Stopping function for marine vehicle propulsion system

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
• start, in response to receiving an input triggering an automatic stopping procedure for stopping a vessel, which vessel comprises at least a first cycloidal propeller unit and a second cycloidal propeller unit, a cycloidal propeller unit including a rotatable main wheel equipped with two or more blades that are individually rotatable, a stopping procedure comprising at least the following:
• obtaining at least information indicating a speed of the vessel;
• and
• adjusting, based on at least the speed indicated, motion control values of at least the first cycloidal propeller unit to cause, while maintaining a movement direction of the vessel to be according to a latest steering command, the first cycloidal propeller unit to brake in a first mode or in a second mode, wherein the first mode is a cycloidal propeller braking mode in which the main wheel is rotating and blades of the cycloidal propeller unit are rotated to change a thrust direction at the time the input is received towards to a reverse thrust direction, and the second mode is a rudder like braking mode in which either the main wheel is kept in a first position and the blades are positioned individually towards a corresponding predetermined angle to the movement direction or the blades are kept in first positions and the main wheel is rotated.

A vessel comprising:

• at least a first cycloidal propeller unit and a second cycloidal propeller unit, a cycloidal propeller unit comprising a rotatable main wheel equipped with two or more blades that are individually rotatable;
• a movement control arrangement including at least one apparatus configured to start, in response to receiving an input triggering an automatic stopping procedure, a stopping procedure including at least the following:
• obtaining at least information indicating a speed of the vessel;
• and adjusting, based on at least the speed indicated, motion control values of at least the first cycloidal propeller unit to cause, while maintaining a movement direction of the vessel to be according to a latest steering command, the first cycloidal propeller unit to brake in a first mode or in a second mode, wherein the first mode is a cycloidal propeller braking mode in which the main wheel is rotating and blades of the cycloidal propeller unit are rotated to change a thrust direction at the time the input is received towards to a reverse thrust direction, and the second mode is a rudder like braking mode in which either the main wheel is kept in a first position and the blades are positioned individually towards a corresponding predetermined angle to the movement direction or the blades are kept in first positions and the main wheel is rotated;
• at least one first user interface element to change, in response to a user input to the first user interface element, status of the automatic stopping procedure, the user interface element being connected to the movement control arrangement;
• and
• at least one second user interface element to steer the vessel.