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US 6,270,350 B1Granted
Reconfigurable hardware interface for vehicle driving simulators using a field-programmable gate array
AssigneeI-Sim Corporation
InventorCharles A. Christopher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reconfigurable hardware interface for driving simulators that uses a field programmable gate array for interfacing with driving controls and instruments. The field programmable gate array is interposed between the input/output of the computer system of the driving simulator and the vehicle cab of the driving simulator. This provides convenience in quickly adapting a driving simulator to a particular type of cab and controls, as well as other functions.
Claims50
A vehicle driving simulator comprising:
- at least one computer system having at least one input/output port;
- a driving simulation software program executable on said computer system, said software program recognizing a set of standard input signals, at least one of which corresponds to a particular operator-initiated control action, said software program also generating a set of standard output signals, at least one of which corresponds to a particular vehicle operational parameter, said standard input signals receivable by said input/output port, and said standard output signals transmittable from said input/output port;
- a vehicle cab having electrical circuitry which includes a plurality of controls, at least one of which provides a cab-specific electrical signal in response to an operator-initiated control action, and a plurality of instruments, at least one of which requires a cab-specific electrical input for its operation;
- a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) interposed between said input/output port and the electrical circuitry of said vehicle cab, said FPGA converting the cab-specific electrical signals to said set of standard input signals, and also converting said set of standard output signals to said set of cab-specific electrical inputs.
1 more element
A driving simulator comprising:
- at least one computer system having at least one input port;
- a driving simulation software program executable on said computer system, said software program recognizing a set of standard input signals, at least one of which corresponds to a particular operator-initiated control action, said standard input signals receivable by said port;
- a vehicle cab having electrical circuitry which includes a plurality of controls, at least one of which provides a cab-specific electrical signal in response to an operator-initiated control action;
- and
- a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) interposed between said port and the electrical circuitry of said vehicle cab, said FPGA converting the cab-specific electrical signals to said set of standard input signals.
2 more elements
A driving simulator comprising:
- at least one computer system having at least one output port;
- a driving simulation software program executable on said computer system, said software program generating a set of standard output signals, at least one of which corresponds to a particular vehicle operational parameter, said standard output signals transmittable by said port;
- a vehicle cab having electrical circuitry which includes a plurality of instruments, at least one of which requires a cab-specific electrical input for its operation;
- and
- a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) interposed between said port and the electrical circuitry of said vehicle cab, said FPGA converting said set of standard output signals to said wet of cab-specific electrical inputs.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.