Joystick systems and methods for marine propulsion systems

Abstract

A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel includes at least one rear marine drive configured to be positioned near a stern of the marine vessel, a joystick comprising a joystick handle configured to be movable by a user to provide steering demand input, and a control system. The control system is configured to receive a selection input selecting one of two steering response modes for the joystick, wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different steering direction in response to select rotation inputs of the joystick handle. The control system determines a steering direction to steer the at least one rear marine drive based on the rotation input and the selected steering response mode and controls a steering actuator to steer the rear marine drive in the steering direction.

1 . A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel, the marine propulsion system comprising:
 at least one rear marine drive configured to be positioned near a stern of the marine vessel;   a joystick comprising a joystick handle configured to be movable by a user to provide steering demand input;   a control system configured to:
 receive a selection input selecting one of two steering response modes for the joystick, wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different steering direction in response to select rotation inputs of the joystick handle; 
 receive a rotation input via the joystick; 
 determine a steering direction to steer the at least one rear marine drive based on the rotation input and the selected steering response mode; and 
 control a steering actuator to steer the rear marine drive in the steering direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the joystick handle in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotational direction about a shaft axis of the joystick handle, and wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different steering direction in response to the rotation of the joystick handle when it is provided with a reverse thrust command. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the two steering response modes include a first mode wherein the rear marine drive is steered counterclockwise in response to a clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered clockwise in response to a counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle, and a second mode wherein the rear marine drive is steered to rotate the marine vessel clockwise in response to a clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered to rotate the marine vessel counterclockwise in response to a counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein in the second mode, the rear marine drive is steered counterclockwise in response to a forward deflection with clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered clockwise in response to the forward deflection with counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle, and the rear marine drive is steered clockwise in response to a backward deflection with clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered counterclockwise in response to the backward deflection with counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different response to a rotation-only input via the joystick, wherein the rotation-only input is a rotation of the joystick handle in a clockwise or a counterclockwise rotational direction about a shaft axis of the joystick handle while the joystick handle remains in a centered position;
 wherein in the second mode, the steering direction determination in response to a rotation-only input is based further on at least one of a translation direction of the marine vessel, a direction of a last-generated propulsion output, a current or past gear position of the rear marine drive, and a current or past rotation direction of a propulsor.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection input is a user input via a user input device on the marine vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the user input device is a display on the marine vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the user input device is a button on the joystick. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection input is provided as part of installing the marine propulsion system on the marine vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to control the rear marine drive to not generate any thrust output in response to a rotation-only input, wherein the rotation-only input is a rotation of the joystick handle in a clockwise or a counterclockwise rotational direction about a shaft axis of the joystick handle while the joystick handle remains in a centered position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to control a gear system of the rear marine drive to be in a centered position in response to the rotation-only input. 
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling a propulsion system on a marine vessel, wherein the propulsion system includes at least one a rear marine drive positioned near a stern of the marine vessel, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection input selecting one of two steering response modes for a joystick, wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different steering direction in response to certain rotation inputs of the joystick;
 receiving a rotation input being a rotation of a joystick handle of the joystick; 
 determining a steering direction to steer at least one rear marine drive based on the rotation input and the selected steering response mode; and 
   controlling a steering actuator to steer the rear marine drive in the steering direction.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rotation input is a rotation of the joystick handle in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotational direction about a shaft axis of the joystick handle, and wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different steering direction in response to the rotation of the joystick handle when it is provided with a reverse thrust command. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the two steering response modes include a first mode and a second mode, wherein in response to the selection input selecting the first mode the rear marine drive is steered counterclockwise in response to a clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered clockwise in response to a counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle, and in response to the selection input selecting the second mode the rear marine drive is steered to rotate the marine vessel clockwise in response to a clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered to rotate the marine vessel counterclockwise in response to a counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in response to the selection input selecting the second mode, the rear marine drive is steered counterclockwise in response to a forward deflection with clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered clockwise in response to the forward deflection with counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle, and the rear marine drive is steered clockwise in response to a backward deflection with clockwise rotation of the joystick handle and steered counterclockwise in response to the backward deflection with counterclockwise rotation of the joystick handle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the two steering response modes yields a different response to a rotation-only input via the joystick;
 wherein in the second mode, the steering direction determination in response to a rotation-only input is based further on at least one of a translation direction of the marine vessel, a direction of a last-generated propulsion output, a current or past gear position of the rear marine drive, and a current or past rotation direction of a propulsor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising controlling the rear marine drive to not generate any thrust output in response to a rotation-only input, wherein the rotation-only input is a rotation of the joystick handle in a clockwise or a counterclockwise rotational direction about a shaft axis of the joystick handle while the joystick handle remains in a centered position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising controlling a gear system of the rear marine drive to be in a centered position in response to the rotation-only input. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the selection input is a user input via a user input device on the marine vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the selection input is provided as part of installing the propulsion system on the marine vessel.