Marine Drive Demand Control for Destination Energy Sufficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Marine propulsion systems face challenges in managing energy reserves, particularly for electric propulsion, due to the scarcity of refueling stations and user anxiety about battery power depletion during navigation.

Innovation Solution

A control system that automatically adjusts the demand for marine drives based on available energy reserves, iteratively reducing the actual demand until sufficient energy is available to reach the destination, while providing visual and wireless notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the marine drive operates at high demand to reduce travel time, then productivity improves, but energy consumption increases causing the vessel to run out of energy before reaching the destination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetravel speedVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control system continuously monitors remaining energy levels and required energy for the current route, then automatically adjusts the marine drive demand in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the vessel maintains sufficient energy reserves while optimizing travel performance, preventing the contradiction between high speed and energy depletion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the marine drive demand based on real-time energy conditions rather than maintaining a fixed high demand. The demand parameter varies adaptively to balance productivity requirements with energy conservation, allowing the vessel to operate at high demand when energy is sufficient and reduce demand when energy levels are low.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If the marine drive operates at high demand to complete the journey faster, then time to destination decreases, but the risk of energy depletion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime to destinationVSAvoidenergy sufficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system uses continuous feedback on remaining energy and required energy calculations to dynamically adjust marine drive demand. This ensures the vessel arrives at the destination as quickly as possible while maintaining a safety margin of energy reserves, thereby reducing time loss without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary energy assessments by calculating the required energy to reach the destination based on current marine drive demand. This advance calculation allows the system to proactively adjust demand before energy depletion occurs, ensuring both timely arrival and energy sufficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If the system automatically reduces marine drive demand to conserve energy, then energy reserves are maintained, but the vessel arrives at the destination later than desired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy conservationVSAvoidarrival time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The marine drive demand is dynamically adjusted rather than statically reduced. The system increases demand when energy reserves are sufficient and reduces demand only when necessary to maintain energy sufficiency, thereby minimizing time loss while achieving energy conservation goals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the marine drive demand parameter in real-time based on the relationship between remaining energy and required energy. This parameter adjustment optimizes the balance between energy conservation and arrival time, avoiding excessive reduction that would unnecessarily delay the journey.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If the system provides real-time monitoring and automatic adjustment of marine drive demand, then energy management reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy managementVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system automatically monitors energy levels, calculates required energy, and adjusts marine drive demand without requiring external intervention or complex manual control mechanisms. This self-service approach improves energy management reliability while keeping the control system relatively simple by eliminating the need for complex user interfaces or manual adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12466532B1Marine propulsion systems and control methods

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 BRUNSWICK CORP

AI summary

A method for controlling a marine drive configured to propel a marine vessel. The method includes receiving a destination for the marine vessel, receiving a demand request for operating the marine drive, and operating the marine drive at an actual demand corresponding to the demand request. The method further includes determining a required energy for the marine drive to propel the marine vessel to the destination at the actual demand and determining a remaining energy of an energy source available for operating the marine drive. The method further includes comparing the required energy to the remaining energy and, when the remaining energy is less than the required energy, automatically iteratively reducing the actual demand for operating the marine drive until the remaining energy equals or exceeds the required energy determined for the marine vessel to reach the destination.