Multiple autopilot interface

• US 10,025,312 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navico Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navico Holding A.S. (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Langford-Wood, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, JESS G
• Application Number:
  US14/628,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20160246300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• 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: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, may cause the computer to display buttons or icons corresponding to a plurality of autopilots. The computer may receive a selection of one of the autopilots. The computer may display autopilot commands corresponding to the selected autopilot. The computer may receive a selection of one of the commands. The computer may also transmit a message corresponding to the selected command to the selected autopilot.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

display, on a screen of a marine electronics device for a marine vessel, at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of a plurality of available autopilots for the marine vessel, wherein the plurality of available autopilots includes at least a first autopilot for a first motor and a second autopilot for a second motor, wherein the first motor is a different type of motor than the second motor, wherein the first motor is a trolling motor, wherein the second motor is not a trolling motor, wherein the marine electronics device is connected to the first autopilot and the second autopilot, wherein the first autopilot is configured to control the first motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the second autopilot is configured to control the second motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, and wherein the first motor is configured to be operated independently from the second motor such that either the first motor or the second motor is configured to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of the plurality of available autopilots comprise at least a first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot and a second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

receive a selection of one of the first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot or the second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

display one or more buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots, wherein the first autopilot is associated with a first set of autopilot commands for controlling the first autopilot, wherein the second autopilot is associated with a second set of autopilot commands for controlling the second autopilot, wherein the first set of autopilot commands is different than the second set of autopilot commands such that the first set of autopilot commands includes at least one command option that is not available for the second set of autopilot commands;

receive a selection of one of the displayed buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands; and

transmit a message corresponding to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to cause the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to operate according to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots iS an autopilot for an outboard motor, trolling motor, inboard motor, thruster, jet, or pod.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the set of autopilot commands comprises a command to navigate to one or more locations, maintain a selected heading, or maintain a selected speed.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to calculate a steering movement or motor speed in response to the selected one of a set of autopilot commands.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to transmit a message to an autopilot that was not selected in an instance in which the autopilot that was not selected is currently operating to cause the autopilot that was not selected to deactivate.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of available autopilots comprises an outboard motor autopilot and a trolling motor autopilot.

7. A marine electronics device of a marine vessel, the marine electronics device comprising:

one or more processors;

a screen configured to display marine data; and

memory having a plurality of executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

display, on the screen of the marine electronics device, at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of a plurality of available autopilots for the marine vessel, wherein the plurality of available autopilots includes at least a first autopilot for a first motor and a second autopilot for a second motor, wherein the first motor is a different type of motor than the second motor, wherein the first motor is a trolling motor, wherein the second motor is not a trolling motor, wherein the marine electronics device is connected to the first autopilot and the second autopilot, wherein the first autopilot is configured to control the first motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the second autopilot is configured to control the second motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, and wherein the first motor is configured to be operated independently from the second motor such that either the first motor or the second motor is configured to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of the plurality of available autopilots comprise at least a first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot and a second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

receive a selection of one of the first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot or the second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

display one or more buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots, wherein the first autopilot is associated with a first set of autopilot commands for controlling the first autopilot, wherein the second autopilot is associated with a second set of autopilot commands for controlling the second autopilot, wherein the first set of autopilot commands is different than the second set of autopilot commands such that the first set of autopilot commands includes at least one command option that is not available for the second set of autopilot commands;

receive a selection of one of the displayed buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands; and

transmit a message corresponding to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to cause the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to operate according to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands.

8. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of available autopilots are connected to the marine electronics device by a wired or wireless connection or a network.

9. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the screen is a touchscreen and the selection of one of the plurality of available autopilots is entered by a user selecting one of the buttons or icons using the touchscreen.

10. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots is an autopilot for an outboard motor, trolling motor, inboard motor, thruster, jet, or pod.

11. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processors to transmit a message to an autopilot that was not selected in an instance in which the autopilot that was not selected is currently operating to cause the autopilot that was not selected to deactivate the autopilot that was not selected.

12. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a location or locations stored in the memory.

13. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a heading or a speed.

14. The marine electronics device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of available autopilots comprises an outboard motor autopilot and a trolling motor autopilot.

15. A method for operating a marine electronics device for a marine vessel, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen of the marine electronics device, at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of a plurality of available autopilots for the marine vessel, wherein the plurality of available autopilots includes at least a first autopilot for a first motor and a second autopilot for a second motor, wherein the first motor is a different type of motor than the second motor, wherein the first motor is a trolling motor, wherein the second motor is not a trolling motor, wherein the marine electronics device is connected to the first autopilot and the second autopilot, wherein the first autopilot is configured to control the first motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the second autopilot is configured to control the second motor to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, and wherein the first motor is configured to be operated independently from the second motor such that either the first motor or the second motor is configured to propel the marine vessel at a speed and in a direction, wherein the at least two buttons or icons that each correspond to one of the plurality of available autopilots comprise at least a first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot and a second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

receiving a selection of one of the first button or icon corresponding to the first autopilot or the second button or icon corresponding to the second autopilot;

displaying one or more buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots, wherein the first autopilot is associated with a first set of autopilot commands for controlling the first autopilot, wherein the second autopilot is associated with a second set of autopilot commands for controlling the second autopilot, wherein the first set of autopilot commands is different than the second set of autopilot commands such that the first set of autopilot commands includes at least one command option that is not available for the second set of autopilot commands;

receiving a selection of one of the displayed buttons or icons that each indicate one of a set of autopilot commands; and

transmitting a message corresponding to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands to the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to cause the selected one of the plurality of available autopilots to operate according to the selected one of the set of autopilot commands.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting a message to an autopilot that was not selected in an instance in which the autopilot that was not selected is currently operating to cause the autopilot that was not selected to deactivate the autopilot that was not selected.