Inverted vehicle control apparatus, and method and program therefor

• US 9,399,405 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Andoh, Fukashi
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, ISAAC G
• Application Number:
  US14/233,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/71, 701/82
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/08 using pulses
• 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 2200/14 Vehicles with one wheel only
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• 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

An inverted vehicle control apparatus includes a plurality of driving wheels, a plurality of drive means each of which drives a respective one of the plurality of driving wheels, skid detection means for detecting a skid state between the driving wheels and a road surface, operation information acquisition means for acquiring operation information of a rider, and control means for controlling the drive means to control the driving wheels. The control means controls, based on the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition means, the driving wheel for which no skid is detected by the skid detection means, and the control means controls the driving wheel for which a skid is detected by the skid detection means so that a friction reaction force exerted from the road surface to the driving wheel is exerted in such a direction that the inverted vehicle is raised by the friction reaction force.

Claims

1. An inverted vehicle control apparatus comprising:

first and second driving wheels provided in an inverted vehicle;

first and second drive means for driving the first and second driving wheels respectively;

skid detection means for detecting a skid state between the first and second driving wheels and a road surface;

operation information acquisition means for acquiring operation information of a rider relating a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle; and

control means for controlling driving of the first and second drive means and thereby controlling the first and second driving wheels, wherein

the inverted vehicle control apparatus further comprises;

pitch angle detection means for detecting a pitch angle of the inverted vehicle; and

wheel horizontal speed calculation means for calculating a horizontal speed of the first and second driving wheels of the inverted vehicle,

the control means controls, based on the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition means, to maintain the inverted state according to the operation information, the first or second driving wheel for which no skid is detected by the skid detection means, and

the control means controls, based on the pitch angle of the inverted vehicle detected by the pitch angle detection means and the horizontal speed of the first or second driving wheel calculated by the wheel horizontal speed calculation means, so that the friction force exerted from the road surface to the first or second driving wheel is exerted in such a direction that the inverted vehicle is raised by the friction force, the first and second driving wheel for which a skid is detected by the skid detection means,

wherein the control means comprises;

wheel angular speed reference input calculation means for calculating an angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels based on operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition means, a horizontal moving speed of the first and second driving wheels calculated by the wheel horizontal speed calculation means, and skid information of the first and second driving wheels detected by the skid detection means; and

safety control means for maintaining an inverted state of the inverted vehicle by controlling the driving of the first and second drive means based on the angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels calculated by the wheel angular speed reference input calculation means, and

wherein the wheel angular speed reference input calculation means calculates the angular speed reference input for the first and second driving wheels for which the skid is detected by the skid detection means, by using an expression shown below,

2. The inverted vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation information acquisition means comprises traveling direction speed input means for outputting a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle based on the operation information entered by the rider.

3. The inverted vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

wheel angular speed detection means for detecting an angular speed of the first and second driving wheels;

yaw angle detection means for detecting a yaw angle of the inverted vehicle; and

wheel horizontal acceleration calculation means for calculating a horizontal acceleration of the first and second driving wheels based on the angular speed of the first and second driving wheels detected by the wheel angular speed detection means, the pitch angle of the inverted vehicle detected by the pitch angle detection means, the yaw angle of the inverted vehicle detected by the yaw angle detection means, and a control signal for controlling the first and second drive means.

4. The inverted vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the skid detection means comprises skid parameter calculation means for calculating a skid parameter indicating whether the first and second driving wheels are skidding or not, based on the angular speed of the first and second driving wheels detected by the wheel angular speed detection means and the horizontal acceleration of the first and second driving wheels calculated by the wheel horizontal acceleration calculation means, and outputting the calculated skid parameter to the control means.

5. The inverted vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wheel horizontal acceleration calculation means calculates a horizontal acceleration of the first and second driving wheels by using an expression shown below,

6. The inverted vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the safety control means calculates a driving torque T for the skidding driving wheel by using an expression shown below,

T=M sgn(q)

M>

|J_w{umlaut over (θ

)}_r+J_wλ

({dot over (θ

)}_r−

{dot over (θ

)})|+|H_gr_w|

q={dot over (θ

)}_r−

{dot over (θ

)}+λ

(θ

_r−

θ

) 

 

[Expression 4]

where;

λ

is a degree of convergence of an angle deviation of the driving wheel;

M is a driving torque of the first and second driving means when the first or second driving wheel is skidding;

J_w is a moment of inertia of the first and second driving wheels;

r_w is a radius of the first and second driving wheels;

θ

_r is an angular speed reference input from the wheel angular speed reference input calculation means;

θ

is a wheel angle; and

H_g is a horizontal reaction force exerted from the road surface to the first and second driving wheels.

7. A control method for an inverted vehicle control apparatus, comprising:

a step of detecting a skid state between first and second driving wheels provided in an inverted vehicle and a road surface;

a step of detecting a pitch angle of the inverted vehicle;

a step of calculating a horizontal speed of the first and second driving wheels of the inverted vehicle; and

a step of controlling, based on the acquired operation information relating a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle, to maintain the inverted state according to the operation information, the first or second driving wheel for which no skid is detected, and controlling, based on the detected pitch angle of the inverted vehicle and the calculated horizontal speed of the first or second driving wheel, so that the friction force exerted from the road surface to the first or second driving wheel is exerted in such a direction that the inverted vehicle is raised by the friction force, the first or second driving wheel for which a skid is detected wherein the step of controlling comprises;

calculating an angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels based on operation information of the rider which relates to a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle, a horizontal moving speed of the first and second driving wheels, and skid information of the first and second driving wheels;

maintaining an inverted state of the inverted vehicle by controlling the driving of the first and second drive means based on the angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels, and

calculates the angular speed reference input for the first and second driving wheels for which the skid is detected, by using an expression shown below,

8. A program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for an inverted vehicle control apparatus, for causing a computer to execute:

a process of detecting a skid state between first and second driving wheels provided in an inverted vehicle and a road surface;

a process of calculating a horizontal speed of the first and second driving wheels of the inverted vehicle; and

a process of controlling, based on operation information of a rider, to maintain the inverted state according to the operation information, the first or second driving wheel for which no skid is detected, and controlling, based on a detected pitch angle of the inverted vehicle and the calculated horizontal speed of the first or second driving wheel, the first or second driving wheel for which a skid is detected wherein the step of controlling comprises;

calculating an angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels based on operation information of the rider which relates to a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle, a horizontal moving speed of the first and second driving wheels, and skid information of the first and second driving wheels;

maintaining an inverted state of the inverted vehicle by controlling the driving of the first and second drive means based on the angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels, and

calculates the angular speed reference input for the first and second driving wheels for which the skid is detected, by using an expression shown below,

9. An inverted vehicle control apparatus comprising:

first and second driving wheels provided in an inverted vehicle;

first and second drive units for driving the first and second driving wheels respectively;

skid detection unit for detecting a skid state between the first and second driving wheels and a road surface;

operation information acquisition unit for acquiring operation information of a rider relating a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the inverted vehicle; and

control unit for controlling driving of the first and second drive units and thereby controlling the first and second driving wheels, wherein

the inverted vehicle control apparatus further comprises;

pitch angle detection unit for detecting a pitch angle of the inverted vehicle; and

wheel horizontal speed calculation unit for calculating a horizontal speed of the first and second driving wheels of the inverted vehicle,

the control unit controls, based on the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit, to maintain the inverted state according to the operation information, the first and second driving wheels for which no skid is detected by the skid detection unit, and

the control unit controls, based on the pitch angle of the inverted vehicle detected by the pitch angle detection unit and the horizontal speed of the first or second driving wheel calculated by the wheel horizontal speed calculation unit, the first or second driving wheel for which a skid is detected by the skid detection unit

wherein the control unit comprises;

a wheel angular speed reference input calculation unit to calculate an angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels based on operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit, a horizontal moving speed of the first and second driving wheels calculated by the wheel horizontal speed calculation unit, and skid information of the first and second driving wheels detected by the skid detection unit; and

a safety control unit to maintain an inverted state of the inverted vehicle by controlling the driving of the first and second drive wheels based on the angular speed reference input of the first and second driving wheels calculated by the wheel angular speed reference input calculation unit, and

wherein the wheel angular speed reference input calculation unit calculates the angular speed reference input for the first and second driving wheels for which the skid is detected by the skid detection unit, by using an expression shown below,