Abstract: A control system optimized for low-power operation includes an electronic valve controller for controlling a hydraulic valve and a control interface for receiving operating commands from a user and communicating the operating commands to the electronic valve controller. The control interface includes a multi-function single hand control with a plurality of position indicating elements for detecting actuation of the single hand control, a master enable associated with all of the position indicating elements, and a plurality of individual enable elements each associated with one of the position indicating elements. A controller directs operation of the control interface and is configured to sample a position indicating element only if the master enable is asserted and the corresponding individual enable element is asserted. Other aspects of the control system minimize power consumption, including fast sampling that allows the controller to spend more time in a low power mode.

Abstract: A control system optimized for low-power operation includes an electronic valve controller for controlling a hydraulic valve and a control interface for receiving operating commands from a user and communicating the operating commands to the electronic valve controller. The control interface includes a multi-function single hand control with a plurality of position indicating elements for detecting actuation of the single hand control, a master enable associated with all of the position indicating elements, and a plurality of individual enable elements each associated with one of the position indicating elements. A controller directs operation of the control interface and is configured to sample a position indicating element only if the master enable is asserted and the corresponding individual enable element is asserted. Other aspects of the control system minimize power consumption, including fast sampling that allows the controller to spend more time in a low power mode.

Abstract: A valve control system (10) for achieving proportional response using inexpensive on-off valves (16) commonly used in machine and robotic applications and other pneumatic/hydraulic systems. A proportional response is achieved from each on-off valve (16) by interposing a single continuously proportional inlet valve (18) actuated by linear or non-linear signals to regulate the transfer of a media, whether air or fluid, to the actuated on-off valve (16) via a common galley (22). The actuation signals are preferably provided by a microcontroller (14) that can be programmed with more than one algorithm for generating different types of actuation signals. Furthermore, a non-linear mechanical response can be linearized by generating a non-linear actuation signal to produce a non-linear media transfer which when combined with the non-linear mechanical response results in an overall linear response.