US 12,459,618 B2
Device for steering a trolling motor and method of the same
Paul Robert Bailey, Auckland (NZ); and Antony Michael Mackenzie, Auckland (NZ)
Assigned to Navico, Inc., Tulsa, OK (US)
Filed by NAVICO, INC., Tulsa, OK (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/558,735.
Prior Publication US 2023/0192258 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. B63H 20/00 (2006.01); B63H 20/12 (2006.01); B63H 25/02 (2006.01)
CPC B63H 20/007 (2013.01) [B63H 20/12 (2013.01); B63H 25/02 (2013.01); B63H 2025/026 (2013.01); B63H 2025/028 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A handheld device for steering a trolling motor of a watercraft, the handheld device comprising:
a housing;
a joystick attached to the housing and pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick, wherein the movement from the neutral position generates a steering command for the trolling motor;
a transmitter within the housing;
a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the joystick; and
a memory including a computer program product stored thereon, wherein the computer program product is configured, when executed by the processor, to:
receive movement data from the joystick including a direction of movement from the neutral position, wherein the direction of movement from the neutral position defines a joystick direction and occurs over 360 degrees;
generate, based on the movement data, the steering command for instructing the trolling motor to aim in a steer direction that directly corresponds to the joystick direction, wherein the steer direction is a pointing direction of the trolling motor for directing propulsion of the trolling motor, wherein the steer direction occurs over 360 degrees;
transmit the steering command to the trolling motor, wherein the steering command causes the trolling motor to rotate so as to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on movement of the joystick;
continuously generate steering commands based on adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick; and
correspondingly, transmit the steering commands to the trolling motor to cause the trolling motor to adjust the steer direction to match a corresponding joystick direction for each of the adjustments in the direction of movement from the neutral position of the joystick.