AUTOMATED FUEL ECONOMY OPTIMIZATION FOR MARINE VESSEL APPLICATIONS

• US 20100198435A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Cansiani, Kevin A., Clever, Tim J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 39/061 by using trimflaps, i.e. flaps mounted on the rear of a boat, e.g. speed boat
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/14 relating to internal-combustion engines of outboard type B63H20/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed

Abstract

A method and system for operating a marine vessel includes a cruise control module operating the marine vessel at a speed and a trim control module positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions. A fuel economy determination module determines a plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions and determines an efficient trim position from the plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions. An operation control module operates the marine vessel at the efficient trim position. A trim tab position may also be taken into account for efficient operation.

Claims

1. A system for operating a marine vessel comprising:

a cruise control module operating the marine vessel at a speed;

a trim control module positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions;

a fuel economy determination module determining a plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions and determining an efficient trim position from the plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions; and

an operation control module operating the marine vessel at the efficient trim position.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the speed comprises a constant engine speed.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 the speed comprises a constant vessel speed.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the speed comprises a plurality of speeds and wherein the trim control module positions the outdrive into the plurality of trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cruise control module establishing a window of speeds having an upper speed and a lower speed operating the marine vessel at a plurality of speeds and wherein the trim control module positions the outdrive into the plurality of trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds within the window of speeds.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the fuel economy determination module determines an efficient speed and trim position combination and wherein the operation mode control module operates the marine vessel at the efficient speed and trim position combination.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein trim control module positions the outdrive in a downward position.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a trim tab control module positioning a trim tab in a plurality of trim tab positions while maintaining the speed.

9. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the fuel economy determination module determines an efficient trim tab position from the plurality of trim tab positions prior to positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions.

10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein the fuel economy determination module determines a respective plurality of fuel economies at each of the plurality of speeds while maintaining the efficient trim tab position.

11. A method of operating a marine vessel comprising:

operating the marine vessel at a speed;

positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions;

determining a plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions;

determining an efficient trim position from the plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions; and

operating the marine vessel at the efficient trim position.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein operating the marine vessel at a speed comprises operating the marine vessel at a constant engine speed.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein operating the marine vessel at a speed comprises operating the marine vessel at a constant vessel speed.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein operating the marine vessel at a speed comprises operating the marine vessel at a plurality of speeds and wherein positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions comprises positioning the outdrive into the plurality of trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising establishing a window of speeds having an upper speed and a lower speed, and wherein operating the marine vessel at a speed comprises operating the marine vessel at a plurality of speeds and wherein positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions comprises positioning the outdrive into the plurality of trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds within the window of speeds.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising determining an efficient speed and trim position combination and wherein operating the marine vessel at the trim position comprises operating the marine vessel at the efficient speed and trim position combination.

17. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein positioning comprises positioning the outdrive in a downward position.

18. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising positioning a trim tab in a plurality of trim tab positions while maintaining the speed.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to positioning an outdrive into a plurality of trim positions, positioning the outdrive in a downward position and determining an efficient trim tab position from the plurality of trim tab positions.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein determining a plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds comprises determining a plurality of fuel economies for each of the trim positions at each of the plurality of speeds while maintaining the efficient trim tab position.