Device for steering a trolling motor and method of the same

A system for use with a watercraft, the system comprising:

• a trolling motor assembly comprising:
• a shaft having a first end and a second end defining a shaft axis extending between the first end and the second end;
• a trolling motor at least partially contained within a trolling motor housing, wherein the trolling motor housing is attached to the second end of the shaft, wherein, when the trolling motor assembly is attached to the watercraft and the trolling motor housing is submerged in a body of water, the trolling motor, when operating, is configured to rotate about the shaft axis and propel the watercraft to travel along the body of water;
• and
• a main housing connected to the shaft proximate the first end of the shaft, wherein the main housing is configured to be positioned out of the body of water when the trolling motor assembly is attached to the watercraft and the trolling motor housing is submerged in the body of water;
• a user input assembly comprising:
• a housing;
• a joystick attached to the housing pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick, wherein a movement from the neutral position generates a steering command for the trolling motor;
• a transmitter within the housing communicatively coupled to a controller;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the joystick;
• and
• a memory including a computer program product stored thereon, wherein the computer program product is configured, when executed by the processor, to:
• receive movement data from the joystick including a direction of movement from the neutral position, wherein the direction of movement from the neutral position defines a joystick direction and occurs over 360 degrees;
• generate, based on the movement data, the steering command for instructing the trolling motor to aim in a steer direction to directly correspond to the joystick direction, wherein the steer direction is a pointing direction of the trolling motor for directing propulsion of the trolling motor, wherein the steer direction occurs over 360 degrees;
• transmit the steering command to a controller, wherein the steering command indicates a rotation about the shaft axis so as to aim the trolling motor in the steer direction corresponding to movement of the joystick movement;
• continuously generate steering commands based on adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick;
• and
• correspondingly, transmit the steering commands to the trolling motor to cause the trolling motor to adjust the steer direction to match a corresponding joystick direction for each of the adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to cause the trolling motor to rotate about the shaft axis to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on the movement of the joystick.

A method of steering a watercraft, the method comprising:

• receiving movement data from a joystick of a user input device, wherein the user input device comprises:
• a housing attached to the joystick, wherein the joystick is pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick;
• a transmitter within the housing;
• and
• a processor;
• wherein the movement data comprises a direction of movement from the neutral position and occurs over 360 degrees, wherein the direction of movement from the neutral position defines a joystick direction,
• generating, based on the movement data, a steering command for instructing a trolling motor to aim in a steer direction to directly correspond to the joystick direction, wherein the steer direction is a pointing direction of the trolling motor for directing propulsion of the trolling motor, wherein the steer direction occurs over 360 degrees;
• transmitting the steering command to a controller, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the trolling motor, and wherein the controller causes the trolling motor to execute the steering command, wherein the steering command causes the trolling motor to rotate so as to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on movement of the joystick;
• continuously generating steering commands based on adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick;
• and
• correspondingly, transmitting the steering commands to the trolling motor to cause the trolling motor to adjust the steer direction to match a corresponding joystick direction for each of the adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick.