Two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus and two-wheeled vehicle control method

• US 8,340,891 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Gousuke
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/503,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/124, 180/218, 180/21, 180/6.5
• US Class Current: 701/124
• 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 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/18 lateral
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/20 angular
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a parallel two-wheeled vehicle in which a rider can ride in safety without executing a predetermined procedure in boarding. A parallel two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention includes a drive unit that drives two wheels arranged on the same axis line in parallel, a rider detection unit that detects a state of a rider on a riding part that is connected to the wheels, a vehicle detection unit that detects a posture of a vehicle body, and a control unit that generates a control command to the drive unit and performs initial control to optimize transition of control from boarding to normal operation based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit upon detection by the rider detection unit that the rider rides on the riding part while satisfying a certain riding condition.

Claims

1. A parallel two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a drive unit that independently drives two wheels arranged on the same axis line in parallel;

a rider detection unit that detects whether or not a foot of a rider is placed on a riding part that is connected to the wheels;

a vehicle detection unit that detects a posture of a vehicle body; and

a control unit that generates a control command to the drive unit and performs initial control to stabilize a change of a pitch axis angle of the vehicle as the vehicle changes from an empty state to a riding state, wherein

the vehicle detection unit detects the pitch axis angle of the vehicle in the initial control only when placement of at least one foot of the rider on the riding part is detected by the rider detection unit,

the control unit sets the pitch axis angle detected in the initial control to a temporary target pitch axis angle and gradually changes the temporary target pitch axis angle to a final target pitch axis angle, and

the control unit performs processing to keep a rate of change of the target pitch axis angle constant.

2. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets time until when the temporary target pitch axis angle is changed to the final target pitch axis angle based on a rate of change.

3. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle detection unit starts detection of the pitch axis angle in the initial control upon detection that both feet of the rider are place on the riding part.

4. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit generates the control command only when the pitch axis angle is within an appropriate range.

5. A parallel two-wheeled vehicle control method that performs initial control to stabilize a change of a pitch axis angle of a parallel two-wheeled vehicle as the vehicle changes from an empty state to a riding state, the method comprising:

detecting whether or not a foot of a rider is placed on a riding part that is connected to two wheels arranged on the same axis line in parallel;

detecting the pitch axis angle of the vehicle in the initial control only when placement of at least one foot of the rider on the riding part is detected;

setting the pitch axis angle detected in the initial control to a temporary target pitch axis angle and gradually changing the temporary target pitch axis angle to a final target pitch axis angle; and

performing processing to keep a rate of change of the target pitch axis angle constant.

6. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control method according to claim 5, comprising setting time until when the temporary target pitch axis angle is changed to the final target pitch axis angle based on the rate of change.

7. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control method according to claim 5, wherein detection of the pitch axis angle in the initial control is started upon detection that both feet of the rider are placed on the riding part.

8. The parallel two-wheeled vehicle control method according to claim 7, wherein a control command for controlling driving of the wheels is generated only when the pitch axis angle is within an appropriate range.