configuration. The console routines consist of a separate series of linked 

 programs from the vehicle's routines. Each separate software package is 

 designed to communicate with the other without the use of interrupts. 



CONSOLE OPERATOR INTERACTION ROUTINES. The console software program (figure 

 10A) consists of four major categories of routines: mission definition mod- 

 ule, a direct vehicle control module, a system status module, and diagnostic 

 module. In addition, man/machine interface routines have been programmed to 

 demonstrate the versatility and analogic presentation capabilities of the 

 color graphics console approach. 



The mission definition module consists of a trajectory design program, 

 a library of preprogrammable patterns, and a method to transmit the data for 

 running this trajectory to the vehicle. The purpose of the trajectory design 

 program is to create and manipulate the data base representing the desired 

 preprogrammed trajectory of the vehicle. Only the essential parameters of 

 this data base are then transmitted to the vehicle by the console computer. 

 The trajectory design program allows the operator to choose a series of pre- 

 programmed tracks or to generate new patterns for the vehicle to execute. 

 This operator interactive program is presented on the screen in the format 

 shown in figure 11. The existing patterns now programmed in memory are Taxi 

 Straight, Figure 8, Parallel Path, Square, and Hexagon. 



Each pattern consists of a series of legs which represent straight-line 

 runs at a given heading and a given depth for a specified period of time. 

 The vehicle presently travels at no more than 2 knots and this time is usually 

 a matter of only a few seconds. Each leg also indicates which switches are to 

 be turned on or off during the run. At the end of each leg, the vehicle will 

 progress to the next leg until the total pattern has been completed. The 

 vehicle will then proceed to execute the next pattern until the entire trajec- 

 tory has been completed. A series of 30 different patterns is possible. To 

 help the operator in visualizing the trajectory chosen, a means of plotting 

 this trajectory has been incorporated into the trajectory design program. 

 Each individual pattern can be modified, rotated, deleted, and reordered in 

 sequence, and the total trajectory can be graphically displayed at any point 

 in this process by using simple keyboard instructions and answering computer 

 prompting questions as required. 



Once the vehicle itself receives the preprogrammed data base, it can be 

 directly commanded by the operator to start its run (with or without a prede- 

 termined time delay), abort a run, or execute direct vehicle control by the 

 operator who uses the joysticks mounted at the sides of the keyboard. These 

 are the types of control commands possible using the direct vehicle control 

 module shown in the software structure diagram in figure 10R. In addition, 

 there is direct control of the data sensor switches available from the key- 

 board. Although direct vehicle control still uses the supervisory-control 

 architecture to perform the various functions from the console, use of these 

 controls changes the vehicle to the projection mode as defined earlier. 



The status and diagnostic routine modules provide the operator with a 

 summary of the status of the control sensors, vehicle electronic voltages, and 

 emergency sensors. The format is as shown in figure 12. In figure 12, ana- 

 logic displays are used to provide the operator with the feeling that he is 



27 



