Animatronic system with unlimited axes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for controlling an electric stepping axis motor wherein the said electric stepping axis motor responds to a plurality of different control settings corresponding to binary words of a predetermined set of binary data, said apparatus including:
- a memory containing a file for storing a plurality of said binary data;
a pulse source for issuing each of said plurality of binary words from said memory at predetermined evenly spaced time intervals;
an interface for decoding said binary words from said memory and controlling said electric stepping axis motor in accordance with the control settings corresponding to said binary words;
a manually actuable joystick unit for selecting control setting commands consistent with desired speed and direction of said electric stepping axis motor, said joystick unit including a feedback stepper motor for interacting mechanically within said joystick unit to cancel previous control setting commands, said feedback stepper motor including;
control wiring coupling said feedback stepper motor to rotate in unison with said electric stepping axis motor;
an encoder for encoding said control setting commands into binary words at evenly spaced time intervals; and
switching means for saving said binary words to said file in said memory at said evenly spaced time intervals.
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Abstract
In an animatronic system, recording and playing performances of individual axes of character movement involves, during recording, continually commanding speeds and rotational directions of a stepping axis motor in response to manual movement of a joystick. The joystick commands are modified by means of a feedback motor electrically coupled to the axis motor to mechanically interact with the joystick.
21 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling an electric stepping axis motor wherein the said electric stepping axis motor responds to a plurality of different control settings corresponding to binary words of a predetermined set of binary data, said apparatus including:
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a memory containing a file for storing a plurality of said binary data; a pulse source for issuing each of said plurality of binary words from said memory at predetermined evenly spaced time intervals; an interface for decoding said binary words from said memory and controlling said electric stepping axis motor in accordance with the control settings corresponding to said binary words; a manually actuable joystick unit for selecting control setting commands consistent with desired speed and direction of said electric stepping axis motor, said joystick unit including a feedback stepper motor for interacting mechanically within said joystick unit to cancel previous control setting commands, said feedback stepper motor including; control wiring coupling said feedback stepper motor to rotate in unison with said electric stepping axis motor; an encoder for encoding said control setting commands into binary words at evenly spaced time intervals; and switching means for saving said binary words to said file in said memory at said evenly spaced time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an animatronic system, a method for recording and playing performances of individual axes of movement comprising:
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during recording, continually commanding speeds and rotational directions of a stepping axis motor in response to manual movement of a joystick; and modifying the joystick commands by means of a feedback motor electrically coupled to the axis motor to mechanically interact with the joystick, wherein movement of said joystick to different positions selects respective commands in the form of binary words of a predetermined set of binary data stored in a memory, and further comprising; issuing each of said plurality of binary words from said memory at predetermined evenly spaced time intervals; decoding said binary words from said memory and controlling said electric stepping axis motor in accordance with the control settings corresponding to said binary words; controlling a feedback stepper motor to interact mechanically with said joystick to cancel previous control setting commands, said step of controlling including; coupling the feedback stepper motor to rotate in unison with said stepping axis motor; encoding said control setting commands into binary words at evenly spaced intervals; and saving said binary words to said memory at said evenly spaced intervals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An animatronic system comprising:
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a stepping axis motor responsive to variable control signals for controlling animation of a character; a memory for storing said control signals; means for activating each of said plurality of control signals in said memory at predetermined evenly spaced time intervals; an interface for decoding the activated control signals to control said stepping axis motor; a manually actuable joystick unit for selecting control setting commands consistent with desired speed and direction of said electric stepping axis motor, said joystick unit including a feedback stepper motor for interacting mechanically within said joystick unit to cancel previous control setting commands, said feedback stepper motor including; means coupling said feedback stepper motor to rotate in unison with said stepping axis motor; an encoder for encoding said control setting commands into command signals at evenly spaced time intervals; and switching means for saving said command signals to said memory at said evenly spaced time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification