Dynamic Stabilization System and Methods

• US 20150094880A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Hobby, Llc
• Original Assignee: Horizon Hobby, Llc
• Inventors: Adams, John, Beard, Paul, Steenari, Jukka
• Granted Patent: US 9,320,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/36 Steering-mechanisms for toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/395 steered by program
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/247 using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/646 Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path

Abstract

Systems and methods for stabilizing the steering and throttle of a radio-controlled (RC) vehicle are described herein. More specifically, sensors and circuitry are configured to control the wheel speed and wheel direction of a RC vehicle based on rotational information. In operation, one or more sensors may be configured to receive angular rotational information associated with a rotation of the RC vehicle. The rotational information may define a rotation of the RC vehicle around one or more axes of the RC vehicle. The circuitry may be configured to receive the angular rotation information associated with the rotation of the RC vehicle from the one or more sensors, and control a wheel speed and/or a wheel direction of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) command data received from a controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the received angular rotation information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining angular rotation information associated with a rotation of a radio-controlled (RC) vehicle about one or more axes of the RC vehicle; and

controlling a wheel speed of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) command data received from a controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the determined angular rotation information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a wheel direction of the at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) the command data received from the controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the determined angular rotation information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular rotation information comprises at least one of a yaw angle or a yaw rate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular rotation information comprises at least one of a roll angle or a roll rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the wheel speed of the RC vehicle comprises:

determining whether a yaw rate exceeds a yaw rate threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, determining the amount by which the yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, and reducing the wheel speed by an amount related to the amount by which the determined yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the wheel speed of the of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle comprises:

determining whether a yaw rate exceeds a yaw rate threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, determining the amount by which the yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, and reducing the wheel speed, and

wherein controlling the wheel direction of the RC vehicle comprises;

determining whether a yaw angle exceeds a yaw angle threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the yaw angle exceeds the yaw angle threshold, determining an amount by which the yaw angle exceeds the yaw angle threshold and a direction of the yaw angle, and steering the vehicle in the opposite direction of the yaw angle by an amount related to the amount by which the yaw angle exceeds the yaw angle.

9. The method of claim 2,

wherein controlling the wheel speed of the of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle comprises:

determining whether a roll rate exceeds a roll rate threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the roll rate exceeds the roll rate threshold, determining the amount by which the roll rate exceeds the roll rate threshold, and reducing the wheel speed, and

wherein controlling the wheel direction of the RC vehicle comprises;

determining whether a roll angle exceeds a roll angle threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the roll angle exceeds the roll angle threshold, determining an amount by which the roll angle exceeds the roll angle threshold and a direction of the roll angle, and steering the vehicle in the opposite direction of the roll angle by an amount related to the amount by which the roll angle exceeds the roll angle.

6. The method of claim 6,

wherein reducing the wheel speed comprises reducing the wheel speed by an amount related to the amount by which the determined yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold.

8. The method of claim 8,

wherein reducing the wheel speed comprises reducing the wheel speed by an amount related to the amount by which the determined yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, and

wherein the amount related to the amount by which the yaw angle exceeds the yaw angle threshold comprises an amount proportional to the amount by which the determined yaw angle exceeds the yaw angle threshold.

10. The method of claim 10, wherein

wherein reducing the wheel speed comprises reducing the wheel speed by an amount related to the amount by which the determined roll rate exceeds the roll rate threshold, and

wherein the amount related to the amount by which the roll angle exceeds the roll angle threshold comprises an amount proportional to the amount by which the determined roll angle exceeds the roll angle threshold.

11. A radio-controlled (RC) vehicle comprising:

one or more sensors configured to receive angular rotational information associated with a rotation of the RC vehicle, wherein the rotational information defines a rotation of the RC vehicle around one or more axes of the RC vehicle; and

a receiver configured to;

receive the angular rotation information associated with the rotation of the RC vehicle from the one or more sensors; and

control a wheel speed of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) command data received from a controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the received angular rotation information.

13. The RC vehicle of claim 13, wherein the receiver is further configured to:

control a wheel direction of the at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) the command data received from the controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the determined angular rotation information.

12. The RC vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

14. The RC vehicle of claim 13, wherein the receiver is further configured to:

determine whether a yaw rate exceeds a yaw rate threshold based on the determined angular rotation information; and

in response to determining that the yaw rate exceeds the yaw rate threshold, reduce the wheel speed.

15. A system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to receive angular rotational information associated with a rotation of a radio-controlled (RC) vehicle, wherein the rotational information defines a rotation of the RC vehicle around one or more axes of the RC vehicle;

circuitry configured to perform functions comprising;

receiving the angular rotation information associated with the rotation of the RC vehicle from the one or more sensors; and

controlling a wheel speed of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) command data received from a controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the received angular rotation information.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope, and

wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform functions comprising:

controlling a wheel direction of the at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) the command data received from the controller associated with the RC vehicle and (ii) the determined angular rotation information.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the angular rotation information comprises a yaw rate, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to reduce the wheel speed in response to determining that the yaw rate exceeds a threshold yaw rate.

18. A method comprising:

determining angular rotation information associated with rotation of radio-controlled (RC) vehicle about one or more axes of the RC vehicle;

controlling wheel speed of at least one wheel of the RC vehicle based at least in part on;

(i) a throttle command received from a controller associated with the RC vehicle, and (ii) a throttle intervention function based at least in part on the angular rotation information; and

controlling steering of the RC vehicle based at least in part on (i) a steering command received from the controller associated with the RC vehicle, and (iii) a steering intervention function based at least in part on the angular rotation information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the throttle intervention function comprises:

(a) a throttle proportional intervention function;

(b) a throttle threshold intervention function; and

(c) a throttle threshold intervention delayed function.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the steering intervention function comprises:

(a) a steering threshold intervention function;

(b) a steering function; and

(c) a throttle command received from the controller associated with the RC vehicle.