Control of a personal transporter based on user position

• US 9,442,491 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• 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:
  US14/620,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 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 vehicle for carrying a load comprising:

a ground-contacting module including a platform, the ground-contacting module further including two wheels and a motorized drive arrangement;

a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the controller and the ground-contacting module; and

a controller maintaining the vehicle in a balanced state, the controller maintaining a plurality of control modes including at least a first mode specifying an absence of the load on the platform, the first mode specifying that the vehicle is maintained at a position, the controller determining a first torque to be applied to the two wheels to maintain vehicle balance when the controller is in the first mode, the controller automatically entering the first mode based at least in part on data from at least one of the plurality of sensors, the controller providing the first torque to the motorized drive arrangement when the controller is in the first mode.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an articulated handle articulating about a pivot, the articulated handle including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end coupled to the platform.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the pivot is located proximally to the platform with respect to the distal end of the articulated handle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a directional input providing a turning command to the controller, the turning command based at least in part on displacement of the directional input.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes comprises a second mode specifying if the vehicle is transporting the load, and wherein the controller determines a second torque to be applied to the two wheels to maintain the transporting when the vehicle is in the second mode, the second torque being based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and the turning command, the controller applying the second torque when the vehicle is in the second mode.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the controller automatically enters the second mode based on data from the plurality of sensors indicating the presence of the on the platform.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes comprises a third mode specifying an absence of the load on the platform, the third mode specifying if movement of the vehicle is user-controlled, and wherein the controller determines a third torque to be applied to each of the two wheels to drive the two wheels in the same direction when the vehicle is in the third mode, the third torque being based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors, the controller applying the third torque when the vehicle is in the third mode.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises an inertial sensor.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the controller determines the first torque depending at least in part on a pitch sensed by the inertial sensor.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one load sensor including a foot activated switch sensitive to the load on the platform.

11. A vehicle for carrying a load, the vehicle comprising:

a ground-contacting module including a platform, two laterally disposed wheels, a motorized drive arrangement imparting a first torque to the two laterally disposed wheels;

a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the controller and the ground-contacting module; and

a controller maintaining the vehicle in a balanced state, the controller maintaining a plurality of control modes including at least a kickstand mode specifying an absence of the load on the platform, the kickstand mode specifying that the vehicle is maintained at a position, the controller executing a control loop determining the first torque to be applied to the two laterally disposed wheels to maintain the vehicle balanced in place, the controller automatically entering the kickstand mode based at least in part on data from at least one of the plurality of sensors, the controller automatically providing the first torque to the motorized drive arrangement when the controller is in the kickstand mode.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes comprises a transport mode specifying if the vehicle is transporting the load, and wherein the controller determines a second torque to be applied to the two wheels to maintain the transporting when the vehicle is in the transport mode, and wherein the vehicle includes a directional input providing a turning command to the controller, the turning command based at least in part on displacement of the directional input, the second torque based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and the turning command, the controller applying the second torque when the vehicle is in the transport mode.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller automatically enters the transport mode based on data from the plurality of sensors indicating the presence of the load on the platform.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes comprises a transport mode specifying if the vehicle is transporting the load, and wherein the controller executes a control loop coupled to the motorized drive arrangement, the control loop determining a third torque to be applied to the two laterally disposed wheels to maintain the transporting when the vehicle is in the transport mode, and wherein the vehicle includes a directional input receiving a turning command based at least in part on displacement of the directional input, the third torque depending at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and the turning command, and wherein the controller applies the third torque when the vehicle is in the transport mode.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes comprises a drive mode specifying an absence of the load on the platform, the drive mode specifying if movement of the vehicle is user-controlled, and wherein the controller determines a fourth torque to be applied to each of the two wheels to drive the two wheels in the same direction when the vehicle is in the drive mode, the fourth torque being based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors, and wherein the controller applies the fourth torque when the vehicle is in the drive mode.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle including a ground-contacting module in an initial unbalanced state, a controller in electronic communication with the ground-contacting module, and a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the ground-contacting module and the controller, the method comprising:

receiving, by the controller, data from the plurality of sensors indicating a riderless mode specifying when a load is absent from the vehicle;

determining, by the controller, a first torque to be applied to the ground-contacting module to balance the vehicle at a position, the first torque based at least in part on the data when the vehicle is in the riderless mode; and

automatically applying, by the controller, the first torque to the ground-contacting module.

17. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a turning command based on a displacement of an input device electronically coupled with the controller;

receiving, by the controller, data from the plurality of sensors indicating a loaded mode specifying when the load is present on the vehicle; and

determining, by the controller, a second torque to be applied to the ground-contacting module when the vehicle is in the loaded mode, the second torque based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and the turning command.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein the input device comprises a joystick.

19. The method as in claim 17, further comprising:

applying, by the controller, the second torque when the vehicle is in the loaded mode.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the controller from the plurality of sensors, a pitch of at least a portion of the vehicle; and

determining, by the controller, the first torque based at least in part on the pitch.