Tactical robot controller

• US 9,400,498 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bruck, Kurt, Bentchev, Boian, Shapiro, Julie, Graham, Todd, Deguire, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/661,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20160179091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/23, 318/16, 361/679.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface

Abstract

An unmanned systems operator control system includes a hand held controller with a set of switches and control enumeration software specially configured to report a superset of virtual switches based on the physical switches. A core unit includes a first unmanned system control application subscribing to a first switch subset of the superset and outputting commands controlling a first unmanned system based on activation of the set of switches. A second unmanned system control application subscribes to a second switch subset of the superset and outputs commands controlling a second unmanned system based on activation of the set of switches. A mode switching subsystem is configured, in a first state, to map the set of switches to the first switch subset and, in a second state, to map the set of switches to the second switch subset.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle operator control system comprising:

a power supply module;

a core module coupled to and powered by the power supply module, the core module including;

a first unmanned system control application,

a second unmanned system control application;

a first radio, connected to the core module, for wirelessly transmitting commands issued by the first unmanned system control application for controlling a first unmanned system,

a second radio connected to the core module for transmitting commands issued by the second unmanned system control application for controlling a second unmanned system; and

a handheld controller connected to the core module and including;

a set of physical switches,

a mode switching subsystem configured, in a first state, to map the set of physical switches to a first virtual switch subset subscribed to by the first unmanned system control application and, in a second state, to map the set of physical switches to a second virtual switch subset subscribed to by the second unmanned system control application, and

a processer configured, upon activation of a physical switch, to output a virtual switch data message to the core module for processing by the subscribed unmanned system control application.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the set of switches includes at least one joystick and a plurality of buttons.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the handheld controller further includes a first screen for the first unmanned system and a second screen for the second unmanned system.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the first unmanned system control application is for a first unmanned system which includes proprietary hardware.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the second unmanned system control application is for a second unmanned system which includes different proprietary hardware than the first unmanned system.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the first unmanned control application is for a first unmanned system including proprietary software.

7. The system of claim 6 in which the second unmanned system control application is for a second unmanned system including different proprietary software than the first unmanned system.