Omnidirectional movement control system

• US 7,949,437 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamkang University
• Original Assignee: Tamkang University
• Inventors: Li, Shih-An, Liu, Chih-Cheng, Wang, Hou-Yi, Wong, Ching-Chang, Lee, Yang-Han
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/684,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 180 21- 23, 180 12- 15, 180234-236, 180252-253, 180 2406- 2408, 301/5.1, 301/5.22, 301/6.5
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The present invention discloses an omnidirectional movement control system, having a move signal generator for generating a plurality of movement signals based on a plurality of first position signals and a plurality of second position signals, and an omnidirectional movement controller for generating a plurality of pulse width modulation signals and a plurality of motor direction change signals based on the movement signals and a plurality of motor encoding disc signals, and a driving circuit for driving motors to rotate a plurality of omnidirectional wheels based on the pulse width modulation signals and the motor direction change signals, such that a mobile platform can be moved in any direction and rotated in different directions, so as to provide excellent mobility and flexibility to the mobile platform.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional movement control system comprising:

a move signal generator, for generating a plurality of movement signals by a plurality of first position signals and a plurality of second position signals;

an omnidirectional movement controller, for generating a plurality of pulse width modulation signals and a plurality of motor direction change signals by said movement signals and a plurality of motor encoding disc signals, wherein said plurality of pulse width modulation signals relates to a plurality of rotating speeds of said motors, further wherein the plurality of pulse width modulation signals are in a same direction in at least one of a linear direction and an angular direction; and

a driving circuit, for driving said motors to rotate said plurality of omnidirectional wheels in said angular direction by said pulse width modulation signals and said motor direction change signals.

2. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said movement signals comprise a plurality of relative distance signals, a plurality of relative angle signals and a plurality of face angle signals.

3. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 2, wherein said omnidirectional movement controller comprises:

a translation speed generator, for generating a plurality of translation speed signals by said relative distance signals and said relative angle signals;

a two-dimensional speed generator, for generating a plurality of speed component signals by said translation speed signals and said relative angle signals;

an omnidirectional wheel speed converter, for generating a plurality of omnidirectional wheel speed signals by said speed component signals and said rotating speed signals; and

a plurality of motor signal generators, for generating said pulse width modulation signals and said motor direction change signals by said each omnidirectional wheel speed signal and said each motor encoding disc signal of each corresponding motor signal generator.

4. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said motor encoding disc signals are generated by an actual rotating speed and a direction change information of said each motor captured by said plurality of motor encoding discs.

5. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 4, wherein said first position signals are generated by said motor encoding discs.

6. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional movement control system further comprises a signal capturing device for generating said second position signals.

7. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 6, wherein said signal capturing device is at least one of a remote signal receiver, a camera, at least one sensor or a touch screen.

8. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 7, wherein said first position signals are generated separately by at least one of said remote signal receiver, said camera, said sensor or said touch screen.

9. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 6, wherein said omnidirectional movement control system further comprises a carrier for carrying said signal capturing device.

10. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 9, wherein said carrier is a platform.

11. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 9, wherein said carrier is a wheelchair.

12. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said move signal generator is a single-chip processor.

13. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional movement controller is a single-chip processor.

14. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said driving circuit is a single-chip processor.

15. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said driving circuit is comprised of at least one of at least one IC, at least one resistor or at least one capacitor.

16. The omnidirectional movement control system of claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional movement control system is integrated into a single-chip processor.