Patents by Inventor Satoru Hamada

Satoru Hamada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12597355
    Abstract: A navigation control system includes an obstacle detector on a hull to detect a distance from a hull to an obstacle on a water surface and a position of the obstacle. The navigation control system further includes a thruster on the hull to generate a propulsive force, a steering to steer the thruster to right and left sides of the hull, and a controller. The controller is configured or programmed to perform a control to determine an obstacle avoidance route based on a route function including at least an indicator of a lateral acceleration that acts on the hull during steering of the thruster when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Akihiro Onoue, Toshio Suzuki, Masaru Suemori, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Manami Oyama
  • Patent number: 12552506
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a hull, left and right propulsion devices attached to a stern of the hull, left and right drive units to change a rotation angle of the left and right propulsion devices about left and right tilt shafts, and to set an angle at which a position of a lower portion of the left and right propulsion devices becomes highest as a maximum rotation angle, left and right lift mechanisms to change a vertical position of the left and right propulsion devices with respect to the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to function as a judging unit to judge whether or not a displacement in a roll direction of the hull has occurred, and a control unit to control the left and right drive units and the left and right lift mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Akihiro Onoue, Toshio Suzuki, Masaru Suemori, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Manami Oyama, Makoto Mizutani
  • Patent number: 12509196
    Abstract: A marine vessel maneuvering system includes a controller configured or programmed to perform a water entry determination control to determine whether or not water behind a hull that rises above a water surface due to deceleration of the hull may enter the hull when the hull is decelerating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Akihiro Onoue, Toshio Suzuki, Masaru Suemori, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Manami Oyama
  • Publication number: 20250346334
    Abstract: A system includes a marine propulsion device, an actuator, a pitch angle sensor, a trim angle sensor, and a controller to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft or an angular velocity of the pitch angle, and to obtain a trim angle of the marine propulsion device. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively set either a trim-up direction or a trim-down direction as a trim direction based on the trim angle of the marine propulsion device and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft or the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control the actuator to cause the marine propulsion device to perform a trim motion in the trim direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2025
    Publication date: November 13, 2025
    Inventor: Satoru HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20250313316
    Abstract: A system includes a marine propulsion device, an actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor detects motion information indicating an up-and-down directional motion of a bow of a watercraft. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively set either a trim-up direction or a trim-down direction as a trim direction in accordance with the up-and-down directional motion of the bow based on the motion information. The controller is configured or programmed to control the actuator to cause the marine propulsion device to perform a trim motion in the trim direction, and to set a duration of the trim motion to be different between when the marine propulsion device is caused to perform the trim motion in the trim-up direction and when the marine propulsion device is caused to perform the trim motion in the trim-down direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2025
    Publication date: October 9, 2025
    Inventor: Satoru HAMADA
  • Patent number: 12436539
    Abstract: In a boat including a hull, when the hull is moved laterally based on an output from the outboard motor, the hull rolls, which may cause discomfort to a user or passengers. To compensate for this, a lateral movement control method for the boat including the hull and the outboard motor includes generating a propulsion force to laterally move the hull with the output of the outboard motor, and executing a roll reduction process to reduce a roll angle of the hull at a time of laterally moving the hull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Akihiro Onoue, Toshio Suzuki, Masaru Suemori, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Manami Oyama
  • Patent number: 12386363
    Abstract: A system includes an outboard motor, an actuator, a pitch angle sensor, a trim angle sensor, and a controller to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft and an angular velocity of the pitch angle, and to obtain a trim angle of the outboard motor. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively set either a trim-up direction or a trim-down direction as a trim direction based on the trim angle of the outboard motor and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft and the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control the actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform a trim motion in the trim direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Hamada
  • Patent number: 12344360
    Abstract: A system includes an outboard motor, an actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor detects motion information indicating an up-and-down directional motion of a bow of a watercraft. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively set either a trim-up direction or a trim-down direction as a trim direction in accordance with the up-and-down directional motion of the bow based on the motion information. The controller is configured or programmed to control the actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform a trim motion in the trim direction, and to set a duration of the trim motion to be different between when the outboard motor is caused to perform the trim motion in the trim-up direction and when the outboard motor is caused to perform the trim motion in the trim-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Hamada
  • Patent number: 12258112
    Abstract: A system includes an outboard motor, a lift actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor detects motion information indicating an up-and-down directional motion of a bow of a watercraft. The controller is configured or programmed to selectively set either a lift-up direction or a lift-down direction as a lift direction in accordance with the up-and-down directional motion of the bow based on the motion information. The controller is configured or programmed to control the lift actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform the lift motion in the lift direction, and set a duration of the lift motion to be different between when the outboard motor is caused to perform the lift motion in the lift-up direction and when the outboard motor is caused to perform the lift motion in the lift-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Hamada
  • Patent number: 12252225
    Abstract: An apparatus for judging presence or absence of an abnormality of a marine vessel includes a controller configured or programmed to function as an estimating unit to estimate a marine vessel speed and a pitch angle of a hull of the marine vessel based on a propulsion force of a marine vessel propulsion device and an attitude of the marine vessel propulsion device and a judging unit, and a measuring unit to measure an actual marine vessel speed and an actual pitch angle. The judging unit judges the presence or absence of the abnormality based on at least one of a comparison result between the estimated marine vessel speed estimated by the estimating unit and the actual marine vessel speed measured by the measuring unit or a comparison result between the estimated pitch angle estimated by the estimating unit and the actual pitch angle measured by the measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KASHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Akihiro Onoue, Toshio Suzuki, Masaru Suemori, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Manami Oyama
  • Patent number: 12145706
    Abstract: A system includes an outboard motor including a lift actuator, a pitch angle sensor, a lift position sensor, and a controller configured or programmed to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft and an angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to obtain a lift position of the outboard motor, and controller selectively set either a lift-up direction or a lift-down direction as a lift direction based on the lift position of the outboard motor and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft and the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control the lift actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform a lift motion in the lift direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Hamada
  • Patent number: 12147246
    Abstract: A controller is configured or programmed to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft and an angular velocity of the pitch angle, obtain a present thrust of an outboard motor, and set a target thrust of the outboard motor based on the present thrust of the outboard motor and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft and the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control a drive source such that a thrust of the outboard motor becomes the target thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Hamada, Ryosuke Saito
  • Publication number: 20240228006
    Abstract: A marine propulsion system includes a controller configured or programmed to perform a marine vessel traveling direction control such that a traveling direction of a marine vessel is changed to a predetermined angle equal to or greater than a first angle with respect to a traveling direction of waves toward the marine vessel when the traveling direction of the marine vessel is less than the first angle with respect to the traveling direction of the waves toward the marine vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240144831
    Abstract: A navigation control system includes an obstacle detector on a hull to detect a distance from a hull to an obstacle on a water surface and a position of the obstacle, a thruster on the hull to generate a propulsive force, a steering to steer the thruster to right and left sides of the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to determine an obstacle avoidance route based on a route function including at least an indicator of a lateral acceleration that acts on the hull during steering of the thruster when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240132195
    Abstract: A marine propulsion system includes a controller configured or programmed to perform a marine vessel traveling direction control such that a traveling direction of a marine vessel is changed to a predetermined angle equal to or greater than a first angle with respect to a traveling direction of waves toward the marine vessel when the traveling direction of the marine vessel is less than the first angle with respect to the traveling direction of the waves toward the marine vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240124104
    Abstract: A marine vessel maneuvering system includes a controller configured or programmed to perform a water entry determination control to determine whether or not water behind a hull that rises above a water surface due to deceleration of the hull may enter the hull when the hull is decelerating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230418309
    Abstract: In a boat including a hull, when the hull is moved laterally based on an output from the outboard motor, the hull rolls, which may cause discomfort to a user or passengers. To compensate for this, a lateral movement control method for the boat including the hull and the outboard motor includes generating a propulsion force to laterally move the hull with the output of the outboard motor, and executing a roll reduction process to reduce a roll angle of the hull at a time of laterally moving the hull.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230391431
    Abstract: An apparatus for judging presence or absence of an abnormality of a marine vessel includes a controller configured or programmed to function as an estimating unit to estimate a marine vessel speed and a pitch angle of a hull of the marine vessel based on a propulsion force of a marine vessel propulsion device and an attitude of the marine vessel propulsion device and a judging unit, and a measuring unit to measure an actual marine vessel speed and an actual pitch angle. The judging unit judges the presence or absence of the abnormality based on at least one of a comparison result between the estimated marine vessel speed estimated by the estimating unit and the actual marine vessel speed measured by the measuring unit or a comparison result between the estimated pitch angle estimated by the estimating unit and the actual pitch angle measured by the measuring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230373607
    Abstract: A marine vessel includes a hull, left and right propulsion devices attached to a stern of the hull, left and right drive units to change a rotation angle of the left and right propulsion devices about left and right tilt shafts, and to set an angle at which a position of a lower portion of the left and right propulsion devices becomes highest as a maximum rotation angle, left and right lift mechanisms to change a vertical position of the left and right propulsion devices with respect to the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to function as a judging unit to judge whether or not a displacement in a roll direction of the hull has occurred, and a control unit to control the left and right drive units and the left and right lift mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru HAMADA, Akihiro ONOUE, Toshio SUZUKI, Masaru SUEMORI, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Manami OYAMA, Makoto MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 11787516
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus for a marine vessel that is able to automatically reduce chine walk includes a processor to obtain behavior information on a hull, including one or more of a behavior relating to a shift of the hull in a roll direction, a shift of the hull in a yaw direction, a shift of the hull in crosswise direction, a steering load, and a helm operation load. When judging that one or more conditions to change a steering mode to a counter steering mode are satisfied, the processor changes the steering mode to the counter steering mode. In the counter steering mode, the processor controls steering of the marine vessel by performing counter steering so as to reduce at least some of one or more of the behaviors of the hull based on the obtained behavior information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inoue, Satoru Hamada, Takeshi Ito