Watercraft Engine Controller Environmental Temperature Estimation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The cost of equipping watercraft with multiple sensors to detect environmental conditions is high, necessitating a method to grasp target environmental conditions without adding new sensors.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling a watercraft that uses a first temperature sensor to detect the engine's temperature and a controller to estimate environmental temperatures, such as air and water temperatures, based on engine startup or activation data, allowing accurate environmental condition monitoring without additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are added to detect environmental conditions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The engine temperature sensor serves multiple functions: it detects both engine temperature for engine control purposes and environmental temperature for environmental condition monitoring. This multi-functional use eliminates the need for separate environmental temperature sensors, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision for environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The existing engine temperature sensing system provides additional environmental monitoring capability without requiring external sensors. The engine temperature data, already being collected for engine management, is repurposed to infer environmental temperatures, allowing the system to serve itself for dual purposes
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate estimation of environmental temperatures, reducing the need for additional sensors and thereby lowering costs while effectively monitoring environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a first temperature sensor (36) detecting a temperature of the engine (10)
Implementation Method 2
a first temperature sensor (36) detecting a temperature of the engine (10)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present system relates to a system for controlling a watercraft including an engine. The system includes a first temperature sensor and a controller. The first temperature sensor detects a temperature of the engine. The controller obtains the temperature of the engine either in an activation of the controller or in a start of the engine. The controller estimates an environmental temperature of the watercraft based on the temperature of the engine obtained either in the activation of the controller or in the start of the engine.