US 7,491,104 B2
Watercraft speed control device
Michael W. Walser, San Antonio, Tex. (US); Kennon H. Guglielmo, San Antonio, Tex. (US); Kenneth R. Shouse, San Antonio, Tex. (US); and Joseph Grogan, San Antonio, Tex. (US)
Assigned to EControls, Inc., San Antonio, Tex. (US)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/811,605.
Application 11/811605 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/056848, filed on Feb. 11, 2005, granted, now 7,229,330.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/543610, filed on Feb. 11, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2008/0009206 A1, Jan. 10, 2008
Int. Cl. B63H 21/22 (2006.01); B63H 23/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 440—87  [440/1; 440/2] 45 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for controlling the velocity of a watercraft having an engine for propulsion, said apparatus comprising:
a velocity measuring device capable of obtaining a first measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft;
an inertia measurement device capable of obtaining a measurement of the acceleration of said watercraft;
a velocity algorithm capable of creating a second measurement of the velocity magnitude of said watercraft from said acceleration measurement;
an observed velocity algorithm capable of creating an observed velocity measurement of the velocity of said watercraft from said first measurement of the velocity of said watercraft and said second measurement of the velocity of said watercraft;
a predetermined desired velocity of said watercraft and a predetermined desired acceleration of said watercraft;
an engine speed algorithm capable of creating a first engine speed output correction from said observed velocity measurement, said predetermined desired velocity, said predetermined desired acceleration, and said acceleration measurement; and said first engine speed output correction being capable of causing said watercraft to be propelled at substantially said predetermined velocity.