Perceived Jack Position Drift Compensation Method and Apparatus
AssigneeInnovative Design Solutions
InventorsRobert Ford, Shawn Haley, Mark Woloszyk, John Manfreda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A controller commands a jack drive to extend and retract a jack leg relative to a jack base along a stroke having retraction and extension limits. The controller updates a perceived present leg position value in response to position change signals from a position change sensor. The controller occasionally applies compensation factors to the perceived present leg position value in the extension direction. The controller resets the perceived present leg position value whenever the jack leg reaches the retraction limit.
Claims15
An apparatus for compensating for drift in a perceived position of a jack leg, the apparatus comprising:
- a jack including a jack base and a jack leg supported for extension and retraction relative to the jack base along a stroke having retraction and extension limits, the jack also including a jack drive operably connected to the jack leg and configured to drive the jack leg along its stroke;
- a controller connected to the jack drive and configured to command the jack drive to extend and retract the jack leg, and
- a position change sensor connected to the controller and positioned and configured to sense changes in jack leg position along the stroke and to provide corresponding jack leg position change signals to the controller, the controller being configured to track jack leg position by updating a perceived present leg position value in response to the position change signals;
- the controller being further configured to bias any leg position perception errors in a direction away from the retraction limit by occasionally applying a compensation factor to the perceived present leg position value, and to reset the perceived present leg position value whenever the jack leg reaches the retraction limit.
A method for compensating for drift in a perceived position of a jack leg, the method including the steps of:
- providing a jack including a jack base and a jack leg supported for motion relative to the jack base along a jack stroke that has retraction and extension limits;
- alternately extending and retracting the jack leg along the stroke;
- continuously updating a perceived present leg position value by sensing and tracking jack leg position as the jack leg is extending and retracting;
- biasing any leg position perception errors in the extension direction away from the retraction limit by occasionally applying a compensation factor to the perceived present leg position value in the extension direction;
- and
- resetting the perceived present leg position value whenever the jack leg reaches the actual retraction limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.