Watercraft Throttle Control with Downloadable Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current throttle control systems in watercraft engines lack flexibility, as they rely on a fixed mapping of accelerator position to throttle opening, failing to accommodate user-specific preferences for different operating conditions such as docking or towing.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a user interface module allowing users to select and download alternative throttle control profiles from a library, enabling the engine control module to generate desired throttle openings based on user-defined mappings, thereby tailoring throttle control to specific situations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed mapping of accelerator position to throttle opening is used, then the system structure is simple, but the adaptability to different user preferences and operating conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic throttle control by allowing the mapping between accelerator position and throttle opening to change based on selected profiles. The system transitions from a static fixed mapping to a dynamic adjustable mapping that can be modified through user selection of different profiles (e.g., docking profile, towing profile, normal profile), thereby improving adaptability while maintaining reasonable system complexity through software-based configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of throttle control by introducing multiple predefined profiles with different mapping characteristics. Each profile represents a different set of parameters relating accelerator position to throttle opening, allowing users to select appropriate parameters for specific operating conditions. This parameter variation approach enables adaptability without requiring complete system redesign.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple throttle control profiles are stored and made selectable, then the adaptability to different operating conditions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the engine control module to perform multiple functions: it not only controls throttle opening based on accelerator position but also stores multiple profiles, selects among them, and downloads new profiles. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate systems into a single control module, improving adaptability while managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by storing multiple profiles in memory, where each profile is essentially a copy of the mapping data structure. Instead of implementing completely separate control systems for different operating modes, the system creates and stores copies of the throttle control mapping for various conditions, allowing selective activation without duplicating hardware complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for a watercraft includes memory, a communications module, and a throttle control module. The memory includes a first mapping of measured accelerator position to desired throttle opening. The communications module selectively downloads a second mapping of the measured accelerator position to the desired throttle opening to the memory. The throttle control module generates the desired throttle opening based on the measured accelerator position and a selected one of the first and second mappings. A throttle actuator module opens a throttle valve based on the desired throttle opening.