Virtual Thruster Control for Twin-Engine Vessel Maneuvering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Many marine vessels lack thrusters, particularly stern thrusters, making precise low-speed maneuvering, such as docking, difficult for operators who must manually control main engines to simulate thruster effects, which is challenging and imprecise.

Innovation Solution

A remote-control unit with actuators for main engines and thrusters, capable of transmitting engine control signals to simulate a virtual thruster effect by coordinating the operation of both port and starboard engines based on pre-defined profiles, mimicking the function of a bow or stern thruster.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual engine control is used to simulate thruster effects, then vessel maneuvering is possible without thrusters, but the operation becomes difficult and imprecise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevessel maneuvering capabilityVSAvoidoperator control difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A control system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the main engines. The system receives operator inputs and automatically calculates the appropriate engine commands to produce thruster-like effects, eliminating the need for the operator to manually coordinate multiple engines while maintaining precise maneuvering capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The control system creates a virtual thruster by copying the functional effect of a physical thruster through differential engine operation. By simulating the thrust vectoring capability of an actual thruster using the existing main engines, the system provides familiar and intuitive control characteristics without requiring physical thruster hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual engine control is used to simulate thruster effects, then vessel can move laterally at low speed, but the control precision is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral movement capabilityVSAvoidmaneuvering precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control system incorporates feedback from vessel position and motion sensors to continuously monitor actual movement and adjust engine commands in real-time. This closed-loop control enables precise lateral positioning by comparing desired versus actual vessel state and making corrective adjustments, achieving maneuvering precision comparable to physical thrusters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts engine power distribution and rotation rates based on real-time vessel conditions, desired trajectory, and environmental factors. This dynamic control allows the vessel to achieve precise lateral movement by continuously optimizing the differential engine operation to match the desired thruster effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20260077848A1System for providing thruster effect on a vessel

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 THE YACHT GRP LLC

AI summary

A remote-control unit for control a marine vessel is provided with a thruster actuator and engine actuators. When the marine vessel lacks a thruster, the thruster actuator, when operated, causes the remote-control unit to transmit engine control signals to each of at least two engines to achieve a virtual thruster effect by the marine vessel.