Controller for use with operated object

• US 6,705,873 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Higashida, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/899,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/61, 434/365, 434/372, 434/373, 434/393, 446/43, 446/91, 446/175, 446/270, 446/436, 446/441, 446/454, 446/456, 446/457, 446/460, 446/462, 446/468, 446/484, 463/39, 318/16, 318/293, 370/347, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 434/393
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005

Abstract

A controller for use with an operated object such as a model vehicle contains therein a memory. The movement of the model vehicle is stored in advance into the memory with each of push buttons in a keyboard unit of the controller. Once a “GO” button is pushed even during a manual operation, a signal to cause to perform the procedure stored in the memory is transmitted from an antenna which is provided in the controller. In this arrangement, the model vehicle can be subject to complicated operations even by an unskilled operator.

Claims

1. A controller for use with an operated object having a movable part and a receiver contained therein, said controller comprising:

a housing;

a control means in the housing for wirelessly operating the operated object by transmitting a signal to the receiver; and

a memory means in the housing for storing in advance a signal, generated by the control means, wherein the signal is transmitted to said receiver, said signal stored in said memory means being adapted to be transmitted to the receiver to perform an automatic control mode for controlling the movable part of the operated body.

2. The controller according to claim 1, further comprising a manual operation unit for performing a manual operation mode in which the movable part of the operated body is sequentially controlled, wherein said memory means stores a signal in a form of a manual operation procedure by said manual operation unit, said signal in the form of said manual operation mode being adapted to be transmitted to the receiver to perform a reproducing mode in which an operation at the time of manual operation mode is reproduced.

3. The controller according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit for displaying the signal stored in said memory means without transmitting the signal to the receiver, thereby performing a simulation mode in which a content of the signal is confirmed by displaying.

4. The controller according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying the signal stored in said memory means without transmitting the signal to the receiver, thereby performing a simulation mode in which a content of the signal is confirmed by displaying.

5. A controller operatively connected to a movable device, the controller comprising:

a housing;

a transmitting means in the housing for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of signals to a receiver disposed on the movable device;

a control means in the housing for controlling the plurality of signals; and

a memory means in the housing for storing the plurality of signals transmitted to the receiver, wherein the stored plurality of signals are transmitted to the receiver to provide an automatic control mode for controlling the movable device.

6. The controller according to claim 5, further comprising a manual operation unit for performing a manual operation mode in which the movable device is sequentially controlled, wherein the memory means stores the plurality of signals in a manual operation procedure by the manual operation mode, the plurality of signals are adapted to be transmitted to the receiver to perform a reproducing mode in which an operation at the time of manual operation mode is reproduced.

7. The controller according to claim 6, further comprising a display unit for displaying the signal stored in the memory means without transmitting the signal to the receiver, thereby performing a simulation mode in which a content of the signal is confirmed by displaying.

8. The controller according to claim 5, further comprising a display unit for displaying the plurality of signals stored in the memory means without transmitting the plurality of signals to the receive, thereby performing a simulation mode in which a content of the signal is confirmed by displaying.