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

20 · 2 independent · depth 3

20 granted claims

›1.independentA method for controlling a transporter, the transporter having at least one ground-contacting element and a controller operatively communicating with …+9

›2.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:nreceiving, by the controller, the body orientation at least in part from an ultrasonic sensor.d2

›3.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:nreceiving, by the controller from an RF transmitter, signals into RF receivers mounted on the transporter…d2

›4.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:nreceiving, by the controller, signals from an array of receivers mounted on the transporter, the signals …d2+1

›6.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:ncomputing, by the controller, the command signal based at least in part on pressure exerted by the load o…d2

›7.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:ncomputing, by the controller, the command signal based at least in part on pressure exerted by the load o…d2

›8.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 further comprising:ncontrolling, by the controller, a position of a handlebar disposed upon a shaft disposed upon a platform,…d2

›9.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 wherein the transporter comprises a shaft having parallel link bars pivotally coupled to a platform and to a handlebar dispos…d2

›10.↳ 1The method as in claim 1 wherein a handlebar is coupled to a platform by at least one flexure element, the platform supported by the ground-contacting…d2

›11.independentA system for controlling a transporter, the system comprising:nat least one ground-contacting element; anda controller operatively communicating with …+9

›12.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:nreceiving the body orientation at least in part from an ultrasonic sensor.d2

›13.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:nreceiving, from an RF transmitter, signals into RF receivers mounted on the transp…d2

›14.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:nreceiving signals from an array of receivers mounted on the transporter, the signa…d2+1

›16.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:ncomputing the yaw based at least in part on pressure exerted by the load on at lea…d2

›17.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:ncontrolling a position of a handlebar disposed upon a shaft, the shaft disposed up…d2

›18.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the transporter comprises a shaft including parallel link bars pivotally coupled to a platform and to a handlebar di…d2

›19.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein a handlebar is coupled to a platform by at least one flexure element, the platform supported by the ground-contactin…d2

›20.↳ 11The system as in claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises:nreceiving a relative height offset of at least one handlebar segment disposed upon…d2

Classifications

13 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section A — Human necessities

A63C17/01
A63C17/08
A63C17/12

Section B — Performing operations; transporting

B62D61/00
B62D51/02
B62K3/00
B62D51/00
B62K1/00
B62D37/00
B60L15/20

Section G — Physics

G08B6/00
G05D1/02
G05D1/08

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1.0 y

377 days filing → grant

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non-final + final

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2 RCE

Examiner

Daryl Pope

art unit 2687 · TC 2600

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1 priority documents

›Priority documents — 1

Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20150151808 A1	4 Jun 2015

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