System and method for coordinating control of an output device by multiple control consoles

• US 8,656,081 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Irizarry, George Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US12/723,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 710/38, 710/110, 710/113, 710/305, 710/309, 710/316, 710/317, 710/240, 710/241
• US Class Current: 710/316
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A system and method for interfacing multiple inputs and outputs in a control system is provided. A digital input/output system provides a localized interface between multiple operator consoles and at least one output device to coordinate and monitor the operation of the at least one output device. The digital input/output system includes an interface device which re-routes discrete lines to and from the operator consoles and output devices and eliminates conflicting signals sent from the operator consoles to the output devices.

Claims

1. A system for coordinating control of an output device by a plurality of different operators, the system comprising:

a first control console having a first display and at least one operator operable device selection input to select at least one output device for control by the first control console and at least one device control input to control operation of at least one selected output device from the first control console;

a second control console spaced apart from the first control console, the second control console also having a second display and at least one operator operable device selection input to select at least one output device for control by the second control console and at least one device control input to control operation of at least one selected output device from the second control console; and

an input/output control system coupled to the first and second control consoles and to the at least one output device, the input/output control system being configured to receive signals from the device selection inputs and the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles;

wherein, in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of a device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected device from the second control console, the input/output control system enables a device control input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device and disables the device selection input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device;

wherein, in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of a device selection input corresponding to the same selected device from the first control console, the input/output control system enables a device control input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device and disables the device selection input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device;

wherein said first control console further comprises a first control section and said second control console further comprises a second control section, said first and second control sections are each adapted to determine that the selected output device is available for control and no faults or other conflicts have occurred in response to input of one of said device selection input signals from one of the first or second control consoles;

wherein the input/output control system includes an interface circuit coupled between the first and second control consoles and the at least one output device, said interface circuit includes a third control section configured to selectively link the first or second control consoles to the at least one selected output device, the third control section being configured to selectively block said device control signals transmitted by one of the first and second control consoles through said interface circuit such that said selected at least one output device can only receive said device control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time;

wherein said first control console further comprises a fourth control section and said second control console further comprises a fifth control section, said fourth and fifth control sections are each adapted to respectively couple said device control inputs of said control consoles with said interface circuit, wherein said input/output device enables one of said device control inputs of the first or second control console by providing power to one of said fourth or fifth control sections when one of said first or second control sections makes said determination that the selected output device is available for control and no faults or other conflicts have occurred.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input/output control system is configured to automatically send an activation signal from the input/output system to the selected output device in response to receipt of said device selection input signal for the selected output device from one of the first and second control consoles, thereby permitting control of the activated output device by one of the first and second control consoles.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device selection inputs of the first and second control consoles are normally enabled inputs, and wherein the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles are normally disabled inputs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device selection inputs and the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles are one of a button, a switch, a virtual button on a graphical user interface, a computer mouse and a joy stick.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles include a first control input to activate the selected output device from the first and second control consoles and a second control input to control operation of the activated selected output device from the first and second control consoles.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the input/output control system is configured to automatically send an activation signal from the input/output system to the selected output device in response to receipt of a signal from a first control input, thereby permitting control of the activated output device by a corresponding second control input.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the input/output control system is configured to receive signals from the first and second control inputs of the first and second control consoles, the input/output control system being configured to transmit signals to the selected output device to activate and control the selected output device in response to the signals from the first and second control inputs, respectively.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of said device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected device from the second control console, the input/output control system enables monitoring of the selected device on the display of the first control console and disables monitoring of the selected device on the display of the second control console, and wherein, in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of a device selection input corresponding to the same selected device from the first control console, the input/output control system enables monitoring of the selected device on the display of the second control console and disables monitoring of the selected device on the display of the first control console.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said disabling of monitoring of the selected device on the display on the second console comprises replacing a first representation of said monitoring on said display with an altered representation of said first representation of said monitoring on said display.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the third control section is a diode array configured to link the first and second control consoles to the at least one output device, the diode array being configured to block signals transmitted by one of the first and second control consoles from being received by the other of the first and second control consoles.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically activating the at least one selected output device in response to receipt of a device selection input signal to permit control of the activated output device by the one of the first or second control consoles.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the device selection inputs of the first and second control consoles are normally enabled inputs, and wherein the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles are normally disabled inputs.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the device selection inputs of the first and second control consoles are one of a button, a switch, a virtual button on a graphical user interface, a computer mouse and a joy stick.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the device control inputs and the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles include a first control input to activate the selected output device from the first and second control consoles and a second control input to control operation of the activated selected output device from the first and second control consoles.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising automatically sending an activation signal to the selected output device in response to receipt of a signal from a first control input, thereby permitting control of the activated output device by a corresponding second control input.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving signals from the first and second control inputs of the first and second control consoles;

and automatically transmitting signals to the selected output device to activate and control the selected output device in response to the signals received from the first and second control inputs, respectively.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface circuit, the first control console, and the second control console are coupled to a computer via a communication network, and wherein the interface circuit, the first control console, the second control console and the computer are each configured to communicate with one another via the communication network.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an output module coupled to the communication network and configured to receive network signals from the first and second control consoles over the communication network and to transmit corresponding signals to the third control section.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an input module coupled to the communication network, the input module being configured to monitor signals transmitted from the first and second control consoles to the output device and to transmit corresponding signals to the computer via the communication network to provide remote system monitoring.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a network module configured to provide a communication link between the communication network, the input module and the output module.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the input/output control system includes a plurality of switches configured to transmit signals from the first and second control consoles to the at least one output device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second control consoles are each configured to control a plurality of different output devices, the input/output control system providing communication between the first and second control consoles and the plurality of output devices.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface is configured to display data received from a selected output device, the least one device selection input and the at least one device control input being provided on the graphical user interface of the first and second control consoles.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one output device is one of a sensor, a light, and a lethal effector.

25. A system as in claim 1, wherein said first control console is adapted to have a plurality of device selection and device control inputs adapted to control operation of a plurality of output devices comprising said selected output device and an unselected output device.

26. A system as in claim 25, wherein said input/output device comprise a plurality of electrical switches adapted to physically decouple an electrical circuit from said control consoles from said plurality of output devices until said input/output device has power applied to it.

27. A system for coordinating control of an output device by a plurality of different operators, the system comprising:

a first control console having at least one device selection input to select at least one output device for control by the first control console and at least one device control input to control operation of at least one selected output device from the first control console;

a second control console spaced apart from the first control console, the second control console also having at least one device selection input to select at least one output device for control by the second control console and at least one device control input to control operation of at least one selected output device from the second control console;

means coupled to the first and second control consoles and to the at least one output device for receiving signals from the device selection inputs and the device control inputs of the first and second control consoles;

means for enabling a device control input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device and for disabling the device selection input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of a device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected device from the second control console; and

means for enabling a device control input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device and for disabling the device selection input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of a device selection input corresponding to the same selected device from the first control console;

wherein said first and second control console each respectively comprise first and second control sections, said first and second control sections are adapted to communicate with each other, said first and second control sections are adapted to determine if said selected device is available for control and determine if a predetermined condition exists comprising a fault or conflict condition prior to said device selection input signal being sent by one of said first and second control consoles.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first and second control consoles each include a display to enable user control of said at least one output device and permit a user to monitor operation of the at least one output device, and further comprising:

means for enabling monitoring of a selected device on the display of the first control console and for disabling monitoring of the selected device on the display of the second control console in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of a device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected device from the second control console; and

means for enabling monitoring of the selected device on the display of the second control console and for disabling monitoring of the selected device on the display of the first control console in response to receipt of a device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of a device selection input corresponding to the same selected device from the first control console.