US 12,065,230 B1
Marine propulsion control system and method with rear and lateral marine drives
Matthew E. Derginer, Butte des Morts, WI (US); and Kyle F. Karnick, Fond du Lac, WI (US)
Assigned to Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed by Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/672,339.
Int. Cl. B63H 20/12 (2006.01); B63H 20/00 (2006.01); B63H 25/02 (2006.01); B63H 25/42 (2006.01)
CPC B63H 20/12 (2013.01) [B63H 25/42 (2013.01); B63H 2020/003 (2013.01); B63H 25/02 (2013.01); B63H 2025/026 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel comprising:
at least two steerable rear marine drives that each generate forward and reverse thrusts, wherein each rear marine drive is independently steerable to a range of steering angles;
a lateral marine drive configured to generate starboard and port thrusts on the marine vessel;
a user input device operable by a user to provide a propulsion demand input commanding sway movement of the marine vessel and yaw movement of the marine vessel;
a control system configured to:
determine a thrust command for each of the lateral marine drive and the at least two rear marine drives and a steering position command for each of the at least two rear marine drives based on the propulsion demand input; and
control steering and thrust of each of the at least two rear marine drives based on the thrust command and the steering position command for each of the at least two rear marine drives and control thrust of the lateral marine drive based on the thrust command for the lateral marine drive so as to generate the sway movement and/or the yaw movement commanded by the user.