초록 ▼

A trim tab control system adapted to adjust trim tabs to optimize the velocity of a water vessel. The trim tab control system is adapted to have a tilt sensor and a velocity sensor in communication with the microcontroller where the microcontroller records the position of the trim tabs based on trim

A trim tab control system adapted to adjust trim tabs to optimize the velocity of a water vessel. The trim tab control system is adapted to have a tilt sensor and a velocity sensor in communication with the microcontroller where the microcontroller records the position of the trim tabs based on trim tab adjustments that the trim tab control system initiates, as well as trim tab adjustments initiated by the helmsman of the water vessel.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A trim tab control system adapted to control left and right trim tabs on a water vessel, the trim tabs adapted to actuate up or down and the water vessel having a longitudinal and lateral axis and a helm with a trim tab control module, the trim tab control system compri

The invention claimed is: 1. A trim tab control system adapted to control left and right trim tabs on a water vessel, the trim tabs adapted to actuate up or down and the water vessel having a longitudinal and lateral axis and a helm with a trim tab control module, the trim tab control system comprising: a) a microcontroller having a plurality of data input lines and output lines, b) a control circuit adapted to actuate the left or right trim tabs, the control circuit in communication with at least one of the output lines of the microprocessor, c) a tilt sensor adapted to determine the amount of tilt about a longitudinal axis of the water vessel, d) a velocity sensor comprising a GPS unit adapted to transmit signals to a data input line of the microcontroller representing a measured velocity of the water vessel, e) whereas the microcontroller having logic to condition the signal received from the velocity sensor to determine an actionable velocity value is compared to a previously recorded actionable velocity value, where if the actionable velocity value is greater than the previously recorded actionable velocity value, the trim tabs are actuated in the same direction as the previously set direction; alternatively, if the actionable velocity value is less than the previously recorded actionable velocity value, the trim tabs actuate in the opposite direction than the previous trim tab adjustment direction, where the position of the trim tabs are monitored by the microcontroller from the power line which activates the trim tabs when the trim tabs are repositioned at the trim tab control module. 2. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 whereby there is no sensing mechanism to sense the position of the trim tabs, and the position of the trim tabs are solely based upon recording the movements of the same. 3. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where the microcontroller records phases which correlate to measured velocities of the water vessel where a first phase which is set at a low velocity does not allow alteration of the trim tabs on the microprocessor, a planning phase at an intermediate velocity of the water vessel positions the trim tabs at a lowermost position, and an automatic mode phase allows for adjustment of the trim tabs based upon the velocity readings from the velocity sensor to optimize the velocity of the water vessel. 4. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where simultaneous operation of a motor operating the trim tabs in both directions for pressure and retract directions are not allowed by way of an interlock relay circuit. 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 where a control circuit provides relays that are adapted to receive signals from the microcontroller to activate a switch to operate valves and a pressure source to operate the trim tabs. 6. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 5 where an array of comparators receive a voltage signal from an electrical line in communication with either the valves or pressure source and the voltage signal is manipulated to be properly received by a data input port of the microprocessor. 7. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where the velocity sensor is an on board GPS circuit adapted to give speed readings to the microprocessor. 8. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 7 where the trim tab control system has an output port adapted to export GPS data from the GPS unit. 9. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 7 where a signal processing a velocity value produced by the velocity sensor includes a boxcar averaging process of the actionable velocity values. 10. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where the velocity sensor comprises a GPS unit--that is external to the trim tab control system and comprises an input port for reading a GPS sensor. 11. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where the trim tab control system comprises a start up routine that measures the initial reading from the tilt sensor to determine a calibrated baseline level reading of the water vessel. 12. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where the microcontroller is adapted to read signals from a data input port based upon activation of electrical lines to the left and right trim tabs where if either of the trim tabs are activated by a source other than the microprocessor, the alteration of the trim tabs is recorded within the microprocessor. 13. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 12 where a trim tab upper limit value is used by the microcontroller to determine the upper setting of the trim tabs where the upper setting is set by the source other than the microcontroller for adjusting the trim tabs. 14. The trim tab control system as recited in claim 1 where if the port and starboard trim tabs are repositioned at different rates or durations, the tilt sensor will correct any list caused by a result of rotation of the boat about the longitudinal axis due to these differing positions of the trim tabs. 15. A method of adjusting port and starboard trim tabs of a water vessel, the method comprising: integrating a trim tab control system to a water vessel where the trim tab control system is in communication with power lines that control the movement of the left and right trim tabs, a) employing a microcontroller having a plurality of data input lines and data output lines, b) employing a velocity sensor employing a GPS system adapted to sense a measured velocity of the water vessel and transmit a signal representing the measured velocity to the microprocessor, c) reading the signal representing the measured velocity of the water vessel in the microcontroller and engaging in a conditioning step where the signal representing the measured velocity is used to determine if the signal is sufficiently distinct from time adjacent signals for further calculation, d) utilizing an actionable data value where the actionable data value represents a determined velocity of the water vessel where the data value is compared to a previously recorded actionable data value such that if the data value represents a greater velocity than the previous data value the trim tabs are actuated in a same direction as the previous trim tab adjustment, and if the actionable data value is less than the previously recorded actionable data value, the trim tabs are adjusted in an opposite direction as the previous trim tab adjustment. 16. The method as recited in claim 15 where the conditioning step comprises comparing a measured velocity with adjacent velocities after a boxcar averaging process of the velocities where a larger velocity change following a boxcar averaging process requires less time to create an actionable data value and a smaller measured velocity change requires a larger time difference from the previously actuated value. 17. The method as recited in claim 15 where a tilt sensor is provided and if there is a sufficient degree of tilt about a longitudinal axis of the water vessel, one of the two trim tabs is adjusted in a manner to reposition the water vessel about the longitudinal axis to level of the water vessel. 18. The method as recited in claim 15 where if a user manipulates trim tab controls of the water vessel, the upper setting of the trim tabs is utilized and the microcontroller has a trim tab upper limit where the trim tabs are not positioned above this limit. 19. The method as recited in claim 18 where if the user readjusts the trim tabs above the said upper limit previous value this new setting is the new upper limit imposed upon the microprocessor for the upper allowable adjustable limit for the microprocessor to adjust the trim tabs. 20. The method as recited in claim 15 where an electrical line is in electrical communication with a power line that provides power in order to operate the trim tabs. 21. The method as recited in claim 20 where the electrical line passes electrical current through voltage converters before interfacing with the microprocessor. 22. A method of controlling port and starboard trim tabs on a boat having a longitudinal axis and further having a manual trim tab control interface having manual control lines interfacing with trim tab actuators where the control lines control upward and downward movement of each trim tab, the method comprising: a) integrating a trim tab controller having trim tab control lines to the manual control lines of the boat that are in communication with the manual control interface and having the trim tab control lines provide independent control of the trim tabs, b) providing a GPS sensor adapted to take GPS readings, c) conditioning the GPS readings to form actionable velocity data values of the boat, d) adjusting the trim tabs based upon the actionable velocity data values whereby an increase in velocity repositions the trim tabs in the same direction as the last trim tab adjustment and a decrease of the actionable velocity values repositions the trim tabs in the opposite direction as the last trim tab adjustment, e) providing a tilt sensor to monitor the rotational position of the boat about the longitudinal axis whereby if the boat rotates about the longitudinal axis and a list develops, a trim tab is repositioned to correct the list, f) repositioning the trim tabs after a predetermined time interval following the last trim tab repositioning to ensure the boat is traveling at a more optimal velocity. 23. The method as recited in claim 22 whereby the conditioning of the GPS readings to create an actionable velocity data point of the boat comprises steps of acquiring raw GPS velocity data values and comparing a raw GPS velocity data values over a period of time whereby a smaller raw GPS velocity values over a longer time increment creates an actionable velocity data point and a relatively larger raw GPS velocity values in a relatively shorter time increment creates an actionable velocity data point. 24. The method as recited in claim 22 whereby the manual control interface operates independently of the trim tab controller in the event the trim tab controller fails. 25. The method as recited in claim 22 where a manual adjustment of the trim tabs defines an upper operational limit of the trim tabs for the trim tab controller. 26. The method as recited in claim 22 whereby the control of the trim tabs by the trim tab controller occurs when the boat is in automatic mode phase which is a state of the boat based upon a preset boat velocity. 27. The method as recited in claim 26 whereby the trim tabs are fully retracted when the boat is docked. 28. The method as recited in claim 26 whereby the trim tab controller records the movement of the trim tabs that the trim tab controller initiated as well as movements initiated through the manual trim tab control interface. 29. The method as recited in claim 22 whereby the trim tabs operate in incremental movement to reduce strain on an actuator controlling the port and starboard trim tabs. 30. The method as recited in claim 29 where a manual adjustment of the trim tabs defines an upper operational limit of the trim tabs for the trim tab controller. 31. The method as recited in claim 22 whereby the trim tab controller records the movement of the trim tabs that the trim tab controller initiated as well as movements initiated through the manual trim tab control interface. 32. The method as recited in claim 31 whereby the trim tab controller logs the speed, list and tab corrections. 33. A control system adapted to adjust port and starboard trim tabs on a boat having trim tab data lines in communication with an actuating system to control the port and starboard trim tabs that are in communication with a manual trim tab interface, the control system comprising: a) a plurality of control data lines in electrical communication with the trim tab data lines to provide independent control of the actuating system that is adapted to control the port and starboard trim tabs, b) a GPS sensor adapted to receive GPS signals, c) a microprocessor connected to the control data lines and adapted to supply voltage thereto, the microprocessor adapted to receive signals from the GPS sensor and condition raw GPS data from the GPS sensor whereby the raw GPS data is averaged from time adjacent raw GPS data points and smaller velocity changes occurring over a greater time increment and relatively greater velocity changes over smaller time increments is the criteria for the raw GPS data to produce actionable data points, d) whereas the microprocessor determines whether the boat is at a proper minimum velocity to warrant altering the tab position and the microcontroller compares an actionable data point compared to a previously recorded actionable data point and the trim tabs are manipulated to maximize the velocity of the boat. 34. The control system as recited in claim 33 whereby a tilt sensor is in communication with the microprocessor and the microprocessor controls one of the trim tabs of the boat to correct rotation about a longitudinal axis of the boat. 35. The control system as recited in claim 34 where the trim tabs are controlled in incremental movements. 36. The control system as recited in claim 35 whereby a signal from the microprocessor to control the rotation of the boat about the longitudinal axis is at least twice the degree of rotational adjustment of a trim tab then when the microcontroller alters the trim tabs to optimize the velocity of the boat. 37. The control system as recited in claim 33 whereby the microprocessor has an interrupt timer which detects whether a trim tab adjustment has not occurred for a period of time where the microprocessor transmits a signal for a trim tab adjustment. 38. The control system as recited in claim 33 whereby the trim tabs do not have a positional actuator and the position of the trim tabs are recorded in the microprocessor for all movements of the port and starboard trim tabs. 39. The control system as recited in claim 38 whereby the speed, list and tab corrections are recorded for review. 40. The control system as recited in claim 33 whereby the microcontroller compensates for hydrostatic pressure upon the trim tabs when positioning them downwardly. 41. The control system as recited in claim 40 whereby the microcontroller repositions the trim tabs in a incremental movements. 42. The control system as recited in claim 41 whereby operational parameters are stored within the microcontroller.