Rider detection system

• US 9,452,345 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Future Motion, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Future Motion, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Daniel, de la Rua, Julian, Doerksen, Kyle Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US14/934,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/014 Wheel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/08 single-wheel type with single axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/26 with special auxiliary arrangements, e.g. illuminating, marking, or push-off devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/12 Electrically powered or heated
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/14 Vehicles with one wheel only
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle may comprise a board including deck portions each configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. A motor assembly may be mounted to the board and configured to propel the electric vehicle using the wheel assembly. At least one orientation sensor may be configured to measure orientation information of the board, and at least one pressure-sensing transducer may be configured to determine rider presence information. A motor controller may be configured to receive the orientation information and the rider presence information, and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the orientation and presence information.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a board including first and second deck portions each configured to receive a left or right foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the board;

a wheel assembly including a ground-contacting element disposed between and extending above the first and second deck portions;

a motor assembly mounted to the board and configured to rotate the ground-contacting element around an axle to propel the electric vehicle;

at least one orientation sensor configured to measure orientation information of the board;

a first sensing region disposed in the first deck portion, the first sensing region including two pressure-sensing transducers laterally spaced from each other, such that a first of the two pressure-sensing transducers registers with a first portion of the foot of the rider and a second of the two pressure-sensing transducers registers with a second portion of the same foot of the rider; and

a motor controller configured to receive board orientation information measured by the orientation sensor and rider presence information based on outputs of the two pressure-sensing transducers, and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the board orientation information and the rider presence information;

wherein the motor controller is further configured to halt the motor assembly in response to activation of exactly zero or exactly one of the two pressure-sensing transducers when a speed of the electric vehicle is below a threshold value.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the two pressure-sensing transducers are configured to be disposed beneath a front portion and a rear portion, respectively, of the same foot of the rider.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer is embedded in an upper surface of the first deck portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer is sandwiched between a slip-resistant layer and a rigid layer of the first deck portion.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer is encased in a waterproof enclosure.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the waterproof enclosure includes an air-permeable, water-resistant vent.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer comprises a force-sensitive resistor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first pressure-sensitive transducer comprises a resilient first conductive layer spaced from and facing a second conductive layer, such that a force applied to the first conductive layer causes the first conductive layer to contact the second conductive layer.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ground contacting element extends laterally across at least a majority of a width of the board.

10. An electric skateboard, comprising:

a foot deck having first and second deck portions each configured to support a rider'"'"'s foot oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the foot deck;

exactly one ground-contacting wheel disposed between and extending above the first and second deck portions and configured to rotate about an axle to propel the electric skateboard;

at least one orientation sensor configured to measure an orientation of the foot deck;

a sensing region disposed in the first deck portion, the sensing region including two pressure-sensing transducers laterally spaced from each other, such that a first of the two pressure-sensing transducers registers with a first portion of one foot of the rider and a second of the two pressure-sensing transducers registers with a second portion of the one foot of the rider; and

an electric motor configured to cause rotation of the ground-contacting wheel based on the orientation of the foot deck and an output of the sensing region;

wherein the electric motor is configured to halt in response to activation of exactly zero or exactly one of the two pressure-sensing transducers when a speed of the electric skateboard is below a threshold value.

11. The electric skateboard of claim 10, wherein each of the two pressure-sensing transducers comprises a spacer layer disposed between an electrically conductive layer and a partially electrically conductive layer having a conductivity proportional to a force applied thereon.

12. The electric skateboard of claim 10, wherein each of the two pressure-sensing transducers includes a force-sensitive resistor.

13. The electric skateboard of claim 10, wherein each of the two pressure-sensing transducers comprises a resilient first conductive layer spaced from and facing a second conductive layer, such that the resilient first conductive layer is displaceable to electrically contact the second conductive layer.

14. The electric skateboard of claim 10, wherein the sensing region is in communication with a motor controller configured to control the electric motor.

15. The electric skateboard of claim 14, further including a speed sensor configured to provide wheel speed information to the motor controller, wherein the motor controller is configured to control the motor based on the output of the sensing region and the ground-contacting wheel speed information.

16. A self-balancing electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame defining a plane and having a longitudinal axis;

a first deck portion mounted to the frame and configured to support a first foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame;

a second deck portion mounted to the frame and configured to support a second foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame;

a wheel mounted to the frame between the deck portions, extending above and below the plane and configured to rotate about an axis lying in the plane, the wheel extending laterally across at least a majority of a width of the first deck portion;

at least one orientation sensor mounted to the frame and configured to sense orientation information of the frame;

a pair of pressure-sensing transducers disposed on the first deck portion and covered by a solid upper layer that directly abuts the pair of pressure-sensing transducers, the pair of pressure-sensing transducers arranged such that a first of the pressure-sensing transducers registers with a first portion of the first foot of the rider and a second of the pressure-sensing transducers registers with a second portion of the first foot of the rider, the first and second pressure-sensing transducers configured to sense rider presence information based on one or more forces applied to the first deck portion through the solid upper layer;

a motor controller configured to receive the orientation information and the rider presence information and to generate a motor control signal in response; and

a motor configured to receive the motor control signal from the motor controller and to rotate the wheel in response, thereby propelling the electric vehicle;

wherein the motor controller is further configured to halt the motor assembly in response to activation of exactly zero or exactly one of the pressure-sensing transducers when a speed of the electric vehicle is below a threshold value.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer includes at least one partially electrically conductive layer.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the first pressure-sensing transducer comprises a force-sensitive resistor.

19. The electric vehicle of claim 16, wherein the solid upper layer comprises a slip-resistant material.