RC Aircraft Control with Perspective-Aligned Coordinate Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radio controlled toys, such as airplanes and helicopters, are difficult to control due to the need for users to consider the aircraft's perspective, requiring great skill and simpler controls are needed to enable operation by users with less training or skill.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a remote control system that transforms command data from a user coordinate system to an aircraft coordinate system, allowing for easier operation by aligning controls with the user's perspective, using equations to convert pitch and roll axis commands into corresponding control data for the aircraft, regardless of its orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional radio control systems are used that send commands from user coordinate system to aircraft coordinate system, then the aircraft can be controlled, but the operation becomes difficult and requires great skill due to the need to consider aircraft perspective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional coordinate transformation approach by transforming commands from aircraft coordinate system to user coordinate system rather than the conventional user-to-aircraft transformation. This inversion allows the control system to interpret user inputs directly in the user's perspective frame of reference, eliminating the need for users to mentally rotate or transform commands based on aircraft orientation, thereby significantly improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary coordinate transformation system that acts as a mediator between user inputs and aircraft control responses. This intermediary layer performs the coordinate system transformations and calculations, shielding the user from the complexity of three-dimensional spatial relationships and aircraft perspective considerations, thus reducing the perceived device complexity for the operator.
2Ease of operation
If coordinate transformation is implemented to simplify user control, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to additional transformation logic
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs self-service by automatically executing coordinate transformations without requiring user intervention or awareness. The system autonomously handles the complex mathematical transformations between coordinate systems, using the aircraft's known orientation data to compute the appropriate transformation matrices and apply them to user commands, thereby masking the underlying complexity from the user while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the parameter representation by switching between different coordinate system representations based on aircraft orientation. The system adjusts the transformation parameters in real-time according to the aircraft's roll, pitch, and yaw angles, allowing the same physical control input to have different mathematical interpretations depending on aircraft state, thus maintaining user-friendly control across all flight conditions without exposing the complexity of these parameter changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio controlled (RC) vehicle includes a receiver that is coupled to receive an RF signal from a remote control device, the RF signal containing command data in accordance with a first coordinate system, wherein the first coordinate system is from a perspective of the remote control device. A motion sensing module generates motion data based on the motion of the RC vehicle. A processing module transforms the command data into control data in accordance with a second coordinate system, wherein the second coordinate system is from a perspective of the RC vehicle. A plurality of control devices control the motion of the RC vehicle based on the control data.