Mobility device control system
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsStewart M. Coulter, Brian G. Gray, Dirk A. van der Merwe, Susan D. Dastous, Daniel F. Pawlowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobility device that can accommodate speed sensitive steering, adaptive speed control, a wide weight range of users, an abrupt change in weight, traction control, active stabilization that can affect the acceleration range of the mobility device and minimize back falls, and enhanced redundancy that can affect the reliability and safety of the mobility device.
Claims19
A system for stabilizing a mobility device, the mobility device having at least one sensor, drive wheels, the drive wheels having wheel motor drives, the mobility device having a seat, the seat having a seat motor, the seat motor having a seat motor current, the system comprising:
- a weight processor including a weight estimation processor configured for estimating the weight or change in weight of a load on the mobility device;
- a controller gains processor configured for choosing a default value or values for a center of gravity of the mobility device and computing controller gains based at least on a dynamic state and/or change thereof based on the weight or the change in weight and the center of gravity;
- and
- a wheel command processor configured for modifying a wheel command based on a change in a location of the center of gravity and applying the controller gains in said wheel command processor to control a wheel speed of the mobility device.
A method for stabilizing a mobility device, the mobility device having at least one sensor, at least one user interface, drive wheels, the drive wheels having wheel motor drives, the mobility device having a seat, the seat being associated with a seat motor, the seat motor being associated with a seat motor current, the method comprising:
- estimating the weight or change in weight of a load on the mobility device;
- choosing a default value or values for a center of gravity of the mobility device;
- computing controller gains based at least on a dynamic state and/or change thereof based on the weight or the change in weight and the center of gravity;
- modifying a wheel command based on a change in a location of the center of gravity;
- and
- applying the controller gains to control a wheel speed of the mobility device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.