Granted Patent B2

US 8,200,375 · App. 12/029,470 · Granted Jun 12, 2012

Abstract

Claims (17)

1. A radio controlled (RC) helicopter system comprising:

an RC helicopter, wherein the RC helicopter includes:

a receiver that is coupled to receive an 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, that generates motion data based on the motion of the RC helicopter;

a processing module, coupled to the motion sensing module and the receiver, that transforms the command data into control data, based on the motion data, and in accordance with a second coordinate system, wherein the second coordinate system is from a perspective of the RC helicopter, and wherein the control data commands the RC helicopter from the perspective of a user, independent of a yaw-orientation of the RC helicopter; and

a plurality of control devices, coupled to the processing module, that control the motion of the RC helicopter based on the control data;

a remote control device, in wireless communication with the RC helicopter, that includes a plurality of spring-loaded interface devices, each of the plurality of spring loaded interface devices having a return position that is returned to when no force is applied, wherein the remote control device generates the RF signal and command data that commands the RC helicopter to substantially a hovering state when no force is applied to each of the plurality of spring-loaded interface devices.

2. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the command data includes roll-axis command data and pitch-axis command data, the control data includes roll-axis control data and wherein the processor generates the roll-axis control data based on the roll-axis command data and pitch-axis command data.

3. The RC helicopter of claim 2 wherein the motion data includes yaw-axis motion data and the processor generates the roll-axis control data as a function of the roll-axis command data, pitch-axis command data and the yaw-axis motion data.

4. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the command data includes roll-axis command data and pitch-axis command data, the control data includes pitch-axis control data and wherein the processor generates the pitch-axis control data based on the roll-axis command data and pitch-axis command data.

5. The RC helicopter of claim 4 wherein the motion data includes yaw-axis motion data and the processor generates the pitch-axis control data as a function of the roll-axis command data, pitch-axis command data and the yaw-axis motion data.

6. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the RF signal includes mode data, wherein the processing module transforms the command data into control data in accordance with a second coordinate system when the mode data has a first value, and wherein the processing module generates the control data as proportional to the command data when the mode data has a second value.

7. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the command data includes lift command data and the control data includes lift control data and wherein the processing module generates the lift control data based on a weight of the RC aircraft.

8. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the command data includes yaw-velocity command data and the control data includes yaw-velocity control data and wherein the processing module generates the yaw-velocity control data as proportional to the yaw velocity command data.

9. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the command data includes launch data, the RC aircraft further comprising:

a launch module, coupled to the receiver, that launches an object from the RC aircraft in response to the launch data.

10. The RC helicopter of claim 1 wherein the object includes a parachute.

Assignments (9)