Claims
- 1. In a muscle exercise and diagnostic system having a shaft for defining a fixed axis of rotation and body interface means for coupling motion of a body to the shaft so that the shaft rotates in response to motion of the body, a motion controller comprising:
- velocity selecting means for selecting a desired velocity;
- position sensing means for detecting a current rotational position of the shaft and for providing a current position indicating signal in response thereto;
- position predicting means, coupled to the velocity selecting means and to the position sensing means, for predicting a first subsequent rotational position of the shaft based on the selected velocity and the current rotational position of the shaft; and
- motion controlling means, coupled to the shaft and to the position sensing means, for controlling the rotation of the shaft in response to the position indicating signal and the first predicted position.
- 2. The motion controller according to claim 1 wherein the motion controlling means comprises shaft rotating means, coupled to the shaft and to the position sensing means, for providing rotation of the shaft so that a first actual subsequent rotational position of the shaft substantially matches the first predicted subsequent rotational position.
- 3. The motion controller according to claim 2 wherein the shaft rotating means comprises:
- position comparing means, coupled to the position predicting means and to the position sensing means, for comparing the first predicted rotational position to the first actual subsequent rotational position; and
- rotation adjusting means, coupled to the position comparing means and to the shaft, for adjusting a rotational velocity of the shaft when the first actual subsequent rotational position does not substantially match the first predicted subsequent rotational position.
- 4. The motion controller according to claim 3 wherein the position predicting means predicts a second subsequent rotational position of the shaft based on the selected velocity and the first actual subsequent rotational position, and wherein the rotation adjusting means adjusts the rotational velocity of the shaft when the first actual subsequent rotational position does not substantially match the first predicted position so that a second actual subsequent rotational position substantially matches the second predicted subsequent rotational position.
- 5. The motion controller according to claim 1 further comprising:
- torque sensing means, coupled to the shaft, for sensing the amount of torque applied to the shaft and for providing a torque indicating signal in response thereto; and
- wherein the motion controlling means comprises constant torque means, coupled to the shaft and to the torque sensing means, for providing rotation of the shaft at a constant torque.
- 6. The motion controller according to claim 5 wherein the constant torque means comprises:
- torque selecting means for selecting a torque limit;
- torque comparing means, coupled to the torque selecting means and to the torque sensing means, for comparing the selected torque to the sensed torque; and
- rotation adjusting means, coupled to the torque comparing means and to the shaft, for adjusting a rotational velocity of the shaft when the sensed torque is outside the torque limit.
- 7. The motion controller according to claim 6 wherein the rotation adjusting means provides for increased rotational velocity of the shaft when the sensed torque is outside the torque limit.
- 8. The motion controller according to claim 4 further comprising:
- torque sensing means, coupled to the shaft, for sensing the amount of torque applied to the shaft and for providing a torque indicating signal in response thereto; and
- wherein the motion controlling means comprises constant torque means, coupled to the shaft and to the torque sensing means, for providing rotation of the shaft at a constant torque.
- 9. The motion controller according to claim 8 wherein the constant torque means comprises:
- torque selecting means for selecting a torque limit;
- torque comparing means, coupled to the torque selecting means and to the torque sensing means, for comparing the selected torque to the sensed torque; and
- wherein the constant torque means provides rotation of the shaft within the torque limit.
- 10. The motion controller according to claim 9 wherein the constant torque means is coupled to the rotation adjusting means and provides for increased rotational velocity of the shaft when the sensed torque is outside the torque limit.
- 11. The motion controller according to claim 10 wherein the motion controlling means further comprises:
- a motor coupled to the shaft; and
- motor drive means, coupled to the motor and to the rotation adjusting means, for selectively rotating the shaft in response to the rotation adjusting means.
- 12. The motion controller according to claim 11 wherein the motor drive means supplies current to the motor so that the motor rotates the shaft in response to the amount of current supplied.
- 13. The motion controller according to claim 12 wherein the position comparing means calculates a difference value representing a difference between the first predicted subsequent rotational position and the first actual subsequent rotational position, and wherein the rotation adjusting means provides a current command to the motor drive means based on the difference value, so that the motor drive means supplies current to the motor in response to the difference value.
- 14. The motion controller according to claim 1 wherein the motion controlling means comprises:
- range selecting means for selecting a range of motion for the body interface means; and
- range limiting means, coupled to the range selecting means and to the shaft, for controlling rotation of the shaft so that movement of the body interface means is limited to the selected range of motion.
- 15. The motion controller according to claim 14 wherein the range limiting means comprises:
- clockwise stop setting means, coupled to the range selecting means, for setting a clockwise stop position;
- counterclockwise stop setting means, coupled to the range selecting means, for setting a counterclockwise stop position; and
- wherein the range limiting means limits rotation of the shaft to positions between the clockwise and counterclockwise stop positions.
- 16. The motion controller according to claim 15 wherein the motion controlling means further comprises soft stop means for limiting a rotational velocity of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in close proximity to the clockwise and counterclockwise stop positions.
- 17. The motion controller according to claim 16 wherein the soft stop means gradually decreases the rotational velocity of the shaft as the shaft moves closer to the clockwise and counterclockwise stop positions.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/472,399 filed Jan. 31, 1990, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4889108 |
Bond et al. |
Dec 1989 |
|
4934694 |
McIntosh |
Jun 1990 |
|
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
472399 |
Jan 1990 |
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