Search

US-12617514-B1 - Propulsion systems and methods for controlling electric marine drives for a marine vessel

US12617514B1US 12617514 B1US12617514 B1US 12617514B1US-12617514-B1

Abstract

A method of controlling at least one battery-powered electric marine drive configured to propel a planing marine vessel includes receiving a control command to engage an efficiency control mode configured to provide propulsion efficiency of the electric marine drive at a planing speed of the marine vessel, comparing at least one propulsion output value for the electric marine drive to at least one battery range optimization value indicating optimized propulsion output efficiency, and generating a range optimization action based on the comparison.

Inventors

  • Mitchell J. Baer
  • Jared D. Kalnins
  • Robert R. Osthelder
  • Daniel A. Roske

Assignees

  • BRUNSWICK CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20231106

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of controlling at least one battery-powered electric marine drive configured to propel a planing marine vessel, the method comprising: receiving a control command to engage an efficiency control mode configured to provide propulsion efficiency of the electric marine drive at a planing speed of the marine vessel; comparing at least one propulsion output value for the electric marine drive to at least one battery range optimization value indicating optimized propulsion output efficiency; and generating a range optimization action based on the comparison.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the control command to engage the efficiency control mode is a user input; and wherein the range optimization action includes automatically adjusting propulsion output of the electric marine drive based on the comparison to the at least one battery range optimization value.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the user input to engage the efficiency control mode includes placing a throttle lever associated with the electric marine drive at a wide-open-throttle position.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one propulsion output value and the at least one battery range optimization value each include a vessel speed, a motor rpm, a motor current, and/or a motor torque.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one battery range optimization value includes a vessel speed, a motor rpm, a motor current, and/or a motor torque that produces a greatest battery range value for the electric marine drive propelling the planing marine vessel.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to comparing the at least one propulsion output value to the at least one battery range optimization value, determining the at least one battery range optimization value based on a battery range for the electric marine drive at a plurality of propulsion outputs.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the range optimization action includes automatically controlling the electric marine drive such that the propulsion output value is maintained within a predetermined range of the at least one battery range optimization value.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the range optimization action includes maintaining the propulsion output value within the predetermined range of the at least one battery range optimization value until user input is received to disengage the efficiency control mode.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the efficiency control mode, a control system is configured to automatically control the electric marine drive to maintain the vessel at a minimum sustainable planing speed for the planing marine vessel.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the range optimization action includes automatically controlling a trim position of the electric marine drive to provide propulsion efficiency of the electric marine drive at the planing speed of the marine vessel.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein controlling the trim position of the electric marine drive includes automatically controlling a trim actuator to move the electric marine drive to a predetermined trim position once the marine vessel is on plane.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the range optimization action includes controlling a user interface to advise a user whether the electric marine drive is operating at an optimized propulsion output consistent with the at least one battery range optimization value.
  13. 13 . An electric propulsion system for a planing marine vessel, the system comprising: an electric marine drive powered by a battery; a control system configured to: receive a control command to engage an efficiency control mode configured to provide propulsion efficiency of the electric marine drive at a planning speed of the marine vessel; compare at least one propulsion output value for the electric marine drive to at least one battery range optimization value indicating optimized propulsion output efficiency; and generate a range optimization action based on the comparison.
  14. 14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one propulsion output value and the at least one battery range optimization value each include a vessel speed, a motor rpm, a motor current, and/or a motor torque.
  15. 15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one battery range optimization value includes a vessel speed, a motor rpm, a motor current, and/or a motor torque that produces a greatest battery range value for the electric marine drive propelling the planing marine vessel.
  16. 16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control system is further configured to, prior to comparing the at least one propulsion output value to the at least one battery range optimization value, determine the at least one battery range optimization value based on a battery range for the electric marine drive at a plurality of propulsion outputs.
  17. 17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to, when generating the range optimization action, automatically control the electric marine drive such that the propulsion output value is maintained within a predetermined range of the at least one battery range optimization value.
  18. 18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the control system is configured to, when generating the range optimization action, maintain the propulsion output value within the predetermined range of the at least one battery range optimization value until user input is received to disengage the efficiency control mode.
  19. 19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein, in the efficiency control mode, the control system is configured to automatically control the electric marine drive to maintain the vessel at a minimum sustainable planing speed for the planing marine vessel.
  20. 20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to, when generating the range optimization action, automatically control a trim position of the electric marine drive to provide propulsion efficiency of the electric marine drive at the planing speed of the marine vessel.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for controlling at least one battery-powered electric marine drive configured to propel a planing marine vessel. BACKGROUND The following U.S. Patents and publications provide background information and are incorporated herein by reference, each in its entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 7,416,456 discloses an automatic trim control system that changes the trim angle of a marine propulsion device as a function of the speed of the marine vessel relative to the water in which it is operated. The changing of the trim angle occurs between first and second speed magnitudes which operate as minimum and maximum speed thresholds. U.S. Pat. No. 9,745,036 discloses a trim control system that automatically controls trim angle of a marine propulsion device with respect to a vessel. A memory stores trim base profiles, each defining a unique relationship between vessel speed and trim angle. An input device allows selection of a base profile to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle versus vessel speed, and then optionally to further refine the aggressiveness. A controller then determines a setpoint trim angle based on a measured vessel speed. If the user has not chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from the selected base profile. However, if the user has chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from a trim sub-profile, which defines a variant of the relationship between vessel speed and trim angle defined by the selected base profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle. U.S. Pat. No. 10,167,798 discloses a method for controlling acceleration of a marine vessel having at least one engine that includes receiving a ramp value and an overshoot value, and then determining an acceleration curve based on the ramp value and the overshoot value, wherein the acceleration curve visually represents engine RPM values or vessel speed values over time for accelerating a marine vessel from idle to a desired cruising speed. A graph is then displayed containing the acceleration illustration curve on a user interface display, wherein the graph visually correlates the ramp value and the overshoot value to the acceleration illustration curve. A user input is then received adjusting the ramp value and/or the overshoot value, and the acceleration illustration curve is then redetermined based on the adjusted ramp value and the adjusted overshoot value, and the graph is updated to reflect the new acceleration illustration curve. U.S. Pat. No. 11,414,167 discloses a method for controlling marine vessel speed that includes determining a setpoint vessel speed, which is constant while the system is operating in a cruise control mode. The method includes using vessel speed feedback control to adjust operational characteristics of the engine so as to achieve the setpoint vessel speed. The method also includes determining a measured vessel speed and filtering the measured vessel speed. In response to determining that the measured vessel speed is within a given range of the constant setpoint vessel speed, the method includes transitioning to the cruise control mode and comparing the filtered measured vessel speed to the constant setpoint vessel speed for purposes of the feedback control. U.S. Patent No. 2022/0194542 discloses a method of controlling an electric marine propulsion system configured to propel a marine vessel including measuring at least one parameter of an electric motor in the electric marine propulsion system and determining that the parameter measurement indicates an abnormality in the electric marine propulsion system. A reduced operation limit is then determined based on the at least one parameter measurement, wherein the reduced operation limit includes at least one of a torque limit, an RPM limit, a current limit, and a power limit. The electric motor is then controlled such that the reduced operation limit is not exceeded. U.S. Patent No. 2023/0219675 discloses a method of controlling an electric marine propulsion system to propel a marine vessel includes receiving a user-set time, determining a time remaining based on the user-set time, and identifying a battery charge level of a power storage system on the marine vessel. A required battery power is then determined based on the time remain-ing and the battery charge level, and then an output limit is determined based on the required battery power to enable propelling the marine vessel for the user-set time without recharging the power storage system. The propulsion system is automatically controlled so as not to exceed the output limit. U.S. Patent No. 2023/0219676 discloses a method of controlling an electric marine propulsion system configured to propel a marine vessel includes receiving a user-set distance, identifying a battery charge level of a power storage system on a marine vess