Control device and method of ship propulsion system and ship

Abstract

To enable smooth lateral movement.SOLUTION: A controller 70 acquires information about propulsion power in a forward movement direction and propulsion power in a reward movement direction of an outboard engine 4 and propulsion power of a trolling motor 5. Based on the information, the controller 70 determines whether to cause the outboard engine 4 to generate propulsion power in a first range θ1 or propulsion power in a second range θ2 when a hull 2 moves laterally. Then, the controller 70 stores a determined content into a memory 17 as determined information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and method for a ship propulsion system, and a ship. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a boat propulsion system that includes a propulsion unit such as a trolling motor (hereinafter referred to as a front propulsion unit) disposed forward of the stern in addition to a propulsion unit such as an outboard motor (hereinafter referred to as a rear propulsion unit) disposed at the stern. For example, the boat disclosed in Patent Document 1 realizes lateral movement using an outboard motor at the stern and a trolling motor at the bow.

[0003] Generally, a propulsion unit that can rotate forward and backward, such as an outboard motor, or a propulsion unit that can rotate a steering angle of 360 degrees or more, such as a trolling motor, can generate propulsive force in both the forward and reverse directions.

[0004] During lateral movement, depending on the combination of the steering angle of the front thrust unit and the steering angle of the rear thrust unit, lateral movement can be achieved by using either a propulsion force including a forward component (hereinafter referred to as forward thrust) or a propulsion force including a reverse component (hereinafter referred to as reverse thrust) in each of the front thrust unit and the rear thrust unit.

[0005] For example, the first combination for moving to the right is one in which the rear thruster generates a thrust force diagonally to the right rear and the front thruster generates a thrust force diagonally to the right front. The second combination is one in which the rear thruster generates a thrust force diagonally to the right front and the front thruster generates a thrust force diagonally to the right rear. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,988,134 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, if the controller is configured to determine whether the rear propulsion unit should generate forward propulsion force or reverse propulsion force and switch the position during lateral movement, the shift position of the rear propulsion unit may be frequently switched. Also, if the difference in propulsive force between the front propulsion unit and the rear propulsion unit is too large, the output of the propulsion unit with the greater propulsive force may be frequently turned on and off in order to cancel out the propulsive force in the fore-aft direction. As a result, the lateral movement of the vessel may not be smooth.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a boat propulsion system that can achieve smooth lateral movement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first propulsion unit that is positioned at the stern of the hull and is steerable, a second propulsion unit that is positioned forward of the stern of the hull and is steerable, an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to forward propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, information relating to reverse propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and information relating to propulsion force of the second propulsion unit, a decision unit that decides whether to cause the first propulsion unit to generate a first range of propulsion force that includes a forward propulsion component, or a second range of propulsion force that includes a reverse propulsion component, during lateral movement of the hull, based on the acquired information relating to the forward propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, information relating to the reverse propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and information relating to the propulsion force of the second propulsion unit, and

[0010] With this configuration, information is acquired about the forward propulsion force of a steerable first propulsion unit disposed at the stern of the hull, information about the reverse propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and information about the propulsion force of a steerable second propulsion unit disposed at a position forward of the stern of the hull. Based on the acquired information about the forward propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, information about the reverse propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and information about the propulsion force of the second propulsion unit, a decision is made as to whether the first propulsion unit should generate a first range of propulsion force that includes a forward propulsion component, or a second range of propulsion force that includes a reverse propulsion component, during lateral movement of the hull, and the decision is stored in the storage medium as decision information. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, lateral movement can be made smooth. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic top view of a vessel to which a vessel propulsion system is applied; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of bow and stern portions of a ship. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a view of the steering wheel seen from approximately the front. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a marine vessel propulsion system. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating the directions of the propulsive forces of the outboard motor and the trolling motor during right lateral movement. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart of a determination process. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart of a steering and propulsion control process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 is a schematic top view of a boat 1 to which a boat propulsion system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0015] In the figure, the forward direction (bow direction) of the ship 1 is indicated by an arrow FWD, and the astern direction (stern direction) is indicated by an arrow BWD. Furthermore, the starboard side direction of the ship 1 is indicated by an arrow R, and the port side direction is indicated by an arrow L.

[0016] The centerline C of the hull 2 ​​passes through the center of the stern 2A and the tip of the bow 2B. The centerline C passes through the center of gravity G (center of turning) of the ship 1. The fore-aft direction is a direction parallel to the centerline C. The forward direction is the direction upward along the centerline C in Figure 1 (the direction of the bow 2B when viewed from the stern 2A). The rearward direction is the direction downward along the centerline C in Figure 1. The left-right direction is based on the view of the hull 2 ​​from the rear. The up-down direction is a direction perpendicular to the fore-aft direction and the left-right direction.

[0017] The boat 1 is equipped with a steerable outboard motor 4 (first propulsion unit) and a steerable trolling motor 5 (second propulsion unit) as propulsion units for propelling the hull 2. The outboard motor 4 is disposed at the stern 2A, and the trolling motor 5 is disposed at the bow 2B. The trolling motor 5 only needs to be disposed at a predetermined position in front of the stern 2A of the hull 2, and its position is not limited to the bow 2B. The outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 may be the main propulsion unit and the auxiliary propulsion unit of the boat 1, respectively. One outboard motor 4 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the stern 2A.

[0018] The boat 1 is equipped with a steering wheel 11 that is operated mainly for steering, a throttle operation unit 12 that is operated mainly for adjusting the output of the outboard motor 4, and a joystick 13 that is operated mainly for steering and adjusting the output of the outboard motor 4. The layout of these components is not limited to that shown in the figure.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the bow and stern portions of the vessel 1. As shown in FIG.

[0020] The outboard motor 4 has an outboard motor body 20. A propeller 21 and a skeg 23 (rudder) are arranged on the lower part of the outboard motor body 20. The outboard motor body 20 is attached to the stern 2A by an attachment mechanism 22. The attachment mechanism 22 includes a clamp bracket that is detachably fixed to the stern 2A, and a swivel bracket that is connected to the clamp bracket so as to be rotatable about a tilt axis. The outboard motor body 20 is attached to the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable about a steering axis center K (FIG. 1). The steering angle of the outboard motor 4 changes as the outboard motor body 20 rotates about the steering axis center K.

[0021] Unlike a bow thruster (not shown), the trolling motor 5 is an aftermarket part that can be attached later to the completed boat 1. The trolling motor 5 is designed to provide the hull 2 ​​with a propulsive force in any direction about a rotation axis J (FIG. 1), which is the center line of the rotation shaft 52.

[0022] The trolling motor 5 is electrically powered. The trolling motor 5 includes an electric motor 50 and a propeller 51 that generates propulsive force by being rotationally driven by the electric motor 50. The trolling motor 5 further includes a rotating shaft 52 that extends upward from the electric motor 50 through the rotation axis J, and a bracket 53 that is fixed to the bow 2B and supports the rotating shaft 52 rotatably around the rotation axis J. The electric motor 50 rotates around the rotation axis J together with the rotating shaft 52.

[0023] The upper part of the rotating shaft 52 protrudes upward beyond the bracket 53. A control panel 54 having an indicator (not shown) that indicates the direction of the propeller 51 in water and the like is provided at the upper end of the rotating shaft 52. An operation unit (not shown) such as a foot pedal that allows the operator to directly operate the trolling motor 5 is provided on the bracket 53. In addition, a wireless remote control (not shown) that allows the operator to operate the trolling motor 5 may be provided. Note that the control panel 54 is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] The trolling motor 5 includes, for example, an electric steering unit 56 built into the bracket 53 and rotating the rotating shaft 52 and the electric motor 50 around the rotation axis J, and an ECU (not shown) built into the operation panel 54 and controlling the electric motor 50 and the steering unit 56.

[0025] The steering unit 56 is composed of, for example, a servo motor. The orientation of the trolling motor 5 can be changed by a steering operation by the steering unit 56. First, the steering unit 56 changes the direction of the propulsive force generated by the rotating propeller 51 by rotating the electric motor 50 around the rotation axis J to change the orientation of the electric motor 50 within a range of 360 degrees or more. This changes the steering angle of the trolling motor 5, and changes the direction of the propulsive force that the trolling motor 5 applies to the hull 2.

[0026] The bracket 53 is capable of rotating up and down relative to the hull 2 ​​by a rotating shaft 59. The bracket 53 rotates about the rotating shaft 59, thereby allowing the trolling motor 5 to move between a use position and a stored position. Figures 1 and 2 show the trolling motor 5 in the use position. When the trolling motor 5 is in the use position, the electric motor 50 and the propeller 51 are positioned below the waterline (not shown).

[0027] In this embodiment, the multiple maneuvering modes are roughly divided into an outboard motor mode in which the trolling motor 5 is not used, and a linked mode in which the trolling motor 5 is used in combination with the outboard motor 4. The outboard motor mode is a maneuvering mode in which the outboard motor 4 is controlled mainly based on the rotational operation of the steering wheel 11 and the operation of the throttle operating unit 12.

[0028] The linked modes include an automatic ship-steering mode, a joystick mode, and a drive mode (steering wheel ship-steering mode). The joystick mode is a ship-steering mode in which the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 are controlled based on the operation of the joystick 13. The drive mode is a ship-steering mode in which the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 are controlled based on the operation of various switches and paddles on the steering wheel 11 (described later) and the rotation of the steering wheel 11.

[0029] The automatic ship-steering mode is a mode in which, when a target position or a target heading of the hull 2 ​​is specified, the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 are controlled to automatically maintain the trajectory, heading or position of the hull 2. Typical examples of the automatic ship-steering mode include a stay point, a fish point, and a drift point.

[0030] 3 is a perspective view of the joystick 13. The joystick 13 includes a main body portion 13a and a columnar stick portion 13b extending upward from the main body portion 13a.

[0031] The main body 13a is provided with a stay point button 13c, a fish point button 13d, a drift button 13e, and a joystick button 13f. The stay point button 13c accepts an operation to switch the stay point on and off. The fish point button 13d accepts an operation to switch the fish point on and off. The drift button 13e accepts an operation to switch the drift point on and off. The joystick button 13f accepts an operation to switch the joystick mode on and off.

[0032] The stay point is an automatic ship steering mode in which the heading of the bow 2B of the hull 2 ​​is maintained at a set target heading, and the position of the hull 2 ​​is maintained at a set target point. The fish point is an automatic ship steering mode in which the hull 2 ​​is turned to face a set target point, and the moving direction of the hull 2 ​​is maintained at the target point. The drift point is an automatic ship steering mode in which the hull 2 ​​is moved by receiving external forces including wind and water flow, while the heading of the bow 2B of the hull 2 ​​is maintained at the target heading by turning the hull 2. It is not essential that the main body 13a has all of the above-mentioned buttons.

[0033] 4 is a view of the steering wheel 11 seen substantially from the front. The steering wheel 11 has a central portion 44, an annular wheel portion 43, and three spoke portions (a first spoke portion 45, a second spoke portion 46, and a third spoke portion 47). The steering wheel 11 is supported by the hull 2 ​​so as to be rotatable about a rotation fulcrum C0.

[0034] The steering wheel 11 includes a plurality of switches. For example, a changeover switch 69, a left switch 63, and a right switch 64 are arranged on the surface of the steering wheel 11. The steering wheel 11 also includes a left paddle section 67 and a right paddle section 68. The left paddle section 67 and the right paddle section 68 are rotatable in the front-rear direction. The left paddle section 67 and the right paddle section 68 are operation sections for instructing the hull 2 ​​to apply rearward and forward propulsive forces, respectively.

[0035] When the left paddle unit 67 is operated, the controller 70 changes the magnitude of the rearward propulsive force in accordance with the amount of operation of the left paddle unit 67, and when the right paddle unit 68 is operated, the controller 70 changes the magnitude of the forward propulsive force in accordance with the amount of operation of the right paddle unit 68. Mainly in the drive mode, the controller 70 controls the trolling motor 5 and the outboard motor 4 based on operation signals from the switches 63, 64 and the paddle units 67, 68.

[0036] In joystick mode and drive mode, parallel movement including lateral movement as well as turning on the spot are possible.

[0037] Here, translation means that the hull 2 ​​moves horizontally around the center of gravity G (Figure 1) without rotating in the yaw direction. For example, in lateral movement, the hull 2 ​​moves left or right without turning. It is also possible to translate the hull 2 ​​diagonally (diagonally left / right and front / rear) by applying a propulsive force in the fore / aft direction during lateral movement. In on-the-spot turning, the hull 2 ​​rotates in the yaw direction around the center of gravity G. There are also cases where a combination of translation and turning is applied.

[0038] Regarding operation, for example, when parallel movement is performed in joystick mode, the hull 2 ​​moves parallel in the direction in which the stick unit 13b is tilted. When parallel movement is performed in drive mode, the hull 2 ​​moves laterally to the left and right when the left switch 63 and right switch 64 are operated, respectively. When the paddle units 67 and 68 are operated, the hull 2 ​​moves backward and forward, respectively. Note that when either the paddle units 67 and 68 are operated in parallel with the operation of the left switch 63 or the right switch 64, forward and backward movement is added to the lateral movement, and the hull 2 ​​moves parallel in an oblique direction.

[0039] The stick portion 13b can be twisted (or rotated) around the axis of the stick portion 13b, and in the joystick mode, a turning (or pivoting) command can be issued by twisting the stick portion 13b. In the drive mode, a turning (or pivoting) command can be issued by rotating the wheel portion 43.

[0040] A biasing portion (not shown) is provided in the tilting and twisting directions of the stick portion 13b of the joystick 13, and the joystick 13 is always biased toward the neutral position. Therefore, when the operator releases the joystick 13, the joystick 13 automatically returns to the neutral position.

[0041] 5 is a block diagram of the boat propulsion system. The boat propulsion system includes a controller 70, an outboard motor 4, a trolling motor 5, a steering wheel 11, a throttle operation unit 12, a joystick 13, a display unit 14, various sensors 15, various operators 16, and a memory 17.

[0042] The controller 70 includes a CPU 71, a ROM 72, a RAM 73, and a timer (not shown). The ROM 72 stores a control program. The CPU 71 realizes various control processes by expanding the control program stored in the ROM 72 into the RAM 73 and executing it. The RAM 73 provides a work area when the CPU 71 executes the control program.

[0043] The various sensors 15 include a hull speed sensor, a hull acceleration sensor, a direction sensor, a distance sensor, an attitude sensor, a position sensor, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor. The various sensors 15 also include a sensor that detects the operation of the throttle operation unit 12, a sensor that detects the rotation angle position of the steering wheel 11, a sensor that detects the operation of each switch and paddle unit in the steering wheel 11, and a sensor that detects the operation of the joystick 13. The hull speed sensor detects the traveling speed (ship speed) of the ship 1 (hull 2). The ship speed may be obtained from a GNSS signal received by a GNSS sensor. Detection signals from the various sensors 15 are supplied to the controller 70.

[0044] The various operators 16 include operators for performing operations related to maneuvering the vessel, setting operators for making various settings, and input operators for inputting various instructions. Some of the various operators 16 may be disposed on the steering wheel 11. The various operators 16 are operated by the vessel operator, and the operation signals thereof are supplied to the controller 70. The memory 17 is a readable and writable non-volatile storage medium.

[0045] The controller 70 may establish predetermined communications with the various sensors 15 and the various operators 16 to exchange information with them. The display unit 14 displays various types of information.

[0046] The outboard motor 4 has an ECU (engine control unit) 81, an SCU (steering control unit) 82, a rotation speed sensor 83, an engine 84, a steering mechanism 85, various sensors 86, a steering angle sensor 87, and various actuators 88. The ECU 81 and the SCU 82 each include a CPU (not shown). The ECU 81 controls the operation of the engine 84 based on commands from the controller 70. The SCU 82 controls the operation of the steering mechanism 85 based on commands from the controller 70.

[0047] The steering mechanism 85 changes the left and right direction of the outboard motor body 20 by rotating the outboard motor body 20 about the steering axis center K (FIG. 1). This changes the direction of the propulsive force acting on the stern 2A where the outboard motor body 20 is attached. The steering mechanism 85 may be either electric or hydraulic. The various actuators 88 may include a power trim and tilt mechanism (PTT mechanism) that rotates the outboard motor 4 about a tilt axis.

[0048] The rotation speed sensor 83 detects the rotation speed per unit time of the engine 84. The various sensors 86 include a throttle opening sensor and the like. The steering angle sensor 87 detects the actual steering angle of the outboard motor 4. The controller 70 may obtain the actual steering angle from a steering command value output to the steering mechanism 85.

[0049] The trolling motor 5 includes, in addition to the electric motor 50 and the steering unit 56, an MCU (motor control unit) 57, an SCU (steering control unit) 58, a steering angle sensor 55, various sensors 60, and an actuator 61.

[0050] Each of the MCU 57 and the SCU 58 includes a CPU (not shown). The MCU 57 controls the driving of the electric motor 50 based on commands from the controller 70. The maximum output of the electric motor 50 may be smaller than the maximum output of the engine 84 of the outboard motor 4. The SCU 58 controls the driving of the steering unit 56 based on commands from the controller 70, thereby changing the direction of the propulsive force acting on the bow 2B where the trolling motor 5 is attached.

[0051] The actuator 61 moves the trolling motor 5 between a use position and a storage position. However, it is not essential to provide a function for transitioning the trolling motor 5 between the use position and the storage position by power.

[0052] The steering angle sensor 55 detects the steering angle of the trolling motor 5 by the steering unit 56. Detection signals by the steering angle sensor 55 and the various sensors 60 are supplied to a controller 70. It is not essential that the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 are provided with all of the above-mentioned sensors and actuators.

[0053] Strictly speaking, the points at which the propulsion force of each propulsion unit acts are the points at which each propulsion unit is attached to the hull 2. However, for ease of explanation, it is considered that the propulsion force of the trolling motor 5 acts on the bow 2B, and the propulsion force of the outboard motor 4 acts on the position of the attachment mechanism 22 at the stern 2A.

[0054] 6(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams for explaining the directions of the propulsive forces of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 during right lateral movement. The range of the direction of the propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 is considered to be divided into a first range θ1 (i.e., an angular range of 180° forward) including a forward component, and a second range θ2 (i.e., an angular range of 180° backward) including a reverse component. The range of the direction of the propulsive force of the trolling motor 5 is also considered to be divided into a first range θ1 and a second range θ2.

[0055] In the example shown in Fig. 6(a), the direction of the propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 is within the second range θ2, and the direction of the propulsive force of the trolling motor 5 is within the first range θ1. In the example shown in Fig. 6(b), the direction of the propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 is within the first range θ1, and the direction of the propulsive force of the trolling motor 5 is within the second range θ2. Lateral movement is possible in any combination of Fig. 6(a) and (b), and for example, if both propulsive forces have a rightward component, the hull 2 ​​will move laterally to the right.

[0056] In addition, since the propeller 21 of the outboard motor 4 can be rotated in the reverse direction by changing the shift position, the direction of the generated propulsive force is actually determined by the steering angle of the outboard motor 4 and the rotation direction of the propeller 21. Since the trolling motor 5 can be steered 360 degrees, the direction of the generated propulsive force is determined by the steering angle of the trolling motor 5.

[0057] If the state shown in Figure 6(a) and the state shown in Figure 6(b) are frequently switched during lateral movement, the shift position of the outboard motor 4 will be changed frequently, which may result in the lateral movement of the boat becoming unsmooth.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller 70 determines whether the outboard motor 4 generates a propulsive force in the first range θ1 or a propulsive force in the second range θ2 during lateral movement of the hull 2, and stores the information in the memory 17. It is assumed that such a determination process (described later with reference to FIG. 7 ) is executed as part of a calibration before the first use of the boat 1 after the outboard motor 4 and trolling motor 5 to be installed in the boat 1 have been determined. However, without being limited to this, the determination process may be executed when replacing or maintaining the outboard motor 4 or the trolling motor 5, or may be executed at any time desired in response to a command from the user.

[0059] 7 is a flowchart of the determination process. This process is realized by the CPU 71 expanding a program stored in the ROM 72 into the RAM 73 and executing it. This process is started when, for example, a user or a maintenance person issues an instruction to start the determination process.

[0060] In step S101, the controller 70 as an acquisition unit acquires propulsive force information of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5. There is no particular method for acquiring this information. For example, the controller 70 acquires the propulsive force information of each of the outboard motors 4 and the trolling motor 5 through communication or from information input by the user.

[0061] First, the propulsive force information of the outboard motor 4 includes information on the propulsive force in the forward direction and information on the propulsive force in the reverse direction. At least the minimum value of the propulsive force in the forward direction (hereinafter referred to as the minimum forward propulsive force Fmin) and the minimum value of the propulsive force in the reverse direction (hereinafter referred to as the minimum reverse propulsive force Rmin) are acquired. In addition, information on the maximum steering angle of the outboard motor 4, information on the distance from the center of gravity G, etc. are acquired.

[0062] The controller 70 may calculate the minimum front thrust force Fmin and the minimum rear thrust force Rmin from the minimum front / rear thrust forces at the maximum steering angle. Furthermore, the controller 70 may calculate the minimum front thrust force Fmin and the minimum rear thrust force Rmin based on the rotation speed of the engine 84 (drive source) when the throttle is fully closed. At least one of the maximum steering angle and the throttle being fully closed may be taken into consideration.

[0063] The propulsive force information of the trolling motor 5 includes the maximum value of the propulsive force (hereinafter referred to as the maximum motor propulsive force Mmax) and information on the distance from the center of gravity G.

[0064] It should be noted that instead of acquiring or calculating each piece of information as described above, the controller 70 may acquire model information of each of the outboard motors 4 and the trolling motor 5, and acquire the above-mentioned pieces of information by referring to a map previously stored in the ROM 72.

[0065] To move the hull 2 ​​laterally without turning the stem, it is necessary to prevent the thrust of each of the outboard motors 4 and the trolling motor 5 from generating a moment about the center of gravity G. Therefore, when determining the front minimum thrust force Fmin, the rear minimum thrust force Rmin, and the maximum motor thrust force Mmax, the controller 70 may take into consideration the distance between each of the outboard motors 4 and the trolling motor 5 and the center of gravity G.

[0066] In step S102, the controller 70 as a determination unit determines the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used during lateral movement of the hull 2, i.e., whether the outboard motor 4 will generate a propulsive force in the first range θ1 or the second range θ2.

[0067] First, the controller 70 obtains a first absolute value of the difference (first difference) between the front minimum thrust force Fmin and the motor maximum thrust force Mmax. The first absolute value is |Fmin-Mmax|. The controller 70 also obtains a second absolute value of the difference (second difference) between the rear minimum thrust force Rmin and the motor maximum thrust force Mmax. The second absolute value is |Rmin-Mmax|.

[0068] The controller 70 then compares the first absolute value with the second absolute value, and if the first absolute value < the second absolute value is true, it determines the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used to be the first range θ1, and if the first absolute value > the second absolute value is true, it determines the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used to be the second range θ2.

[0069] Therefore, the range corresponding to the smaller difference between the front minimum thrust force Fmin and the rear minimum thrust force Rmin and the maximum motor thrust force Mmax is determined as the range of orientations of the outboard motor 4 to be used.

[0070] Here, if the front minimum propulsive force Fmin or rear minimum propulsive force Rmin is greater than the maximum motor propulsive force Mmax, it may be necessary to repeatedly turn the output of the outboard motor 4 on and off (shift in and out) to cancel out the components of the propulsive force in the fore-and-aft direction during lateral movement. However, as described above, by adopting the front minimum propulsive force Fmin or rear minimum propulsive force Rmin, whichever has a smaller difference from the maximum motor propulsive force Mmax, the number of times the output of the outboard motor 4 is repeatedly turned on and off is reduced. This makes it possible to make lateral movement smoother.

[0071] If the first absolute value = the second absolute value holds, the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used may be determined to be a predetermined range (for example, the first range θ1). If the difference between the first absolute value and the second absolute value is within a predetermined range, the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used may be determined to be the above-mentioned predetermined range.

[0072] The range of orientation of the trolling motor 5 to be used is determined to be the opposite range to the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4. For example, if the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 is determined to be the first range θ1, the range of orientation of the trolling motor 5 is determined to be the second range θ2. These determined contents (the ranges of orientation of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5) become the determination information. It is not essential to include the range of orientation of the trolling motor 5 in the determination information.

[0073] In step S103, the controller 70 as a storage processing unit stores the decision information decided in step S102 in the memory 17, and ends the decision process (FIG. 7).

[0074] Fig. 8 is a flowchart of the steering / propulsion control process. This process is realized by the CPU 71 expanding a program stored in the ROM 72 into the RAM 73 and executing it. This process is based on the premise that the decision process (Fig. 7) has already been executed and the decision information has been stored in the memory 17.

[0075] This process is started, for example, in response to input of an instruction to start a maneuvering mode (e.g., a coordinated mode) in which lateral movement may be necessary, or an instruction to start a lateral movement mode. Therefore, the time when a situation occurs in which lateral movement is possible becomes the timing to start changing the direction, and the process from step S201 onwards starts the process of pointing the outboard motor 4 in the direction based on the determination information, which leads to a reduction in the time until the actual lateral movement starts.

[0076] In step S201, the controller 70 reads the determination information from the memory 17. In step S202, the controller 70 controls the steering mechanism 85 to change the steering angle so that the direction of the propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 faces a direction included in the range based on the determination information. At the same time, the controller 70 controls the steering unit 56 to change the steering angle so that the direction of the trolling motor 5 faces a direction included in the range based on the determination information.

[0077] As an example, in a situation where it is unclear whether a lateral movement to the left or right will actually be commanded, the steering angle of each propulsion force is controlled so that the propulsion forces are oriented in a direction parallel to the center line C (FIG. 1) of the hull 2 ​​within a range based on the decision information. Note that at this point in time, it is not essential to make the range of orientation of the trolling motor 5 opposite to the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4.

[0078] In step S203, the controller 70 executes other processes. Here, if there is a ship maneuvering command other than lateral movement, the controller 70 executes a process corresponding to the command. Also, if there is an instruction to end the steering / propulsion control process (FIG. 8), the controller 70 ends this process.

[0079] In step S204, the controller 70 determines whether or not there is a maneuvering instruction for lateral movement. Note that the instruction for lateral movement here includes an instruction for parallel movement (diagonal movement) that includes a lateral component. Here, in the joystick mode, a maneuvering instruction for lateral movement, a target direction, and a required propulsive force are input by tilting the stick portion 13b. Also, an instruction for turning (or pivoting) or the like is input by twisting the stick portion 13b.

[0080] In the drive mode, a maneuvering command is input by operating one of the wheel unit 43, the first operation command unit, and the second operation command unit, or by combining two or more of these. Here, the switches 63, 64 correspond to the first operation command unit for instructing the hull 2 ​​to apply a lateral propulsive force, and the paddle units 67, 68 correspond to the second operation command unit for instructing the hull 2 ​​to apply a longitudinal propulsive force. For example, a maneuvering command for lateral movement and a target direction are input by a combination of the operations of the switches 63, 64 and the paddle units 67, 68, and a required propulsive force is input by a combination of the amounts of operation of each. Also, a command to turn (or pivot), etc. is input by rotating the wheel unit 43.

[0081] If there is no lateral movement maneuvering instruction, the controller 70 returns to step S202, and if there is a lateral movement maneuvering instruction, the controller 70 proceeds to step S205.

[0082] In step S205, the controller 70 realizes the instructed lateral movement by controlling the steering and propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 according to the target direction and required propulsive force indicated by the maneuvering command. Normally, the directions of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5 during the lateral movement are within the ranges according to the decision information, so the lateral movement is smooth. After step S205, the controller 70 returns to step S202.

[0083] Although not shown, the vessel 1 has a functional block for realizing the decision-making process (FIG. 7) and the steering and propulsion control process (FIG. 8). The functional units included in the functional blocks include an acquisition unit, a decision unit, a storage processing unit, and a control unit. The functions of these functional units are mainly realized by cooperation between the CPU 71, ROM 72, RAM 73, sensors 15, 55, 60, 83, 86, 87, etc.

[0084] According to this embodiment, the forward propulsive force and reverse propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 and propulsive force information of the trolling motor 5 are acquired, and based on these, it is determined whether the outboard motor 4 should generate a propulsive force in the first range θ1 or the second range θ2 during lateral movement of the hull 2. The determined content is then stored in the memory 17 as determination information. As a result, the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 is fixed to the first range θ1 or the second range θ2 during lateral movement, so that the shift position does not need to be switched frequently. This makes it possible to perform lateral movement smoothly.

[0085] Furthermore, the range of orientation of the outboard motor 4 to be used is determined to be the first range θ1 when the first absolute value is smaller than the second absolute value, and is determined to be the second range θ2 when the first absolute value is larger than the second absolute value. This prevents the output of the outboard motor 4 from being repeatedly turned on and off too frequently, making it possible to smooth lateral movement.

[0086] Furthermore, when determining the front minimum thrust force Fmin, the rear minimum thrust force Rmin and the maximum motor thrust force Mmax, or when determining the range of the orientation of the outboard motor 4, the accuracy of determining the range of the orientation of the outboard motor 4 can be further improved by taking into consideration the distance between the outboard motor 4 and the center of gravity G and each of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5.

[0087] In addition, the steering and propulsion control process (Fig. 8) is initiated in response to the occurrence of a situation in which lateral movement is possible, thereby shortening the time until an actual lateral movement occurs.

[0088] In step S205, when the controller 70 controls the steering and propulsive force of the outboard motor 4 and the trolling motor 5, it maintains the steering angle of the trolling motor 5 within the range determined by the determination information. This prevents the steering angle range from exceeding 180°, which suppresses excessive rotation in a configuration with a restriction on the steering angle and also contributes to preventing the harness from getting tangled.

[0089] In relation to the application of the present invention, the propulsion unit disposed at a predetermined position in front of the stern 2A is not limited to an electric propulsion unit such as the trolling motor 5, but may be an engine-type propulsion unit including an outboard motor. The propulsion unit disposed at the stern 2A is not limited to the outboard motor 4, but may be any of an inboard motor, an inboard-outboard motor, and a jet boat, and may be an electric type instead of an engine type.

[0090] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more of the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments to a system or device via a network or a non-transitory storage medium, and having one or more processors of a computer in the system or device read and execute the program. The above program and the storage medium that stores the above program constitute the present invention. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more of the functions.

[0091] The present invention has been described above in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 4 outboard motor, 5 trolling motor, 11 steering, 13 joystick, 17 memory, 70 controller, θ1 first range, θ2 second range

Claims

1. A first propulsion unit disposed at the stern of the hull and capable of being steered; a second propulsion unit that is disposed in a position forward of the stern of the hull and is steerable; an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to a forward thrust force of the first propulsion unit, information relating to a reverse thrust force of the first propulsion unit, and information relating to a thrust force of the second propulsion unit; a decision unit that decides, during lateral movement of the hull, whether to cause the first propulsion unit to generate a first range of propulsion force that is a range that includes a forward direction component, or a second range of propulsion force that is a range that includes a reverse direction component, based on the acquired information related to the forward direction propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, the acquired information related to the reverse direction propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and the acquired information related to the propulsion force of the second propulsion unit; a storage processing unit that stores the content determined by the determination unit as determination information in a storage medium.

2. 2. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the decision unit compares a first difference between a minimum value of the propulsive force in the forward direction of the first propulsion unit and a maximum value of the propulsive force of the second propulsion unit with a second difference between a minimum value of the propulsive force in the reverse direction of the first propulsion unit and a maximum value of the propulsive force of the second propulsion unit, and decides to generate a propulsive force in the first range if the first difference is smaller than the second difference, and decides to generate a propulsive force in the second range if the second difference is smaller than the first difference.

3. 3. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines to generate a propulsive force in a predetermined range out of the first range and the second range when the first difference is the same as the second difference.

4. 4. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 2, wherein the minimum value of the forward direction thrust of the first propulsion unit is a value based on a forward direction component of the thrust at a maximum steering angle of the first propulsion unit, and the minimum value of the reverse direction thrust is a value based on a reverse direction component of the thrust at a maximum steering angle of the first propulsion unit.

5. a drive source of the first propulsion unit is an engine, 5. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 2, wherein the minimum value of the forward thrust force and the minimum value of the reverse thrust force of the first propulsion unit are values ​​based on an engine speed when a throttle is fully closed.

6. 6. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein the decision unit decides whether to generate the first range of propulsion force or the second range of propulsion force based on information related to the forward propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, information related to the reverse propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, information related to the propulsion force of the second propulsion unit, and further based on a distance between the first propulsion unit and a center of gravity of the hull and a distance between the second propulsion unit and the center of gravity of the hull.

7. 7. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that controls the steering angle of the first propulsion unit and the steering angle of the second propulsion unit based on the decision information in response to an instruction to start a lateral movement mode, an instruction to start an automatic marine vessel steering mode, an instruction to start a joystick mode that controls the first propulsion unit and the second propulsion unit based on operation of a joystick, or an instruction to start a steering wheel maneuvering mode that controls the first propulsion unit and the second propulsion unit based on operation of a steering wheel that has a plurality of operation instruction units including at least a first operation instruction unit for instructing the hull to apply a lateral propulsive force and a second operation instruction unit for instructing the hull to apply a longitudinal propulsive force.

8. 8. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 7, wherein, when the decision information indicates that the first propulsion unit is to generate a propulsive force in the first range, the control unit moves the first propulsion unit to a steering angle at which the first range of propulsive forces is generated, and moves the second propulsion unit to a steering angle at which the second range of propulsive forces is generated, and, when the decision information indicates that the first propulsion unit is to generate a propulsive force in the second range, the control unit moves the first propulsion unit to a steering angle at which the second range of propulsive forces is generated, and moves the second propulsion unit to a steering angle at which the first range of propulsive forces is generated.

9. 9. The control device for a vessel propulsion system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein when an instruction to start a lateral movement mode is received, the control unit controls the first propulsion unit and the second propulsion unit based on the decision information and a maneuvering instruction for lateral movement.

10. 10. The control device for a ship propulsion system according to claim 9, wherein, when controlling the first propulsion unit and the second propulsion unit based on the maneuvering instruction, if the control unit controls the first propulsion unit to a steering angle that generates the first range of propulsive forces, the control unit maintains the steering angle of the second propulsion unit at a steering angle that generates the second range of propulsive forces, and if the control unit controls the first propulsion unit to a steering angle that generates the second range of propulsive forces, the control unit maintains the steering angle of the second propulsion unit at a steering angle that generates the first range of propulsive forces.

11. The control device for a vessel propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the second propulsion device is disposed in a bow.

12. The control device for a marine vessel propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the second propulsion device is a trolling motor.

13. The hull and A vessel comprising: a vessel propulsion system control device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A control method for a marine vessel propulsion system having a first propulsion unit disposed at a stern of a hull and capable of being steered, and a second propulsion unit disposed at a position forward of the stern of the hull and capable of being steered, comprising the steps of: acquiring information relating to a forward thrust force of the first propulsion unit, information relating to a reverse thrust force of the first propulsion unit, and information relating to a thrust force of the second propulsion unit; determining, during lateral movement of the hull, whether to cause the first propulsion unit to generate a first range of propulsion force which is a range that includes a forward direction component, or a second range of propulsion force which is a range that includes a reverse direction component, based on the acquired information related to the forward direction propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, the acquired information related to the reverse direction propulsion force of the first propulsion unit, and the acquired information related to the propulsion force of the second propulsion unit; The control method for a vessel propulsion system further comprises storing the determined content as determined information in a storage medium.

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