Deceleration control of a personal transporter

• US 6,538,411 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Field, J. Douglas, Morrell, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/687,757
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/268-279, 318/638, 180/170, 180/178, 180/180, 180/181, 180/218, 180/219, 180/220
• US Class Current: 318/638
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A system and method for automatically decelerating a personal transporter of the kind that has a controller for controlling the motion of the transporter. Upon detection of a fault condition, a goal value of a control variable is set, the control variable is adjusted at a specified increment in the direction of the goal value, and the prior steps are repeated until the control variable equals the goal value.

A method is also provided that affords a user accelerated access to operation of a balancing personal transporter. The method has the steps of first initializing a single-axis stabilizer, and, while initializing a 3-axis stabilizer, alerting the rider that the transporter is ready for use, allowing operation of the transporter, and then completing initialization of the 3-axis stabilizer, and employing the 3-axis stabilizer for control of the balancing personal transporter.

Claims

1. A method for automatically stopping a balancing transporter having a controller for controlling the motion of the transporter based in part on transporter speed and being unstable in the fore-aft direction in the absence of motion control, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a fault condition;

(b) reducing the transporter speed at a specified increment toward zero while maintaining transporter balance; and

(c) repeating steps (a)-(b) until the transporter speed is zero.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fault condition is an open motor winding.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fault condition is a closed brake switch.

4. A system for automatically stopping a balancing transporter, the system comprising:

(a) a fault detection circuit for generating a fault condition signal; and

(b) a controller for

i. controlling the motion of the balancing transporter based in part on a transporter speed;

ii. receiving the fault condition signal;

iii. setting a goal value for the transporter speed to be zero;

iv. adjusting the transporter speed at a specified increment in the direction of the goal value while maintaining balance; and

v. repeating steps i.-iv. until the transporter speed equals the goal value.