Remotely piloted vehicle control and interface system

Abstract

A remotely piloted vehicle control and interface system is provided. A penal computer equipped with an RS232 serial communication port passes an ASCII character(s) as a serial data stream. A shift register device converts the serial data stream to a parallel data character and continuously generates a status signal indicating one of the presence or absence of the parallel data character. A central processing unit, responsive to the status signal, compares the parallel data character with a set of valid control characters to generate a control signal when a match occurs therebetween. A transmitter, responsive to the control signal, transmits a radio frequency control signal to the remotely piloted vehicle.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A remotely piloted vehicle control and interface system, comprising: a computer having a keyboard and a serial communication port, wherein the keyboard receives a user entered command and generates a character in response thereto, and wherein said computer generates a serial data stream at said serial communication port indicative of the keyboard generated character;   means for converting the serial data stream to a parallel data character;   data processing means comparing the parallel data character with a set of valid control characters for generating a control signal when the parallel data character matches one character from the set of valid control characters; and   transmitter means responsive to the control signal for transmitting a radio frequency control signal to the remotely piloted vehicle.   
     
     
       2. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for converting the serial data stream to transistor-transistor logic (TTL) levels interpretable by said data processing means. 
     
     
       3. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for conditioning the control signal generated by said central processing unit to a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) level interpretable by said transmitter, 
     
     
       4. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying the keyboard generated character to the user. 
     
     
       5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said means for converting comprises: a shift register; and   means for clocking the serial data through said shift register.   
     
     
       6. A remotely piloted vehicle control and interface system, comprising: a computer having a serial communication port to pass a character thereover, wherein said computer generates a serial data stream at said serial communication port indicative of the character;   shift register means for converting the serial data stream to a parallel data character, said shift register means continuously generating a status signal indicating one of the presence or absence of the parallel data character;   data processing means, responsive to the status signal indicating the presence of the parallel data character for comparing the parallel data character with a set of valid control characters and for generating a control signal when the parallel data character matches one character from the set of valid control characters; and   transmitter means responsive to the control signal for transmitting a radio frequency control signal to the remotely piloted vehicle.   
     
     
       7. A system as in claim 6 wherein said data processing means polls said shift register means for the status signal indicating the presence of the parallel data character. 
     
     
       8. A system as in claim 6 wherein said data processing means is interrupt driven by the status signal indicating the presence of the parallel data character. 
     
     
       9. A system as in claim 6 wherein said shift register means comprises: a universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter; and   means for clocking the serial data through said universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter,   
     
     
       10. A system as in claim 6 further comprising means for converting the serial data stream to transistor-transistor logic (TTL) levels interpretable by said central processing unit. 
     
     
       11. A system as in claim 6 further comprising means for conditioning the control signal generated by said central processing unit to a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) level interpretable by said transmitter. 
     
     
       12. In a remote control system having a transmitter through which command signals are radiated to a movable body in response to generation of serial data by a keyboard operated computer; interface means for operatively connecting the computer to the transmitter, including: converter means coupled to the keyboard operated computer for conversion of the serial data to a parallel format while continuously generating data status signals for processing the command processor means rendered operative by said data status signals for processing the converted serial data in said parallel format into the command signals supplied to the transmitter, and means conducting the converted serial data along plural paths to the command processor means for said processing by comparison with valid control characters.