Interface device for coordinating control of an output device by multiple control consoles

• US 8,667,206 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• 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:
  US12/723,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 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: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/22 for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft

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. An interface device configured to coordinate control of at least one output device by a control system including first and second control consoles, the interface device comprising:

a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pathways;

first and second connectors coupled to the circuit board, the first and second connectors each including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to a first and second control console, respectively;

a third connector coupled to the circuit board, the third connector including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the output device; and

a plurality of switches mounted to the circuit board, each switch being coupled to at least one conductive pathway of the circuit board to electrically couple the switches to at least one of the first, second and third connectors; and

wherein the first and second connectors receive signals respectively comprising a first and second device selection input signal and a plurality of device control input signals from at least one device selection input, at least one device control input of the first and second control consoles, respectively;

wherein, in response to receipt of said first device selection input signal for a selected output device from the first control console before receipt of said second device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected output device from the second control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a first device control portion disposed in the first console in response to the at least one device control input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device, said first device control portion is enabled to send said plurality of device control input signals to said first connector only after said power is provided to said first device control portion;

wherein in response to receipt of said second device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of said first device selection input corresponding to the same selected output device from the first control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a second device control portion disposed in the second console in response to the at least one device control input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device, said second device control portion is enabled to send said plurality of device control input signals to said second connector only after said power is provided to said second device control portion;

wherein said plurality of switches further includes an interface circuit coupled between the first and second device control portions and the at least one output device via said first, second, and third connectors, the interface circuit includes a first interface control section configured to selectively link the first or second device control portions to the at least one selected output device based on receipt of the first or second device selection input, the first interface control section further being configured to selectively block said plurality of device control signals transmitted by one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the selected output device can only receive said plurality of device control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time.

2. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the control system further includes a communication network and 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, the interface device further comprising a fourth connector coupled to the circuit board, the fourth connector including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the output module, the output module transmitting the first and second device selection input signals for said selected output device received from the first and second control consoles to the fourth connector to trigger the at least one switch to enable the respective device control input.

3. The interface device of claim 2, wherein the control system further includes an input module coupled to the communication network, an interface card further comprising a fifth connector including a plurality of pins coupled to conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the first and second consoles and the output module, 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 a computer via the communication network to provide remote system monitoring.

4. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first and second connectors are separate connectors coupled to the circuit board.

5. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first and second connectors are separate portions of a single connector coupled to the circuit board.

6. The interface device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the switches is configured to send an activation signal 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 or second control consoles, thereby permitting control of the activated output device by one of the first or second control consoles.

7. The interface device of claim 6, wherein upon receipt of the activation signal, the activated output device receives power for said activated output device operation from at least one said plurality of switches.

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

9. The interface device 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, and wherein at least one of the switches coupled to the third connector is configured to automatically send 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.

10. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the interface device is configured to receive signals from the first and second control inputs of the first and second control consoles through the first and second connectors, respectively, the interface device also being configured to provide transmitted said plurality of device control input signals to the selected output device through at least one of the switches and the third connector to activate and control the selected output device in response to the plurality of device control input signals from the first and second control inputs, respectively.

11. The interface device of claim 1, wherein said interface circuit comprising a diode array coupled to the circuit board configured to link the first and second control consoles to the at least one output device, the diode array having a plurality of inputs coupled to pins of the first and second connectors through conductive pathways of the circuit board.

12. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first and second control consoles are each configured to control a plurality of different output devices, the interface device including a plurality of third connectors, each third connector being configured to be coupled to a separate output device to provide a communication link between the first and second control consoles and each of the plurality of output devices.

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

14. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the at least one switch that enables the first and second control consoles receives an enable signal from a power source and supplies the enable signal through one of the first and second connectors to the first and second control consoles, respectively, the enable signal being one of a power signal and a ground signal.

15. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third connectors are each configured to receive a wiring harness comprising a plurality of signal-carrying wires, each wiring harness being removably coupled to the first, second and third connectors.

16. An interface device configured to coordinate control of at least one output device by a control system including first and second control consoles, the interface device comprising:

a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pathways;

first and second connectors coupled to the circuit board, the first and second connectors each including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to a first and second control console, respectively;

a third connector coupled to the circuit board, the third connector including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the at least one output device; and

a plurality of switches mounted to the circuit board, each switch being coupled to at least one conductive pathway of the circuit board to electrically couple the switches to at least one of the first, second and third connectors, wherein at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a first device control portion disposed in the first control console in response to first control signals of the first control console corresponding to the at least one output device, said first device control portion is enabled to send said first control signals to said first connector only after said power is provided to said first device control portion; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of switches enables and provides power to a second device control portion disposed in the second control console in response to second control signals of the second control console corresponding to the at least one output device, said second device control portion is enabled to send said second control signals to said second connector only after said power is provided to said second device control portion;

wherein the first and second connectors receive said first control signals from inputs of the first and second control consoles to activate a selected output device and said second control signals from inputs of the first and second control consoles to control operation of the activated selected output device, and wherein at least one of the switches coupled to the third connector is configured to automatically send an activation signal to the selected output device in response to receipt of the first control signals, thereby permitting control of the activated output device by the second control signals also sent through the third connector to the selected output device;

wherein said plurality of switches further includes an interface circuit coupled between the first and second control consoles and the at least one output device via said first, second, and third connectors, the interface circuit includes a first interface control section configured to selectively link the first or second control console to the at least one selected output device via said third connector based on receipt of a first or second device selection input signal, the first interface control section further being configured to selectively block said plurality of control signals transmitted by one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the at least one selected output device can only receive said plurality of control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time.

17. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the first and second connectors also receive signals from at least one said device selection input of the first and second control consoles, respectively, and wherein, in response to receipt of said device selection input signal for said selected output device from the first control console before receipt of said device selection input signal corresponding to the same selected output device from the second control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables the at least one device control input of the first control console corresponding to the selected device, and wherein, in response to receipt of said device selection input signal for the selected output device from the second control console before receipt of said device selection input corresponding to the same selected output device from the first control console, at least one of the plurality of switches enables the at least one device control input of the second control console corresponding to the selected device.

18. The interface device of claim 17, wherein the at least one switch that enables the first and second control consoles receives an enable signal from a power source and supplies the enable signal through one of the first and second connectors to the first and second control consoles, respectively, the enable signal being one of a power signal and a ground signal.

19. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the control system further includes a communication network and 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, the interface device further comprising a fourth connector coupled to the circuit board, the fourth connector including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the output module, the output module transmitting signals received from the first and second control consoles to the fourth connector.

20. The interface device of claim 19, wherein the control system further includes an input module coupled to the communication network, an interface card further comprising a fifth connector including a plurality of pins coupled to conductive pathways of the circuit board to provide a communication link to the first and second consoles and the output module, 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 a computer via the communication network to provide remote system monitoring.

21. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the first and second connectors are separate connectors coupled to the circuit board.

22. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the first and second connectors are separate portions of a single connector coupled to the circuit board.

23. The interface device of claim 16, wherein device control inputs of the first and second control consoles used to provide the first and second control signals include at least one of a button, a switch, a virtual button on a graphical user interface, a computer mouse and a joy stick.

24. The interface device of claim 16, said first interface control section further comprising a diode array coupled to the circuit board configured to link the first and second control consoles to the at least one output device, the diode array having a plurality of inputs coupled to pins of the first and second connectors through conductive pathways of the circuit board, 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.

25. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the first and second control consoles are each configured to control a plurality of different output devices, the interface device including a plurality of third connectors, each third connector being coupled to a separate output device to provide communication between the first and second control consoles and each of the plurality of output devices.

26. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the at least one output device is one of a sensor, a light, and a lethal effector.

27. The interface device of claim 16, wherein the first, second and third connectors are each configured to receive a wiring harness comprising a plurality of signal-carrying wires, each wiring harness being removably coupled to the first, second and third connectors.

28. A method of coordinating control of at least one output device by a control system including first and second control consoles, the method comprising:

providing an interface device comprising a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pathways, first, second and third connectors coupled to the circuit board, the first, second and third connectors each including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board, and a plurality of switches coupled to the circuit board, each switch being coupled to at least one conductive pathway of the circuit board to electrically couple the switches to at least one of the first, second and third connectors;

wherein said plurality of switches further includes an interface circuit coupled between a first and second control consoles and at least one output device via said first, second, and third connectors, the interface circuit includes a first interface control section configured to selectively link the first or second control console to the at least one selected output device via said third connector based on receipt of a first or second device selection input, the first interface control section further being configured to selectively block a plurality of control signals transmitted by one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the at least one selected output device can only receive said plurality of control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time;

using the interface device to coordinate control of the at least one selected output device by the first and second control consoles by;

electrically coupling the first and second connectors to the first and second control consoles, respectively, to provide a communication link between the interface device and the first and second control consoles;

electrically coupling the at least one output device to the third connector to provide a communication link between the interface device and the at least one output device;

using at least one of the plurality of switches to enable at least one device control input of the first control console corresponding to at least one selected output device in response to receipt of a first device selection input signal for the at least one selected output device from the first control console before receipt of a second device selection input signal corresponding to the same at least one selected output device from the second control console;

using at least one of the plurality of switches to provide power to a first device control portion disposed in the first control console in response to at least one device control input of the first control console corresponding to the at least one selected output device;

using at least one of the plurality of switches to provide power to a second device control portion disposed in the second control console in response to at least one device control input of the second control console corresponding to the at least one selected output device;

using at least one other of the plurality of switches to enable at least one device control input of the second control console corresponding to at least one selected output device in response to receipt of a first device selection input signal for the at least one selected output device from the second control console following receipt of a device selection input signal corresponding to the same at least one selected output device from the first control console; and

configuring the first interface control section to selectively block device control signals transmitted by at least one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the at least one selected output device can only receive said device control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time.

29. A method of coordinating control of at least one output device by a control system including first and second control consoles, the method comprising:

providing an interface device comprising a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pathways, first, second and third connectors coupled to the circuit board, the first, second and third connectors each including a plurality of pins coupled to selected conductive pathways of the circuit board, and a plurality of switches coupled to the circuit board, each switch being coupled to at least one conductive pathway of the circuit board to electrically couple the switches to at least one of the first, second and third connectors;

wherein said plurality of switches further includes an interface circuit coupled between a first and second control consoles and at least one output device via said first, second, and third connectors, the interface circuit includes a first interface control section configured to selectively link the first or second control console to the at least one selected output device via said third connector based on receipt of a first or second device selection input, the first interface control section further being configured to selectively block a plurality of control signals transmitted by one of the first or second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the at least one selected output device can only receive said plurality of control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time;

using the interface device to coordinate control of the at least one selected output device by the first and second control consoles by;

electrically coupling the first and second connectors to the first and second control consoles, respectively, to provide a communication link between the interface device and the first and second control consoles so that the first and second connectors receive first control signals from inputs of the first and second control consoles, respectively, to activate at least one selected output device and second control signals from inputs of the first and second control consoles, respectively, to control operation of the at least one activated selected output device;

electrically coupling the at least one output device to the third connector to provide a communication link between the interface device and the at least one output device;

using at least one of the plurality of switches coupled to the third connector to automatically send an activation signal to the at least one selected output device in response to receipt of a first control signal;

using at least one of the plurality of switches to provide power to a first device control portion disposed in the first control console;

using at least one of the plurality of switches to provide power to a second device control portion disposed in the second control console;

configuring the first interface control section to selectively block device control signals transmitted by at least one of the first and second control consoles through said interface circuit such that the at least one selected output device can only receive said device control signals from one of said control consoles through said interface circuit at a time; and

controlling the activated output device with a second control signal also sent through the third connector to the at least one selected output device.