Optical decoder systems and corresponding methods
First Claim
1. An aircraft optical encoder system, comprising:
- a fuselage;
a cockpit, at least a portion of the cockpit positioned in a portion of the fuselage;
a control inceptor positioned in the cockpit, the control inceptor having a recess and a portion for receiving at least a portion of an operator'"'"'s hand;
an optical encoder device having a housing, an input wheel, at least one light emitter, and at least one light sensor, the at least one light emitter and the at least one light sensor being located proximate to the input wheel to detect rotational movement of the input wheel, the housing surrounding at least a portion of the input wheel, the at least one light emitter, and the at least one light sensor, the input wheel, the at least one light emitter, and the at least one light sensor being carried by the housing so that the optical encoder device is a single modular unit, a portion of the housing being received by the recess of the control inceptor, the optical encoder device being attached to the control inceptor via the housing, a portion of the input wheel being positioned to be actuated by the operator'"'"'s hand, the housing being positioned to resist at least one of electromagnetic interference between the optical encoder system and at least one other aircraft system and an effect of a high intensity radiated field on the optical encoder device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is generally directed toward optical encoder systems and corresponding methods. One aspect of the invention is directed toward an optical encoder system that includes an optical encoder device having an input wheel. The optical encoder device further includes at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor to detect rotational movement of the input wheel. In a further aspect, the optical encoder device is coupled to a vehicle. In a still further aspect, the optical encoder device can be coupled to a control inceptor in a vehicle. In yet a further aspect, optical encoder device can include a housing so that the optical encoder device is couplable to structure as a single modular unit.
57 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An aircraft optical encoder system, comprising:
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a fuselage; a cockpit, at least a portion of the cockpit positioned in a portion of the fuselage; a control inceptor positioned in the cockpit, the control inceptor having a recess and a portion for receiving at least a portion of an operator'"'"'s hand; an optical encoder device having a housing, an input wheel, at least one light emitter, and at least one light sensor, the at least one light emitter and the at least one light sensor being located proximate to the input wheel to detect rotational movement of the input wheel, the housing surrounding at least a portion of the input wheel, the at least one light emitter, and the at least one light sensor, the input wheel, the at least one light emitter, and the at least one light sensor being carried by the housing so that the optical encoder device is a single modular unit, a portion of the housing being received by the recess of the control inceptor, the optical encoder device being attached to the control inceptor via the housing, a portion of the input wheel being positioned to be actuated by the operator'"'"'s hand, the housing being positioned to resist at least one of electromagnetic interference between the optical encoder system and at least one other aircraft system and an effect of a high intensity radiated field on the optical encoder device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An optical encoder system, comprising an optical encoder device including:
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an input wheel; at least one light emitter; at least one light sensor, the at least one light emitter and the at least one light sensor being located proximate to the input wheel to detect rotational movement of the input wheel; and a housing surrounding a portion of the input wheel, the at least one light emitter, and the at least one light sensor so that the optical encoder device is attachable to a control inceptor via the housing as a single modular unit, the control inceptor having a recess and a portion of the housing being configured to be received in the recess of the control inceptor when the optical encoder device is attached to the control inceptor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification