REMOVABLE VEHICLE OPERATION INSTRUMENT WITH REMOTE CONTROL CAPABILITY AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20150120089A1
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medallion Instrumentation Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Medallion Instrumentation Systems LLC
• Inventors: Bertalan, Richard P., Peel, Ronald B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/02 for personal initiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246

Abstract

A system including an instrument and a vehicle control system is provided. The instrument can include a display and a vehicle controller in communication with the vehicle control system. The instrument can be docked in a docking station of the vehicle, for example in a driver space, and used as primary instrumentation for a driver to directly control the vehicle. The instrument can be undocked and removed physically from the vehicle and used to remotely control vehicle operations from a location distant from the vehicle. A method of using the system and instrument is also provided in which a user can directly or remotely operate a vehicle with the instrument in communication with the vehicle control system. A method of using the system and/or instrument to directly or remotely operate one or more vehicles is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for selective direct or remote operation of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle control system;

a handheld, selectively portable instrument comprising a communication element in communication with the vehicle control system, the instrument including a sensor that detects relative movement of the instrument by a user, and a display;

a vehicle dashboard including a docking station; and

an imaging device mounted on the vehicle, the imaging device in communication with the display of the handheld instrument,

wherein the handheld instrument is operable in a direct vehicle operation mode and a remote control mode,

wherein in the direct vehicle operation mode, the handheld instrument is removably mounted to the docking station and in communication with the vehicle control system;

wherein in the remote control mode, the handheld instrument is removed and distal from the docking station, and manually moveable about at least one axis, with the sensor detecting the relative movement of the instrument by the user about the at least one axis, and the instrument translating the relative movement into signals to control at least one of speed, acceleration, braking, gear selection, weapon activation and steering of the vehicle,

wherein images captured by the imaging device are displayed on the display of the handheld instrument in the remote control mode, whereby the user can view an area through which the vehicle is traversing on the display due to the displayed images.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein in the remote control mode, the sensor is operable to detect rotation of the handheld instrument and translate that rotation into steering the vehicle left or steering the vehicle right while the user is remote from the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein in the remote control mode, the sensor is operable to detect forward at least one of:

tilting of the handheld instrument and translating the forward tilting to adjust at least one of acceleration and speed of the vehicle; and

rearward tilting of the handheld instrument and translating the rearward tilting to adjust at least one of deceleration and braking of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the docking station is located on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the docking station is located on the vehicle dashboard.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the display displays at least one of speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, electrical status, weapon status and oil pressure information while the handheld instrument is in the direct vehicle operation mode.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle control system operates at least one servo that is operably coupled to at least one of brakes, a steering wheel, an accelerator, a gear selector and a weapon of the vehicle,

wherein the servo is mounted in the vehicle, and remains mounted, even when the user is in a driver space of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the signals from the handheld instrument are sent to the vehicle control system which operates the servo in response thereto to control the vehicle when the handheld instrument is in the remote control mode.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld instrument is adapted to remotely operate the vehicle at a distance of at least 100 yards in the remote vehicle control mode.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle is a wheeled or tracked military or law enforcement vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle is a watercraft.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld instrument wirelessly communicates with the vehicle control system.

13. An instrument adapted for selective direct or remote operation of a vehicle, the instrument comprising:

a handheld, selectively portable instrument comprising a communication element adapted to communicate with a vehicle control system of a vehicle, the instrument including at least one control input moveable by a user and a display, the instrument adapted for communication with an imaging device mounted on the vehicle,

wherein the handheld instrument is operable in a direct vehicle operation mode and a remote control mode,

wherein in the direct vehicle operation mode, the handheld instrument is removably mounted relative to a docking station in the vehicle and in operative communication with the vehicle control system, the handheld instrument displaying via the display at least one of speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, electrical status, weapon status and oil pressure information while the handheld instrument is in the direct vehicle operation mode,

wherein in the remote control mode, the handheld instrument is removed and distal from the docking station and the vehicle, and the control inputs are manually operable by the user,

wherein the operation of the control inputs is translated into at least one of signals and commands to control at least one of speed, acceleration, braking, gear selection, weapon activation and steering of the vehicle,

wherein images captured by the imaging device are displayed on the display of the handheld instrument in the remote control mode, whereby the user can view an area through which the vehicle is traversing on the display due to the displayed images.

14. A method for operating a vehicle comprising:

providing a first vehicle, the first vehicle comprising a first handheld, selectively portable instrument, the first instrument including a first sensor that detects relative movement of the first instrument by a user and a first display, the first handheld instrument docked in a first docking station of the first vehicle;

providing a second vehicle, the second vehicle comprising a second handheld, selectively portable instrument, the second instrument including a second sensor that detects relative movement of the second instrument by a user and a second display, the second handheld instrument docked in a second docking station of the second vehicle; and

removing the first handheld instrument from the first docking station of the first vehicle;

remotely operating at least one of speed, acceleration, braking, gear selection, steering and weapon operation of the second vehicle with the first handheld instrument.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second vehicle includes an imaging device mounted on the second vehicle, the imaging device in communication with the first display of the first handheld instrument, comprising displaying a field of view to the user associated with the second vehicle while remotely controlling the second vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising rotating the first handheld instrument about an axis perpendicular to the first display to steer the second vehicle left or right.

17. The method of claim 14 comprising operating the first vehicle with the first handheld instrument undocked from the first docking station, while the first handheld instrument remotely controls the second vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14 comprising remotely controlling the second vehicle while the first handheld instrument is at least 100 yards away from the second vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14 comprising operating at least one servo that is operably coupled to at least one of brakes, a steering wheel, an accelerator, a gear selector and a weapon of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 14 comprising tilting the first handheld device forward or rearward about an axis so that the second vehicle accelerates or brakes in response to that movement of the first handheld instrument.