each coded tag in the set of coded tags including data regarding its location on the trailer;
a tag reader located aboard the marine vessel, the tag reader estimating a first distance between the tag reader and a first coded tag in the set of coded tags and estimating a second distance between the tag reader and a second coded tag in the set of coded tags;
a position determination module that uses the first and second estimated distances to determine a position and a heading of the marine vessel and a position and a heading of the trailer in a given coordinate system;
a feedback control module that calculates a difference between the position of the marine vessel and the position of the trailer and a difference between the heading of the marine vessel and the heading of the trailer and determines marine vessel movements required to minimize the position difference and the heading difference; and
a marine propulsion system that automatically actuates a marine propulsion device to produce the required marine vessel movements and thereby propels the marine vessel onto the trailer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automatically trailering a marine vessel includes a set of coded tags coupled to a boat trailer, each storing data regarding its location on the trailer. A tag reader is located aboard the vessel, and estimates a first distance to a first coded tag in the set and a second distance to a second coded tag in the set. A position determination module uses the first and second estimated distances to determine position and heading of the vessel and the trailer in a given coordinate system. A feedback control module calculates a difference between the positions of the vessel and the trailer and a difference between the headings of the vessel and the trailer and determines vessel movements required to minimize the position and heading differences. A marine propulsion system automatically actuates a propulsion device to produce the required vessel movements to propel the vessel onto the trailer.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for automatically trailering a marine vessel, the system comprising:
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a set of coded tags coupled to a boat trailer, each coded tag in the set of coded tags including data regarding its location on the trailer; a tag reader located aboard the marine vessel, the tag reader estimating a first distance between the tag reader and a first coded tag in the set of coded tags and estimating a second distance between the tag reader and a second coded tag in the set of coded tags; a position determination module that uses the first and second estimated distances to determine a position and a heading of the marine vessel and a position and a heading of the trailer in a given coordinate system; a feedback control module that calculates a difference between the position of the marine vessel and the position of the trailer and a difference between the heading of the marine vessel and the heading of the trailer and determines marine vessel movements required to minimize the position difference and the heading difference; and a marine propulsion system that automatically actuates a marine propulsion device to produce the required marine vessel movements and thereby propels the marine vessel onto the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automatically trailering a marine vessel, the method comprising:
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receiving an operator selection of a trailering mode that automatically trailers the marine vessel on a boat trailer; reading signals from a set of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags coupled to the trailer with an RFID receiver, each RFID tag in the set of RFID tags storing data regarding its location on the trailer; using the signals to estimate a first distance between the RFID receiver and a first RFID tag in the set of RFID tags and to estimate a second distance between the RFID receiver and a second RFID tag in the set of RFID tags; using the first and second estimated distances to determine a position and a heading of the marine vessel and a position and a heading of the trailer in a given coordinate system; calculating a difference between the position of the marine vessel and the position of the trailer and a difference between the heading of the marine vessel and the heading of the trailer; determining marine vessel movements required to minimize the position difference and the heading difference; and outputting the required marine vessel movements to a marine propulsion system that thereafter actuates a marine propulsion device to propel the marine vessel onto the trailer without further intervention from an operator of the marine vessel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification