Method and system for controlling radio controlled devices

• US 20080284613A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Meyers, John Adams, Mathew Lee, Paul Beard
• Original Assignee: Eric Meyers, John Adams, Mathew Lee, Paul Beard
• Inventors: Adams, John, Lee, Mathew, Beard, Paul, Meyers, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.22
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for controlling a RC device via a secure radio link. In one embodiment of the invention, spread spectrum modulation may be employed which may provide a digital radio frequency (RF) link between a controller and a RC device. A controller may be coupled with a transmitter module and a radio controlled device may be coupled with a receiver module in accordance with the present invention to provide an add-on upgrade capability. The method and system for controlling a RC device may also include error detection and correction, interpolation of lost packets, failsafe technology and force-feedback telemetric technology to further enhance the user experience with radio controlled devices.

Claims

1. A radio control system for controlling a radio controlled device comprising:

a controller; and

a radio controlled device, said radio controlled device including at least one motor to allow movement of said radio controlled device, said radio controlled device being suitable for receiving a control instruction regarding operation of said at least one motor from said controller via a spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link is a form of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link is a one to one network link.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein if a disruption occurs in said spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link between said controller and said radio controlled device, said at least one motor operates according to a fail-safe position.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter module coupled to said controller.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a receiver module coupled to said radio controlled device.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transmitter module further comprises an integrated antenna.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receiver module only recognizes signals from said transmitter module.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control instruction is transmitted via a packet across a streaming transmission.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said packet represents an entire operating state for said radio controlled device.

11. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein motor channel data is encoded individually.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein motor channel data is encoded within a sub-packet of a packet.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said sub-packet of said packet is decodable by said receiver module when received by the receiver module.

14. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transmitter module and said receiver module transmit active packets and binding packets.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said binding packets include fail-safe data.

16. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receiver module is suitable for reconstructing lost packets by monitoring data of a last received packet.

17. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link is suitable for back-channel transmission of data from said radio controlled device to said controller.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said back-channel transmission of data includes real-time operating information regarding said radio controlled device.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein real-time operating information includes speed, revolutions per minute, temperature and signal strength.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said controller is capable of providing force-feedback to at least one control input of said controller based upon said real-time operating information.

21. A radio control system for controlling a radio controlled device comprising:

a controller, said controller including a transmitter module; and

a radio controlled device, said radio controlled device including at least one motor to allow movement of said radio controlled device and a receiver module, said radio controlled device being suitable for receiving a control instruction regarding operation of said at least one motor from said controller via a spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link, wherein said receiver module is suitable for transmitting an encoded message regarding model type information of the radio controlled device to said transmitter module, said transmitter module operating according to programming instructions associated with said model type information received from said receiver module.

22. A radio control system for controlling a radio controlled device comprising:

a transmitter suitable for electronic coupling with a controller for controlling the radio controlled device, said transmitter including a unique identifier and configured to detect an available channel of a frequency band and transmit an operation instruction for operating the radio controlled device on said available channel in a streaming transmission, said operation instruction for operating the radio controlled device including servo channel data encoded on a sub-packet of a transmitted packet; and

a receiver suitable for electronic coupling with the radio controlled device, said receiver configured to detect said unique identifier of said transmitter on said available channel via a spread spectrum modulated digital radio frequency link and receive said operation instruction from said transmitter on said available channel, said receiving said operation instruction from said transmitter on said available channel further including receiving at least a portion of said transmitted packet including said sub-packet, decoding said sub-packet, and transmitting real-time radio controlled device operating information to said transmitter.