TRAINING SYSTEM OF A POWERED VEHICLE

• US 20120107776A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Aircraft Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Martin Aircraft Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Martin, Glenn Neil, Martin, Vanessa Louise
• Granted Patent: US 9,171,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/62
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/165 Control of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/02 for teaching control of vehicles or other craft
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/042 providing simulation in a real vehicle G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/048 a model being viewed and manoeuvred from a remote point G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/052 characterised by provision for recording or measuring trainee's performance devices for psychotechnics, e.g. for vehicle drivers A61B5/16, A61B5/18
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/08 for teaching control of aircraft, e.g. Link trainer

Abstract

A training system for the solo operation of a powered vehicle, wherein the system includes: —providing means for electronic control of the speed and orientation of a ground vehicle or of the speed, orientation and height of a flying vehicle; —providing a virtual enclosure training area delineated by a plurality of spaced sensors; —providing means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors; —whereby instructions received from said sensors may be used to control said means for electronic control such that movement of said vehicle is restricted to said virtual enclosure training area, and within said virtual enclosure training area, the speed and orientation of a ground vehicle or the speed, orientation and height of a flying vehicle controlled within preset parameters.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A training system for the solo operation of a powered vehicle, wherein the system includes:

providing means for electronic control of the speed and orientation of a ground vehicle or of the speed, orientation and height of a flying vehicle;

providing a virtual enclosure training area delineated by a plurality of spaced sensors;

providing means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors;

whereby instructions received from said sensors may be used to control said means for electronic control such that movement of said vehicle is restricted to said virtual enclosure training area, and within said virtual enclosure training area, the speed and orientation of a ground vehicle or the speed, orientation and height of a flying vehicle controlled within preset parameters.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein each said sensor is adapted to sense both the position and the rate of change of position of said vehicle.

22. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least two zones and said preset parameters are different for different zones.

23. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least two zones and said preset parameters are different for different zones.

24. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least three zones arranged in a concentric arrangement, with an inner zone providing the preferred training area and the outer zones providing safety areas.

25. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least three zones arranged in a concentric arrangement, with an inner zone providing the preferred training area and the outer zones providing safety areas.

26. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least three zones arranged in a concentric arrangement, with an inner zone providing the preferred training area and the outer zones providing safety areas.

27. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least three zones arranged in a concentric arrangement, with an inner zone providing the preferred training area and the outer zones providing safety areas.

28. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said virtual enclosure training area is indoors.

29. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said virtual enclosure training area is outdoors.

30. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors, includes an on board computer which is programmed to control said means for electronic control of the vehicle.

31. The system as claimed in claim 30, wherein in use the programme of said on board computer includes default settings designed to bring said vehicle to a safe position in the event of any malfunction or control error.

32. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein each sensor is a locator beacon.

33. The system as claimed in claim 32, wherein each locator beacon is designed to use ultra wideband radio frequency technology in combination with a bidirectional control/telemetry channel to monitor both the position and the rate of change of position, relative to the beacon, of a tag adapted to be secured to the vehicle whose position and speed are to be monitored, said tag being arranged in use to emit a series of ultra wideband radio pulses at time intervals controlled by the control radio channel.

34. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said vehicle is a ground vehicle, and said means for electronic control of the orientation of said vehicle includes a gyroscope.

35. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said vehicle is a flying vehicle and said means for electronic control of the orientation of said vehicle includes an attitude sensor.

36. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said virtual enclosure training area provides at least three zones arranged in a concentric arrangement, with an inner zone providing the preferred training area and the outer zones providing safety areas;

said means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors, includes an on board computer which is programmed to control said means for electronic control of the vehicle;

each sensor is a locator beacon; and

said vehicle is a flying vehicle and said means for electronic control of the orientation of said vehicle includes an attitude sensor.

37. Apparatus for implementing the system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said apparatus includes:

means for electronic control of the speed and orientation of a ground vehicle or of the speed, orientation and height of a flying vehicle;

a plurality of spaced sensors arranged to delineate a virtual enclosure training area;

means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors.

38. The apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein said means associated with said vehicle for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors, includes an on board computer which is programmed to control said means for electronic control of the vehicle.

39. The apparatus as claimed in claim 37 or claim 38, wherein each sensor provides a wireless 3-D location system and is selected from the group consisting of:

a GPS beacon, a radio-frequency identification sensor, an ultrasonics sensor, a radar beacon, an ultra wideband sensor.

40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 37 or claim 38, wherein each sensor is a locator beacon which is designed to use ultra wideband radio frequency technology in combination with a bidirectional control/telemetry channel to monitor both position and the rate of change position, relative to the beacon, of a tag adapted to be secured to the vehicle whose position and speed are to be monitored, said tag being arranged in use to emit a series of ultra wideband radio pulses at time intervals controlled by the control radio channel.

41. The combination of a Martin Jetpack and apparatus for implementing the system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of spaced sensors arranged to delineate a virtual enclosure training area, and wherein the Martin Jetpack is provided with:

controls for controlling the pitch, roll, yaw, and throttle of said Jetpack, said controls being manually controllable by the pilot of the Jetpack and also being electronically controllable by an on board computer;

means for communicating with, and receiving instructions from, each of said sensors;

an attitude sensor capable of measuring pitch, roll and yaw, said attitude sensor being connected to the on board computer.

42. The combination as claimed in claim 41, wherein each sensor is a locator beacon designed to use ultra wideband radio frequency technology in combination with a bidirectional control/tell entry channel to monitor both position and rate of change position, relative to the beacon, of a tag secured to the Martin Jetpack, said tag being arranged in use to emit a series of ultra wideband radio pulses at time intervals controlled by the control radio channel.

43. The combination as claimed in claim 41 or claim 42, further including a further independent set of controls for controlling the pitch, roll, yaw and throttle of said jetpack, said controls being adapted to be controlled by an instructor, such that both the manual controls and the controls of the onboard computer can be over-ridden by said independent controls.