SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE CONTROL OF UNMANNED VEHICLES

• US 20170192427A1
• Filed: 10/17/2016
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fort Robotics, Inc., TIEFF, MICHAEL W, TIEF
• Original Assignee: HRI Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Bivans, Nathan, Luksenberg, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/40 Adaptation of control equipment on vehicle for remote actuation from a stationary place devices along the route for controlling devices on rail vehicles B61L3/00; central rail-traffic control systems B61L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/005 Automatic control or safety means for points for operator-less railway, e.g. transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/34 for indicating the distance between vehicles or trains by the transmission of signals therebetween
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/00 Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7609 Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23471 Interrupt after set time non failsafe program, switch to failsafe program
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 : characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 : using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 : Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/005 : Control of transmission; Equalising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 : Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

A first device is provided. The first device includes a first processing unit, wherein the first processing unit is adapted to determine a first status of a first connection between the first processing unit of the first device and a corresponding first processing unit of a second device; and a second processing unit, wherein the second processing unit is adapted to determine a second status of a second connection between the second processing unit of the first device and a corresponding second processing unit of the second device. The first processing unit is further adapted to: receive the second status of the second connection from the second processing unit of the first device over a path between the first processing unit of the first device and the second processing unit of the first device; and determine one or more actions to take with respect to a machine associated with the first device based on one or both of the first status and the second status.

Claims

1. A first device comprising:

a first processing unit, wherein the first processing unit is adapted to determine a first status of a first connection between the first processing unit of the first device and a corresponding first processing unit of a second device; and

a second processing unit, wherein the second processing unit is adapted to determine a second status of a second connection between the second processing unit of the first device and a corresponding second processing unit of the second device, wherein the first processing unit is further adapted to;

receive the second status of the second connection from the second processing unit of the first device over a path between the first processing unit of the first device and the second processing unit of the first device; and

determine one or more actions to take with respect to a machine associated with the first device based on one or both of the first status and the second status.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device is one or more of an e-stop controller or a hand held controller.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the machine is a vehicle and the first device is an e-strop controller associated with the vehicle.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first processing unit and the second processing units are microcontrollers.

5. The first device of claim 1, wherein determining the first status of the first connection comprises determining that the first connection has been severed.

6. The first device of claim 5, wherein determining that the first connection has been severed comprises determining that a heartbeat signal has not been received by the first processing unit of the first device from the first processing unit of the second device for more than a threshold duration of time.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first status indicates whether the first connection has been severed and the second status indicates whether the second connection has been severed, and the first processing unit adapted to determine one or more actions to take with respect to the machine associated with the first device based on one or both of the first status and the second status comprises the first processing unit adapted to halt the machinery when both the first connection and the second connection have been severed.

8. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first status indicates whether the first connection has been severed and the second status indicates whether the second connection has been severed, and the first processing unit adapted to determine one or more actions to take with respect to the machine associated with the first device based on one or both of the first status and the second status comprises the first processing unit adapted to halt the machinery when either the first connection and the second connection have been severed.

9. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first connection and the second connection are wireless.

10. The first device of claim 9, wherein the first connection and the second connection use different wireless frequencies or different wireless channels.

11. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises a safety relay and, and wherein the safety relay includes a first switch and a second switch.

12. The first device of claim 11, wherein when the safety relay is in a closed state the first switch and the second switch are both closed, and when the safety relay is in an open state the first switch and the second switch are both open.

13. The first device of claim 12, wherein the first processing unit is further adapted to:

send a first signal through the first switch of the safety relay to the second processing unit;

interrogate the second processing unit about the signal over the path between the first processing unit and the second processing unit; and

based on the interrogation, determine if the second processing unit received the first signal through the first switch.

15. The first device of claim 13, wherein the first processing unit is further adapted to:

when the safety relay is in the open state and it is determined that the second processing unit received the first signal, determine that the safety relay has malfunctioned.

16. The first device of claim 13, wherein the first processing unit is further adapted to:

when the safety relay is in the closed state and it is determined that the second processing unit received the first signal, determine that the safety relay has not malfunctioned.

17. The first device of claim 12, wherein the second processing unit is further adapted to:

send a second signal through the second switch of the safety relay to the first processing unit;

interrogate the first processing unit about the signal over the path between the first processing unit and the second processing unit; and

based on the interrogation, determine if the first processing unit received the second signal through the second switch.

18. The first device of claim 16, wherein the second processing unit is further adapted to:

when the safety relay is in the open state and it is determined that the first processing unit received the first signal, determine that the safety relay has malfunctioned.

19. The first device of claim 13, wherein the first processing unit is further adapted to:

when the safety relay is in the open state and it is determined that the second processing unit received the first signal, determine that the safety relay has not malfunctioned.

20. The first device of claim 12, wherein the first switch and the second switch are mechanically linked.