# US 12,759,688 B2 · System for and method of controlling watercraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,688 B2 - Document ID: US12759688B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/155,678 - Filed: 2023-01-17 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-23 - Assignees: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Juan-Pablo Afman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759688B2 ## CPC - B63H 21/213: {Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers} - B63H 20/10: Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt - B63H 20/12: Means enabling steering - G05G 9/047: the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)} - B63H 2020/003: {Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units} - B63H 2021/216: {using electric control means} - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) ## Abstract A control system for a watercraft can provide various modes of joystick propulsion control including cruise control, sub-idle watercraft speed operation, composite lateral propulsion, and shiftless docking maneuvers. The system can be used with peripheral motors having retractable 360-degree rotatable units together with a central motor both of which have mechanism to selectively deploy or retract their propellers in and out of water by a controller by manually or automatically. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling a watercraft comprising: at least one central motor comprising an internal combustion engine; a left peripheral electric motor on a port side of the watercraft relative to the at least one central motor; a right peripheral electric motor on a starboard side of the watercraft relative to the at least one central motor; a joystick unit comprising a joystick-configured to be tiltable in a plurality of directions, wherein the joystick unit is configured to output joystick position signals responsive to tilting of the joystick in the plurality of directions, wherein the joystick position signals are configured to control movement of the watercraft; and a controller communicating with the joystick unit to receive at least the outputted joystick position signals from the joystick unit and communicating with the left and right peripheral electric motors, and the at least one central motor to at least provide control instructions to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of the left and right peripheral electric motors and the at least one central motor; wherein: the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the at least one central motor in preference to the left and right peripheral electric motors responsive to receipt of joystick position signals from the joystick unit during a first specified control mode; and the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors and the at least one central motor responsive to receipt of joystick position signals from the joystick unit during a third specified control mode, wherein in the third control mode, the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors and the at least one central motor are associated with individual output ratios relative to a maximum output of each motor, wherein an output ratio associated with the left and right peripheral electric motors is greater than an output ratio associated with the at least one central motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein the controller is selectable to provide the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors in preference to the at least one central motor based on a second specified control mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent control instructions to the at least one central motor based on the second specified control mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to cause the central motor to tilt up during the operation of the second specified control mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein the left and right peripheral electric motors correspond to retractable and deployed positions and wherein the controller is configured to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to engage in a deployed position during operation of a second specified control mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to engage in a retracted position during operation of the first specified control mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein a steering angle range of rotatable angle of the peripheral electric motor in vertical axis is larger than that of the at least one central motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein maximum thrust obtained by the peripheral electric motor is set smaller than the at least one central motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein, responsive to joystick position signals corresponding to zero propulsion, the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to generate thrust in opposing directions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein responsive to joystick control instructions generated from a tilt of the joystick in a right direction, the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to generate thrust corresponding to a net propulsion force in the right direction and corresponding to a net moment of zero. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein responsive to joystick control instructions generated from a twist motion of the joystick, the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to generate thrust corresponding to a non-zero net moment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one central motor corresponds to a plurality of central motors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 1, wherein the maximum output thrust of each of the left peripheral electric motor and the right peripheral electric motor is lower than the maximum output thrust of the central motor. ### Claim 14 A system for controlling a watercraft comprising: a joystick unit comprising a joystick configured to be tiltable in a plurality of directions, wherein the joystick unit configured to output joystick position signals responsive to tilting of the joystick in the plurality of directions, wherein the joystick position signals configured to control movement of the watercraft; and a controller communicating with the joystick unit to receive at least the outputted joystick position signals from the joystick unit, wherein the controller is configured to provide control instructions to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of a first propulsion component and a second propulsion component based on a selected operating mode, wherein the first and second propulsion components are independently operable and wherein the selected operating mode corresponds to at least one of a first operating mode corresponding solely to operation of the first propulsion unit responsive to the joystick position signals from the joystick unit and a second operating mode corresponding solely to operation the second propulsion unit responsive to the joystick position signals from the joystick unit; wherein: the controller selectably provides control instructions to at least one of the first and second propulsion component responsive to receipt of joystick position signals from the joystick unit based on a specified control mode; operation of a combination the first and second propulsion component responsive to the joystick position signals from the joystick unit corresponds to a third operating mode, wherein in the third operating mode, the control instructions provided to the first and second propulsion component are associated with individual output ratios relative to a maximum output of each propulsion unit, wherein an output ratio associated with the first propulsion unit is lower than an output ratio associated with the second propulsion unit; the first propulsion component comprises an internal combustion engine; and the second propulsion component comprises an electric motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system for controlling a watercraft according to claim 14, wherein the second propulsion unit corresponds to left and right secondary motors and wherein the first propulsion unit corresponds to a plurality of primary motors. ### Claim 16 A method for controlling a watercraft comprising: obtaining joystick position signals responsive to tilting of a joystick unit comprising a joystick configured to be tiltable in a plurality of directions, wherein the joystick unit is configured to output the joystick position signals responsive to tilting of the joystick in the plurality of directions; transmitting the joystick position signals from the joystick to a controller; receiving the joystick position signals at the controller from the joystick unit; and providing control instructions for controlling a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by a left peripheral electric motor on a port side of the watercraft, a right peripheral electric motor on a starboard side of the watercraft, and at least one central motor comprising an internal combustion engine, wherein the control instructions are provided from the controller to at least one of the left peripheral electric motor, the right peripheral electric motor, and the at least one central motor based on a specified control mode, wherein the joystick position signals are transmitted independent of the specified control mode; wherein: the controller selectably provides the control instructions to at least one of the left peripheral electric motor, the right peripheral electric motor, and the at least one central motor based on a specified control mode; and the controller is selectable to provide the control instructions to the at least one central motor and the left and right peripheral electric motors based on a third control mode, wherein in the third control mode, the at least one central motor and the left and right peripheral electric motors are associated with output ratios relative to a maximum output, wherein an output ratio associated with the left and right peripheral electric motors is greater than an output ratio associated with the at least one central motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the controller is selectable to provide the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors in preference to the central motor based on a second control mode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent control instructions to the at least one central motor based on the second control mode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the controller is selectable to provide the control instructions to the at least one central motor in preference to the left and right peripheral electric motors based on a first control mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors based on the first control mode. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 19, wherein a maximum thrust obtained by the left and right peripheral electric motors is smaller relative to a maximum thrust of the at least one central motor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to cause the central motor to tilt up during the operation of at least one control mode. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the left and right peripheral electric motors correspond to retractable and deployed positions and wherein the controller is configured to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to engage in a deployed position during operation of at least one specified control mode. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to cause the left and right peripheral electric motors to engage in a retracted position during operation of at least one specified control mode. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein a steering angle range of rotatable angle of the peripheral electric motor in vertical axis is larger than that of the at least one central motor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method for controlling a watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the at least one central motor corresponds to a plurality of outboard motors. ### Claim 27 A system for controlling a watercraft comprising: at least one central motor; a left peripheral motor on a port side of the watercraft relative to the at least one central motor; a right peripheral motor on a starboard side of the watercraft relative to the at least one central motor; a joystick unit comprising a joystick configured to be tiltable in a plurality of directions, wherein the joystick unit is configured to output joystick position signals responsive to tilting of the joystick in the plurality of directions, wherein the joystick position signals are configured to control movement of the watercraft; and a controller communicating with the joystick unit to receive at least the outputted joystick position signals from the joystick unit and communicating with the left and right peripheral electric motors, and the at least one central motor to provide at least control instructions to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of at least one of the left and right peripheral motors and the at least one central motor; wherein: the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the at least one central motor in preference to the left and right peripheral motors responsive to receipt of joystick position signals from the joystick unit during a first specified control mode; the controller selectably provides the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors and the at least one central motor responsive to receipt of joystick position signals from the joystick unit during a third specified control mode, wherein in the third control mode, the control instructions to the left and right peripheral electric motors and the at least one central motor are associated with individual output ratios relative to a maximum output of each motor, wherein an output ratio associated with the left and right peripheral electric motors is greater than an output ratio associated with the at least one central motor; and a steering angle range of each of the left peripheral motor and the right peripheral motor is greater than a steering angle range of the at least one central motor, or the maximum output thrust of each of the left peripheral electric motor and the right peripheral electric motor is lower than the maximum output thrust of the central motor.