Steering control system for personal watercrafts

Abstract

Personal watercraft, driving control system of a jet powered personal watercraft, and method for enhancing steering control of same. The watercraft includes a jet powered propulsion system; a steering system coupled to the propulsion system and including a handle for adjusting an angle of the propulsion system relative a longitudinal axis of the watercraft; and the driving control system including an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying torque thereto; and a controller coupled to the electrically actuated device and the sensor, the controller configured to: receive a navigation target; determine a torque to apply to the steering system based on the navigation target; and operate the electrically actuated device to apply the torque to the steering system for providing enhanced steering control, with the torque being applied only by the electrically actuated device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A personal watercraft comprising:
 a jet powered propulsion system;   a steering system coupled to the jet powered propulsion system and including a handle for adjusting an angle of the jet powered propulsion system relative a longitudinal axis of the personal watercraft; and   a driving control system coupled to the steering system, the driving control system comprising:
 an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying torque to the steering system; and 
 at least one controller coupled to the electrically actuated device and the at least one sensor, the at least one controller configured to:
 receive a navigation target; 
 determine a torque to apply to the steering system based on the navigation target; and 
 operate the electrically actuated device to apply the torque to the steering system for providing enhanced steering control of the personal watercraft, with the torque being applied only by the electrically actuated device. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the personal watercraft comprises a navigation system; and   the at least one controller is configured to determine the torque based on the navigation target by being configured to:
 determine a current heading of the personal watercraft based on geographic data generated by the navigation system; 
 determine a target heading based on the navigation target; 
 compare the target heading to the current heading; and 
 determine the torque based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         3 . The personal watercraft of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the navigation system comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module and an inertial navigation system (INS) module; and   the at least one controller is configured to generate the geographic data by being configured to:
 calibrate the INS module using the GPS module; 
 operate the INS module to generate the geographic data for a time period; and 
 recalibrate the INS module using the GPS module responsive to expiration of the time period. 
   
     
     
         4 . A driving control system for enhancing steering control of a jet powered personal watercraft including a jet powered propulsion system and a steering system coupled to the jet powered propulsion system, the steering system including a handle for adjusting an angle of the jet powered propulsion system relative to a longitudinal axis of the personal watercraft, the driving control system comprising:
 an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying torque to the steering system; and   at least one controller coupled to the electrically actuated device and the at least one sensor, the at least one controller configured to:
 receive a navigation target; 
 determine a torque to apply to the steering system based on the navigation target; and 
 operate the electrically actuated device to apply the torque to the steering system for providing enhanced steering control of the personal watercraft, with the torque being applied only by the electrically actuated device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The driving control system of  claim 4 , wherein the personal watercraft comprises a navigation system, and the at least one controller is configured to determine the torque based on the navigation target by being configured to:
 determine a current heading of the personal watercraft based on geographic data generated by the navigation system;   determine a target heading based on the navigation target;   compare the target heading to the current heading; and   determine the torque based on the comparison.   
     
     
         6 . The driving control system of  claim 5 , wherein the navigation system comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module and an inertial navigation system (INS) module, and the at least one controller is configured to generate the geographic data by being configured to:
 calibrate the INS module using the GPS module;   operate the INS module to generate the geographic data for a time period; and   recalibrate the INS module using the GPS module responsive to expiration of the time period.   
     
     
         7 . A method for enhancing steering control of a jet powered personal watercraft including a jet powered propulsion system, a steering system coupled to the jet powered propulsion system and including a handle for adjusting an angle of the jet powered propulsion system relative to a longitudinal axis of the jet powered personal watercraft, and an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying torque to the steering system, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a navigation target;   determining a torque to apply to the steering system based on the navigation target; and   operating the electrically actuated device to apply the torque to the steering system for providing enhanced steering control of the personal watercraft, with the torque being applied only by the electrically actuated device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the personal watercraft comprises a navigation system; and   determining the torque based on the navigation target comprises:
 determining a current heading of the personal watercraft based on geographic data generated by the navigation system; 
 determining a target heading based on the navigation target; 
 comparing the target heading to the current heading; and 
 determining the torque based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the navigation system comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module and an inertial navigation system (INS) module, and generating the geographic data comprises:
 calibrating the INS module using the GPS module;   operating the INS module to generate the geographic data for a time period; and   recalibrating the INS module using the GPS module responsive to expiration of the time period.