Patent ID: 7559815

Claim:
A remote control device for controlling a watercraft propulsion system having at least one of a plurality of cockpits and a plurality of propulsion devices each of which have an engine that generates propulsive power, the remote control device comprising a plurality of remote control device side ECUs, each remote control device side ECU having an ECU discriminating terminal section, an ECU determining section configured to determine a role of the respective remote control device side ECU based upon a signal provided from the ECU discriminating terminal section, and a plurality of exclusive use sections, each exclusive use section defining a role defined by a different combination of propulsion device mounting positions and cockpit priority, and each exclusive use section being configured to operate based upon a signal provided from the ECU determining section to execute a function corresponding to the role that is specifically assigned, wherein the plurality exclusive use sections include at least first, second, third, and fourth exclusive use sections, the first exclusive use section defining role as a main remote control for a propulsion unit positioned on a right side of the watercraft, the second exclusive use section defining a role as a main remote control for a propulsion unit positioned on a left side of the watercraft, the third exclusive use section defining a role as an auxiliary remote control for a propulsion unit positioned on a right side of the watercraft, the fourth exclusive use section defining a role as an auxiliary remote control for a propulsion unit positioned on a left side of the watercraft.