# US 12,179,893 B1 · Apparatuses and methods for watercraft pump assemblies and controls > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,893 B1 - Document ID: US12179893B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/131,749 - Filed: 2023-04-06 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-06 - Assignees: Skier's Choice, Inc. - Applicants: Skier's Choice, Inc. - Inventors: Richard Lawrence Hartman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179893B1 ## CPC - B63B 39/061: {by using trimflaps, i.e. flaps mounted on the rear of a boat, e.g. speed boat} - B63B 1/16: deriving additional lift from hydrodynamic forces - B63B 13/00: Conduits for emptying or ballasting; Self-bailing equipment; Scuppers (draining means for hatches B63B19/26; centrifugal bilge-water separators B04; {arrangements of installations for treating ballast water B63J4/002; } pipes in general F16L) - B63B 34/70: Arrangements on vessels specially adapted for generating waves for surfing, wakeboarding or the like, e.g. ballast tanks - B63B 39/03: by transferring liquids - B63B 43/06: using ballast tanks (conduits for emptying or ballasting B63B13/00) - B63B 32/40: Twintip boards; Wakeboards; Surfboards; Windsurfing boards; Paddle boards, e.g. SUP boards; Accessories specially adapted therefor - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) ## Abstract A watercraft pump assembly for pumping fluid, the pump assembly including a pump intake adapter that creates a conduit through which fluid may flow; a pump coupled to the pump intake adapter to convey the fluid through the conduit; processing circuitry configured to control the pump, the processing circuitry comprising at least one computer interface; and a tablet computer coupled to the computer interface, the tablet computer comprising a user interface. Other systems and methods are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A watercraft pump assembly for pumping a level of fluid from a surface to be drained, the pump assembly comprising: a pump intake adapter with an open conduit through which fluid may flow; a pump connection on the pump intake adapter in fluid communication with the open conduit; a pump coupled to the pump connection on the pump intake adapter to convey the fluid away from the pump intake adapter; processing circuitry configured to control the pump, the processing circuitry comprising at least one computer interface; and a tablet computer coupled to the computer interface, the tablet computer having a user interface including at least one of switches, visual indicators, and audible indicators. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 1 in fluid communication with a bilge of a watercraft and configured to pump bilge fluid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 1 in fluid communication with a ballast compartment of a watercraft and configured to pump ballast fluid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 1 further comprising configuring the tablet computer to selectively interact with at least one configurable control mechanism of a watercraft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A watercraft comprising an engine, a trim plate, and the pump assembly of claim 4 wherein the configurable control mechanism selectively controls at least one of engine throttle/RPM, watercraft speed, and trim plate power and sensing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The watercraft of claim 5 wherein the tablet computer is configured to control at least one of the pump, engine throttle/RPM, watercraft speed, and trim plate power and sensing using at least one of the switches, visual indicators, and audible indicators. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The watercraft of claim 5 wherein the tablet computer includes a touch screen defining controls for at least one of the pump, engine throttle/RPM, watercraft speed, and trim plate power and sensing. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: providing a watercraft including a hull defining a bilge; providing a pump with a pump intake adapter, and an open conduit between the pump intake adapter and the bilge through which fluid may flow; providing a connection on the pump intake adapter, the connection being in fluid communication with the bilge; coupling the pump to the connection on the pump intake adapter to convey the fluid away from the pump intake adapter; providing processing circuitry configured to control the pump, the processing circuitry comprising at least one computer interface; and providing a tablet computer configured to control the pump, the tablet computer being coupled to the computer interface, the tablet computer having a touchscreen user interface using with which a user can control the pump and other aspects of the watercraft comprising at least one of navigation and speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the pump is configured to pump bilge fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the tablet computer is configured to selectively interact with a configurable control mechanism of the watercraft in addition to the pump. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the watercraft comprises an engine supported by the hull and configured to propel the watercraft, and a trim plate supported by the hull and configured to adjust an orientation of the hull. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the touchscreen of the tablet computer selectively controls an engine throttle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the touchscreen of the tablet computer selectively controls a trim plate. ### Claim 14 A watercraft pump assembly for pumping fluid, the pump assembly comprising: a pump intake adapter that creates a conduit through which fluid may flow; a pump coupled to the pump intake adapter to convey the fluid through the conduit; processing circuitry configured to control the pump, the processing circuitry comprising at least one computer interface; and a tablet computer coupled to the computer interface, the tablet computer comprising a user interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 14 in fluid communication with a bilge of a watercraft and configured to pump bilge fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 14 in fluid communication with a ballast compartment of a watercraft and configured to pump ballast fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 14 wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a switch, a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a touchscreen. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The watercraft pump assembly of claim 17 further comprising the tablet computer selectively interacting with at least one configurable control mechanism of a watercraft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A watercraft comprising an engine, a trim plate, and the pump assembly of claim 18 wherein the configurable control mechanism selectively controls at least one of engine throttle/RPM, watercraft speed, and trim plate power and sensing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The watercraft of claim 19 wherein the tablet computer controls the configurable control mechanism using at least one of the switch, visual indicator, audible indicator, and touchscreen.