Power driven wheelchair

A power driven wheelchair, including:

• a system controller associated with the wheelchair including a main controller, a storage device in operative communication with the main controller, and at least one input device in operative communication with the main controller;
• and
• a first actuator assembly in operative communication with the system controller via a common bus, the first actuator assembly including a first actuator mechanism, a first local controller having circuitry to drive the first actuator mechanism, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first actuator mechanism and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• wherein the main controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller and the first actuator mechanism are disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A method of operating a power driven wheelchair, including:

• a) activating an input device associated with a system controller associated with the wheelchair;
• b) selecting one or more operating parameters from a plurality of programmable operating parameters based at least in part on the input device activation;
• c) transmitting at least one of the selected operating parameters from the system controller to a first motor assembly associated with a first drive wheel of the wheelchair in a first message via a bus, the first motor assembly including a first drive motor, a first local controller in operative communication with the first drive motor, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first drive motor and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• and
• d) controlling the first drive motor via the first local controller in response to operating parameters received by the first motor assembly and in relation to the condition sensed by the first sensor;
• wherein the system controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller is disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A method of operating a power driven wheelchair, including:

• a) activating an input device associated with a system controller associated with the wheelchair;
• b) selecting one or more operating parameters from a plurality of programmable operating parameters based at least in part on the input device activation;
• c) transmitting at least one of the selected operating parameters from the system controller to a first actuator assembly in a first message via a bus, the first actuator assembly including a first actuator mechanism, a first local controller having circuitry to drive the first actuator mechanism, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first actuator mechanism and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• and
• d) controlling the first actuator mechanism via the first local controller in response to operating parameters received by the first actuator assembly and in relation to the condition sensed by the first sensor;
• wherein the system controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller and the first actuator mechanism are disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A power driven wheelchair comprising:

• a system controller associated with the wheelchair including a main controller, a storage device in operative communication with the main controller, and at least one input device in operative communication with the main controller;
• and
• a first local controller assembly associated with a first controllable component of the wheelchair in operative communication with the system controller via a common bus, the first local controller assembly including a first drive motor or actuator mechanism, a first local controller having circuitry to drive the first drive motor or actuator mechanism, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first drive motor or actuator mechanism and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• wherein the main controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller is disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A power driven wheelchair comprising:

• a system controller associated with the wheelchair including a main controller, a storage device in operative communication with the main controller, and at least one input device in operative communication with the main controller;
• and
• a first motor assembly associated with a first drive wheel of the wheelchair in operative communication with the system controller via a common bus, the first motor assembly including a first drive motor, a first local controller in operative communication with the first drive motor, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first drive motor and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• wherein the main controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller and the first drive motor are disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A method of operating a power driven wheelchair, including:

• a) activating an input device associated with a system controller associated with the wheelchair;
• b) selecting one or more operating parameters from a plurality of programmable operating parameters based at least in part on the input device activation;
• c) transmitting at least one of the selected operating parameters from the system controller to a first motor assembly associated with a first drive wheel of the wheelchair in a first message via a bus, the first motor assembly including a first drive motor, a first local controller in operative communication with the first drive motor, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first drive motor and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• and
• d) controlling the first drive motor via the first local controller in response to the operating parameters received by the first motor assembly and in relation to the condition sensed by the first sensor;
• wherein the system controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller and the first drive motor are disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair.

A power driven wheelchair comprising:

• a system controller associated with the wheelchair including a main controller, a storage device in operative communication with the main controller, and at least one input device in operative communication with the main controller, the system controller comprising:
• logic for controlling normal operations, wherein normal operations comprises a driving mode;
• and
• logic for controlling support operations, wherein support operations comprises a programming mode;
• and
• a first motor assembly associated with a first drive wheel of the wheelchair in operative communication with the system controller via a common bus, the first motor assembly including a first drive motor, a first local controller in operative communication with the first drive motor, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first drive motor and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• wherein the main controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller is disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair;
• and
• wherein the system controller programs selected operating parameters associated with driving in the programming mode and transmits selected operating parameters associated with driving to the first local controller in the driving mode.

A power driven wheelchair, including:

• a system controller associated with the wheelchair including a main controller, a storage device in operative communication with the main controller, and at least one input device in operative communication with the main controller, the system controller comprising:
• logic for controlling normal operations, wherein normal operations comprises a seating mode;
• and
• logic for controlling support operations, wherein support operations comprises a programming mode;
• and
• a first actuator assembly in operative communication with the system controller via a common bus, the first actuator assembly including a first actuator mechanism, a first local controller having circuitry to drive the first actuator mechanism, and a first sensor sensing a condition associated with the first actuator mechanism and in operative communication with the first local controller;
• wherein the main controller is disposed in a first housing at a first location on the wheelchair and the first local controller and the first actuator mechanism are disposed in a second housing at a second location on the wheelchair;
• and
• wherein the system controller programs selected operating parameters associated with seating in the programming mode and transmits selected operating parameters associated with seating to the first local controller in the seating mode.