Marine Shift Protection Logic for Engine and Transmission Gear Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shift protection algorithms for marine vessels either rely on simple but inefficient time-based logic or complex and costly operating-variable-based logic, lacking a modular solution that can seamlessly integrate both approaches and be configured according to specific needs.
Innovation Solution
A modular shift protection algorithm that allows configuration of Shift Protection Type to either Basic or Advanced, enabling a range of Shift Protection Sequences including time-based and operating-variable-based logic, with various parameters to be optionally enabled or disabled, ensuring efficient protection during gear shifts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If time-based shift protection logic is used, then device complexity is reduced, but shift protection efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shift protection logic is segmented into multiple independent sequences (first SPS, second SPS, third SPS) that can be selectively executed. Each sequence handles specific shift scenarios with tailored delay periods and conditions, allowing the system to achieve complex protection behavior through modular, manageable segments rather than a single monolithic logic block.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which shift protection sequence to execute based on real-time operating conditions (current gear, requested gear, engine speed, vessel speed). The delay period itself is dynamic, adjusting based on the specific shift scenario and protection sequence selected, rather than using a fixed delay for all situations.
2Reliability
If operating-variable-based shift protection logic is used, then shift protection efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shift protection system is designed to handle multiple shift scenarios (normal shifts, crash reversals, slow vessel mode) and multiple operating conditions (different gears, engine speeds, vessel speeds) through a single unified architecture. The same Propulsion Control Processor executes different protection sequences based on conditions, eliminating the need for separate hardware systems for different protection needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (delay period duration, selected protection sequence, active protection features) based on measured operating variables (engine speed, vessel speed, current gear, requested gear). This allows the protection logic to adapt to different scenarios without requiring fundamentally different system architectures.
3Reliability
If longer delay period is used in shift protection, then engine stall protection is improved, but crash reversal operation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The delay period is dynamically adjusted based on the specific shift scenario. For normal gear shifts, a longer delay period is applied to ensure engine stall protection. For crash reversal operations, the system recognizes the urgent nature of the request and applies a shorter or waived delay period, allowing the operator to quickly reverse direction to avoid obstacles. The third SPS specifically addresses crash reversal by potentially bypassing or reducing the delay.
Solution Approach 2:
Different delay period characteristics are applied to different shift scenarios. Rather than using a uniform delay period for all shifts, the system applies locally optimized delay characteristics: longer delays for routine shifts where protection is the priority, and shorter or conditional delays for crash reversals where operational responsiveness is critical.
Data Source
AI summary
A first method of protecting an engine and a transmission of a marine vessel during gear shifts and a second method of programming one or more Shift Protection Sequences (SPS) are disclosed. The first method includes receiving a Shift Request (SR) and activating a SPS from among a plurality of enabled SPS. The second method includes configuring a Shift Protection Type (SPT); enabling and configuring a plurality of required and SPS variables; and, optionally, enabling and configuring a plurality of optional SPS variables. The SPT may be a Basic Shift Protection (BSP), which includes time-based SPS; or the SPT may be an Advanced Shift Protection (ASP), which includes alternate time-based and operating-variable based SPS. The SPS of the ASP may be incrementally programmed and added to the BSP.