System for controlling a remote unit

• US 5,648,897 A
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Darren, Baldwin, Jeffrey, Stogner, Patrick, Eddy, Maxson
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/687,281
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 364/188-190, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.14, 318/568.2, 395/80, 395/82, 395/84, 395/88, 395/85, 395/92, 395/94, 901/2-16
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

A control system having an operator control unit and a remote unit having a plurality of motors includes a control subsystem for controlling the operator control unit and the remote unit. A communication subsystem coupled to the control subsystem exchanges information between the operator control unit and the remote unit. A user input subsystem provides user commands to the control subsystem and an actuator subsystem controls the motors in the remote unit according control signals from the control subsystem. A sensor subsystem provides sensor information at the remote unit to the control subsystem and a display subsystem displays the information from the remote unit. A power supply unit provides power to the control system.

Claims

1. A remote control system, comprising:

an unmanned vehicle;

a hand portable operator control unit for controlling said unmanned vehicle and being located apart therefrom, said control unit being packaged in a relatively small light weight suitcase sized storage unit including a bottom storage portion and a cover therefor;

a user input subsystem in said operator control unit including a plurality of liquid crystal display switches for generating user commands, said switches including a plurality of switches for sending the user commands to the unmanned vehicle, a plurality of camera control switches for sending camera commands to the unmanned vehicle,

said user input subsystem further including, switch controller for receiving the user commands, camera commands, and motor commands and sending appropriate commands to the unmanned vehicle, a vehicle speed and direction controller for controlling movements of the unmanned vehicle,

a control subsystem responsive to the commands from the user input subsystem including a first control subsystem for the operator control unit and a second control subsystem for the unmanned vehicle, the first and second control subsystems respectively including a first and a second microprocessor having means for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving information via a communication subsystem,

said first microprocessor further including means for reconfiguring selected ones of said plurality of liquid crystal display switches so as to display different legends and control different devices;

said communication subsystem including first and second communications units coupled to the first and second microprocessors for exchanging information between the portable operator control unit and the unmanned vehicle, said first communications unit further including a video subsystem including a flat liquid crystal display (LCD) video monitor located on said cover of the storage unit for displaying an area in the vicinity of the unmanned vehicle, including connections for a portable battery, coupled to means for receiving video signals from at least one video camera located on the unmanned vehicle;

an actuator subsystem in the unmanned vehicle coupled to the second microprocessor of the second control subsystem for controlling a set of vehicle drive motors in response to control signals from the control subsystem;

a sensor subsystem coupled to the first microprocessor of the first control subsystem for providing sensor information generated at the unmanned vehicle to the control subsystem;

a feedback display subsystem including a liquid crystal display (LCD) status display located in said bottom storage portion of the storage unit and a controller coupled to the control subsystem for displaying said sensor information on said status display; and

,

a power supply unit for providing power to the control system and including said portable battery.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit comprises:

a data link for sending and receiving the information from the remote unit, the information including video and audio signals; and

an audio unit coupled to the data link for sending and receiving audio signals from the remote unit.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the data link is one of a fiber optic transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, and a hardwire transceiver.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the second communication unit comprises:

a data link for sending and receiving the information from the operator control unit, the information including video and audio signals;

a video unit coupled to the data link for sending and receiving the video signals from the operator control unit; and

an audio unit coupled to the data link for sending and receiving audio signals from the operator control unit.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the data link is one of a fiber optic transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, and a hardwire transceiver.

6. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the video unit includes:

a video switch coupled to the data link and receiving commands from the first control subsystem; and

wherein said at least one video camera comprises a plurality of cameras coupled to the video switch and receiving camera commands from the first control subsystem.

7. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the audio unit includes connections for a microphone and a speaker.

8. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the camera control switches control camera positions at the remote unit and additional camera controls including zoom, iris, and focus lens.

9. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle speed and direction controller includes a joystick.

10. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator subsystem comprises a relay unit for transferring the user commands from the control subsystem to various functions of the remote unit.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the various functions include lights, video switch, pan and tilt unit for cameras, and camera functions including zoom, iris, and focus lens.

12. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor subsystem comprises an analog input unit for receiving inputs from various status sensors.

13. The control system according to claim 12, wherein the status sensors include position sensors for sensing positions of movable parts on the remote unit, distance meters for sensing a distance between an object and the remote unit, and battery voltmeters and condition sensors.

14. The control system according to claim 12, wherein the status sensors include a tachometer and a chronometer on the remote unit.

15. The control system according to claim 12, wherein the status sensors include a thermometer to sense temperature at the remote unit.

16. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises a mobile ground vehicle.

17. The remote control system according to claim 1 wherein said video monitor comprises a color LCD monitor.

18. A remote control system, comprising:

an unmanned vehicle having a manipulator located thereon;

a hand portable operator control unit for controlling said unmanned vehicle and said manipulator and being located apart therefrom, said control unit being packaged in a relatively small, light weight suitcase sized storage unit including a bottom storage portion and a cover thereof;

a user input subsystem in said operator control unit including a plurality of liquid crystal display switches for generating user commands, said switches including a plurality of switches for sending the user commands to the unmanned vehicle, a plurality of camera control switches for sending camera commands to the unmanned vehicle, a plurality of manipulator switches for sending motor commands to the unmanned vehicle,

said user input subsystem further including, switch controller for receiving the user commands, camera commands, and the motor commands and sending appropriate commands to the unmanned vehicle, a vehicle speed and direction controller for controlling movements of the unmanned vehicle, and a manipulator controller for controlling movements of said manipulator;

a control subsystem responsive to the commands from the user input subsystem including a first control subsystem for the operator control unit and a second control subsystem for the unmanned vehicle, the first and second control subsystems respectively including a first and a second microprocessor having means for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving information via a communication subsystem,

said first microprocessor further including means for reconfiguring selected ones of said plurality of liquid crystal display switches so as to display different legends and control different devices;

said communication subsystem including first and second communications units coupled to the first and second microprocessors for exchanging information between the portable operator control unit and the unmanned vehicle, said first communications unit further including a video subsystem including a flat liquid crystal display (LCD) video monitor located on said cover of the storage unit for displaying an area in the vicinity of the unmanned vehicle, including connections for a portable battery, coupled to means for receiving video signals from at least one video camera located on the unmanned vehicle;

an actuator subsystem in the unmanned vehicle coupled to the second microprocessor of the second control subsystem for controlling a set of vehicle drive motors and a set of manipulator drive motors in response to control signals from the control subsystem;

a sensor subsystem coupled to the first microprocessor of the first control subsystem for providing sensor information generated at the unmanned vehicle to the control subsystem;

a feedback display subsystem including a liquid crystal display (LCD) status display located in said bottom storage portion of the storage unit and a controller coupled to the control subsystem for displaying said sensor information on said status display; and

,

a power supply unit for providing power to the control system and including said portable battery.

19. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the manipulator controller includes a joystick.

20. The remote control system according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of manipulator switches are mounted on a manipulator joystick located on the storage unit.

21. The remote control system according to claim 20 wherein said manipulator joystick is located in said bottom storage portion of said storage unit.

22. The remote control system according to claim 21 wherein said manipulator joystick is removable from said storage unit for use as a walk-behind controller.

23. The remote control system according to claim 18 wherein said unmanned vehicle comprises a mobile ground vehicle.

24. The remote control system according to claim 18 wherein said video monitor comprises a color LCD monitor.