Abstract:
A joystick device having a grip assembly pivotably connected to a base assembly. The base assembly having sensing elements that detect the movement of the grip assembly as it pivots about the base assembly. Disposed within the base assembly and the sensing elements is a microprocessor. The microprocessor verifies an output signal prior to transmitting to a remote controller.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/605,466, filed Aug. 30, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to control devices and, more specifically, joystick devices for controlling heavy machinery.  
         [0003]     It is not uncommon for a piece of heavy machinery to be controlled by a joystick device. In such an arrangement, an operator grasps the joystick device and uses the device to steer the machine or perform other functions. Additionally, the joystick device may contain input buttons that allow the operator to control other functions of the machine. For example, in a lift truck, the joystick device may contain input buttons to allow the operator to control the movement and positioning of the lift arms.  
         [0004]     The disadvantage of these joystick devices is that they require a plurality of electrical connections. Each of the input sources, including any input buttons and the grip itself, require electrical connections. Typically, each input requires power and ground connections to supply power as well as a data connection for sending an output signal to a remotely located main controller. As a result, conventional joystick devices typically employ many wires and cables, which tend to be bulky and compromise space.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,562 to Brandt et al. discloses a joystick controller that pivots from side to side and from front to back. In addition, the Brandt et al. device has a plurality of input buttons that control other functions of the vehicle, such as the turn signals, horn, and specific movements of the lift arms. All of these input buttons are electronically connected to a microprocessor disposed within the grip. The microprocessor combines all of these inputs and sends a single serial communication signal to a remotely located main controller that controls and drives the lift truck or other heavy machinery.  
         [0006]     As described above there are many types of manufactured joysticks. Of current joystick devices, some utilizes two hall effect sensors per axis to create redundant sensing. However, to date the information from these redundant sensors is processed remotely from the joystick itself. This remote processing is disadvantageous where the electronic device is susceptible to failures. In the case of failure the device can either send out a signal that indicates an error or it can send out a false or bad signal that is within the normal expected operating range. This second type of signal presents a problem to the system in which the electronic device is being used because the system cannot distinguish if the signal is actually being commanded by the system or if it is a false signal. In the case of an electronic joystick used in conjunction with a remotely located micro controller and a vehicle as part of a system, the consequences of this type of failure (when the joystick fails and sends out a false or bad signal that is within the operating range, but is not the signal that is being commanded) result in an unsafe condition. Thus there exists a need in the art for a joystick that prevents this type of failure which creates unsafe conditions.  
         [0007]     It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a joystick device that uses redundant sensors and an onboard microprocessor to determine if a failure of the device has occurred.  
         [0008]     A further object of this invention is to provide a joystick device that has the ability to safely discontinue the joystick&#39;s function.  
         [0009]     Another object of this invention is to provide a joystick device that has the ability to continue to operate the joystick and send out an error message to indicate that the signal is no longer verifiable.  
         [0010]     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     A joystick device having a grip assembly pivotably connected to a base assembly. The base assembly having sensing elements that detect the movement of the grip assembly as it pivots about the base assembly. Disposed within the base assembly and the sensing elements is a microprocessor. The microprocessor verifies an output signal prior to transmitting to a remote controller. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the joystick device of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the joystick device of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the joystick device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , a joystick device  10  is disclosed and includes a grip assembly  12  that is pivotally connected to a base assembly  14 . The grip assembly  12  has a shape that accommodates an operator&#39;s hand according to the specific application.  
         [0016]     The grip assembly  12  includes one or more input buttons  16  for use in controlling specific functions. The input buttons  16  are preferably digital inputs. Alternatively, the input may be proportional or analog inputs  17 .  
         [0017]     A microprocessor  18  is disposed within the grip assembly  12 . The microprocessor  18  is in electronic communication with input buttons  16  and interconnect device  20 . The microprocessor  18  receives signals from the input buttons  16  and outputs a single serial communication stream to the interconnect device  20 . The serial communication stream is of a standard architecture, such as RS232 or CAN, but may include any custom designed scheme.  
         [0018]     The grip assembly  12  is pivotally connected to the base assembly  14  via a flexible portion  22 . The flexible portion  22  allows the grip assembly  12  to pivot front to back and side to side with respect to the base assembly  14 .  
         [0019]     The base assembly  14  includes a mounting plate  24  which permits the joystick device  10  to be secured to any location desired by the operator.  
         [0020]     Sensing elements  26  are disposed within the base assembly  14 . Sensing elements  26  detect movement of the grip assembly  12  as it pivots about the base assembly  14 .  
         [0021]     A microprocessor  28  is disposed within the base assembly  14 . The microprocessor  28  is in electronic communication with the grip microprocessor  18  via the interconnect device  20 , the sensing elements  26 , and a remotely located main controller (not shown). The microprocessor  28  transmits a single serial communication stream to the remotely located main controller, which is used to drive control actuators (not shown) and other devices that control the function of the heavy machinery. The serial communication stream is of a standard architecture, such as RS232 or CAN, but may include any custom designed scheme.  
         [0022]     An external interconnect device  30  is located on the base assembly  14  and is in electronic communication with the base microprocessor  28  and the remotely located main controller. Specifically, a cable (not shown) engages with the external interconnect device  30  and connects the joystick device  10  to the remotely located main controller.  
         [0023]     The plurality of microprocessors are in electrical communication with all of the input buttons and sensing elements, to permit a single serial communication stream to be transferred from the joystick device to the remotely located main controller.  
         [0024]     Preferably, two Hall effect sensors  26  are used for a given axis of rotation. Each sensor  26  is located in close proximity to a magnet. The sensors  26  measure the change in the magnetic field as the joystick  10  is pivoted around its center. One sensor measures the change in the magnetic field about a particular axis. The other measures the change in the magnetic field about the same axis, 180 degrees from the first.  
         [0025]     By the nature of the geometry of the magnetic field, the output of the two sensors is opposite. If the first Hall effect sensor measures a change in the field that yields an increasing output, then the second sensor will measure a change in the field that yields a decreasing output. For example, it is typical that when used in a joystick the output from the sensor is set to 50% of the supply voltage or 2.5 volts for a 5 volt supply. The Hall effect sensors output will increase, proportionally, as the joystick  10  is rotated about the axis on which the sensor is positioned. So as the joystick  10  is rotated clockwise the output from the sensor would increase from 50% of the supply voltage to 51% to 52% and up to 100% of the supply voltage (depending on the settings applied to the sensor and the amount of rotation). The second sensor senses the same magnetic field from the opposite side of the magnet, so it sees a decreasing output. As the joystick  10  is rotated in the same clockwise direction the sensor&#39;s output would decrease from 50% of supply voltage to 49% to 48% and down to 0% of the supply voltage (depending on the settings applied to the sensor and the amount of rotation).  
         [0026]     The two sensors  26  are both electronically connected to a microprocessor  28  that is mounted in the joystick  10 . The microprocessor  28  compares the output from the (2) Hall effect sensors to assure that both signals are within a similar range. As long as this is found to be true, the joystick operates normally. If the processor  28  detects an inconsistency in its reading then the joystick  10  is put into a safe electrical state, that is the output from the joystick locked at electrical neutral.  
         [0027]     The onboard microprocessor  28  can also be programmed to intelligently determine if a failure requires the joystick  10  to shut completely down, or if operation of the joystick  10  can reasonably continue. The software algorithm can check and compare if the (2) Hall effect sensors are within a normal operating range. If one sensor (sensor A in this case) is in a normal range and the other (sensor B) is outside its range it is possible for the joystick to operate based on the inputs from sensor A. The microprocessor  28  could then send out a valid signal and a warning or error to indicate that the signal has not been verified.  
         [0028]     The algorithm described below processes the information from the redundant sensors  26 . The signal from the sensor  26  must have opposite slopes. When the Primary sensor signal goes from high to low the Secondary sensor signal goes from low to high. The algorithm described below will apply to both the X and Y axis.  
         [0029]     When the joystick  10  is operating: the algorithm will add the input from both of the redundant sensors  26 , which should give close to a constant Sum. The Sum is compared with a given value to check if the Sum is within a valid area. A certain deviation of the sum is allowed. If the Sum drops out of valid limits then a signal is sent on the CAN bus within the normal message, also a DM1 message is sent.  
         [0030]     Chart 1 shows how the sum will look when the sensor inputs are correct (nominal). The Primary and Secondary sensor inputs indicate that there can be some non-linearity on the sensor signals. 
         
 
         [0031]     Chart 1: Sensors with Nominal Output  
         [0032]     During calibration: a description of how the calibration routine will calculate the sum and the limits of the sum follows below:  
                                                                                 Example                       (values           Action   Do (internal   taken from       #   (operator)   joystick)   Chart 1)   Remark                                1   Move lever   Measure Primary   Primary = 4   Measured at           to full   and secondary   Sec = 1   point 2 and 3           right   sensor and store   Sum = 5               in EEPROM.               Calculate sum.       2   Move lever   Measure Primary   Primary = 1   Measured at           to full   and secondary   Sec = 4   point 1 and 4           left   sensor and store   Sum = 5               in EEPROM.               Calculate sum.       3       Calculate the   Valid area   +− x, x V =               limits of which   of Sum is =   Use values               the sum must be   Sum+− x, x V   from earlier               within.       experience.                       The limits                       (+−) must be                       large enough                       to avoid                       generating                       faults due to                       non linearity                       of the sensor                       output.                  
 
         [0033]     The valid area of the Sum is shown in Chart 1. When the joystick is operating, then for each sample/measurement of the hall sensors, the input will be compared with the valid area of the Sum.  
         [0034]     Where the sensors signals are off the normal values: in the Chart 2 it is assumed that the input values from the hall sensors are as follows:  
                                                               Primary       Secondary                   sensor       sensor       Resulting sum           Max   min   Max   Min   span                           4, 5   0, 5   3, 5   1, 5   Max span                      
 
         [0035]    
               
     
         [0036]     Chart 2: Maximum Difference on End Points of the Sensor Input  
         [0037]     Even with sensor values that are far from the normal output, the algorithm will detect if one of the sensors fails. An error, on the signal, must be of a certain magnitude before the limits are exceeded (the sensitivity of the algorithm).  
         [0038]     The limits must be set in a way that the algorithm does not generate “unwanted” errors, e.g., the non linearity of the sensors must be included in the limits. These limits must be set widely in the beginning and then slowly minimized, as experience is obtained.  
         [0039]     If the hall sensors  26  are very non-linear, then the calibration routine, for the redundant sensor algorithm, must be extended to include more calibration points than only the end-points. See Chart 3, below. 
         
 
         [0040]     Chart 3: Limits of Sum where Neutral Position is Included in the Algorithm.  
         [0041]     Chart 4 shows an example where the neutral position value has an offset and the limits of the Sum is not based on the neutral position. This will lead to “unwanted” error. If the non-linearity is known then the limits can be set accordingly. If the non-linearity is not known, as mentioned above, the algorithm must take the neutral position into the calculation of the Sum limits. 
         
 
         [0042]     Chart 4: Offset on Neutral Signal  
         [0043]     In operation, the joystick device  10  is mounted within reach of an operator and is used to control the movement of heavy machinery and the like. The operator grasps the joystick device  10  and affects the movement of the heavy machinery depending upon the operator&#39;s inputs. As desired, the operator triggers one or more of the input buttons  16  and  17 , which send data signals to the grip microprocessor  18 . The grip microprocessor  18  transfers the signals from the input buttons  16  as a single serial communication stream to the base microprocessor  28  via the interconnect device  20 . Also as desired, the operator pivots the grip assembly  12  with respect to the base assembly  14 , thereby triggering output signals from the sensing elements  26 . The base microprocessor  28  receives the signals from the sensing elements  26  as well as the serial communication stream from the grip microprocessor  18  via the interconnect device  20  for processing an output signal based on the criteria previously described. The base microprocessor  28  transmits a single serial communication stream to the remotely located main controller via the external interconnect device  30  and associated cables. Based upon the operator&#39;s manipulation of the joystick device  10 , the main controller controls and drives control actuators (not shown) and other devices that control the heavy machinery.  
         [0044]     It should be noted that the joystick device  10  may be operated without the grip microprocessor  18 . In this arrangement, the input buttons  16  are connected directly to the base microprocessor  28 , which receives inputs from the input buttons  16  and sensing elements  26  and transmits a single serial communication stream to the remotely located main controller, which drives control actuators (not shown) and other devices that control the heavy machinery.  
         [0045]     Additionally, the base microprocessor  28  may directly drive the control actuators (not shown) and other devices that control the heavy machinery. In this arrangement, the base microprocessor  28  transmits an output signal directly to the control actuators and other devices that control the heavy machinery.  
         [0046]     Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a joystick device that uses redundant sensors and an onboard microprocessor to determine if a failure of the device has occurred. Additionally, the present invention provides a joystick device that has the ability to safely discontinue the joystick&#39;s function. Finally, the present invention provides a joystick device that has the ability to continue to operate the joystick and send out an error message to indicate that the signal is no longer verifiable.