Patent ID: 8740658

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller through a drive shaft and a propeller shaft, and a transmission that is installed at a location between the drive shaft and the propeller shaft, the transmission being selectively changeable in gear position to establish speeds of at least a first gear speed and a second gear speed and transmitting power of the engine to the propeller with a gear ratio determined by established speed, comprising: a shift switch, that is located on a throttle control lever and outputs a speed change command upon manipulation by an operator; and an electronic control unit which controls the transmission to change the gear position to the first speed gear or the second speed gear in response to the outputted speed change command, and a throttle opening sensor which indicates whether a throttle valve of the engine is at a fully-opened position or thereabout when the speed change command to the first gear speed is outputted, and sends an output to the electronic control unit, and a sensor which determines whether the engine is under a predetermined operating condition when the throttle valve is determined to be at the fully-opened position or thereabout and sends an output to the electronic control unit, wherein the transmission changes the gear position from the first speed gear to the second speed gear when the engine is determined to be under the predetermined operating condition.