Motion Controller Segmentation for Patient Support Actuator Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient support apparatus actuators are inefficiently controlled by multiple controllers, requiring frequent and slow communication, which complicates independent development and leads to slower actuator control rates.
Innovation Solution
A control system comprising a user interface, a behavior controller, and a motion controller, where the motion controller directly controls actuators using feedback signals, bypassing the behavior controller for faster execution and allowing isolated development of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controllers are used to control actuators, then functional requirements can be met, but control speed decreases and communication latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent controllers, each capable of controlling specific actuators directly. This segmentation allows parallel control operations without requiring sequential communication between controllers, thereby maintaining high control speed while meeting diverse functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication bus serves as an intermediary that enables direct control signals to be sent from controllers to actuators without requiring frequent inter-controller communication. This intermediary structure reduces communication latency and allows controllers to operate independently.
2Reliability
If multiple controllers communicate frequently, then coordinated control is achieved, but development complexity increases and isolated development becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into independent controller modules that can be developed, tested, and maintained separately. Each controller handles specific functions without requiring tight coupling to other controllers, enabling isolated development while maintaining coordinated control through standardized communication interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Controllers are designed with universal communication capabilities that allow them to interact with any actuator or controller through standardized protocols. This universality enables coordinated control across the system while allowing each controller to be developed independently using the same interface standards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If communication between multiple controllers is used, then control functionality is expanded, but communication latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
A shared communication bus acts as an intermediary that allows controllers to send control signals directly to actuators without requiring multi-hop communication through intermediate controllers. This reduces communication latency significantly while still enabling expanded control functionality through the same bus infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication requirement is extracted from the controller-to-controller path and redirected through a dedicated controller-to-actuator path. This separation removes unnecessary communication steps and reduces latency for time-critical control operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and techniques for operating a patient support apparatus are disclosed. The patient support apparatus includes moveable components and actuators to actuate the components. A user interface receives a user input to manipulate the actuatable components and produces an input signal in response to receiving the user input. A behavior controller receives the input signal from the user interface, generates a motion command signal based on the input signal, and transmits the motion command signal. A motion controller receives the motion command signal from the behavior controller and receives feedback signals from one or more of the actuators. The feedback signals are provided solely to the motion controller. The motion controller controls one or more of the actuators to actuate one or more of the actuatable components based on the motion command signal and the feedback signals.