CAMERA MOTION CONTROL SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE AUTONOMY

• US 20120313557A1
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robotzone, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robotzone, LLC
• Inventors: Pettey, Brian T., Holt, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,390,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 13/00 Arrangements for influencing the relationship between signals at input and output, e.g. differentiating, delaying
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

Variable autonomy level control systems are provided. A control system illustratively include an analog communications support component, a digital communications support component, a processing component, and a motor controller. The processing component synthesizes inputs received from the analog and the digital communications support components to generate an output. The motor controller utilizes the output from the processing component to generate a control signal for a motor. In certain embodiments, the input from the digital communications support component includes an indication of an autonomy level, and the processing component synthesizes the inputs by applying the autonomy level to the input received from the analog communications support component.

Claims

1. A control circuit board comprising:

an analog communications support component;

a digital communications support component;

a processing component that synthesizes inputs received from the analog and the digital communications support components to generate an output; and

a motor controller that utilizes the output from the processing component to generate a control signal for a motor.

2. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the digital communications support component includes a wireless communications module.

3. The control circuit board of claim 2, wherein the wireless communications module is communicatively coupled to a digital control input mechanism utilizing an ad-hoc wireless network.

4. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the input from the digital communications support component includes a sensitivity setting, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the inputs by applying the sensitivity setting to the input received from the analog communications support component.

5. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the input from the digital communications support component includes a speed setting, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the inputs by applying the speed setting to the input received from the analog communications support component.

6. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the input from the digital communications support component includes an indication of an autonomy level, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the inputs by applying the autonomy level to the input received from the analog communications support component.

7. The control circuit board of claim 6, wherein the autonomy level is fully manual.

8. The control circuit board of claim 6, wherein the autonomy level is semi-autonomous.

9. The control circuit board of claim 6, wherein the autonomy level is fully autonomous.

10. A method of generating a motor control signal comprising:

receiving an analog input from an analog control input mechanism;

receiving a digital input from a digital control input mechanism;

synthesizing the analog input and the digital input to generate an output; and

utilizing the output to generate the motor control signal.

11. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

receiving feedback from a motor; and

utilizing the feedback to generate the output.

12. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

receiving input from a sensor; and

utilizing the input from the sensor to generate the output.

13. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

receiving an indication of an autonomy level; and

utilizing the indication of the autonomy level to generate the output.

14. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

receiving content from a cloud computing network; and

utilizing the content from the cloud computing network to generate the output.

15. A control system comprising:

an analog control input mechanism;

a digital control input mechanism; and

a control circuit board that utilizes inputs from the analog and the digital control input mechanisms to generate a control signal.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the analog control input mechanism comprises a joystick.

17. The control system of claim 15, wherein the digital control input mechanism comprises a smartphone.

18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the analog control input mechanism and the digital control input mechanism are integrated together as one unit, and wherein the analog control input communicates indirectly to the control circuit board through the digital control input mechanism.

19. The control system of claim 18, wherein the digital control input mechanism is communicatively coupled to the control circuit board utilizing a wireless connection.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the wireless connection comprises an ad-hoc wireless network.