# US 2023/0054594 A1 · Small watercraft system and method of controlling small watercraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054594 A1 - Document ID: US20230054594A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/981,500 - Filed: 2022-11-07 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-30 - Assignees: Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. - Applicants: Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. - Inventors: Hironori KATO; Toshio ARAKI; Hiroshi TOMOMORI; Kazumasa HISADA; Daisuke KAWAI; Shohei TERAI; Takuya SAKAMOTO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054594A1 ## CPC - B63C 9/0005: {by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat (alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08)} - B63B 34/10: Power-driven personal watercraft, e.g. water scooters (water jet propulsion B63H11/00; jet steering B63H25/46); Accessories therefor - B63B 79/15: for monitoring environmental variables, e.g. wave height or weather data - B63B 79/40: for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules - B63H 11/08: of rotary type - B63H 11/107: Direction control of propulsive fluid {(B63H11/101 takes precedence)} - F02N 11/0803: {characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop (F02N11/0814 takes precedence)} - F02N 11/101: {for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement} - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - G05D 1/0061: {for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa} - G05D 1/0206: {specially adapted to water vehicles} - B63H 2021/216: {using electric control means} - F02N 11/087: {Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches} - F02N 2200/106: Driver presence, e.g. detected by door lock, seat sensor or belt sensor - B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52) - 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) - 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) - F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A small watercraft system includes: a watercraft body; a watercraft body manipulation member through which a watercraft body manipulation command is input by an operator; a drive source that allows the watercraft body to plane; a steering device that allows the watercraft body to be steered; and a control device that controls the drive source and the steering device to operate the watercraft body. The control device determines whether a mode switching condition is satisfied, the mode switching condition including an operator's absence condition that the operator is absent from the watercraft body. Upon determining that the mode switching condition is satisfied, the control device executes an operator-absent manipulation mode in which the control device moves the watercraft body by controlling the drive source and the steering device based on an operator-absent manipulation command independent of the watercraft body manipulation command. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A small watercraft system comprising: a watercraft body; a watercraft body manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body manipulation command is input by an operator; a drive source that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to plane; a steering structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to be steered; and circuitry that is mounted on the watercraft body and that is configured to control the drive source and the steering structure to operate the watercraft body, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine whether a mode switching condition is satisfied, the mode switching condition including an operator's absence condition that the operator is absent from the watercraft body, and upon determining that the mode switching condition is satisfied, the circuitry is configured to execute an operator-absent manipulation mode in which the circuitry moves the watercraft body by controlling the drive source and the steering structure based on an operator-absent manipulation command independent of the watercraft body manipulation command. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The small watercraft according to claim 1, further comprising a connector connecting the drive source to the circuitry, wherein the drive source is an internal combustion engine, and if the internal combustion engine is at rest at the beginning of execution of the operator-absent manipulation mode by the circuitry, the circuitry is configured to control the connector to start the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to move the watercraft body at a lower propulsion power and a lower speed than in a watercraft body manipulation mode in which the watercraft body is operated based on the watercraft body manipulation command. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, further comprising a watercraft body communicator that is configured to receive an outboard signal transmitted from external circuitry remote from the watercraft body, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to operate the watercraft body based on the outboard signal received by the watercraft body communicator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The small watercraft system according to claim 4, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to stop operation of the watercraft body based on an outboard stopping command contained in the outboard signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The small watercraft system according to claim 4, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to steer the watercraft body based on an outboard steering command contained in the outboard signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The small watercraft system according to claim 4, wherein the external circuitry is portable by the operator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, further comprising a watercraft body activation manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body activation command is input by the operator, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to control a power supply circuit and instruct the power supply circuit to supply electric power to the drive source and the steering structure based on an operator-absent activation command independent of the watercraft body activation command input through the watercraft body activation manipulation structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, further comprising a watercraft body communicator that is configured to receive an outboard signal transmitted from external circuitry remote from the watercraft body, wherein the mode switching condition further includes a condition that a mode switching command contained in the outboard signal has been received. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching condition further includes a condition that a distance between a predetermined reference location and a location of the watercraft body has exceeded a reference distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The small watercraft system according to claim 10, wherein the reference location is a location of the operator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The small watercraft system according to claim 10, further comprising a watercraft body stopping manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body stopping command is input by the operator, wherein the reference location is a stop location where the watercraft body was located when the watercraft body stopping command was input through the watercraft body stopping manipulation structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The small watercraft system according to claim 10, wherein the reference location is a location where the operator became absent from the watercraft body which was being propelled. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to generate the operator-absent manipulation command configured to reduce a distance between a predetermined target location and a location of the watercraft body, and moves the watercraft body based on the operator-absent manipulation command. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The small watercraft system according to claim 14, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to operate the watercraft body based on location information indicating the location of the watercraft body, the location information being acquired by a watercraft body location information acquirer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The small watercraft system according to claim 14, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the circuitry is configured to operate the watercraft body based on target location information acquired by a target location information acquirer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The small watercraft system according to claim 16, further comprising a watercraft body stopping manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body stopping command is input by the operator, wherein the target location is any one of the following locations: a location of the operator; a stop location where the watercraft body was located when the watercraft body stopping command was input through the watercraft body stopping manipulation structure; and a location where the operator became absent from the watercraft body which was being propelled. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The small watercraft system according to claim 1, further comprising an obstacle detection sensor that is configured to detect the presence or absence of an obstacle located in surroundings of the watercraft body, wherein the mode switching condition further includes a condition that the obstacle detection sensor has not detected any obstacle. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling a small watercraft, wherein the small watercraft includes: a watercraft body; a watercraft body manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body manipulation command is input by an operator; a drive source that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to plane; and a steering structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to be steered, the method comprising: determining whether a mode switching condition is satisfied, wherein the mode switching condition includes an operator's absence condition that the operator is absent from the watercraft body; and executing an operator-absent manipulation mode upon determining that the mode switching condition is satisfied, wherein in the operator-absent manipulation mode, the watercraft body is moved by controlling the drive source and the steering structure based on an operator-absent manipulation command independent of the watercraft body manipulation command. ### Claim 20 A small watercraft system comprising: a watercraft body; a watercraft body manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body manipulation command is input by an operator; a drive source that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to plane; means for steering that is mounted on the watercraft body and that allows the watercraft body to be steered; and means for controlling that is mounted on the watercraft body and that is configured to control the drive source and the means for steering to operate the watercraft body, the means for controlling including a processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a mode switching condition is satisfied, the mode switching condition including an operator's absence condition that the operator is absent from the watercraft body, and upon determining that the mode switching condition is satisfied, the processor is configured to execute an operator-absent manipulation mode in which the processor moves the watercraft body by controlling the drive source and the means for steering based on an operator-absent manipulation command independent of the watercraft body manipulation command. ### Claim 21 A small watercraft system comprising: a watercraft body; a watercraft body manipulation structure that is mounted on the watercraft body and through which a watercraft body manipulation command is input by an operator; a falling overboard detector that is mounted on the watercraft body and that detects that an operator of the small watercraft has fallen overboard; a falling overboard location specification section that is mounted on the watercraft body and that specifies a falling overboard location of the operator when the operator's falling overboard is detected by the falling overboard detection section; and a storage section that is mounted on the watercraft body and that stores the falling overboard location specified by the falling overboard location specification section. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The small watercraft system according to claim 21, comprising: an external transmission device that is mounted on the watercraft body and that transmits the falling overboard location stored in the storage section to external entities of the small watercraft. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The small watercraft system according to claim 21, wherein the falling overboard detection section detects that an operator of the small watercraft has fallen overboard based on a state of a radio wave emitted from portable equipment that is capable of being carried by the operator and detecting biological information of the operator. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The small watercraft system according to claim 21, comprising: a drive source that allows the watercraft body to plane; a steering structure that allows the watercraft body to be steered; and a controller that is mounted on the watercraft body and that is configured to control the drive source and the steering structure so that the watercraft body returns to the falling overboard location stored by the storage section, wherein when controlling the drive source and the steering structure so that the watercraft body returns to the falling overboard location, the controller is configured to control the drive source so that propulsion speed of the watercraft body becomes lower when a separation distance between the falling overboard location and the watercraft body is less than a predetermined determination distance than when the separation distance is equal to or greater than the determination distance. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The small watercraft system according to claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to control the steering structure so that the watercraft body moves rearward and returns to the falling overboard location. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The small watercraft system according to claim 24, wherein the drive source includes a first drive source and a second drive source for slowing down the watercraft body, and the controller is configured to stop the first drive source when the falling overboard detection section detects that an operator of the small watercraft has fallen overboard, and drive the second drive source so that the watercraft body returns to the falling overboard location.