Radio frequency transmitter adaptors, methods and articles of manufacture

• US 8,902,048 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Hobby, Llc
• Original Assignee: Hobbico Incorporated
• Inventors: Cloud, Neal, Johnson, David, Waite, Kevin, Zhenmin, Zhou
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCORMACK, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US13/309,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 446454-456
• US Class Current: 340/12.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals

Abstract

Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter adaptors, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed. A method of adapting an RF transmitter for using in controlling a radio controlled (R/C) device having an RF receiver includes receiving a pulse-position modulation (PPM) signal from the RF transmitter, automatically selecting a channel assignment map based on the PPM signal, and generating, from the PPM signal, an RF communication signal compatible with the RF receiver for use in controlling the R/C device based on the selected channel assignment map.

Claims

1. A method of adapting a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for use in controlling a radio controlled (R/C) device having an RF receiver, the method comprising:

receiving a pulse-position modulation (PPM) signal from the RF transmitter, wherein the PPM signal is a control signal for the R/C device, the control signal having a plurality of pulses based on a first channel assignment associated with the RF transmitter;

identifying, based on the PPM signal, which pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains a particular active control signal;

automatically selecting a channel assignment map based on the identified pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal; and

generating, from the PPM signal, an RF communication signal compatible with a second channel assignment associated with the RF receiver for use in controlling the R/C device based on the selected channel assignment map.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the RF communication signal is different than a second RF communication signal that the RF transmitter is configurable to generate for the PPM signal.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein automatically selecting the channel assignment map based on the identified pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal comprises:

selecting the channel assignment map from two or more channel assignment maps based on whether the identified pulse that contains the particular active control signal is the first pulse of the plurality of pulses or the third pulse of the plurality of pulses.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the particular active control signal represents a throttle stick held in a minimum position;

wherein identifying which pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal comprises identifying which pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains the particular active control signal that represents the throttle stick held in the minimum position.

5. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising changing the channel assignment map to a second different channel assignment map, when another pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains second active control information.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a first control signal, wherein generating the RF communication signal comprises:

forming a second control signal by translating, based on the selected channel assignment map, between the first channel assignment associated with the RF transmitter and the second channel assignment associated with the RF receiver; and

modulating the second control signal to form the RF communication signal.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, emitting one or more tones representing the selected channel assignment map.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising automatically selecting the channel assignment map when a power-on is detected.

9. A tangible article of manufacture storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least carry out the method of claim 1.

20. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the PPM signal comprises:

receiving a PPM signal from the RF transmitter that corresponds to a particular trigger position of a control element of the RF transmitter;

wherein identifying the pulse of the PPM signal comprises;

identifying a pulse of the PPM signal containing active control information that corresponds to the particular trigger position.

10. An adaptor for a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for a radio controlled (R/C) device, the adaptor comprising:

a connector having an input that receives a pulse-position modulation (PPM) signal from the RF transmitter, wherein the PPM signal is a first control signal for the R/C device, the first control signal having a plurality of pulses based on a first channel assignment associated with the RF transmitter;

a channel detector having an input that receives the PPM signal, the channel detector to identify a brand of the RF transmitter based on an identification of which pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains a particular active control signal;

a channel mapper having an output that provides a second control signal by translating, based on the identified brand, between the first channel assignment associated with the RF transmitter and a second channel assignment associated with the RF receiver; and

an RF modulator having RF modulation circuitry that modulates the second control signal to form an RF communication signal for use in controlling the R/C device;

wherein the channel detector identifies, based on the PPM signal, which pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains the particular active control signal, wherein the identified pulse corresponds to the brand of the RF transmitter;

wherein the channel mapper selects a channel assignment map from two or more channel assignment maps based on the identified pulse of the plurality of pulses of the PPM signal.

11. An adaptor as defined in claim 10, wherein the RF communication signal is different than a second RF communication signal that the RF transmitter is configurable to generate for the PPM signal.

12. An adaptor as defined in claim 10, wherein the active control information represents a throttle stick held in a minimum-throttle position.

13. An adaptor as defined in claim 10, wherein the channel mapper changes a channel assignment map to a different channel assignment map when a second pulse of the PPM signal contains second active control information.

14. An adaptor as defined in claim 10, further comprising a speaker that emits one or more tones representing the identified brand.

15. An adaptor as defined in claim 10, wherein the channel detector identifies the brand when the adaptor is powered on.

16. An adaptor kit comprising the adaptor as defined in claim 10, and two or more different cables to couple the connector to a selected one of two or more different RF transmitters.

17. A method of using an adaptor for a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for a radio controlled (R/C) device, the method comprising:

selecting one of two or more cables based on a connector of the RF transmitter;

coupling the adaptor to the RF transmitter using the selected cable; and

applying power to the adaptor while holding a control element of the RF transmitter in a first particular position to provide, from the RF transmitter to the adaptor, a pulse-position modulation (PPM) signal having a particular active control signal that corresponds to the first particular position, wherein the PPM signal triggers the adaptor to automatically identify a channel assignment associated with the RF transmitter based on an identification of which pulse of a plurality of pulses of the PPM signal contains the particular active control signal, wherein the pulse identification is based on the PPM signal.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

validating the identified channel assignment; and

when the identified channel assignment is not valid;

powering off the adaptor; and

applying power to the adaptor while holding a second control element of the RF transmitter in a second particular position to trigger the adaptor to change the channel assignment to a second different channel assignment.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the control element comprises a throttle/rudder stick, the first particular position comprises a minimum-throttle and neutral-rudder position, the second control element comprises the throttle/rudder stick, and the second particular position comprises a minimum-throttle and active rudder position.