Abstract: A system controls movement of a marine vessel near an object. The system includes a control module in signal communication with a marine propulsion system, a manually operable input device providing a signal representing a requested translation of the marine vessel, and a sensor providing a first distance between the vessel and a first point on the object and a second distance between the vessel and a second point on the object. The control module determines an actual angle between the vessel and the object based on the first distance and the second distance. In response to the signal representing the requested translation, the control module stores the actual angle between the vessel and the object as an initial angle and controls the marine propulsion system to produce thrust that will carry out the requested translation and that will maintain the initial angle.

Abstract: A marine propulsion system includes at least one propulsion device and a user input device configured to facilitate input for engaging automatic propulsion control functionality with respect to a docking surface, wherein the user input device includes a direction indicator display configured to visually indicate a direction with respect to the marine vessel. A controller is configured to identify a potential docking surface, determine a direction of the potential docking surface with respect to the marine vessel, and control the direction indicator display to indicate the direction of the potential docking surface with respect to the marine vessel. When a user selection is received via the user input device to select the potential docking surface as a selected docking surface, and propulsion of the marine vessel is automatically controlled by controlling the at least one propulsion device to move the marine vessel with respect to the selected docking surface.

Abstract: A method of controlling a propulsion system on a marine vessel includes receiving proximity measurements describing locations of one or more objects with respect to the marine vessel, receiving a command vector instructing magnitude and direction for propulsion of the marine vessel with respect to a point of navigation for the marine vessel, and then determining a funnel boundary based on the command vector. An object is identified based on the proximity measurements and determined to be within the funnel boundary, and then a propulsion adjustment command is calculated based on the command vector and an angle of the object with respect to the point of navigation. At least one propulsion device is then controlled based on the propulsion adjustment command in order to avoid the object.

Abstract: A method of controlling propulsion of a marine vessel includes receiving proximity measurements from one or more proximity sensors on the marine vessel and limiting user input authority over propulsion output in a direction of an object by at least one propulsion device based on the proximity measurement so as to maintain the marine vessel at least a buffer distance from the object. The method further includes suspending maintenance of the buffer distance from the object in response to a user-generated instruction. Then, when user control input is received via a user input device to move the marine vessel in the direction of the object, the at least one propulsion device is controlled based on the user control input such that the marine vessel approaches and impacts the object.

Abstract: A propulsion control system on a marine vessel includes at least one propulsion device configured to propel the marine vessel and at least one proximity sensor system configured to generate proximity measurements describing a proximity of an object with respect to the marine vessel. The system further includes a controller configured to receive proximity measurements, access a preset buffer distance, and calculate a velocity limit in a direction of the object for the marine vessel based on the proximity measurements and the preset buffer distance so as to progressively decrease the velocity limit as the marine vessel approaches the preset buffer distance from the object.

Abstract: A system for proximity sensing on a marine vessel includes a main inertial measurement unit (IMU) positioned at a main installation attitude and a main location, a first proximity sensor configured to measure proximity of objects from a first sensor location, and a first sensor IMU positioned at the first sensor location and at a first installation attitude. A sensor processor is configured to receive main IMU data from the main IMU and first IMU data from the first sensor IMU, and then determine a relative orientation transform between the main installation attitude and the first installation attitude by comparing the main IMU data and the first IMU data, and then determine a relative position transform between the main location and the first sensor location based on the relative orientation transform, the main IMU data, and the first IMU data.

Abstract: A proximity sensor system on a marine vessel includes one or more proximity sensors, each at a sensor location on the marine vessel and configured to measure proximity of objects and generate proximity measurements. A processor is configured to store a two-dimensional vessel outline of the marine vessel with respect to a point of navigation for the marine vessel, receive the proximity measurements measured by one or more proximity sensors on the marine vessel, and identify four linearly-closest proximity measurements to the two-dimensional vessel outline, including one closest proximity measurement in each of a positive X direction, a negative X direction, a positive Y direction, and a negative Y direction. The processor then generates a most important object (MIO) dataset identifying the four linearly-closest proximity measurements.

Abstract: A system controls movement of a marine vessel near an object. The system includes a control module in signal communication with a marine propulsion system, a manually operable input device providing a signal representing a requested translation of the marine vessel, and a sensor providing a first distance between the vessel and a first point on the object and a second distance between the vessel and a second point on the object. The control module determines an actual angle between the vessel and the object based on the first distance and the second distance. In response to the signal representing the requested translation, the control module stores the actual angle between the vessel and the object as an initial angle and controls the marine propulsion system to produce thrust that will carry out the requested translation and that will maintain the initial angle.