Apparatus and methods for control of a vehicle

• US 9,126,497 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Segway Incorporated (Ninebot Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Segway Incorporated (Ninebot Ltd.)
• Inventors: Heinzmann, John David, Stevens, Jon M., Debruin, Raymond, Foale, Anthony, Hoell, Joseph Jr., Hussey, Patrick A., Muller, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US13/946,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 180/701, 180/218, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/043 Mid wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1016 on the rim
• 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 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/24 Personal mobility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/20 angular
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 Controlling the braking effect
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/08 Hoods protecting the rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 : Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 : comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 : specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Method for controlling a vehicle that includes a support, at least one wheel, a platform coupled to the at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a platform portion coupled to the platform that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the platform portion, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control the position of the support portion relative to the platform portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to deliver power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle and maintain the platform level, and a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a dynamically-balanced vehicle, the vehicle comprising a support, at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a ground portion coupled to the at least one wheel that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the ground portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to dynamically balance the vehicle and provide power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control fore-aft movement of the support portion relative to the ground portion, a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator, the method comprising:

controlling the drive coupled to the at least one wheel in response to fore-aft pitch of the vehicle;

controlling fore-aft pitch of the vehicle using the actuator to control fore-aft movement of the support portion relative to the ground portion, comprising the steps of;

receiving user or autonomous selections for fore-aft travel of the vehicle;

influencing fore-aft movement of the support portion relative to the ground portion in response to a determined maximum speed for the vehicle; and

limiting energy applied to the actuator in response to system conditions selected from the group consisting of batter condition, drive current and drive speed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring vehicle conditions for adjusting the determined maximum speed and changing signals from the step of influencing in the determined maximum speed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum speed for the vehicle is determined in response to safety conditions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the drive includes controlling torque applied to the drive in response to fore-aft pitch of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a pair of laterally disposed wheels, each having a separate drive coupled thereto, and further wherein the step of controlling the drive includes receiving user or autonomous selections for steering of the vehicle and providing separate control signals to each separate drive responsive to the user or autonomous selection for steering.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sensing rotational speed of each of the pair of laterally disposed wheels, and wherein the step of providing separate control signals is responsive to the sensed rotational speed.