Steer by wire helm

A steering apparatus for a marine craft having a rudder, comprising:

• a rotatable wheel;
• an encoder responsive to angular movement of the wheel which provides helm signals indicative of incremental movement of the wheel;
• a stop mechanism capable of selectively stopping rotation of the wheel;
• a processor adjacent to the stop mechanism and coupled to the encoder which receives the helm signals and rudder signals indicative of positions of the rudder, the processor providing a stop signal to actuate the stop mechanism and stop rotation of the wheel when the rudder approaches, within a predetermined amount, a predetermined limit of travel,
• wherein the processor has a memory which retains positions of the helm.

A method of stopping rotation of a steering wheel of a vessel having a rudder and hard-over positions of the rudder, the method comprising:

• producing rudder signals indicating rudder positions;
• receiving the rudder positions near the steering wheel;
• determining, utilizing a processor adjacent to the wheel, whether the rudder positions are within a predetermined distance of a hard-over position of the rudder;
• engaging a stop mechanism operatively coupled to the steering wheel if the steering wheel is rotated in a direction corresponding to rudder movement towards said hard-over position;
• releasing the stop mechanism if the steering wheel is rotated in a direction corresponding to rudder movement away from said hard-over position, wherein the stop mechanism is reengaged if the wheel is steered back in a rotational direction corresponding to rudder movement towards the hard-over position and wherein the stop mechanism is reengaged only when the steering wheel is steered further in the direction which would move the rudder towards said hard-over position, after the stop mechanism is released, than the wheel was previously steered in the direction which would move the rudder away from said hard-over position.

A steering apparatus for a marine vehicle having a steered member, comprising:

• a rotatable wheel;
• an encoder responsive to angular movement of the wheel which provides steering signals indicative of incremental movement of the wheel;
• a stop mechanism capable of selectively stopping rotation of the wheel;
• a processor adjacent to the stop mechanism and coupled to the encoder which receives the steering signals and steered member signals indicative of positions of the steered member,
• the processor providing a stop signal to actuate the stop mechanism and stop rotation of the wheel when the steered member approaches, within a predetermined amount, a predetermined limit of travel, wherein the processor is integral with the stop mechanism and wherein the processor has a memory which retains positions of the steering.

A method of stopping rotation of a steering wheel of a vessel having a steered member and hard-over positions of the steered member, the method comprising:

• producing steered member signals indicating steered member positions;
• receiving the steered member positions near the steering wheel;
• determining, utilizing a processor adjacent to the wheel, whether the steered member positions are within a predetermined distance of a hard-over position of the steered member;
• engaging a stop mechanism operatively coupled to the steering wheel if the steering wheel is rotated in a direction corresponding to steered member movement towards said hard-over position;
• releasing the stop mechanism if the steering wheel is rotated in a direction corresponding to steered member movement away from said hard-over position, wherein the stop mechanism is reengaged if the wheel is steered back in a rotational direction corresponding to steered member movement towards the hard-over position and wherein the stop mechanism is reengaged only when the steering wheel is steered further in the direction which would move the steered member towards said hard-over position, after the stop mechanism is released, than the wheel was previously steered in the direction which would move the steered member away from said hard-over position.