Control of a personal transporter based on user position

• US 9,411,336 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Kamen, Dean, Ambrogi, Robert R., Dattolo, James J., Duggan, Robert J., Field, J. Douglas, Heinzmann, Richard Kurt, McCambridge, Matthew M., Morrell, John B., Piedmonte, Michael D., Rosasco, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US14/626,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/441, 340/936, 340/439, 701/93, 701/117, 701/119, 180/170, 246/182.R
• 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 17/08 single-wheel type with single axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• 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 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/24 Personal mobility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/18 lateral
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/002 comprising safety arrangements safety devices for vehicle propulsion unit control B60K28/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4152 for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 1/00 : Unicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 : Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/002 : without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 : involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 : specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An apparatus controller for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The apparatus has an input for receiving specification from the rider of a desired direction of travel, and indicating means for reflecting to the rider a propitious instantaneous body orientation to enhance stability in the face of lateral acceleration. The indicating may include a handlebar that is pivotable with respect to the vehicle and that is driven in response to vehicle turning.

Claims

1. A transporter for transporting a user, the transporter comprising:

a ground contacting module, the ground contacting module including at least one wheel, a user support platform, a motorized drive arrangement imparting a torque to the at least one wheel;

a plurality of sensors, at least one of the plurality of sensors including at least one sensor sensing a pitch of at least a portion of the transporter, at least one of the plurality of sensors including at least one tilt sensor sensing a tilt of the user support platform, the at least one tilt sensor generating a desired steering input signal based at least on the tilt; and

a controller determining the torque to be applied to the at least one ground contacting wheel, the torque based at least in part on the pitch and the desired steering input signal, the controller commanding the motorized drive arrangement to supply the torque, the motorized drive arrangement steering the transporter.

2. The transporter of claim 1, wherein the at least one tilt sensor comprises an inertial sensor.

3. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a battery supplying power to at least the motorized drive arrangement and the controller.

4. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising at least one load sensor sensing the user on the user support platform.

5. The transporter of claim 4, wherein the controller transitions the transporter into a kickstand mode indicating an absence of the user on the user support platform, the transition being based at least in part on data from the load sensor.

6. The transporter of claim 1 further comprising a seat disposed upon the transporter, the seat being electronically coupled with the at least one tilt sensor.

7. The transporter of claim 1, wherein the controller transitions the transporter to a kickstand mode indicating an absence of the user on the user support platform, the transition being based at least in part on data from the load sensor, the controller executing a control loop, the control loop being coupled to the motorized drive, the control loop determining the torque to be applied to the at least one wheel to maintain the transporter balanced in place when the transporter is in the kickstand mode, the control loop commanding the motorized drive arrangement to supply the torque.

8. The transporter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one sensor sensing pressure exerted by an appendage of the user.

9. The transporter of claim 1, wherein the controller executes a control loop coupled to the motorized drive assembly, the control loop determining the torque to be applied to the at least one wheel, the torque based at least in part on the desired steering input signal and the pitch.

10. A method for transporting a user by a transporter, the transporter including a ground contacting module having at least one wheel, a user support platform, a motorized drive arrangement imparting a torque to the at least one wheel, a plurality of sensors, at least one of the plurality of sensors including an sensor sensing a pitch of at least a portion of the transporter, at least one of the plurality of sensors including at least one tilt sensor sensing a tilt of the user support platform generating a desired steering input signal, and a controller, the method comprising:

determining, by the controller, the torque to be applied to the at least one wheel, the torque based at least in part on the pitch and the desired steering input signal; and

commanding, by the controller, the motorized drive arrangement to supply the torque to steer the transporter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one tilt sensor comprises an inertial sensor.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving, at least by the controller and the motorized drive arrangement, power from a battery.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sensing, by at least one of the plurality of sensors, a user on the user support platform.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transitioning, by the controller, the transporter into a kickstand mode indicating an absence of the user on the user support platform, the transitioning based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one tilt sensor, the tilt based on a position of a seat coupled to the transporter.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising

transitioning, by the controller, the transporter to a kickstand mode indicating an absence of the user on the user support platform, the transitioning based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors;

determining, by a control loop coupled to the motorized drive arrangement, the torque to be applied to the at least one wheel to maintain the transporter balanced in place when the transporter is in the kickstand mode; and

commanding, by the control loop, the motorized drive arrangement to supply the torque.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sensing, by at least one of the plurality of sensors, force exerted by an appendage of the user.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining, by a control loop coupled to the motorized drive assembly, the torque to be applied to the at least one wheel, the torque based at least in part on the desired steering input signal and the pitch; and

commanding, by the control loop, the motorized drive arrangement to supply the torque to steer the transporter.