Active hand controller feedback loop
First Claim
1. In a servo system for an active hand controller comprising manual control means for being controlled by a user by movement thereof along at least one axis, position detecting means for producing a position signal representative of the position of said manual control means to a control system, said manual control means connected to a motor for having said motor exert force on said manual control means, rate detecting means for generating a rate signal representative of the rate of movement of said manual control means, summing means for summing said position signal and said rate signal, and control electronics means for processing said summed position signal and rate signal for providing a first control signal to said motor to control said motor to exert said force on said manual control means representative of said mechanical hand controller system, the improvement comprising:
- force detecting means connected to said manual control means for detecting force exerted on said manual control means by said user, and for providing a signal representative of said detected force to said summing means to result in a second control signal, comprised of said first control signal summed with said signal representative of said detected force, from said motor control means to said motor for eliminating the effects of inertial forces and of operation non-linearities resulting from electro-mechanical connections of said manual control means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An active hand controller system is provided wherein a feedback loop detects the position of a control stick to control a motor driving the control stick to thereby provide certain force feel characteristics to the control stick. The feedback loop includes a detector for detecting force exerted for the control stick to generate a signal indicative of the force or torque being applied to the control stick. In a more specific aspect, the invention includes the use of variable reluctance transformers, preferably in a push/pull configuration to detect the forces being exerted on the control stick.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. In a servo system for an active hand controller comprising manual control means for being controlled by a user by movement thereof along at least one axis, position detecting means for producing a position signal representative of the position of said manual control means to a control system, said manual control means connected to a motor for having said motor exert force on said manual control means, rate detecting means for generating a rate signal representative of the rate of movement of said manual control means, summing means for summing said position signal and said rate signal, and control electronics means for processing said summed position signal and rate signal for providing a first control signal to said motor to control said motor to exert said force on said manual control means representative of said mechanical hand controller system, the improvement comprising:
force detecting means connected to said manual control means for detecting force exerted on said manual control means by said user, and for providing a signal representative of said detected force to said summing means to result in a second control signal, comprised of said first control signal summed with said signal representative of said detected force, from said motor control means to said motor for eliminating the effects of inertial forces and of operation non-linearities resulting from electro-mechanical connections of said manual control means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Specification