Semi-Automatic Control of a Joystick for Dozer Blade Control

A system for controlling a joystick, wherein a first translation of the joystick controls a first degree of freedom of an implement operably coupled to a vehicle body, and wherein a second translation of the joystick controls a second degree of freedom of the implement, the system comprising:

• at least one measurement unit mounted on at least one of the vehicle body or the implement, wherein the at least one measurement unit is configured to generate at least one plurality of measurements;
• a proximity sensor configured to:
• in response to not detecting at least a portion of an object selected from the group consisting of a hand, a wrist, and a forearm, generate a first object detection signal;
• and
• in response to detecting at least a portion of an object selected from the group consisting of a hand, a wrist, and a forearm, generate a second object detection signal;
• a computational system configured to:
• receive the at least one plurality of measurements;
• calculate, based at least in part on the at least one plurality of measurements, an estimated value of the first degree of freedom;
• calculate, based at least in part on the estimated value of the first degree of freedom and a reference value of the first degree of freedom, an error signal corresponding to the first degree of freedom;
• in response to receiving the first object detection signal, calculate, based at least in part on the error signal corresponding to the first degree of freedom, a first motor control signal;
• calculate, based at least in part on the at least one plurality of measurements, an estimated value of the second degree of freedom;
• calculate, based at least in part on the estimated value of the second degree of freedom and a reference value of the second degree of freedom, an error signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom;
• and
• calculate, based at least in part on the error signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom, a display control signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom;
• a motor driver configured to:
• in response to receiving the first motor control signal, generate a first motor drive signal;
• a mechanical linkage operably coupled to the joystick;
• an electrical motor operably coupled to the mechanical linkage, wherein the electrical motor is configured to:
• in response to receiving the first motor drive signal, automatically control the mechanical linkage to translate along a first automatically-controlled mechanical linkage trajectory and automatically control the joystick to translate along a first automatically-controlled joystick trajectory corresponding to the first automatically-controlled mechanical linkage trajectory, wherein a translation speed of the joystick has a first maximum value;
• a display driver configured to:
• in response to receiving the display control signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom, generate a display drive signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom;
• and
• an indicator display configured to:
• in response to receiving the display drive signal corresponding to the second degree of freedom, display a graphical representation of a difference between the estimated value of the second degree of freedom and the reference value of the second degree of freedom.