# US 10,307,660 B2 · Rider detection systems

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- Number: US 10,307,660 B2
- Document ID: US10307660B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/136,918
- Filed: 2018-09-20
- Published: 2019-01-17
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-05
- Assignees: Future Motion, Inc.
- Applicants: Future Motion, Inc.
- Inventors: Kyle Jonathan Doerksen; Daniel Wood; Julian de la Rua
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307660B2

## CPC

- A63C 17/12: with driving mechanisms
- A63C 17/01: Skateboards (A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence)
- A63C 17/014: {Wheel arrangements}
- A63C 17/08: single-wheel type {with single axis}
- B60L 50/52: characterised by DC-motors
- B62D 37/00: Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
- B62D 51/02: the driver standing in the vehicle
- A63C 17/26: with special auxiliary arrangements, e.g. illuminating, marking, or push-off devices
- A63C 2203/12: Electrically powered or heated
- A63C 2203/24: Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
- B60L 2200/14: Vehicles with one wheel only
- B60L 2240/12: Speed
- B60L 2240/14: Acceleration
- B60L 2240/421: Speed
- B60L 2250/16: by display
- B60L 2250/22: by presence detection
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- 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
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An electric vehicle may comprise a board including deck portions each configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. A motor assembly may be mounted to the board and configured to propel the electric vehicle using the wheel assembly. At least one orientation sensor may be configured to measure orientation information of the board, and at least one pressure-sensing transducer may be configured to determine rider presence information. A motor controller may be configured to receive the orientation information and the rider presence information, and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the orientation and presence information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rider detection system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a sensor unit configured to be coupled to a board of an electric vehicle and to detect a rider's foot contacting the board, the sensor unit including two sensor zones laterally spaced from each other in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the board such that a first of the two sensor zones registers with a toe portion of the rider's foot and a second of the two sensor zones registers with a heel portion of the rider's foot;
a waterproof enclosure enclosing the two sensor zones;
an air-permeable, water-resistant vent disposed between the two sensor zones and configured to permit barometric equilibrium of an internal space inside the enclosure with an exterior environment; and
an electrical connector configured to communicate rider presence information to a motor controller based on outputs of the two sensor zones.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The rider detection system of claim 1, wherein each sensor zone includes first and second printed conductor layers separated by a spacer layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The rider detection system of claim 1, wherein each sensor zone includes a pressure sensing transducer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The rider detection system of claim 3, wherein each pressure sensing transducer is configured to provide a force-proportional, variable output signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The rider detection system of claim 3, wherein each pressure sensing transducer is configured to provide a binary on/off signal.

### Claim 6

A rider detection system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a self-contained, substantially planar sensing unit configured to be disposed in a deck portion of an electric vehicle, the sensing unit including two sensor zones enclosed within a waterproof enclosure and each having an associated active area configured to lie under a rider's heel and toe, respectively;
an air-permeable, water-resistant vent disposed between the two sensor zones and configured to permit barometric equilibrium of an internal space inside the enclosure with an exterior environment; and
an electrical connector configured to communicate rider presence information to a motor controller based on outputs of the two sensor zones.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The rider detection system of claim 6, wherein each sensor zone includes first and second conductive layers separated by a spacer layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The rider detection system of claim 6, wherein each sensor zone includes a pressure sensing transducer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The rider detection system of claim 6, wherein each sensor zone is configured to provide a force-proportional, variable output signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The rider detection system of claim 6, wherein each sensor zone is configured to provide a binary on/off signal.

### Claim 11

A rider detection device for a self-balancing electric vehicle, comprising:
first and second pressure sensing transducers encased in a waterproof enclosure and configured to be disposed within a deck portion of an electric vehicle, the pressure sensing transducers arranged such that the first pressure sensing transducer has an active area configured to register with a toe portion of a rider's foot and the second pressure sensing transducer has an active area configured to register with a heel portion of the rider's foot, the first and second active areas configured to sense rider presence information based on one or more forces applied to the deck portion by the rider's foot; and
an electrical connector configured to communicate the rider presence information to a motor controller based on outputs of the first and second pressure sensing transducers;
wherein each of the pressure sensing transducers includes an upper partially conductive, proportionally conductive layer and a lower fully conductive layer, separated by a spacer layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The rider detection device of claim 11, wherein each pressure sensing transducer includes at least one force-sensitive resistor layer.