Vehicle control unit and vehicle

• US 7,138,774 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Hara, Nobuo, Negoro, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/197,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318565-567, 318/580, 318/587, 318432-434, 180/180, 180/181, 180218-220
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/0046 with shock absorption or suspension system
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/016 with wheels arranged in one track
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/10 for automatic control superimposed on human control to limit the acceleration of the vehicle, e.g. to prevent excessive motor current electric devices for safety purposes B60L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A control unit controls a vehicle having a body to allow its user to step on, a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body, and a load sensor unit arranged to output a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body. The control unit preferably includes a first memory arranged to store a load threshold value, a second memory arranged to store a plurality of data, which respectively correspond to different types of control processing to control the power generator, and a processor arranged to change to a type of control processing among the different types of control processing according to a result of a comparison between the load value and the load threshold value. The processor controls the power generator based on one of the plurality of data corresponding to the type of control processing.

Claims

1. A control unit for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle including a body to allow a user to step on, a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body and a load sensor unit arranged to output a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body, the control unit comprising:

a first memory arranged to store a load threshold value;

a second memory arranged to store a plurality of data, which respectively correspond to different types of control processing to control the power generator; and

a processor arranged to change to a type of control processing among the different types of control processing according to a result of a comparison between the load value and the load threshold value;

where

the processor controls the power generator based on one of the plurality of data corresponding to the types of control processing.

2. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the power generator of the vehicle generates power in accordance with a command value, and the processor outputs the command value based on the data corresponding to the type of control processing after the type of control processing has been changed.

3. The control unit of claim 2, wherein the processor changes to the type of control processing for generating the power and outputs a command value that is different from another command value associated with a stopped state of the vehicle.

4. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the command value output by the processor changes in a stepwise manner.

5. The control unit of claim 2, wherein the processor changes to the type of control processing for stopping generation of the power and outputs a command value associated with a stopped state of the vehicle.

6. The control unit of claim 2, wherein the first memory stores a step-on-board threshold value as the load threshold value, and when the load value exceeds the step-on-board threshold value, the processor changes to the type of control processing for generating the power.

7. The control unit of claim 6, wherein the first memory further stores a step-off-board threshold value that is smaller than the step-on-board threshold value, and when the load value becomes smaller than the step-off-board threshold value, the processor changes to the type of control processing for stopping generation of the power.

8. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the load sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors disposed at mutually different positions on the body so as to output load values representing loads at the respective positions, the first memory stores a plurality of load threshold values that are defined for the respective sensors, and the processor compares the load value supplied from each of the sensors with an associated one of the load threshold values.

9. The control unit of claim 8, wherein the first memory stores first and second step-on-board threshold values as the load threshold values, the load sensor unit includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and when it is determined that the load value detected by the first sensor exceeds the first step-on-board threshold value and it is determined that the load value detected by the second sensor exceeds the second step-on-board threshold value as a result of the comparison, the processor changes to the type of control processing for generating the power.

10. The control unit of claim 8, wherein the first memory stores first and second step-off-board threshold values as the load threshold values, the load sensor unit includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and when it is determined that the load value detected by the first sensor is equal to or smaller than the first step-off-board threshold value and/or it is determined that the load value detected by the second sensor is equal to or smaller than the second step-off-board threshold value as a result of the comparison, the processor changes to the type of control processing for stopping generation of the power.

11. The control unit of claim 9, wherein the power generator of the vehicle drives the body in a direction and at a velocity as determined by the command value, and the processor calculates a bias of the loads based on the load values that have been detected by the first and second sensors and changes the command value according to the bias.

12. A vehicle including:

a body arranged to allow a user to step on;

a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body;

a load sensor unit mounted on the body and arranged to output a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body; and

a control unit, wherein the control unit includes;

a first memory arranged to store a load threshold value;

a second memory arranged to store a plurality of data, which respectively correspond to different types of control processing to control the power generator; and

a processor arranged to change to a type of control processing among the different types of control processing according to a result of a comparison between the load value and the load threshold value;

wherein

the processor controls the power generator based on one of the plurality of data corresponding to the type of control processing.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a first wheel and a second wheel that support the body, wherein at least one of the first and second wheels is dynamically coupled to the power generator.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the body has a board shape and is elongated in a direction in which the first and second wheels are arranged.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first and second wheels are arranged so as to face each other with respect to an approximate center of the body.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the power generator drives the body in the direction in which the first and second wheels are arranged.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is a skateboard.