Systems and methods for providing non-visual feedback when a marine propulsion device of a marine vessel returns to center

1 . A system for providing non-visual feedback when a steerable component of a marine vessel returns to center, the system comprising:

a steerable component coupled to the marine vessel and configured to rotate about a steering axis to affect a direction of movement of the marine vessel;

a steering input device;

a feedback device coupled to the steering input device,

wherein the feedback device comprises a variable resistance device configured to apply a variable resistance force to the steering input device that resists movement of the steering input device; and

one or more hardware processors configured to:

determine that a rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached a centered position; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position, cause the feedback device to provide non-visual feedback via the steering input device,

wherein the non-visual feedback includes increased resistance to steering inputs provided via the steering input device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the centered position corresponds to a rotational position at which the steerable component is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the steerable component comprises a propulsion device that includes a power head, and the centered position is a rotational position at which the power head provides thrust that is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the steering input device comprises a steering wheel.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a steering actuator coupled to the steerable component,

wherein the steering actuator is configured to cause the steerable component to rotate about the steering axis.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

receive, from the steering actuator, a value indicative of the rotational position of the steerable component with respect to the centered position; and

determine whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position based on the value.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein

the feedback device comprises a motor configured to provide haptic feedback, and

the non-visual feedback includes haptic feedback provided via the steering input device.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

determine whether the rotational position of the steerable component is within a predetermined range of the centered position; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component is within a predetermined range of the centered position, determine that the steerable component has reached the centered position.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

adjust a characteristic of the non-visual feedback as the rotational position moves closer to the centered position from a rotational position at a predetermined range from the centered position.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

determine that the rotational position of the steerable component is within a predetermined range of the centered position; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component is within the predetermined range of the centered position, provide a second type of non-visual feedback,

wherein the non-visual feedback is a first type of non-visual feedback.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

determine whether one or more criteria are satisfied; and

in response to determining that the one or more criteria are satisfied, determine whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position.

12 . The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one of the following:

a speed criteria associated with a speed threshold; and

a steering angle criteria associated with a steering angle threshold; and

wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

compare

(a) a speed over ground of the marine vessel to the speed threshold, and determine that the speed criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the speed over ground of the marine vessel is less than the speed threshold; or

(b) a steering angle of the steerable component to the steering angle threshold, and determine that the steering criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the steering angle is less than the steering angle threshold; and

determine that the one or more criteria are satisfied based on:

(i) the speed criteria being satisfied;

(ii) the steering angle criteria being satisfied; or

(iii) the speed criteria being satisfied and the steering angle criteria being satisfied.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

determine whether a steering angle of the steerable component has exceeded a feedback threshold angle since a last time that the steerable component was at the centered position;

in response to determining that the steering angle of the steerable component has not exceeded the feedback threshold angle since the steerable component was at the centered position, inhibit the feedback device from providing the non-visual feedback when the steerable component is centered; and

in response to determining that the steering angle of the steerable component has exceeded the feedback threshold angle since the steerable component was at the centered position, cause the feedback device to provide the non-visual feedback when the steerable component has returned to center.

14 . A method for providing non-visual feedback when a steerable component of a marine vessel returns to center, the method comprising:

determining that a rotational position of a steerable component about a steering axis has reached a centered position,

wherein the steerable component is coupled to the marine vessel and configured to rotate about the steering axis to affect a direction of movement of the marine vessel; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position, causing a feedback device to provide non-visual feedback via a steering input device to which the feedback device is coupled,

wherein the feedback device comprises a variable resistance device configured to apply a variable resistance force to the steering input device that resists movement of the steering input device, and

wherein the non-visual feedback includes increased resistance to steering inputs provided via the steering input device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the centered position corresponds to a rotational position at which the steerable component is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the steerable component comprises a propulsion device that includes a power head, and the centered position is a rotational position at which the power head provides thrust that is directed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the steering input device comprises a steering wheel.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving, from a steering actuator, a value indicative of the rotational position of the steerable component with respect to the centered position,

wherein the steering actuator is configured to cause the steerable component to rotate about the steering axis; and

determining whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position based on the value.

19 . A system for providing non-visual feedback when a steerable component of a marine vessel returns to center, the system comprising:

a steerable component coupled to the marine vessel and configured to rotate about a steering axis to affect a direction of movement of the marine vessel;

a steering input device;

a feedback device coupled to the steering input device; and

one or more hardware processors configured to:

determine whether one or more criteria are satisfied,

wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one of the following:

a speed criteria associated with a speed threshold; and

a steering angle criteria associated with a steering angle threshold;

compare

(a) a speed over ground of the marine vessel to the speed threshold, and determine that the speed criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the speed over ground of the marine vessel is less than the speed threshold; or

(b) a steering angle of the steerable component to the steering angle threshold, and determine that the steering criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the steering angle is less than the steering angle threshold;

determine that the one or more criteria are satisfied based on:

(i) the speed criteria being satisfied;

(ii) the steering angle criteria being satisfied; or

(iii) the speed criteria being satisfied and the steering angle criteria being satisfied;

in response to determining that the one or more criteria are satisfied, determine whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position;

determine that a rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached a centered position; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position, cause the feedback device to provide non-visual feedback via the steering input device.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the centered position corresponds to a rotational position at which the steerable component is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

21 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising:

a steering actuator coupled to the steerable component,

wherein the steering actuator is configured to cause the steerable component to rotate about the steering axis, and

wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to:

receive, from the steering actuator, a value indicative of the rotational position of the steerable component with respect to the centered position; and

determine whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position based on the value.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein

the feedback device comprises a motor configured to provide haptic feedback, and

the non-visual feedback includes haptic feedback provided via the steering input device.

23 . The system of claim 19 , wherein

the feedback device comprises a variable resistance device configured to apply a variable resistance force to the steering input device that resists movement of the steering input device, and the non-visual feedback includes increased resistance to steering inputs provided via the steering input device.

24 . A method for providing non-visual feedback when a steerable component of a marine vessel returns to center, the method comprising:

determining whether one or more criteria are satisfied,

wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one of the following:

a speed criteria associated with a speed threshold; and

a steering angle criteria associated with a steering angle threshold;

comparing

(a) a speed over ground of the marine vessel to the speed threshold, and determine that the speed criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the speed over ground of the marine vessel is less than the speed threshold; or

(b) a steering angle of a steerable component to the steering angle threshold, and determine that the steering criteria is satisfied in response to determining that the steering angle is less than the steering angle threshold,

wherein the steerable component is coupled to the marine vessel and configured to rotate about a steering axis to affect a direction of movement of the marine vessel;

determining that the one or more criteria are satisfied based on:

(i) the speed criteria being satisfied;

(ii) the steering angle criteria being satisfied; or

(iii) the speed criteria being satisfied and the steering angle criteria being satisfied;

in response to determining that the one or more criteria are satisfied, determining whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position;

determining that a rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached a centered position; and

in response to determining that the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position, causing a feedback device to provide non-visual feedback via a steering input device to which the feedback device is coupled.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the centered position corresponds to a rotational position at which the steerable component is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

receive, from a steering actuator coupled to the steerable component, a value indicative of the rotational position of the steerable component with respect to the centered position,

wherein the steering actuator is configured to cause the steerable component to rotate about the steering axis, and

determining whether the rotational position of the steerable component about the steering axis has reached the centered position based on the value.

27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein

the feedback device comprises a motor configured to provide haptic feedback, and

the non-visual feedback includes haptic feedback provided via the steering input device.

28 . The method of claim 24 , wherein

the feedback device comprises a variable resistance device configured to apply a variable resistance force to the steering input device that resists movement of the steering input device, and

the non-visual feedback includes increased resistance to steering inputs provided via the steering input device.