Outboard motor multi-redundancy lift control system and method

Abstract

This invention provides a multi-redundant tilting control system and method for outboard motors, including a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The control unit module includes a VCU controller. During tilting / retraction, the sensor module collects the operating current signal of the tilting motor, water depth, and outboard motor tilting angle signal in real time. The VCU controller performs initialization self-tests on the first power circuit, the second power circuit, and the sensor module. It monitors and adaptively adjusts operating conditions based on the operating current signal, water depth, and outboard motor tilting angle signal. It monitors the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and outputs control signals to the second power circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the human-machine interface module prompts the pilot to switch to the first power circuit. This achieves reliable control of the tilting action, ensures navigation safety, optimizes the driving experience, and extends the service life of the outboard motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine power plant control technology, and in particular to a multi-redundant outboard motor control system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Precise and reliable control of outboard motor tilting is a key aspect of ensuring safe navigation of ships. Existing outboard motor tilting control mostly adopts a "single command-execution" approach, that is, receiving fixed commands through the VCU to drive the tilting mechanism, which lacks redundant control design and adaptive adjustment logic for operating conditions.

[0003] From the perspective of control methods, the above methods have the following problems: First, they lack redundant control and have weak failure resistance. Existing control methods rely on a single control link. When VCU command transmission fails or manual command triggering fails, they cannot switch to the lifting action through backup control logic. In critical scenarios such as obstacle avoidance in shallow waters and emergency situations in reef areas, control failure can easily lead to propeller damage and ship grounding. Second, they have poor adaptability to operating conditions and rigid control logic. Existing methods can only passively respond to fixed commands and have not established a linkage control mechanism of "operating condition perception-parameter adjustment". They cannot dynamically adjust the control strategy according to water depth and the operating status of the lifting mechanism. This can easily lead to poor driving experience and accelerated wear of the mechanism due to mismatch between speed and water depth, and incoordination between lifting speed and mechanical load. Third, fault diagnosis and emergency handling are lagging behind. Existing methods lack real-time monitoring and closed-loop processing logic for faults such as abnormal current and angle stagnation during the lifting process. After a fault occurs, they cannot quickly trigger emergency actions such as shutdown and descent, which can easily lead to the expansion of the fault and increase maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-redundant outboard motor tilting control system and method to solve the problems of insufficient redundancy, poor adaptability to operating conditions, and delayed fault handling in existing outboard motor tilting control methods. By constructing multi-link redundant control logic, designing a multi-sensor fusion-based adaptive adjustment strategy for operating conditions, and establishing a full-process fault diagnosis and emergency handling mechanism, reliable control of the tilting action can be achieved, ensuring navigation safety, optimizing the driving experience, and extending the service life of the outboard motor.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-redundant tilting control system for outboard motors. The system includes a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller. The lifting actuator, the redundant control loop module, the sensor module, and the human-machine interaction module are all electrically connected to the control unit module, and the lifting actuator and the redundant control loop module are electrically connected. The sensor module is used to collect the operating current signal of the lifting motor, the water depth, and the lifting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time during the lifting / lowering process. The VCU controller is used to perform initialization self-test on the first power circuit, the second power circuit and the sensor module; The operating current signal of the lifting motor is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is operating normally; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, the operating angle of the lifting actuator is restricted; the lifting angle signal of the outboard motor is used to determine whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck. The on / off status of the first power circuit is monitored in real time, and control signals are output to the second power circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the human-machine interaction module will remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit.

[0006] Furthermore, the VCU controller is used to detect whether there is a recorded fault preventing the start of the tilting motor after the ship starts; if so, it cancels the second power circuit drive enable and sends a fault E1 preventing the start of the tilting motor to the human-machine interaction module. The voltage status of the first power supply circuit is detected. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the first power supply circuit, a fault E2 for abnormal voltage in the first power supply circuit is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the voltage of the first power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then the voltage status of the second power supply circuit is detected. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the second power circuit, a fault E3 for the abnormal voltage of the second power circuit is sent to the human-machine interaction module, and the second power circuit drive enable is canceled. If the voltage of the second power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then the current sensor, ultrasonic ranging module and angle sensor in the sensor module are checked in sequence to see if they are normal. If the signals from the current sensor, the ultrasonic ranging module, and the angle sensor are all normal, the self-test passes. If the signal from the current sensor is abnormal, a current sensor fault E4 is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the ultrasonic ranging module malfunctions, an ultrasonic ranging module malfunction fault E5 is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the angle sensor signal is abnormal, an angle sensor fault E6 is sent to the human-machine interaction module.

[0007] Furthermore, the first power circuit is a hard-wired independent control circuit, which includes an on-board power supply, a hard-wired control switch, a first fuse protector, a first drive relay assembly, and a first-loop diode. The VCU controller is used to monitor the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and trigger redundancy switching when any circuit fails. The second power supply circuit is a VCU control circuit, which includes a vehicle main power supply, a second fuse protector, a second drive relay assembly, and a second-circuit diode. The second power supply circuit is used to receive automatic control signals or instrument command signals, and to control the start and stop of the lifting actuator according to the automatic control signals or instrument command signals; In this circuit, both the output terminal of the first power supply circuit and the output terminal of the second power supply circuit are connected to diodes.

[0008] Furthermore, the VCU controller is used to receive in real time the monitoring signal of the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit and the manual command of the second power circuit, wherein the manual command is issued through the instrument button panel; The manual command of the second power circuit is allowed to be responded to only when the hard-wired control switch has no signal output. When all manual signals of the first power circuit are invalid, determine whether the tilting signal or the falling signal of the instrument button panel is continuous. When the lifting signal or the falling signal continues for more than a set time, it is determined that the driver's intention is to perform a complete lifting or falling action. The tilting motor is automatically controlled to move to the corresponding position according to the set angle. When the second power circuit fails, the drive enable of the second power circuit is canceled and a reminder message is generated; wherein, the reminder message is to remind the driver to manually control the system through the first power circuit.

[0009] Furthermore, the sensor module includes a current sensor, an angle sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging module; The current sensor is connected in series in the power supply line of the second power circuit to collect the working current signal of the lifting motor in real time and transmit it to the VCU controller. The ultrasonic ranging module is installed on the bracket of the tilting actuator to collect the water depth and transmit it to the VCU controller. The angle sensor is installed at the connecting rod shaft of the tilting actuator to collect the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor and transmit it to the VCU controller.

[0010] Furthermore, the VCU controller is used to determine whether the lifting motor is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; When a stall fault is detected, a shutdown signal is immediately output and an early warning is triggered; When the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, the lifting actuator is controlled to lift to a safe angle; Determine whether the tilting is in place based on the outboard motor tilting angle signal; When the outboard motor tilt angle signal reaches a preset threshold, a stop signal is output, thereby completing the tilting or lowering action. The angle change is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is stuck. If the action becomes stuck, immediately stop the current action.

[0011] Furthermore, the human-computer interaction module includes an instrument button panel and an instrument status display unit; The instrument panel button is located on the dashboard and is used to acquire the driver's input of tilting or lowering commands and transmit them to the VCU controller. The instrument status display unit is used to display the lifting angle, power circuit working status, sensor detection data and fault warning information in real time.

[0012] Furthermore, the VCU controller is used to remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit through the instrument status display unit when the second power circuit fails; and to directly control the lifting actuator through the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit to realize emergency lifting or lowering.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-redundant tilt control method for outboard motors, applied to the multi-redundant tilt control system for outboard motors as described above. The system includes a tilt actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller. The method includes: During the tilting / retraction process, the sensor module collects the operating current signal of the tilting motor, the water depth, and the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time; The VCU controller performs an initialization self-test on the first power circuit, the second power circuit, and the sensor module. The VCU controller determines whether the lifting actuator is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, it restricts the operating angle of the lifting actuator; and it determines whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck based on the outboard motor lifting angle signal. The VCU controller monitors the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and outputs control signals to the second power circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the human-machine interaction module will remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit.

[0014] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the method described above.

[0015] This invention provides a multi-redundant tilting control system and method for outboard motors. The system includes a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller. The tilting actuator, redundant control loop module, sensor module, and human-machine interface module are electrically connected to the control unit module, and the tilting actuator is electrically connected to the redundant control loop module. The sensor module is used to collect the operating current signal of the tilting motor, water depth, and outboard motor tilting angle signal in real time during the tilting / retraction process. The VCU controller initializes the first power supply loop, the second power supply loop, and the sensor module. Self-check; determine whether the lifting actuator is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; limit the operating angle of the lifting actuator when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold; determine whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck based on the outboard motor lifting angle signal; monitor the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and output control signals to the second power circuit; when the second power circuit fails, remind the pilot to switch to the first power circuit through the human-machine interaction module; by constructing multi-link redundant control logic, designing a multi-sensor fusion working condition adaptive adjustment strategy, and establishing a full-process fault diagnosis and emergency handling mechanism, reliable control of the lifting action is achieved, ensuring navigation safety, optimizing the driving experience, and extending the service life of the outboard motor.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention are realized and obtained in accordance with the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims and drawings.

[0017] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another outboard motor multi-redundant tilt control system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the system initialization self-test process provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the system command receiving and response process provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the working condition monitoring and adaptive adjustment process provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the outboard motor multi-redundant tilt control method provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0022] Example 1: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0023] Reference Figure 1 The system includes a lifting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module; wherein, the redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller; The lifting actuator, redundant control loop module, sensor module, and human-machine interface module are electrically connected to the control unit module, and the lifting actuator and redundant control loop module are electrically connected. The sensor module is used to collect the operating current signal of the tilting motor, the water depth, and the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time during the tilting / retraction process. The VCU controller is used to perform initialization self-tests on the first power supply circuit, the second power supply circuit, and the sensor module. The operating current signal of the lifting motor is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is operating normally; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, the operating angle of the lifting actuator is restricted; the lifting angle signal of the outboard motor is used to determine whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck. The on / off status of the first power supply circuit is monitored in real time, and control signals are output to the second power supply circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the driver is prompted to switch to the first power circuit via the human-machine interface module.

[0024] Specifically, the functions of each module included in the system are described below: The tilting actuator is used to drive the outboard motor to complete the tilting and lowering actions. This module mainly controls the forward and reverse rotation of the tilting motor by applying different positive and negative voltages, thereby realizing the tilting / lowering actions of the outboard motor body.

[0025] The redundant control loop module includes a first control loop and a second control loop, which are connected in parallel, independent of each other, and do not interfere with each other, thereby achieving redundant control of the lifting actuator. The first power supply loop is a hard-wired independent control loop, consisting of an onboard power supply (battery), a hard-wired control switch, a first fuse protector, and a first drive relay assembly connected in series. The hard-wired control switch is located in an easily accessible area on the ship's bridge, used by the operator to manually force the start and stop of the lifting actuator. The VCU controller in this loop only plays a monitoring role. The second power supply loop is a VCU control loop, consisting of an onboard main power supply (battery), a second fuse protector, and a second drive relay assembly connected in series, used to receive automatic control signals or instrument command signals to start and stop the lifting actuator.

[0026] The control unit module includes a VCU controller, which is electrically connected to the redundant control loop module, the sensor module, the human-machine interface module, and the lifting actuator. The VCU controller has built-in loop switching logic, state judgment algorithm, and adaptive adjustment algorithm. It is used to receive detection signals from the sensor module and command signals from the human-machine interface module, output control signals to the second drive relay of the second power supply loop, and monitor the on / off status of the first power supply loop in real time. It triggers redundancy switching when any loop fails.

[0027] The sensor module includes a current sensor, an angle sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging module. The current sensor is connected in series in the power supply line of the second power circuit to collect the working current signal of the tilting motor in real time and transmit it to the VCU controller. The ultrasonic ranging module is installed on the tilting mechanism bracket and its angle does not change with the tilting / recirculation of the outboard motor. It is used to collect the water depth and transmit it to the VCU controller. The angle sensor is installed on the connecting rod shaft of the tilting actuator to collect the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor and transmit it to the VCU controller.

[0028] The human-machine interface module includes an instrument panel button panel and an instrument status display unit. The instrument panel button panel is located on the dashboard and is used by the driver to input tilting / lowering commands (transmitted to the VCU controller). The instrument status display unit is used to display the tilting angle, power circuit operating status, sensor detection data, and fault warning information in real time. Both the first and second power circuits have diodes connected to their output terminals to prevent current backflow when both circuits are powered simultaneously, ensuring circuit independence.

[0029] The VCU controller has built-in fault diagnosis logic, which is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is operating normally based on the trend of current signal changes collected by the current sensor (when the current suddenly changes and continuously exceeds the preset threshold, it is determined to be a motor stall fault); it uses the ultrasonic ranging module to obtain the water depth, and limits the operating angle of the lifting mechanism when the water depth is less than the threshold; it uses the angle signal collected by the angle sensor to determine whether the lifting is in place or whether the mechanism is stuck (preset maximum and minimum lifting angle thresholds, when the angle reaches the threshold, a stop signal is output; if the angle sensor change is less than the threshold within a certain period of time, it is considered stuck).

[0030] System initialization self-test: After the outboard motor is started, the VCU controller performs a self-test on the power status of the first circuit, the power status of the second circuit, and the status of each sensor in the second circuit, and feeds back the self-test results through the instrument status display unit; if there is a circuit open or no sensor signal, a warning will be issued on the instrument status display unit; if the self-test passes, it will enter the standby state.

[0031] The specific process is as follows: The VCU controller is used to detect whether there is a recorded fault that prevents the start of the tilting motor after the ship starts; if so, it cancels the second power circuit drive enable and sends the fault E1 that prevents the start of the tilting motor to the human-machine interface module. The voltage status of the first power supply circuit is detected. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the first power supply circuit, a fault E2 for abnormal voltage in the first power supply circuit is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the voltage of the first power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then continue to detect the voltage status of the second power supply circuit. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the second power supply circuit, a second power supply circuit voltage abnormality fault E3 is sent to the human-machine interaction module, and the second power supply circuit drive enable is canceled. If the voltage of the second power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then check in sequence whether the current sensor, ultrasonic ranging module and angle sensor in the sensor module are normal. If the signals from the current sensor, the ultrasonic ranging module, and the angle sensor are all normal, the self-test passes. If the current sensor signal is abnormal, send a current sensor abnormality fault E4 to the human-machine interaction module; If the ultrasonic ranging module malfunctions, send an ultrasonic ranging module malfunction fault E5 to the human-machine interaction module. If the angle sensor signal is abnormal, send an angle sensor fault E6 to the human-machine interaction module.

[0032] Furthermore, the first power supply circuit is a hard-wired independent control circuit, which includes an on-board power supply, a hard-wired control switch, a first fuse protector, a first drive relay assembly, and a first-loop diode. The VCU controller is used to monitor the on / off status of the first power supply loop in real time and trigger redundancy switching when any loop fails. The second power supply circuit is the VCU control circuit, which includes the vehicle main power supply, the second fuse protector, the second drive relay assembly, and the second circuit diodes. The second power supply circuit is used to receive automatic control signals or instrument command signals, and to control the start and stop of the lifting actuator according to the automatic control signals or instrument command signals. In this circuit, the output terminals of both the first and second power supply circuits are connected to diodes.

[0033] Furthermore, the specific process of system command reception and response is as follows: The VCU controller is used to receive in real time the monitoring signal of the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit and the manual command of the second power circuit, wherein the manual command is issued through the instrument keypad panel. Manual commands from the second power circuit are only permitted to be executed when the hard-wired control switch has no signal output. When all manual signals of the first power circuit are invalid, determine whether the tilting or falling signal of the instrument button panel is continuous. When the lifting or lowering signal continues for more than the set time, it is determined that the driver's intention is to perform a complete lifting or lowering action. The tilting motor is automatically controlled to move to the corresponding position according to the set angle. When the second power circuit fails, the drive enable of the second power circuit is canceled and a reminder message is generated; the reminder message reminds the driver to manually control the circuit through the first power circuit (hard-wired switch).

[0034] Furthermore, the working condition monitoring and adaptive adjustment process is as follows: the sensor module includes a current sensor, an angle sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging module; A current sensor, connected in series in the power supply line of the second power circuit, is used to collect the working current signal of the lifting motor in real time and transmit it to the VCU controller. An ultrasonic ranging module is installed on the bracket of the lifting actuator to collect water depth data and transmit it to the VCU controller. An angle sensor, installed at the connecting rod shaft of the tilting actuator, is used to collect the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor and transmit it to the VCU controller.

[0035] Furthermore, the VCU controller is used to determine whether the lifting motor is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; When a stall fault is detected, a shutdown signal is immediately output and an early warning is triggered; When the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, control the lifting actuator to raise it to a safe angle; Determine whether the outboard motor tilting angle signal is accurate; When the outboard motor tilt angle signal reaches the preset threshold, a stop signal is output, thereby completing the tilting or lowering action; Determine whether the lifting actuator is stuck based on the angle change; If the action becomes stuck, immediately stop the current action.

[0036] Here, the specific logic of the VCU controller adjusting the tilt angle according to the water depth is as follows: two preset water depth-angle mapping relationships are used, with a larger tilt angle corresponding to shallow water areas and a smaller tilt angle corresponding to deep water areas, ensuring that the propeller is always at a reasonable water depth and avoiding scraping or power loss. At the same time, depending on different operating environments, the water depth-angle can also be mapped linearly or non-linearly within a certain range.

[0037] When the current sensor detects inconsistent current changes (such as fluctuations exceeding the preset range), the VCU controller outputs a warning signal to the instrument and continuously monitors current changes. If the current returns to normal, the current speed is maintained; if it remains abnormal, the current abnormality fault is recorded, and the lifting motor fault is reported and the start is prohibited on the next startup to avoid motor overload damage.

[0038] Furthermore, the human-computer interaction module includes an instrument button panel and an instrument status display unit; The instrument panel button is located on the dashboard and is used to receive the driver's input of tilting or lowering commands and transmit them to the VCU controller. The instrument status display unit is used to display the tilting angle, power circuit working status, sensor detection data, and fault warning information in real time.

[0039] Furthermore, during fault handling and redundancy protection, when a fault occurs in the second power circuit (such as a VCU fault or a circuit break), the VCU controller reminds the driver to switch to the first power circuit through the instrument status display unit; and directly controls the lifting actuator through the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit to achieve emergency lifting or lowering.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0041] Reference Figure 2 The system includes a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module (with the VCU controller at its core), a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The tilting actuator is controlled by either a first or second drive relay assembly, and rotates in either direction based on positive or negative power signals to tilt and lower the outboard motor.

[0042] The redundant control loop module includes a first control loop and a second control loop. The first control loop consists of a battery, a first fuse protector, a hard-wired control switch, a first drive relay assembly, and a first-loop diode connected in series. The hard-wired switch is for the driver's use in an emergency. The second control loop consists of a battery, a second fuse protector, a second drive relay assembly, and a second-loop diode, and is driven by the VCU controller for adaptive adjustment.

[0043] The control unit module mainly consists of a VCU controller. The VCU controller is equipped with an analog input port for receiving sensor signals; a digital input port for receiving keypad signals; a CAN bus port for interacting with the instrument status display unit; a digital output port for driving the second control loop; an analog input port for monitoring the voltages of the first and second control loops; and a digital input port for receiving feedback status from the first and second control loops.

[0044] In the sensor module, the current sensor is a Hall current sensor, which is connected in series in the power supply line of the second power supply circuit and outputs a 0-5V analog signal to the VCU controller; the ultrasonic ranging module uses a waterproof ultrasonic sensor (range 0-2m), which is fixed to the outboard motor tilting mechanism bracket by a threaded connection and outputs a 4-20mA current signal; the angle sensor is a potentiometer-type angle sensor (range 0-90°) and outputs a 0-5V voltage signal.

[0045] The instrument panel of the human-machine interface module uses a marine membrane keypad with two buttons: "lift" and "lower". The status display unit uses an LCD screen to display the lifting angle (accuracy 0.1°), the current working circuit (first / second circuit), the water depth (accuracy 0.1m), the lifting motor current (accuracy 0.1A), and fault codes in real time, so that the driver can easily identify the current status of the lifting system.

[0046] System initialization self-test, such as Figure 3 As shown, after the vessel starts, the VCU first checks for any recorded faults preventing the tilting motor from starting. If a fault exists, it disables the second circuit drive and sends a fault E1 (preventing tilting motor start) to the instrument panel. Next, the VCU checks the voltage status of the first circuit. If an abnormal voltage is detected, it sends a fault E2 (abnormal first circuit voltage) to the instrument panel, alerting the operator that the backup circuit has failed and requires repair. Then, it checks the voltage status of the second circuit. If the voltage is abnormal, it sends a fault E3 (abnormal second circuit voltage) to the instrument panel. At this point, the self-test fails, and the VCU disables the second circuit drive. If the second circuit voltage is normal, it sequentially checks the signals of the current sensor, ultrasonic ranging module, and angle sensor. If any of these three sensors malfunction, faults E4, E5, and E6 are sent to the instrument panel respectively. If all the above checks pass, it sends a 'self-test passed' message to the instrument panel.

[0047] System command reception and response, such as Figure 4 As shown, the VCU first checks if the self-test has passed and if there is no output from the first circuit hardwire signal. If not, it cancels the second circuit drive enable. Next, it checks the button panel return signal. If the button panel signal lasts for more than 3 seconds (indicating the driver wants to perform a complete tilting / lowering action), it sets the target angle of the tilting motor to 85 degrees and simultaneously controls the tilting motor to move to the currently set angle. Similarly, it checks the button panel tilting signal. If it lasts for more than 3 seconds, it sets the target angle of the tilting motor to 0 degrees and controls the tilting motor to complete the angle adjustment. When the button panel signal lasts for less than 3 seconds, the VCU immediately responds to the button panel tilting / lowering signal and completes the corresponding angle adjustment of the tilting mechanism.

[0048] Operating condition monitoring and adaptive adjustment, such as Figure 5As shown, during the operation of the tilting mechanism, the current sensor collects the motor current in real time. If the current is greater than 10A and lasts for more than 2 seconds, the VCU determines that the tilting motor is stalled, immediately cancels the second circuit drive enable, records the tilting motor start-prohibited fault E1, and sends this fault to the instrument. Next, the VCU obtains the water depth measured by the ultrasonic ranging module. When the water depth is less than 1.5m, the VCU limits the tilting angle to 50 degrees and sends a shallow water warning E10 to the instrument, while simultaneously controlling the tilting motor to move to the same angle as the current limit. When the calculated water depth is greater than 1.5 meters, the tilting angle remains unchanged at 85 degrees. Alternatively, as a preferred option, the tilting angle can also be linearly mapped to the water depth. The VCU monitors the angle change of the tilting mechanism based on the angle sensor. When the angle sensor changes by less than 5 degrees within 2 seconds, the current action stops and a tilting mechanism jamming warning E11 is sent to the instrument.

[0049] Fault Handling and Redundancy Assurance: The VCU records faults from the above modules and forwards them to the instrument cluster, alerting the driver to the corresponding module malfunction. The fault code and fault correspondence is as follows: E1: Tilting motor stall fault; E2: First circuit voltage abnormality fault; E3: Second circuit voltage abnormality fault; E4: Current sensor abnormality fault; E5: Ultrasonic ranging module fault; E6: Angle sensor fault; E10: Shallow water warning; E11: Tilting mechanism jamming warning; When faults E1, E3, E4, E5, and E6 occur, the second circuit drive is disabled. Faults E2, E10, and E11 are warning faults, prompting the operator to check the corresponding components or environment to avoid hull damage or mitigate risks in advance.

[0050] Example 2: Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the outboard motor multi-redundant tilt control method provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0051] Reference Figure 6 This method is applied to the outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system described above. The system includes a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module. The redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller. This method is used to achieve redundant control, adaptive adjustment, and fault warning for the outboard motor tilting actuator. The method includes the following steps: Step S101: During the tilting / lowering process, the sensor module collects the operating current signal of the tilting motor, the water depth, and the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time. Step S102: The VCU controller performs an initialization self-test on the first power supply circuit, the second power supply circuit, and the sensor module. In step S103, the VCU controller determines whether the lifting actuator is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, it restricts the operating angle of the lifting actuator; and it determines whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck based on the outboard motor lifting angle signal. Step S104: The VCU controller monitors the on / off status of the first power supply circuit in real time and outputs control signals to the second power supply circuit. Step S105: When the second power circuit fails, the driver is reminded to switch to the first power circuit through the human-machine interaction module.

[0052] Compared with the prior art, the control method of this application has the following beneficial effects: 1) Redundant control logic improves reliability: By constructing a redundancy switching method of "VCU priority + hard-wired backup", the pain point of easy failure of the existing single control link is solved. In the event of failure of any control loop, it can quickly switch to ensure the normal execution of the lifting action in emergency conditions and reduce the risk of ship grounding and equipment damage. 2) Adaptive adjustment to optimize the driving experience: The innovative parameter matching method of multi-sensor fusion is adopted to realize the linkage adjustment of water depth, lifting angle and lifting current, avoiding the rigidity of traditional fixed command control, ensuring smooth and accurate lifting action under different navigation conditions, and reducing mechanical wear of the mechanism; 3) Closed-loop fault handling throughout the entire process reduces maintenance costs: Through multi-level threshold diagnosis and emergency linkage methods, faults can be identified in real time, quickly warned and automatically handled, to prevent the fault from escalating. At the same time, clear fault prompts make it easy for drivers to troubleshoot in a timely manner, reducing the difficulty and cost of maintenance. 4) High compatibility and easy to implement: The control method can be adapted to the hardware systems of different models of outboard motors without the need for major modifications to the existing main structure of the outboard motor. It can be implemented by simply optimizing the control logic and sensor configuration, and has broad application prospects.

[0053] This invention also provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the outboard motor multi-redundant tilt control method provided in the above embodiments.

[0054] This invention also provides a computer-readable medium having processor-executable non-volatile program code, on which a computer program is stored, and which, when run by a processor, executes the steps of the outboard motor multi-redundancy tilt control method described above.

[0055] The computer program product provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a computer-readable storage medium storing program code. The instructions included in the program code can be used to execute the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. For specific implementation details, please refer to the method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0056] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the system and apparatus described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0057] Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0058] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, essentially, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0059] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0060] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of the present invention, used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit it. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-redundant tilting control system for outboard motors, characterized in that, The system includes a lifting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module; wherein, the redundant control loop module includes a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module includes a VCU controller; The lifting actuator, the redundant control loop module, the sensor module, and the human-machine interaction module are all electrically connected to the control unit module, and the lifting actuator and the redundant control loop module are electrically connected. The sensor module is used to collect the operating current signal of the lifting motor, the water depth, and the lifting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time during the lifting / lowering process. The VCU controller is used to perform initialization self-test on the first power circuit, the second power circuit and the sensor module; The operating current signal of the lifting motor is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is operating normally; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, the operating angle of the lifting actuator is restricted; the lifting angle signal of the outboard motor is used to determine whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck. The on / off status of the first power circuit is monitored in real time, and control signals are output to the second power circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the human-machine interaction module will remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit.

2. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The VCU controller is used to detect whether there is a recorded fault preventing the start of the tilting motor after the ship starts; if so, it cancels the second power circuit drive enable and sends a fault E1 preventing the start of the tilting motor to the human-machine interaction module. The voltage status of the first power supply circuit is detected. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the first power supply circuit, a fault E2 for abnormal voltage in the first power supply circuit is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the voltage of the first power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then the voltage status of the second power supply circuit is detected. If an abnormal voltage is detected in the second power circuit, a fault E3 for the abnormal voltage of the second power circuit is sent to the human-machine interaction module, and the second power circuit drive enable is canceled. If the voltage of the second power supply circuit is detected to be normal, then the current sensor, ultrasonic ranging module and angle sensor in the sensor module are checked in sequence to see if they are normal. If the signals from the current sensor, the ultrasonic ranging module, and the angle sensor are all normal, the self-test passes. If the signal from the current sensor is abnormal, a current sensor fault E4 is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the ultrasonic ranging module malfunctions, an ultrasonic ranging module malfunction fault E5 is sent to the human-machine interaction module. If the angle sensor signal is abnormal, an angle sensor fault E6 is sent to the human-machine interaction module.

3. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first power circuit is a hard-wired independent control circuit, which includes an on-board power supply, a hard-wired control switch, a first fuse protector, a first drive relay assembly, and a first-loop diode. The VCU controller is used to monitor the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and trigger redundancy switching when any circuit fails. The second power supply circuit is a VCU control circuit, which includes a vehicle main power supply, a second fuse protector, a second drive relay assembly, and a second-circuit diode. The second power supply circuit is used to receive automatic control signals or instrument command signals, and to control the start and stop of the lifting actuator according to the automatic control signals or instrument command signals; In this circuit, both the output terminal of the first power supply circuit and the output terminal of the second power supply circuit are connected to diodes.

4. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The VCU controller is used to receive in real time the monitoring signal of the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit and the manual command of the second power circuit, wherein the manual command is issued through the instrument button panel. The manual command of the second power circuit is allowed to be responded to only when the hard-wired control switch has no signal output. When all manual signals of the first power circuit are invalid, determine whether the tilting signal or the falling signal of the instrument button panel is continuous. When the lifting signal or the falling signal continues for more than a set time, it is determined that the driver's intention is to perform a complete lifting or falling action. The tilting motor is automatically controlled to move to the corresponding position according to the set angle. When the second power circuit fails, the drive enable of the second power circuit is canceled and a reminder message is generated; wherein, the reminder message is to remind the driver to manually control the system through the first power circuit.

5. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor module includes a current sensor, an angle sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging module; The current sensor is connected in series in the power supply line of the second power circuit to collect the working current signal of the lifting motor in real time and transmit it to the VCU controller. The ultrasonic ranging module is installed on the bracket of the tilting actuator to collect the water depth and transmit it to the VCU controller. The angle sensor is installed at the connecting rod shaft of the tilting actuator to collect the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor and transmit it to the VCU controller.

6. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The VCU controller is used to determine whether the lifting motor is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; When a stall fault is detected, a shutdown signal is immediately output and an early warning is triggered; When the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, the lifting actuator is controlled to lift to a safe angle; Determine whether the tilting is in place based on the outboard motor tilting angle signal; When the outboard motor tilt angle signal reaches a preset threshold, a stop signal is output, thereby completing the tilting or lowering action. The angle change is used to determine whether the lifting actuator is stuck. If the action becomes stuck, immediately stop the current action.

7. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The human-computer interaction module includes an instrument button panel and an instrument status display unit; The instrument panel button is located on the dashboard and is used to acquire the driver's input of tilting or lowering commands and transmit them to the VCU controller. The instrument status display unit is used to display the lifting angle, power circuit working status, sensor detection data and fault warning information in real time.

8. The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The VCU controller is used to remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit through the instrument status display unit when the second power circuit fails; and to directly control the lifting actuator through the hard-wired control switch of the first power circuit to realize emergency lifting or lowering.

9. A method for controlling the multi-redundant tilting of an outboard motor, characterized in that, The outboard motor multi-redundant tilting control system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the system comprising a tilting actuator, a redundant control loop module, a control unit module, a sensor module, and a human-machine interface module; wherein the redundant control loop module comprises a first power supply loop and a second power supply loop, and the control unit module comprises a VCU controller; the method comprises: During the tilting / retraction process, the sensor module collects the operating current signal of the tilting motor, the water depth, and the tilting angle signal of the outboard motor in real time; The VCU controller performs an initialization self-test on the first power circuit, the second power circuit, and the sensor module. The VCU controller determines whether the lifting actuator is operating normally based on the operating current signal of the lifting motor; when the water depth is less than the safe water depth threshold, it restricts the operating angle of the lifting actuator; and it determines whether the lifting is in place or whether the lifting actuator is stuck based on the outboard motor lifting angle signal. The VCU controller monitors the on / off status of the first power circuit in real time and outputs control signals to the second power circuit. When the second power circuit fails, the human-machine interaction module will remind the driver to switch to the first power circuit.

10. An electronic device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described in claim 9.

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