Control of a personal transporter based on user position

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.

1 . A method for alerting a rider of a vehicle to reduce a speed of the vehicle, the method comprising:
 sensing a specified condition of the vehicle representative of the vehicle speed; and   providing a modulated signal to a motorized drive of the vehicle to shake the rider in response to the specified condition indicating that a speed limit is exceeded.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the specified condition is a current power output of the motorized drive. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the speed limit is a specified maximum power output of the motorized drive. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the modulated signal is maintained until the vehicle slows to a desired dropout speed below the speed limit. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the signal to the motorized drive is smoothed after the dropout speed is reached. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 monitoring a vehicle battery voltage;   estimating a maximum vehicle speed from the battery voltage; and   setting the speed limit based on the maximum vehicle speed.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , additionally comprising:
 monitoring a motorized drive voltage; and   calculating a velocity margin from the difference between the battery voltage and the motorized drive voltage.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the modulated signal is provided to the motorized drive when the velocity margin falls below a specified limit. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the modulated signal is a periodic ripple modulation. 
     
     
         10 . An alarm system for alerting a rider of a vehicle having a motorized drive to reduce a speed of the vehicle, the alarm system comprising:
 a sensor for sensing a specified condition of the vehicle representative of the vehicle speed; and   a controller for providing a modulated signal to the motorized drive to shake the rider in response to the specified condition indicating that a speed limit is exceeded.   
     
     
         11 . The alarm system according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor senses a current power output of the motorized drive. 
     
     
         12 . The alarm system according to  claim 11 , wherein the speed limit is a specified maximum power output of the motorized drive. 
     
     
         13 . The alarm system according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller continues to provide the modulated signal until the vehicle slows to a desired dropout speed below the speed limit. 
     
     
         14 . The alarm system according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller provides the motorized drive with a smoothed when the vehicle speed is below the dropout speed. 
     
     
         15 . The alarm system according to  claim 10 , wherein the sensor monitors a battery voltage of the vehicle; and
 wherein the controller estimates a maximum vehicle speed from the battery voltage and sets the speed limit based on the maximum vehicle speed.   
     
     
         16 . The alarm system according to  claim 15 , additionally comprising at least a second sensor monitoring a motorized drive voltage of the motorized drive; and
 wherein the controller calculates a velocity margin from the difference between the battery voltage and the motorized drive voltage.   
     
     
         17 . The alarm system according to  claim 16 , wherein the controller provides the modulated signal is to the motorized drive when the velocity margin falls below a specified limit. 
     
     
         18 . The alarm system according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller provides a modulated signal that is a periodic ripple modulation.