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Simplified animatronic and CNC system

  • US 6,230,078 B1
  • Filed: 07/20/1998
  • Issued: 05/08/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. The apparatus for controlling a plurality of electric motor speed controllers wherein each of said electric motor speed controllers includes a plurality of different control settings with each of said control settings corresponding to a character of a predetermined set of characters, said apparatus comprising:

  • a file for storing a plurality of said characters to control each of said electric motor speed controllers pursuant to a predetermined script;

    personal computer means for processing said file, said personal computer means including;

    input means for entering said plurality of characters into said file;

    manipulation means for creating and editing said file to arrange the entered characters in a predetermined sequence;

    editing means for arranging said entered characters into lines of script wherein each line comprises a plurality of said entered characters equal in number to the number of said electric motor speed controllers, wherein each of said entered characters in said line relates to a different electric motor speed controller, and wherein the identity of each of the said entered characters corresponds to one of the said control settings, such that the characters relating to each electric motor speed controller are in the same order in all said lines of script;

    additional input means included in said editing means for inserting a carriage return code at the end of each of said lines of script and thereby establish said lines of script;

    memory means for storing said file;

    encoding means for encoding said entered characters and carriage return codes stored in said file for transmission, wherein said entered characters are upper and lower case letters and said encoding means further includes means for encoding said entered characters using a computer code;

    output port means operative in response to a plurality of command signals for transmitting separately each of said encoded entered characters and carriage return codes in the sequence of said predetermined script whereby each of said plurality of command signals causes a single one of said encoded entered characters or one carriage return code to be transmitted;

    pulse source means for issuing said plurality of command signals at predetermined evenly spaced time intervals; and

    interface means for decoding said encoded entered characters received from said output port means and controlling each of said electric motor speed controllers in accordance with the control settings corresponding to said decoded entered characters, said interface means including;

    a plurality of memories wherein each said memory is associated with one of said electric motor speed controllers for storing said entered characters from said file corresponding to said control settings of said one of said electric motor speed controllers;

    a shift register for enabling said entered characters from said file transmitted from said output port means to be latched sequentially into each of said memories in sequences corresponding to said lines of script;

    data detection means for detecting the said carriage return code at the end of each of said lines of script thereby controlling said shift register to begin a new sequence corresponding to each new line of script; and

    a plurality of distribution means, wherein each said distribution means is associated with one said electric motor speed controller and one associated memory for decoding said entered characters latched in each said associated memory, each said distribution means including a plurality of terminals with each of said terminals being associated with a respective one of the control settings for the associated electric motor speed controller such that at any time only the terminal associated with the control setting corresponding to the said entered character latched in said associated memory at that time is held at a first predetermined voltage while others of said terminals are held at a second predetermined voltage, and each said distribution means further includes;

    pulse generator means of generating pulses at a plurality of inter-related frequencies on a plurality of pulse output lines;

    switching means of selectively connecting each of said pulse output lines to the said associated electric motor speed controller input in accordance with the said first predetermined voltage at each of said terminals, such that each of the said terminals is associated with a corresponding one of the said pulse output lines, thereby causing the said associated electric motor speed controller to be controlled by pulse frequencies corresponding to the voltages at each of the said plurality of terminals;

    electrical connection means of connecting said associated electric motor speed controller to a stepper motor and thereby controlling said stepper motor to run at a speed controlled by said associated electric motor speed controller in accordance with said control settings corresponding to decoded said entered characters;

    data decoding means of determining the case of each of said upper and lower case letters;

    direction control means for sending a control signal from said data decoding means to direction control means within said electric motor speed controller thereby controlling the direction of rotation of said associated motor such that upper case letters cause a predetermined direction of rotation and lower case letters cause the reverse direction of rotation; and

    synchronization means of connecting one of the said pulse output lines to said pulse source means and thereby relating the timing of the said pulse source means to the said pulse frequencies corresponding to the voltages on the said terminals.

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