System for storing and retrieving a personal-transportation vehicle

• US 7,594,556 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FS Partners, LLC, Lehigh University
• Original Assignee: Cook Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Spletzer, John R., Panzarella, Thomas A., Martin, Michael T., Panzarella, Thomas A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOLMAN, VAUGHN
• Application Number:
  US11/215,428
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 180167-169, 180/907
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/0209 with storage means for unused wheelchair or stretcher
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/0808 Accommodating or securing wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1013 Lifting of patients by
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1042 Rail systems walking aids with suspension devices A61H3/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1046 Mobile bases, e.g. having wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1059 Seats

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of a system for automatically transferring a personal-transportation vehicle, such as a power chair, between a first and a second position proximate a motor vehicle such as a minivan is provided. The system can be used to transfer the personal-transportation vehicle between a first position on a lift and carrier assembly mounted on the motor vehicle, and a second position proximate a door of the motor vehicle, so that the user can transfer to and from the personal-transportation vehicle with minimal physical effort and movement. The system can generate guidance information for the personal-transportation vehicle based on position information generated by sensors located on one or both of the personal-transportation vehicle and the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for storing and retrieving a personal-transportation vehicle, comprising:

a lift and carrier assembly capable of being mounted on a motor vehicle so that the lift and carrier assembly can lift and lower the personal-transportation vehicle and support the personal-transportation vehicle on the motor vehicle;

a laser rangefinder for generating information relating to a distance between the personal-transportation vehicle and the motor vehicle;

a vision system comprising a camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera, for generating information corresponding to a visual image of the personal transportation vehicle;

a first computing device for guiding the personal-transportation vehicle along a first portion of a predetermined course based on the information relating to a distance between the personal-transportation vehicle and the motor vehicle; and

a second computing device for guiding the personal-transportation vehicle along a second portion of the predetermined course based on the information corresponding to a visual image of the personal transportation vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an odometry system communicatively coupled to the second computing device for determining a displacement of the personal-transportation vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the odometry system comprises an encoder for measuring an angular displacement of a wheel of the personal-transportation vehicle, and a gyroscope for determining an orientation of the personal-transportation vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device can guide the personal-transportation vehicle along a predetermined course in relation to the motor vehicle by comparing a distance of the personal-transportation vehicle from the motor vehicle as determined by the laser rangefinder to a predetermined desired distance of the personal-transportation vehicle from the motor vehicle, and generating guidance information for the personal-transportation vehicle to reduce a difference between the distance of the personal-transportation vehicle from the motor vehicle and the desired distance of the personal-transportation vehicle from the motor vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second computing device has information stored therein representing a profile of a side of the motor vehicle, and the second computing device can guide the personal-transportation vehicle along the predetermined course in relation to the motor vehicle based on the information representing a profile of a side of the motor vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device can guide the personal-transportation vehicle onto and off of a platform of the lift and carrier assembly by determining a position and an orientation of the personal-transportation vehicle in relation to a predetermined course based on information representing a visual image of an area within a field of view of the camera, and generating guidance information for the personal-transportation vehicle to direct the personal-transportation vehicle toward the predetermined course.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the camera is mounted so that the field of view of the camera encompasses the platform of the lift and carrier assembly.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first computing device is configured to determine a position and an orientation of the personal-transportation vehicle within the field of view of the camera by recognizing a physical feature of the personal-transportation vehicle using a two-dimensional pattern matching technique.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is further configured to determine a position and an orientation of the personal-transportation vehicle within the field of view of the camera using a feature tracker.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the physical feature is a fiducial marking.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication system comprising a wireless bridge communicatively coupled to the second computing device, and a wireless Ethernet router communicatively coupled to the first computing device, wherein the wireless bridge and the wireless Ethernet router communicate over a local Ethernet network using a UDP over IP protocol.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third computing device communicatively coupled to the lift and carrier assembly for activating the lift and carrier assembly.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a docking device mounted on a platform of the lift and carrier assembly for securing the personal-transportation device to the lift and carrier assembly on a selective basis, the docking device being communicatively coupled to the third computing device so that the third computing device can activate the docking device.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a device for opening and closing a liftgate of the motor vehicle, the device for opening and closing a liftgate of the motor vehicle being communicatively coupled to the third computing device so that the third computing device can activate the device for opening and closing a liftgate of the motor vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the third computing device is capable of communicating with a processor of the motor vehicle by way of a diagnostic port of a controller area network of the motor vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a remote control unit communicatively coupled to the third computing device for providing inputs to the third computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a radio frequency receiver for communicatively coupling the remote control unit to the third computing device.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device communicatively coupled to the first computing device for generating inputs to activate the system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a monochromatic camera.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the camera is an eight-bit gray field camera.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the vision system and the first computing device are communicatively coupled by way of an IEEE 1394 standard Firewire serial link.