Dynamic active control system with engine control
A dynamic active control system (DACS) configured for: (1) total vessel pitch axis control by fast symmetric deployment of water engagement devices (WEDs) or controllers, coupled with engine trim adjustments; (2) total roll and heading control by differentially deploying WEDs to counter rolling motions while simultaneously adjusting engine steering position to counter the steering moment associated with WED delta position; and (3) adjustment of the engine steering angle to counter yaw moments produced by gyroscopic stabilization systems.
1. A dynamic active control system for a marine vessel, the system comprising:
at least one sensor;
a plurality of water engagement devices (each, a WED), each including an actuator configured to retract and deploy a water engagement element connected to the actuator, and each further configured to be mounted on a transom of the marine vessel, and wherein at least one of the plurality of water engagement devices is disposed on a first side of a longitudinal axis of the marine vessel and at least one of the plurality of water engagement devices is disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis;
a steering actuator, wherein the steering actuator is configured to adjust a heading of the marine vessel;
a software module that is communicatively and operatively connected to the at least one sensor, the plurality of water engagement devices, and the steering actuator, wherein the software module is configured to:
(a) receive, from the at least one sensor, a roll rate, a pitch rate, a yaw rate, a WED position for each of the plurality of water engagement devices, and a steering angle;
(b) determine a water engagement device delta position based on a difference between the WED position received for the at least one water engagement device disposed on the first side of the longitudinal axis and the WED position received for the at least one water engagement device disposed on the second side of the longitudinal axis;
(c) generate a first control signal based on the roll rate, pitch rate, yaw rate, and the water engagement device delta position, wherein the first control signal is configured to counteract dynamic motions of the marine vessel;
(d) send, to the actuator for each of the plurality of water engagement devices, the first control signal, wherein the actuator of each of the plurality of water engagement devices is configured to change the WED position of the respective water engagement device in response to receiving the first control signal to counteract dynamic motions of the marine vessel;
(e) generate a predicted roll moment of the marine vessel, wherein the predicted roll moment of the marine vessel is based on the roll rate, pitch rate, yaw rate, the water engagement device delta position, steering angle, and the first control signal;
(f) generate a second control signal based on the predicted roll moment of the marine vessel and the steering angle, wherein the second control signal is configured to counteract a roll moment introduced to the dynamic motions of the marine vessel by the first control signal; and
(g) send, to the steering actuator, the second control signal, wherein the steering actuator is configured to change the steering angle of the marine vessel in response to receiving the second control signal to counteract a roll moment introduced to the dynamic motions of the marine vessel by the first control signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software module automatically outputs, in response to the change in the steering angle a third signal to the water engagement devices to command a change in the water engagement device delta position to counter a roll moment resulting from the change in the steering angle.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensors includes a group of sensors embedded within the software module.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the water engagement device delta position changes in 100 mm/s or more.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software module reads a change in the steering angle whether from a manual operator input or via an autopilot system input.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software module adjusts an average of the water engagement device delta position and a trim angle of an engine for a desired trim angle of the marine vessel in response to a commanded input for a desired marine vessel trim angle.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one input device communicatively and operatively connected to the software module.
8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a multiple axis inertial sensor for measuring a rate of change or an acceleration along respective axes in relation to dynamic motions of the marine vessel.
9. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one Roll Rate Sensor (RRS), Pitch Rate Sensor (PRS) and Yaw Rate Sensor (YRS) to measure the roll rate, pitch rate and yaw rate of the marine vessel respectively.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an attitude sensor communicatively and operatively connected to the software module such that in response to an output from the attitude sensor the software module outputs a fourth signal to the water engagement devices to command adjustment of the water engagement device delta position.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the embedded microprocessor-based control system runs program instructions for a proportional-integral-derivative control loop that continuously captures data related to a difference between a commanded roll angle and a measured roll angle.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the software module commands an adjustment of the water engagement device delta position in response to the difference between the commanded roll angle and the measured roll angle.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a distribution module disposed near the transom of the vessel, wherein the distribution module is operatively and communicatively connected to the software module, the steering actuator and the plurality of water engagement devices.
14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a steering position sensor associated with the steering actuator and communicatively and operatively connected to the software module for measuring the adjustment of the steering angle by the steering actuator.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a global positioning system sensor communicatively and operatively connected to the software module such that in response to an output from the global positioning system sensor the software module outputs a fifth signal to the water engagement devices to command adjustment of the water engagement device delta position.
16. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an inertial sensor for measuring motion of the marine vessel and a steering position sensor, and further comprising a gyroscopic stabilization device adapted to be disposed on the marine vessel and communicatively and operatively connected to the software module, wherein the software module outputs a sixth signal to the steering actuator to adjust the steering position automatically (a) in response to a yaw axis motion measured by the inertial sensor, and (b) based on an empirical estimate of a yaw torque generated by the gyroscopic stabilization device and the water engagement device delta position commanded by the software module, respectively, in order to counter a measured change of an output from the steering position sensor.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software module receives an input for desired marine vessel trim angle from an input device and in response thereto adjusts an average water engagement device delta position and a trim angle of an engine.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the software module adjusts a trim angle of an engine and an average water engagement device delta position to counter pitch moments resulting from the gyroscopic stabilization device.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the embedded microprocessor-based control system runs program instructions for a total pitch axis control strategy comprising symmetric deployment of the plurality of water engagement devices at a deployment speed of at least 100 mm/s while simultaneously adjusting a trim angle of an engine.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the embedded microprocessor-based control system runs program instructions for a total roll and heading control strategy comprising a differential deployment of the plurality of water engagement devices at a deployment speed of at least 100 mm/s to counter a measured rolling motion while simultaneously adjusting the steering actuator to counter a measured yaw motion resulting from the differential deployment and adjusting the steering actuator to counter the measured yaw motion generated by a gyroscopic stabilization device adapted to be disposed within the marine vessel.
21. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensors includes a multiple axis inertial rate sensor and a steering position sensor, wherein the water engagement devices each include an actuator, a water engagement element connected to the actuator, and a position sensor communicatively and operatively connected to the actuator, wherein each actuator and position sensor is communicatively and operatively connected to the software module, and wherein the software module adjusts the water engagement device delta position in response to a dynamic roll axis motion measured by the multiple axis inertial rate sensor as a result of a change in an output from the steering position sensor.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the water engagement element is deployed by the actuator at a deployment speed of 100 mm/s or more.
23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the software module adjusts a relationship between the trim angle of the engine and the average water engagement device delta position to optimize a fuel efficiency of the engine.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the steering actuator is connected to an engine such that movement of the steering actuator results in the change in the heading of the marine vessel.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the steering actuator is connected to a rudder such that movement of the steering actuator results in the change in the heading of the marine vessel.