Outboard motor control device, outboard motor control method, and program

Abstract

This outboard motor control device controls a plurality of outboard motors disposed on a rear portion of a hull of a boat. Each of the outboard motors includes a propulsion unit and a steering actuator. A boat includes an operation unit configured to operate the steering actuator and the propulsion unit. The operation unit is able to be positioned at a first position where the outboard motors do not generate a propulsion force of the boat and a second position where the outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a left-right direction. When the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position, the outboard motors generate a first propulsion force during a first period from a first timing when the operation unit is moved to the second position to a second timing and subsequently generate a second propulsion force greater than the first propulsion force during a second period after the second timing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outboard motor control device for controlling a plurality of outboard motors disposed on a rear portion of a hull of a boat,
 wherein each of the plurality of outboard motors comprises a propulsion unit configured to generate a propulsion force and a steering actuator,   wherein the boat comprises an operation unit configured to operate the steering actuator and the propulsion unit,   wherein the operation unit is able to be positioned at least at a first position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors do not generate a propulsion force of the boat and a second position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a left-right direction, and   wherein, when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position, the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a first propulsion force during a first period from a first timing when the operation unit is moved to the second position to a second timing and subsequently causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a second propulsion force greater than the first propulsion force during a second period after the second timing.   
     
     
         2 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate the first propulsion force less than the second propulsion force during the first period so that a front portion of the hull starts to move in the left-right direction without the start of the movement of the front portion of the hull being later than a start of a movement of the rear portion of the hull. 
     
     
         3 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second position comprises a right position that is a position on a right side of the first position and is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat rightward, and   wherein, when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the right position at the first timing and maintained at the right position during the second period, the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a rightward first propulsion force less than the second propulsion force during the first period so that the front portion of the hull starts to move rightward without the start of the movement of the front portion of the hull being later than the start of the movement of the rear portion of the hull and subsequently causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a rightward second propulsion force during the second period.   
     
     
         4 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the operation unit is able to be further positioned at a right oblique position that is a position on a right front side or a right rear side of the first position and is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a right-forward direction or a right-rearward direction, and   wherein a forward-rearward direction component of a right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is moved from the right position to the right oblique position at a third timing during the second period is greater than a forward-rearward direction component of a right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is directly moved from the first position to the right oblique position, or   wherein a left-right direction component of the right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is moved from the right position to the right oblique position at the third timing is less than a left-right direction component of the right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is directly moved from the first position to the right oblique position.   
     
     
         5 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein, when a time period from the second timing to the third timing is less than a threshold value, the outboard motor control device prohibits the plurality of outboard motors from generating the right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force by reducing the second propulsion force at the third timing, and   wherein, when the time period from the second timing to the third timing is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the outboard motor control device allows the plurality of outboard motors to generate the right-forward or right-rearward propulsion force by reducing the second propulsion force at the third timing.   
     
     
         6 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second position comprises a left position that is a position on a left side of the first position and is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat leftward, and   wherein, when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the left position at the first timing and maintained at the left position during the second period, the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a leftward first propulsion force less than the second propulsion force during the first period so that the front portion of the hull starts to move leftward without the start of the movement of the front portion of the hull being later than the start of the movement of the rear portion of the hull and subsequently causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a leftward second propulsion force during the second period.   
     
     
         7 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the operation unit is able to be further positioned at a left oblique position that is a position on a left front side or a left rear side of the first position and is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a left-forward direction or a left-rearward direction, and   wherein a forward-rearward direction component of a left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is moved from the left position to the left oblique position at a third timing during the second period is greater than a forward-rearward direction component of a left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is directly moved from the first position to the left oblique position, or   wherein a left-right direction component of the left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is moved from the left position to the left oblique position at the third timing is less than a left-right direction component of the left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force generated by the plurality of outboard motors when the operation unit is directly moved from the first position to the left oblique position.   
     
     
         8 . The outboard motor control device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein, when a time period from the second timing to the third timing is less than a threshold value, the outboard motor control device prohibits the plurality of outboard motors from generating the left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force by reducing the second propulsion force at the third timing, and   wherein, when the time period from the second timing to the third timing is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the outboard motor control device allows the plurality of outboard motors to generate the left-forward or left-rearward propulsion force by reducing the second propulsion force at the third timing.   
     
     
         9 . An outboard motor control method of controlling a plurality of outboard motors disposed on a rear portion of a hull of a boat,
 wherein each of the plurality of outboard motors comprises a propulsion unit configured to generate a propulsion force and a steering actuator,   wherein the boat comprises an operation unit configured to operate the steering actuator and the propulsion unit and an outboard motor control device configured to control the plurality of outboard motors,   wherein the operation unit is able to be positioned at least at a first position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors do not generate a propulsion force of the boat and a second position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a left-right direction, and   wherein the outboard motor control method comprises:   a first step in which the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a first propulsion force during a first period from a first timing when the operation unit is moved to the second position to a second timing when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position; and   a second step in which the outboard motor control device causes the plurality of outboard motors to generate a second propulsion force greater than the first propulsion force during a second period after the second timing when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position.   
     
     
         10 . A program for controlling a plurality of outboard motors disposed on a rear portion of a hull of a boat,
 wherein each of the plurality of outboard motors comprises a propulsion unit configured to generate a propulsion force and a steering actuator,   wherein the boat comprises an operation unit configured to operate the steering actuator and the propulsion unit,   wherein the operation unit is able to be positioned at least at a first position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors do not generate a propulsion force of the boat and a second position that is a position where the plurality of outboard motors generate a propulsion force for moving the boat in a left-right direction, and   wherein the program causes a computer mounted in the boat to execute:   a first step in which the plurality of outboard motors generate a first propulsion force during a first period from a first timing when the operation unit is moved to the second position to a second timing when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position; and   a second step in which the plurality of outboard motors generate a second propulsion force greater than the first propulsion force during a second period after the second timing when the operation unit is moved from the first position to the second position and maintained at the second position.