Control of a personal transporter based on user position

• US 8,248,222 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Kamen, Dean, Ambrogi, Robert R., Dattolo, James J., Duggan, Robert J., Field, J. Douglas, Heinzmann, Richard Kurt, McCambridge, Matthew M., Morrell, John B., Piedmonte, Michael D., Rosasco, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US12/879,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/441, 340/936, 701/93, 701/117, 701/119, 180/170, 246/182.R
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/08 single-wheel type with single axis
• 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 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/24 Personal mobility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/18 lateral
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/002 comprising safety arrangements safety devices for vehicle propulsion unit control B60K28/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4152 for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 1/00 : Unicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 : Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/002 : without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners
• 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 1/0223 : involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 : specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An apparatus controller for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The apparatus has an input for receiving specification from the rider of a desired direction of travel, and indicating means for reflecting to the rider a propitious instantaneous body orientation to enhance stability in the face of lateral acceleration. The indicating may include a handlebar that is pivotable with respect to the vehicle and that is driven in response to vehicle turning.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a rider of a vehicle to reduce a speed of the vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a specified condition of the vehicle representative of the vehicle speed; and

providing a modulated signal to a motorized drive of the vehicle to shake the rider in response to the specified condition indicating that a speed limit is exceeded.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specified condition is a current power output of the motorized drive.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the speed limit is a specified maximum power output of the motorized drive.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is maintained until the vehicle slows to a desired dropout speed below the speed limit.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the signal to the motorized drive is smoothed after the dropout speed is reached.

6. The method according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

monitoring a vehicle battery voltage;

estimating a maximum vehicle speed from the battery voltage; and

setting the speed limit based on the maximum vehicle speed.

7. The method according to claim 6, additionally comprising:

monitoring a motorized drive voltage; and

calculating a velocity margin from the difference between the battery voltage and the motorized drive voltage.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the modulated signal is provided to the motorized drive when the velocity margin falls below a specified limit.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is a periodic ripple modulation.

10. An alarm system for alerting a rider of a vehicle having a motorized drive to reduce a speed of the vehicle, the alarm system comprising:

a sensor for sensing a specified condition of the vehicle representative of the vehicle speed; and

a controller for providing a modulated signal to the motorized drive to shake the rider in response to the specified condition indicating that a speed limit is exceeded.

11. The alarm system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor senses a current power output of the motorized drive.

12. The alarm system according to claim 11, wherein the speed limit is a specified maximum power output of the motorized drive.

13. The alarm system according to claim 10, wherein the controller continues to provide the modulated signal until the vehicle slows to a desired dropout speed below the speed limit.

14. The alarm system according to claim 13, wherein the controller provides the motorized drive with a smoothed when the vehicle speed is below the dropout speed.

15. The alarm system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor monitors a battery voltage of the vehicle;

and

wherein the controller estimates a maximum vehicle speed from the battery voltage and sets the speed limit based on the maximum vehicle speed.

16. The alarm system according to claim 15, additionally comprising at least a second sensor monitoring a motorized drive voltage of the motorized drive;

and

wherein the controller calculates a velocity margin from the difference between the battery voltage and the motorized drive voltage.

17. The alarm system according to claim 16, wherein the controller provides the modulated signal is to the motorized drive when the velocity margin falls below a specified limit.

18. The alarm system according to claim 10, wherein the controller provides a modulated signal that is a periodic ripple modulation.