Position dependent rate dampening in any active hand controller
First Claim
1. An active hand controller system comprising:
- manual input control means;
a motor in connection with said manual input control means to provide desired force and feel characteristics of said manual input control means;
sensing means which senses predetermined characteristics, including position, of said manual input control means and generates output signals indicative of said predetermined characteristics;
controller electronic means which controls said motor in response to input signals;
feedback means electrically connected to said sensing means to provide said input signals to said controller electronic means; and
selective dampening means electrically connected to said sensing means which provides a greater dampening signal to said controller electronics when said manual input control means is positioned at/or about its null position than when its positioned other than at/or about its null position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for an active hand controller, for example, uses a control stick connected to and controlled by a motor. Electronics are provided to control the motor to eliminate oscillations due to motor torque and high gain due to breakout at the control stick when the control stick is at about its null position. Both hardware as well as software implementations can provide position dependent dampening to the control sticks such that when the control stick is located about a null position, a higher rate of dampening is provided than when the control stick is located outside the null position, when a lower rate of dampening is provided. The system provides a stable active hand controller control stick without degraded force and feel characteristics of the system.
96 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An active hand controller system comprising:
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manual input control means; a motor in connection with said manual input control means to provide desired force and feel characteristics of said manual input control means; sensing means which senses predetermined characteristics, including position, of said manual input control means and generates output signals indicative of said predetermined characteristics; controller electronic means which controls said motor in response to input signals; feedback means electrically connected to said sensing means to provide said input signals to said controller electronic means; and selective dampening means electrically connected to said sensing means which provides a greater dampening signal to said controller electronics when said manual input control means is positioned at/or about its null position than when its positioned other than at/or about its null position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of dampening oscillations in an active hand controller system having manual input control means connected to a motor comprising the steps of:
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detecting the position of the manual input control means; providing a higher dampened position feedback signal to said motor to be less responsive which results in reduced oscillations when said manual input control means is at or about its null position; and providing a lower dampened position feedback signal to control said motor which provides desired force and feel characteristics at said manual input control means when said manual input control means is other than at or about its null position.
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Specification