초록 ▼

A control system for controlling the movement of a system such as a hydraulic servo controlled gimbal systems. The system includes a plurality of actuators and sensors that sense the position of the actuators. On start up, a control system determines the present orientation of the system and compare

A control system for controlling the movement of a system such as a hydraulic servo controlled gimbal systems. The system includes a plurality of actuators and sensors that sense the position of the actuators. On start up, a control system determines the present orientation of the system and compared it to a user defined desired orientation. The system operates in a first mode on start up where the control system moves the actuators so that the system is moved form the present orientation to the desired orientation at a controlled rate. Once the desired orientation is reached, control is then passed to a user controlled device such as a joystick.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for moving a platform, the system comprising: at least one actuator coupled to the platform so as to move the platform into different orientations;at least one sensor that provides signals indicative of the present orientation of the platform;a user operable control that allows a user to

1. A system for moving a platform, the system comprising: at least one actuator coupled to the platform so as to move the platform into different orientations;at least one sensor that provides signals indicative of the present orientation of the platform;a user operable control that allows a user to move the actuator so as to change the orientation of the platform wherein the user operable control provides signals indicative of the desired orientation of the platform;a controller that receives signals from the user operable control and the at least one sensor wherein the controller induces the at least one actuator to change the orientation of platform and wherein the controller analyzes the signals from the user operable control and the sensor and when the present orientation of the platform differs from the desired orientation of the platform by less than a pre-selected threshold, the controller induces the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation at a first rate and when the present orientation of the platform differs from the desired orientation by more than the pre-selected threshold, the controller induces the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation at a second rate, less than the first rate that is selected so as to reduce the risk of damage to the movement system and articles on the platform. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator is coupled to the platform via at least one gimbal so that the at least one actuator moves the platform about an axis. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one actuator comprises four actuators that move the platform about a lift, roll, pitch and yaw axis. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a hydraulic piston with an associated valve assembly. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a transducer that senses the position of the hydraulic piston. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller, upon activation of the system determines if the present orientation of the platform differs from the desired orientation by more than the pre-selected threshold and, if so, induces the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation at the second rate. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller provides output signals to the at least one actuator to induce the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation, and wherein the output signals that are provided to the at least one actuator are indicative of the present orientation of the platform so that, in the event of a fault in the system, the platform is maintained by the at least one actuator in its present orientation. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the user operable control includes a joystick and an enable switch and wherein the controller induces the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation only when the user has manipulated the enable switch. 9. A system for moving a structure, the system comprising: at least one actuator coupled to the structure so as to move the platform into different orientations;at least one sensor that provides signals indicative of the present orientation of the structure;a user operable control that allows a user to move the actuator so as to change the orientation of the structure wherein the user operable control provides signals indicative of the desired orientation of the structure;a controller that receives signals from the user operable control and the at least one sensor wherein the controller induces the at least one actuator to change the orientation of structure and wherein the controller, upon start up, determines whether the present orientation of the structure differs from the desired orientation of the structure and, if the present orientation of the structure corresponds to the desired orientation of the structure, the controller enters a first mode of operation wherein the at least one actuator is controlled by the user operable control and if the controller determines on start up that the present orientation of the structure does not correspond to the desired orientation, the controller enters a second mode of operation wherein the controller induces the at least one actuator to move the structure towards the desired orientation at a controlled rate. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one structure comprises a gimbal with a platform. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one actuator comprises four actuators and the structure comprises four gimbals that move the platform about a lift, roll, pitch and yaw axis. 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a hydraulic piston with an associated valve assembly. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a transducer that senses the position of the hydraulic piston. 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one actuator further comprises a controllable valve that is coupled to the hydraulic piston wherein the controllable valve receives signals from the controller indicative of the present orientation of the structure. 15. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller when operating in the second mode switches operation into the first mode upon determining that the at least one actuator has moved the structure into a present orientation that corresponds to the desired orientation. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller provides output signals to the at least one actuator to induce the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation, and wherein the output signals that are provided to the at least one actuator are indicative of the present orientation of the platform so that, in the event of a fault in the system, the platform is maintained by the at least one actuator in its present orientation. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user operable control includes a joystick and an enable switch and wherein the controller induces the at least one actuator to move the platform towards the desired orientation only when the user has manipulated the enable switch. 18. A method of controlling the positioning of a structure, the method comprising: sensing the current orientation of the structure;sensing a desired orientation of the structure;moving the structure from the current orientation towards the desired orientation at a first rate when the current orientation differs from the desired orientation less than a pre-selected threshold; andmoving the structure from the current orientation towards the desired orientation at a second rate, less than the first rate when the current orientation differs from the desired orientation more than the pre-selected threshold. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining whether a system that controls the positioning of the structure is in a start up mode;upon determining that the system is in the start up mode, moving the structure from the present orientation to the desired orientation at the second rate. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: detecting whether a fault has occurred in the system that is positioning the structure;periodically providing the present orientation to the system during movement of the structure at the first or second rate;inducing the system to maintain the system at the provided present orientation when the fault has been detected. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein detecting whether a fault has occurred includes detecting whether pressure being provided to actuators that move the structure is either to high or too low. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting whether a fault has occurred includes detecting whether a user controlling the positioning of the structure has requested an emergency stop of the system. 23. A method of controlling a system that positions a structure upon start up of the system, the method comprising: sensing the current orientation of the structure;sensing a desired orientation of the structure;sensing whether the system is in a start up mode;moving the structure from the present position to the desired position in a first rate in the start up mode until the present position corresponds to the desired position;terminating the start up mode when the present position corresponds to the desired position and there after moving the moving the structure from the current orientation towards the desired orientation at a second rate, greater than the first rage in an operation mode. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: detecting whether a fault has occurred in the system that is positioning the structure;periodically providing the present orientation to the system during either the start up or operation mode;inducing the system to maintain the system at the provided present orientation when the fault has been detected. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein detecting whether a fault has occurred includes detecting whether pressure being provided to actuators that move the structure is either to high or too low. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein detecting whether a fault has occurred includes detecting whether a user controlling the positioning of the structure has requested an emergency stop of the system.