Abstract: A method of controlling steering loads on a marine propulsion system of a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel has at least two sets of marine drives, each set having at least an inner marine drive and an outer marine drive, and a steer-by-wire steering actuator is associated with each set of marine drives. The method includes determining a maximum required actuator pressure on each steer-by-wire steering actuator, and determining a pressure reduction amount based on the maximum required actuator pressure. A link toe angle has been determined based on the pressure reduction amount. A mechanical link connecting each inner marine drive to the respective outer marine drive is adjusted to achieve the link toe angle.

Abstract: A method for positioning two or more trimmable marine propulsion devices coupled to a transom of a marine vessel includes identifying two propulsion devices located one on each of a port side and a starboard side of a centerline of the transom and spaced symmetrically with respect to the centerline. The two propulsion devices are defined as a first set and are associated with a first target trim position. The method also includes defining a second set of propulsion devices and associating the second set with a second target trim position. When in auto-trim mode, each propulsion device in a set of propulsion devices is actuated to its target trim position only if the actual trim positions of all propulsion devices in the set differ from the target trim position by at least a given amount. The propulsion devices may be actuated individually in response to a user sync command.

Abstract: A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel includes receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller and determining a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller. The method also includes determining an acceleration rate of the marine vessel. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds a first error threshold and the magnitude of the acceleration rate exceeds a given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to the target trim position. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds the first error threshold and the acceleration rate does not exceed the given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to a setpoint trim position that is different from the target trim position. An associated system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A trim control system 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.

Abstract: A system and method are for controlling handling of a marine vessel having a steerable component that is steerable to a plurality of positions to vary a direction of movement of the vessel. A controller is communicatively connected to an actuator of the steerable component and a user input device provides to the controller an operator-initiated steering command to steer the steerable component to one of the plurality of positions. A sensor provides to the controller an indication of an undesired course change of the marine vessel. The controller has a vessel direction control section that outputs a command to the actuator to change a position of the steerable component from the one of the plurality of positions so as to automatically counteract the undesired course change. The vessel direction control section is active only when the operator-initiated steering command is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel includes receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller and determining a magnitude of a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller. The method also includes determining a magnitude of an acceleration rate of the marine vessel. The controller determines the activation time of a trim actuator coupled to and rotating the marine device with respect to the marine vessel based on the magnitude of the trim position error and the magnitude of the acceleration rate. The controller then sends a control signal to activate the trim actuator to rotate the marine device toward the target trim position. The method includes discontinuing the control signal once the activation time expires to deactivate the trim actuator. A corresponding system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for notifying an operator of a marine vessel that a marine propulsion device is not at an efficient trim angle includes a notification device and a controller that sends a signal to the notification device to provide a trim up notification when the controller determines that the marine propulsion device is not at the optimal trim angle. The controller determines this based on at least one of the following: a current load on an engine of the marine propulsion device; a current fuel flow provided to the engine; a current air flow provided via a throttle valve to the engine; or an output from a PID control section of the controller that controls a position of the throttle valve. A method that compares a measured engine speed to an optimal engine speed corresponding to operation of the marine propulsion device at an optimal trim angle is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method control a trim device that positions a trimmable marine apparatus with respect to a marine vessel. A trim system is operated in an automatic mode, in which a controller sends signals to actuate the trim device automatically as a function of vessel or engine speed, or a manual mode, in which the controller sends signals to actuate the trim device in response to commands from an operator input device. An operating speed of the propulsion system is determined. When the operating speed has crossed a given operating speed threshold, the trim system is subsequently operated in the automatic or manual mode depending on whether the operating speed increased or decreased as it crossed the operating speed threshold and whether the trim system was operating in the automatic or manual mode as the operating speed crossed the operating speed threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for steering a marine vessel includes a first marine drive having a first engine control module and a second marine drive having a second engine control module, where the first and second marine drives are connected by a mechanical link. A first steer-by-wire steering actuator is configured to rotate the first and second marine drives to steer the marine vessel, and a first actuator control module controls the first steer-by-wire steering actuator. The system operates such that the first actuator control module activates the first steer-by-wire steering actuator if either the first marine drive or the second marine drive is running.

Abstract: A method for setting an engine speed of an internal combustion engine in a marine propulsion device of a marine propulsion system to an engine speed setpoint includes determining the engine speed setpoint based on an operator demand and predicting a position of a throttle valve that is needed to achieve the engine speed setpoint. The method also includes determining a feed forward signal that will move the throttle valve to the predicted position, and after moving the throttle valve to the predicted position, adjusting the engine speed with a feedback controller so as to obtain the engine speed setpoint. An operating state of the marine propulsion system is also determined. Depending on the operating state, the method may include determining limits on an authority of the feedback controller to adjust the engine speed and/or determining whether the operator demand should be modified prior to determining the engine speed setpoint.

Abstract: A system and method control a trim device that positions a trimmable marine apparatus with respect to a marine vessel. A trim system is operated in an automatic mode, in which a controller sends signals to actuate the trim device automatically as a function of vessel or engine speed, or a manual mode, in which the controller sends signals to actuate the trim device in response to commands from an operator input device. An operating speed of the propulsion system is determined. When the operating speed has crossed a given operating speed threshold, the trim system is subsequently operated in the automatic or manual mode depending on whether the operating speed increased or decreased as it crossed the operating speed threshold and whether the trim system was operating in the automatic or manual mode as the operating speed crossed the operating speed threshold.

Abstract: A trim control system 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.

Abstract: A method for controlling movement of drive units on a marine vessel includes receiving an operator request for a desired steering angle. A first drive unit's steering angle is set equal to the desired steering angle. A midpoint of a wetted surface area of the vessel hull is determined and a pivot line extending laterally through the midpoint and perpendicular to the hull's longitudinal axis is defined. A first intersection point of the pivot line and a line extending horizontally through the first drive unit's steering axis and parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second intersection point of the pivot line and a line representing perpendicular application of hydrodynamic force on the first drive unit are determined. A second drive unit's steering angle is set such that a line representing perpendicular application of hydrodynamic force on the second drive unit intersects the pivot line at the second intersection point.

Abstract: A method and system position a marine propulsion device with respect to a transom of a marine vessel to which it is coupled. A controller determines whether an actual speed representing a speed of the vessel or a speed of an engine powering the propulsion device is greater than a given speed and whether a transmission of the propulsion device is in forward gear, and if so, sets a trim control unit of the controller to a ready state. If the transmission is shifted out of forward gear while the trim control unit is in the ready state, the controller sets the trim control unit to an active state. The controller determines whether an actual trim position of the propulsion device is less than a target trim position while the trim control unit is in the active state, and if so, sends a signal to trim the propulsion device up.

Abstract: A system for controlling movement of a plurality of drive units on a marine vessel has a control circuit communicatively connected to each drive unit. When the marine vessel is turning, the control circuit defines one of the drive units as an inner drive unit and another of the drive units as an outer drive unit. The control circuit calculates an inner drive unit steering angle and an outer drive unit steering angle and sends control signals to actuate the inner and outer drive units to the inner and outer drive unit steering angles, respectively, so as to cause each of the inner and outer drive units to incur substantially the same hydrodynamic load while the marine vessel is turning. An absolute value of the outer drive unit steering angle is less than an absolute value of the inner drive unit steering angle.

Abstract: A system for controlling an attitude of a marine vessel having first and second trim tabs includes a controller having vessel roll and pitch control sections. The pitch control section compares an actual vessel pitch angle to a predetermined desired vessel pitch angle and outputs a deployment setpoint that is calculated to achieve the desired pitch angle. The roll control section compares an actual vessel roll angle to a predetermined desired vessel roll angle, and outputs a desired differential between the first and second deployments that is calculated to maintain the vessel at the desired vessel roll angle. When the controller determines that the magnitude of a requested vessel turn is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the controller decreases the desired differential between the first and second deployments, and accounts for the decreased desired differential deployment in its calculation of the first and second deployments.

Abstract: A method for controlling acceleration of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes determining a first demand limit based on a smoke limit of the engine; determining a second demand limit based on a user-selected acceleration profile; retrieving a previous demand limit from a memory; and determining a third demand limit by adding a predetermined step quantity to the previous demand limit. The method further includes outputting the lesser of the first demand limit, the second demand limit, and the third demand limit as a subsequent demand limit. The method further includes controlling the engine with a control circuit to achieve the subsequent demand limit such that the vehicle accelerates from a speed associated with the previous demand limit to a speed associated with the subsequent demand limit.

Abstract: A method of controlling a diesel engine includes sensing a speed of the diesel engine, and closing a throttle of the diesel engine when the sensed speed of the diesel engine is equal to or greater than a maximum allowable engine speed to prevent oxygen from entering an intake manifold of the diesel engine, thereby preventing combustion and stopping the operation of the diesel engine. An Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve is actuated to regulate circulation of exhaust gas from the diesel engine through the intake manifold to control pressure within the intake manifold to prevent damage to other engine components from excessive positive or negative pressure.

Abstract: A method of controlling airflow of an engine system is provided. The method includes determining a supercharger operating mode and a turbocharger operating mode based on engine load; selectively generating a control signal to a turbocharger based on the turbocharger operating mode; and selectively generating a control signal to a supercharger bypass valve based on the supercharger operating mode.

Abstract: A method for controlling an exhaust-braking engine maneuver includes driving a compressor by a turbine so that the compressor receives and compresses an intake stream of fluid to produce a stream of compressed fluid. The method also includes receiving a stream of engine working fluid that includes the stream of compressed fluid, and discharging, to an exhaust system, an exhaust stream comprising the stream of engine working fluid. A stream of scavenged exhaust fluid comprising at least a portion of the exhaust stream is received, and work is extracted from the stream of scavenged exhaust fluid by the turbine to drive the compressor. The variable turbine nozzle and an intake throttle valve are modulated so as to satisfy one or more turbine control criterion and one or more compressor control criterion.