Automatic control of a marine vessel during sport fishing mode

• US 9,110,467 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twin Disc Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Yuet, Fu P., Callaghan, Merritt P., Anderson, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/616,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/00 Accessories for angling fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/05 Vessels specially adapted for hunting or fishing
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/80 in fisheries management

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a marine vessel having a control system for automatically steering the marine vessel for the purpose of aiding an angler who has hooked a fish. The control system includes a GPS unit for determining the orientation of the marine vessel, a sonar unit for determining the bearing of a fish, and an algorithm for minimizing the error between the two. The control system will execute steering commands in the propulsion system in order to minimize the error in order to aid the angler as he tries to land the hooked fish.

Claims

1. A method for aiding an angler by automatically steering a marine vessel, comprising:

receiving a signal in an electronic controller corresponding to an orientation of said marine vessel;

receiving a signal in said electronic controller corresponding to an angle of a fish relative to said marine vessel;

receiving a signal in said electronic controller corresponding to a force applied by said fish to said marine vessel;

determining whether said angler is engaged with said fish by said electronic controller based on said force applied by said fish;

calculating an error in said electronic controller between the orientation of the marine vessel and the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel;

generating steering commands in said electronic controller based on whether said angler is engaged with said fish, the calculated error, and the force applied by said fish; and

executing said steering commands in a marine propulsion system such that the error is minimized.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving a signal corresponding to movement of said angler in said electronic controller.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit, and

the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least one thruster unit.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units and at least one thruster unit.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic controller is further configured to receive a signal corresponding to a force of said angler, wherein the force applied by said fish is applied to said angler.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the movement signal is sent by a load cell operably connected to an angler'"'"'s seat.

11. A control system for aiding an angler by automatically steering a marine vessel, comprising:

an electronic controller configured to

receive a signal corresponding to an orientation of a marine vessel;

receive a signal corresponding to an angle of a fish relative to said marine vessel;

receive a signal corresponding to a force applied by said fish;

determine whether said angler is engaged with said fish based on said force applied by said fish;

calculate an error between the orientation of the marine vessel and the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel;

generate steering commands based on whether said angler is engaged with said fish, the calculated error, and the force applied by said fish; and

a marine propulsion system for executing said steering commands such that the error is minimized.

12. The control system of claim 11 wherein the electronic controller is further configured to receive a signal corresponding to movement of said angler.

13. The control system of claim 11 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit.

14. The control system of claim 11 wherein the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

15. The control system of claim 11 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit;

and

the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

16. The control system of claim 11 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units.

17. The control system of claim 11 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least one thruster unit.

18. The control system of claim 11 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units and at least one thruster unit.

19. The control system of claim 11 wherein said control system is enabled by a control located at an operator station of said marine vessel.

20. The control system of claim 11 wherein the electronic controller is further configured to receive a signal corresponding to a force of said angler, wherein the force applied by said fish is applied to said angler.

21. The control system of claim 12 wherein the movement signal is sent by a load cell operably connected to an angler'"'"'s seat.

22. The control system of claim 11 wherein said control system is enabled by any of at least two controls located at different operator stations on said marine vessel.

23. A marine vessel comprising:

an electronic controller configured to

receive a signal corresponding to an orientation of a marine vessel;

receive a signal corresponding to an angle of a fish relative to said marine vessel;

receive a signal corresponding to a force applied by said fish;

determine whether said angler is engaged with said fish based on said force applied by said fish;

calculate an error between the orientation of the marine vessel and the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel;

generate steering commands based on whether said angler is engaged with said fish, the calculated error, and the force applied by said fish; and

a marine propulsion system for executing said steering commands such that the error is minimized.

24. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the electronic controller is further configured to receive a signal corresponding to movement of said angler.

25. The marine vessel of claim 24 wherein the movement signal is sent by a load cell operably connected to an angler'"'"'s seat.

26. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit.

27. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

28. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the signal corresponding to the orientation of said marine vessel is sent by a global position unit;

and

the signal corresponding to the angle of the fish relative to said marine vessel is sent by a sonar unit.

29. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units.

30. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least one thruster unit.

31. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the marine propulsion system includes at least two propulsion units and at least one thruster unit.

32. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the control system is enabled by a control located at an operator station of said marine vessel.

33. The marine vessel of claim 23 wherein the control system is enabled by any of at least two controls located at different operator stations on said marine vessel.