Boat Thruster Control Through Gesture Recognition While Towed

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing boat control systems require users to operate buttons on a control device attached to their wrist, which can divert their line of sight away from the hull, making it difficult to easily change the propulsion state while being towed.

Innovation Solution

A boat control system that uses an imager to capture user gestures and an image processor to determine the user's state, allowing a controller to adjust the thruster to change the propulsion state without the need for manual button operation, enabling continuous viewing of the hull and easier control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user operates buttons on a control device attached to their wrist, then the propulsion state of the hull can be changed, but the user's line of sight is diverted away from the hull, increasing the risk of falling into the water

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to change propulsion stateVSAvoiduser safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing system with an optical gesture recognition system. The imager captures images of the user's gestures, and the image processor analyzes these images to determine propulsion state changes. This substitution eliminates the need for physical contact with control buttons, allowing users to control the hull while maintaining their line of sight on the hull and reducing safety risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a control device with buttons is provided for the user to operate, then the propulsion state can be adjusted, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoidcontrol system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the control functionality from the physical button interface and relocates it to the gesture recognition system. Instead of providing a control device with multiple buttons that the user must physically operate, the system extracts the essential control function and implements it through image-based gesture recognition, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If the user focuses on operating the control device, then propulsion state changes can be made, but the user cannot continuously view the hull, reducing concentration on the towing activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol responsivenessVSAvoiduser concentration on activity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system (imager and image processor) that mediates between the user's natural gestures and the hull's propulsion state changes. This intermediary captures the user's gestures without requiring direct visual attention or physical interaction with control buttons, enabling users to maintain their line of sight on the hull and concentrate on the towing activity while still achieving responsive control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12428110B2Boat control system and marine vessel

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A boat control system includes an imager to image a user towed by a hull, an image processor to determine a predetermined state of the user from an image captured by the imager, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to adjust a thruster operable to change a propulsion state of the hull based on the predetermined state of the user determined by the image processor to change the propulsion state of the hull.