Marine propulsion control systems and methods with buffer zone adaptation
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsJason S. Arbuckle, Brandon L. Tate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A propulsion control system includes at least one marine drive configured to propel the marine vessel, a proximity sensor system configured to measure proximity of objects in a marine navigation area around the marine vessel to generate proximity measurements, and a control system. The control system is configured detect that an extendable element on the marine vessel is in an extended position, define an extended buffer zone around the marine vessel based on the extended position of the extendable element, and control the at least one marine drive based on the proximity measurements and the buffer zone so as to avoid the objects in the marine navigation area entering the extended buffer zone.
Claims20
A propulsion control system for a marine vessel, the system comprising:
- at least one marine drive configured to propel the marine vessel;
- a proximity sensor system configured to measure proximity of objects in a marine navigation area around the marine vessel to generate proximity measurements;
- a control system configured to:
- detect that an extendable element on the marine vessel is in an extended position;
- define an extended buffer zone around the marine vessel based on the extended position of the extendable element;
- and
- control the at least one marine drive based on the proximity measurements and the extended buffer zone.
A propulsion control method for a marine vessel, the method comprising:
- measuring proximity of objects around the marine vessel via a proximity sensor system to generate proximity measurements;
- detecting that an extendable element on the marine vessel is in an extended position;
- defining an extended buffer zone around the marine vessel with a control system based on the extended position of the extendable element;
- and
- controlling at least one marine drive with the control system based on the proximity measurements and the buffer zone so as to avoid the objects in a marine navigation area around the marine vessel entering the extended buffer zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.