US 12,466,271 B2
Electric marine propulsion system and control method
Jared D. Kalnins, Neenah, WI (US); and Mitchell J. Baer, Fond Du Lac, WI (US)
Assigned to Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed by Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/695,200.
Prior Publication US 2023/0294521 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B60L 15/20 (2006.01); B60L 58/12 (2019.01); B60L 58/18 (2019.01); B60L 58/24 (2019.01); B63H 21/17 (2006.01); B63H 21/21 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 15/20 (2013.01) [B60L 58/12 (2019.02); B60L 58/18 (2019.02); B60L 58/24 (2019.02); B63H 21/17 (2013.01); B63H 21/21 (2013.01); B60L 2240/545 (2013.01); B60L 2240/547 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric marine propulsion system configured to propel a marine vessel, the system comprising:
a power storage system comprising a plurality of batteries in parallel, each battery comprising a plurality of battery cells and a battery controller;
at least one electric motor powered by the power storage system and configured to rotate a propulsor to propel the marine vessel;
a control system comprising the plurality of battery controllers for the plurality of batteries and a central controller communicatively connected to each of the plurality of battery controllers, the control system configured to:
each battery controller identify a charge level for the respective one of the plurality of batteries and communicate the charge level to the central controller;
at the central controller:
determine which of the plurality of batteries are active batteries based at least in part on the charge level of each of the plurality of batteries;
identify a minimum power limit for the active batteries, wherein the minimum power limit is based on a lowest non-zero power limit for any one of the active batteries;
determine a system power limit based on the minimum power limit and a number of active batteries; and
control the at least one electric motor based on the system power limit.