Camera motion control system with variable autonomy

• US 9,390,617 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robotzone, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robotzone, LLC
• Inventors: Pettey, Brian T., Holt, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, AMY R
• Application Number:
  US13/221,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.99, 3482111-2119, 348/211.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 13/00 Arrangements for influencing the relationship between signals at input and output, e.g. differentiating, delaying
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

Variable autonomy level control systems are provided. A control system illustratively include an analog communications support component, a digital communications support component, a processing component, and a motor controller. The processing component synthesizes inputs received from the analog and the digital communications support components to generate an output. The motor controller utilizes the output from the processing component to generate a control signal for a motor. In certain embodiments, the input from the digital communications support component includes an indication of an autonomy level, and the processing component synthesizes the inputs by applying the autonomy level to the input received from the analog communications support component.

Claims

1. A control circuit board comprising:

an analog communications support component configured to receive an analog input from a user of the control circuit board;

a digital communications support component configured to receive content from a cloud computing network wherein receiving content comprises purchasing or accessing a stored digital input for a digital input control mechanism;

a processing component that is configured to synthesize the received stored digital input and the received analog inputs at substantially the same time, and, wherein synthesizing comprises reconciling the analog input and the stored digital inputs into an output such that the output is based at least in part on the analog input and at least in part on the digital input; and

a motor controller that utilizes the output from the processing component to generate a control signal for a motor.

2. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the digital unications support component includes a wireless communications module.

3. The control circuit board of claim 2, wherein the wireless communications module is communicatively coupled to a digital control input mechanism utilizing an ad-hoc wireless network.

4. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the stored digital input comprises a sensitivity setting, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the received analog input and the stored digital inputs by applying the sensitivity setting to the analog input, and wherein synthesizing the received analog input and stored digital inputs comprises reconciling the sensitivity setting from the stored digital input with the analog input.

5. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the stored digital input comprises a speed setting, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the received analog input and the stored digital inputs by applying the speed setting to the analog input, wherein synthesizing the received analog input and the stored digital inputs comprises reconciling the speed setting from the stored digital input- with the analog input.

6. The control circuit board of claim 1, wherein the stored digital input comprises an indication of an autonomy level, and wherein the processing component synthesizes the received analog input and stored digital inputs with the indicated autonomy level by applying the indicated autonomy level to the analog input, wherein synthesizing the received analog input and stored digital inputs comprises reconciling the indication of autonomy level from the stored digital input with the analog input.

7. The control circuit board of claim 6, wherein the autonomy level is fully manual.

8. The control circuit board of claim 6, wherein the autonomy level is semi-autonomous.

9. A method of generating a motor control signal comprising:

receiving an analog input from an analog control input mechanism;

receiving content from a cloud computing network wherein receiving content comprises purchasing or accessing a stored digital input for the digital input control mechanism wherein the digital control input mechanism comprises at least a user interface configured to receive the digital input;

synthesizing the analog input and the digital input to generate an output, wherein synthesizing comprises applying a first input to a second input, wherein the first and second inputs comprise one of the analog input or the digital input, utilizing the stored digital input obtained from the cloud computing network as a component of the synthesized output; and

utilizing the output to generate the motor control signal, wherein the motor control signal has characteristics of both the analog input and the stored digital input factored in combination.

10. The method of claim 9, and further comprising:

receiving feedback from a motor; and

synthesizing the motor feedback with the first, input and the second input to generate the output.

11. The method of claim 9, and further comprising:

receiving input from a sensor; and

utilizing the input from the sensor to generate the output.

12. The method of claim 9, and further comprising:

receiving an indication of an autonomy level; and

utilizing the indication of the autonomy level to generate the output.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the control system comprises a device with a touch screen, and wherein the digital input component comprises a portion of the touchscreen.

14. A control system comprising:

an analog control input mechanism configured to receive an analog control input from a user;

a digital control input mechanism configured to receive a stored digital control input from a cloud computing network, wherein receiving comprises purchasing or accessing the stored digital input for the digital input control mechanism wherein the digital control input mechanism and the analog control input mechanism are integrated together as one unit, and wherein the analog control input communicates indirectly to the control circuit board through the digital control input mechanism; and

a control circuit board that receives the inputs from both the analog and the digital control input mechanism and generates a single control signal that is a composite of the received analog control input and the stored digital control input.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the digital control input mechanism is communicatively coupled to the control circuit board utilizing a wireless connection.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the wireless connection comprises an ad-hoc wireless network.

17. The system of claim 14, and further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected autonomy level, and wherein the selected autonomy level falls along a relative continuum between autonomous and manual control.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the selected autonomy level is semi, but not completely manual.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the selected autonomy level is semi, but not completely autonomous.