# US 10,307,659 B2 · Pitch-propelled vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,659 B2 - Document ID: US10307659B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/936,572 - Filed: 2015-11-09 - Published: 2016-03-03 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: Equalia LLC - Applicants: Equalia LLC - Inventors: Robert A. Bigler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307659B2 ## CPC - A63C 17/12: with driving mechanisms - A63C 17/014: {Wheel arrangements} - 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 - B62J 45/4152: {for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle} - B62J 50/22: electronic, e.g. displays - A63C 17/016: {with wheels arranged in one track} - A63C 17/08: single-wheel type {with single axis} - B60L 2200/14: Vehicles with one wheel only - B60L 2220/46: Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel - B60L 2240/12: Speed - B60L 2240/18: lateral - B60L 2240/20: angular - B60L 2260/34: Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles - B62K 1/00: Unicycles - B62K 11/007: {Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider} - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - A63C: SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE (water skis B63B32/00, B63B34/00) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method, system and apparatus for carrying a user including a board for supporting the user, a ground-contacting member coupled with the board, a motorized drive assembly coupled with the ground-contacting member and one or more sensors coupled with the drive assembly. In operation, the drive assembly adjusts the velocity of the ground-contacting member based on one or more distances of the board from a surface below the board as detected by the sensors. As a result, the system is able to maintain a desired velocity when ascending, descending or traversing uneven ground without the need for excessive and sometimes impossible tilting of the board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle for carrying a user comprising: a board for supporting the user; a ground-contacting member coupled with the board; a motorized drive assembly including a controller and coupled with the ground-contacting member; and one or more sensors coupled with the drive assembly to detect one or more characteristics of the board including a pitch of the board relative to a surface below the board, wherein the controller of the drive assembly increases the velocity of the ground-contacting member in a direction based on a value of the pitch of the board in the direction increasing as detected by the sensors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the board is elongated along a dimension in a fore-aft plane that aligns with the forward and reverse directions of travel of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein one or more fore sensors of the sensors are positioned at the fore end of the elongated dimension of the board and one or more aft sensors of the sensors are positioned at the aft end of the elongated dimension of the board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the board as balanced by the ground-contacting member is unstable with respect to tipping along the fore-aft plane when the motorized drive assembly is not in operation, and the motorized drive assembly is configured to automatically balance the board with respect to tipping along the fore-aft plane when the motorized drive assembly is in operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pitch is calculated by determining a difference between one or more distances of the board from the surface below the board and an average of two or more of the distances such that the drive assembly adjusts for unevenness in the surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle locking module operatively coupled with the drive assembly, wherein the vehicle locking module prevents operation of the drive assembly when locked. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ground-contacting member comprises one of the group consisting of a wheel, a ball, a tread and arcuate sections of a discontinuous wheel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more locking fasteners coupled to the board, wherein the ground-contacting member is able to selectively couple and decouple from the board via the fasteners by locking or unlocking the fasteners. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more grips coupled to the top of the board such that the grips protruding above the board for a user to lift the board with their feet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensors are acoustic sensors and the drive assembly comprises a direct drive motor that drives the ground-contacting member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive assembly delays each adjustment of the velocity of the ground-contacting member for a period, wherein the length of the period for each adjustment is based on a calculated time that the ground-contacting member will contact a point on the surface on which the adjustment was based. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more rider sensors coupled to the ground-contacting member, wherein the rider sensors sense when a user or payload is on the board based on a force on the board by the ground-contacting member detected by the rider sensors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motorized drive assembly utilizes sinusoidal commutation to control the operation of the ground-contacting member. ### Claim 14 A method for carrying a user comprising: assuming a position on a vehicle comprising: a board for supporting the user; a single ground-contacting member coupled with the board; a motorized drive assembly including a controller and coupled with the ground-contacting member; and one or more sensors coupled with the drive assembly to detect one or more characteristics of the board including a pitch of the board relative to a surface below the board, wherein the controller of the drive assembly increases the velocity of the ground-contacting member in a direction based on a value of the pitch of the board in the direction increasing as detected by the sensors; and operating the vehicle by causing the board to tilt with respect to the surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the board is elongated along a dimension in a fore-aft plane that aligns with the forward and reverse directions of travel of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein one or more fore sensors of the sensors are positioned at the fore end of the elongated dimension of the board and one or more aft sensors of the sensors are positioned at the aft end of the elongated dimension of the board. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the board as balanced by the ground-contacting member is unstable with respect to tipping along the fore-aft plane when the motorized drive assembly is not in operation, and the motorized drive assembly is configured to automatically balance the board with respect to tipping along the fore-aft plane when the motorized drive assembly is in operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the pitch is calculated by determining a difference between one or more distances of the board from the surface below the board and an average of two or more of the distances such that the drive assembly adjusts for unevenness in the surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle further comprises a vehicle locking module operatively coupled with the drive assembly, wherein the vehicle locking module prevents operation of the drive assembly when locked. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the ground-contacting member comprises one of the group consisting of a wheel, a ball, a tread and arcuate sections of a discontinuous wheel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising selectively coupling or decoupling the ground-contacting member from the board via one or more locking fasteners coupled to the board by locking or unlocking the fasteners. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more grips coupled to the top of the board such that the grips protruding above the board a user to lift the board with their feet. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the sensors are acoustic sensors and the drive assembly comprises a direct drive motor that drives the ground-contacting member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the drive assembly delays each adjustment of the velocity of the ground-contacting member for a period, wherein the length of the period for each adjustment is based on a calculated time that the ground-contacting member will contact a point on the surface on which the adjustment was based. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more rider sensors coupled to the ground-contacting member, wherein the rider sensors sense when a user or payload is on the board based on a force on the board by the ground-contacting member detected by the rider sensors.