Steering and control system for a vehicle for the disabled

• US 8,862,307 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eyego AB
• Original Assignee: Eyego AB
• Inventors: Sponseller, Kay, Pettersson, Ola, Wstlund, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/266,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• 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 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1051 Arrangements for steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control system comprising at least one unit for operating the steering or navigation of a mobile assistive device for disabled persons, wherein said control system is adapted to be connectable to an existing assistive device for disabled persons.

Claims

1. A steering and control system, wherein said system is adapted to be connected to a mobile assistive device for disabled persons in such a way that electronic transfer of information can take place between said steering and control system and said assistive device for disabled persons, wherein said system comprises:

a control unit for eye control, said control unit for eye control comprising means for detecting a gaze point of a user;

at least one display provided with at least one symbol field;

a navigation unit comprising a position unit and being connected to the control unit, the navigation unit being constructed for determining a position of the assistive device relative to an environment; and

interpreting means for interpreting a position of the measured gaze point within a symbol field as an instruction to the control system, wherein the system is also designed to be adaptable to different control routines, wherein said control unit for eye control further comprises means for image recording adapted to record at least one image of an environment around the assistive device and displaying the image on the display such that the image interacts with the at least one symbol field in such a way that the user can fix a gaze on a direction on the display and see both a symbol indicating a certain direction as well as an image of a portion of the environment in which the assistive device would move if the gaze were fixed on the symbol so that a user can see from the display where the assistive device is moving in the environment without looking up from the display during use.

2. The steering and control system according to claim 1, wherein a separate joy stick unit is provided and that the control of the control system can be switched between the separate joy stick unit and the control unit by means of a switch.

3. The steering and control system according to claim 1, wherein said navigation unit comprises at least one sensor for detecting objects in an environment around the assistive device for disabled persons, and a memory unit which is adapted to identify the position of the assistive device for disabled persons based on the objects detected by said sensor.

4. The steering and control system according to claim 3, wherein said memory unit is further adapted to memorize a number of given positions and to calculate a suitable route from the present position of the assistive device for disabled persons to one of the given positions, and displaying the suitable rout.

5. The steering and control system according to claim 3, wherein said navigation unit is further designed to prevent collision with the objects detected by the sensor by changing a direction of movement and/or a speed of the assistive device for disabled persons.

6. The steering and control system according to claim 3, wherein said navigation unit further comprises a position unit, connected to the memory unit, for determining the position of the control system relative to the environment.

7. The steering and control system according to claim 3, wherein said navigation unit further comprises an input apparatus connected to the memory unit, wherein said input apparatus is adapted to receive instruction about a given position stored in the memory unit.

8. The steering and control system according to claim 7, wherein the navigation unit is further designed to be independently capable of steering an assistive device for disabled persons to a given position, specified by a user by means of the input apparatus.

11. The steering and control system according to claim 1, wherein the assistive device for disabled persons is a wheelchair or another mobile platform.

9. An assistive device for disabled persons for transportation of at least one user, wherein said assistive device for disabled persons is equipped with at least one steering and control system, wherein said system is adapted to be connected to a mobile assistive device for disabled persons, such as a wheelchair or another mobile platform, in such a way that electronic transfer of information can take place between said steering and control system and said assistive device for disabled persons, wherein said system comprises:

a control unit for eye control, said control unit for eye control comprising means for detecting a gaze point of a user;

at least one display provided with at least one symbol field;

a navigation unit comprising a position unit and being connected to the control unit, the navigation unit being constructed for determining a position of the assistive device relative to an environment; and

interpreting means for interpreting a position of the measured gaze point within a symbol field as an instruction to the control system, wherein the system is also designed to be adaptable to different control routines, wherein said control unit for eye control further comprises means for image recording adapted to record at least one image of an environment around the assistive device and displaying the image on the display such that the image interacts with the at least one symbol field in such a way that the user can fix a gaze on a direction on the display and see both a symbol indicating a certain direction as well as an image of a portion of the environment in which the assistive device would move if the gaze were fixed on the symbol so that a user can see from the display where the assistive device is moving in the environment without looking up from the display during use.

12. The assistive device according to claim 9, wherein the assistive device is a wheelchair or another mobile platform.

10. A method of operating a steering and control system, wherein said system is adapted to be connected to a mobile assistive device for disabled persons in such a way that electronic transfer of information can take place between said steering and control system and said assistive device for disabled persons comprising:

providing a control unit for eye control, said control unit for eye control comprising means for detecting a gaze point of a user;

providing at least one display having at least one symbol field;

providing means for image recording adapted to record at least one image of an environment around the assistive device and project the at least one image on the display along with the at least one symbol field;

providing a navigation unit comprising a position unit and being connected to the control unit, the navigation unit being constructed for determining a position of the assistive device relative to an environment;

providing interpreting means for interpreting a position of the measured gaze point within a symbol field as an instruction to the control system, wherein the system is also designed to be adaptable to different control routines;

recording and displaying at least one image of the environment around the assistive device along with the at least one symbol field such that the image interacts with the at least one symbol field in such a way that the user can fix a gaze on a direction on the display and see both a symbol indicating a certain direction as well as an image of a portion of the environment in which the assistive device would move if the gaze were fixed on the symbol so that a user can see from the display where the assistive device is moving in the environment without looking up from the display during use; and

tracking eye movement or location to control movement of the assistive device.