US 12,473,069 B2
System for providing thruster effect on a vessel
Gerald Berton, Coral Gables, FL (US)
Assigned to THE YACHT GROUP LLC, Coral Gables, FL (US)
Filed by The Yacht Group, LLC, Coral Gables, FL (US)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/984,500.
Application 18/984,500 is a continuation of application No. 18/611,169, filed on Mar. 20, 2024, granted, now 12,168,503.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/453,350, filed on Mar. 20, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0121924 A1, Apr. 17, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B63H 21/21 (2006.01)
CPC B63H 21/213 (2013.01) [B63H 2021/216 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A remote-control unit for operating a marine vessel, comprising:
at least one thruster control that is capable of controlling both a thruster as well as each of a port main engine and a starboard main engine;
a radio transmitter;
wherein when the marine vessel includes a thruster, the at least one thruster control is configured to cause the remote-control unit to transmit, via the radio transmitter to a helm unit of the marine vessel, thruster signals to control the thruster;
wherein when the marine vessel does not include a thruster, the at least one thruster control is configured to cause the remote-control unit to transmit, via the radio transmitter, main engine control signals to jointly operate both the port main engine and the starboard main engine to achieve a virtual thruster effect on the marine vessel, according to a thruster profile that is stored in the remote-control unit.