Trolling motor and kicker motor mode control

Abstract

A system is provided for controlling operations of at least two motors on a watercraft on a body of water. The system comprises a kicker motor, a trolling motor, one or more processors, and memory including computer program code. The computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to receive an indication regarding a current mode of operation for the watercraft, determine, based on the current mode, a first setting for the kicker motor, and determine, based on the current mode, a second setting for the trolling motor. The computer program code is also configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to cause (i) the kicker motor to operate according to the first setting, and (ii) the trolling motor to operate according to the second setting so as to cause the watercraft to operate according to the current mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling operations of at least two motors on a watercraft on a body of water, the system comprising:
 the at least two motors, wherein the at least two motors include a kicker motor and a trolling motor;   one or more processors;   a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive an indication regarding a current mode of operation for the watercraft; 
 determine, based on the current mode, a first setting for the kicker motor; 
 determine, based on the current mode, a second setting for the trolling motor; and 
 cause (i) the kicker motor to operate according to the first setting, and (ii) the trolling motor to operate according to the second setting so as to cause the watercraft to operate according to the current mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first setting includes at least one of a power level of the kicker motor, an amount of thrust generated by the kicker motor, a speed of the kicker motor, an angle relative to a forward direction for the kicker motor, an angle relative to a horizontal for the kicker motor, or a position of the kicker motor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second setting includes at least one of a power level of the trolling motor, an amount of thrust generated by the trolling motor, a speed of the trolling motor, an angle relative to a forward direction for the trolling motor, an angle relative to a horizontal for the trolling motor, or a position of the trolling motor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two motors comprises a third motor that is a primary motor, a second trolling motor, or a second kicker motor, and wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 determine, based on the current mode, a third setting for the third motor; and   cause the third motor to operate at the third setting.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the current mode of operation is a drift mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that a direction of travel for the watercraft and an attitude of the watercraft remain approximately constant while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that a direction of travel for the watercraft remains within three degrees of a target direction and so that an attitude of the watercraft remains within three degrees of a target attitude while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the current mode of operation is an economical mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that the trolling motor generates about 30 percent or less of the total thrust while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the current mode of operation is a bait mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that the watercraft repeatedly accelerates and decelerates while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first water level sensor positioned proximate to the kicker motor; and   a second water level sensor positioned proximate to the trolling motor,   wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a first level signal from the first water level sensor; and 
 receive a second level signal from the second water level sensor, 
   wherein the first level signal from the first water level sensor and the second level signal from the second water level sensor are considered in making the determination of the first setting for the kicker motor and the second setting for the trolling motor.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive additional data,   wherein the additional data is considered in making the determination of the first setting for the kicker motor and the second setting for the trolling motor.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the additional data includes at least one of map data, sonar data, radar data, temperature data, water level data, position data, directional data, wind speed data, water current speed, or water depth data. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are connected to the at least two motors via a wired connection. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the kicker motor is positioned proximate to a stern of the watercraft, wherein the trolling motor is positioned proximate to the bow of the watercraft, the kicker motor is larger than the trolling motor, and wherein a maximum amount of thrust that the kicker motor is capable of generating is greater than a maximum amount of thrust that the trolling motor is capable of generating. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control operations of at least two motors on a watercraft on a body of water by:
 receiving an indication regarding a current mode of operation for the watercraft;   determining, based on the current mode, a first setting for a first motor of the at least two motors, wherein the first motor is a kicker motor;   determining, based on the current mode, a second setting for a second motor of the at least two motors, wherein the second motor is a trolling motor; and   causing (i) the first motor to operate at the first setting, and (ii) the second motor to operate at the second setting so as to cause the watercraft to operate according to the current mode.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first setting includes at least one of a power level of the first motor, an amount of thrust generated by the first motor, a speed of the first motor, an angle relative to a forward direction for the first motor, an angle relative to a horizontal for the first motor, or a position of the first motor. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the current mode of operation is a drift mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that a direction of travel for the watercraft and an attitude of the watercraft remain approximately constant while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the current mode of operation is an economical mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that the trolling motor generates about 30 percent or less of the total thrust while the watercraft travels along the body of water. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the current mode of operation is a bait mode, wherein the first setting and the second setting are maintained so that the watercraft repeatedly accelerates and decelerates. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a first level signal from a first water level sensor positioned proximate to the kicker motor; and   receive a second level signal from a second water level sensor positioned proximate to the trolling motor,   wherein the first level signal from the first water level sensor and the second level signal from the second water level sensor are considered in making the determination of the first setting for the kicker motor and the second setting for the trolling motor.   
     
     
         20 . A method for controlling operations of at least two motors on a watercraft, the method comprising:
 receiving an indication regarding a current mode of operation for the watercraft;   determining, based on the current mode, a first setting for a first motor of the at least two motors, wherein the first motor is a kicker motor;   determining, based on the current mode, a second setting for a second motor of the at least two motors, wherein the second motor is a trolling motor; and   causing (i) the first motor to operate at the first setting, and (ii) the second motor to operate at the second setting so as to cause the watercraft to operate according to the current mode.