# US 8,502,641 B2 · Rate-of-change switches and controllable apparatus

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- Number: US 8,502,641 B2
- Document ID: US8502641B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 09/801,201
- Filed: 2001-03-07
- Published: 2001-12-06
- Granted: 2013-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2000-03-09
- Assignees: Intelpro Corporation
- Applicants: John L. Lautzenhiser
- Inventors: John L. Lautzenhiser
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8502641B2

## CPC

- G05B 11/42: for obtaining a characteristic which is both proportional and time-dependent, e.g. P. I., P. I. D.
- A61G 5/04: motor-driven (A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023)
- A61G 5/127: {for lower legs}
- 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
- A61G 2203/18: by patient's head, eyes, facial muscles or voice
- A61G 2203/42: for inclination
- B60L 2200/34: Wheel chairs
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A switching function is performed in response to a predetermined rate-of-change of an output signal, thereby providing rate-of-change switching. Rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) each include a user-controlled transducer (38A, 38B, or 39), a differentiator (40A, 40B, 112, or 156), and a discriminator (42, 114, 134, 160, or 162). The rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) perform at least one switching function when an output from the differentiator (40A, 40B, 112, or 156) or a second differentiator (158) exceeds an allowable magnitude. The rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) may be used to control a timed-opportunity switch (26 or 172), a conveyance, such as a wheelchair (12), and such functions as extending and retracting leg supports, and/or an environmental control unit (14 or 174). The rate-of-change switches (63 or 154) may be attached to a body member (18, 64, or 67) and be actuated by body-member gestures.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switch which comprises:
a. a tilt-sensitive transducer that produces an output signal in response to a user input;
b. a first differentiator adapted to receive said output signal and adapted to determine a first derivative of said output signal;
c. a second differentiator connected to said first differentiator adapted to determine a second derivative of said output signal representing a rate-of-change of the output signal; and
d. means, connected to said second differentiator, for performing a first switching function based at least in part on the rate-of-change of the output signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A switch as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises means, connected to said first differentiator, for performing a second switching function.

### Claim 3

A method which comprises:
body-member tilting a first tilt-sensitive transducer;
producing a first output signal proportional to said tilting step;
differentiating said first output signal with respect to time and determining a rate-of-change; and
performing a first switching function in response to said differentiated first output signal based on said rate-of-change;
wherein performing a switching function that includes momentary contact switching, and said method further comprises:
initiating a sequential plurality of time delays in which one is a window of opportunity;
refraining from said momentary-contact switching step during a first time delay that follows said initiating step;
performing said momentary-contact switching step within said window of opportunity that follows said first time delay;
refraining from said momentary-contact switching step during a second time delay that follows said window of opportunity; and
initiating operation of a first electrical device subsequent to successful completion of the preceding steps.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method as claimed in claim 3 in which said method further comprises:
a. body-member tilting a second tilt-sensitive transducer;
b. producing a second output signal proportional to said tilting of said second tilt-sensitive transducer;
c. differentiating said second output signal with respect to time; and
d. performing a logic output as a function of said first and second differentiated output signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A method as claimed in claim 3 in which said method further comprises:
a. momentary-contact switching during said second time delay; and
b. initiating operation of a second electrical device in response to said momentary-contact switching step occurring during said second time delay.

### Claim 6

A method which comprises:
a. producing an output signal;
b. determining a first rate-of-change of said output signal;
c. selectively performing a switching function in response to said output signal and based at least in part on said first rate-of-change exceeding a predetermined rate-of-change threshold;
d. determining a second rate-of-change of said output signal; and
e. preventing variations in said output signal from performing said switching function based at least in part on said second rate-of-change not exceeding said predetermined rate-of-change threshold.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises activating control of an apparatus in response to said switching function.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises controlling an apparatus in response to said output signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises activating control of an apparatus in response to said switching function being performed inside a window of opportunity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. activating control of an apparatus in response to said switching function being performed inside a window of opportunity; and
b. aborting said activating step in response to said switching function being performed outside said window of opportunity.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises activating a shut-down function of an apparatus in response to said switching function.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises activating a selected one of a first or a second apparatus in response to said switching function.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. activating a selected one of a first or a second apparatus in response to performing said switching function during a window of opportunity; and
b. proportionally controlling a function of said selected apparatus as a function of said proportional output signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. activating a selected one of a first or a second apparatus in response to performing said switching function during a window of opportunity;
b. selecting a function of said selected apparatus to be controlled; and
c. said selecting step comprises performing an other switching function.

### Claim 15 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. activating a selected one of a first or a second apparatus in response to performing said switching function during a window of opportunity;
b. selecting a function of said selected apparatus to be controlled;
c. said selecting step comprises performing an other switching function;
d. controlling said selected function; and
e. said controlling step comprises performing still an other switching function.

### Claim 16 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. initiating cascading a plurality of task opportunities;
b. selecting a task; and
c. said selecting step comprises performing said switching function.

### Claim 17 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. initiating cascading a plurality of task opportunities;
b. selecting a task;
c. said selecting step comprises performing said switching function;
d. selectively controlling said task; and
e. said selective controlling step comprises performing an other switching function.

### Claim 18 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. initiating cascading a plurality of task opportunities; and
b. said initiating step comprises performing said switching function.

### Claim 19 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. initiating cascading a plurality of task opportunities;
b. said initiating step comprises performing said switching function;
c. selecting a task; and
d. said selecting step comprises performing an other switching function.

### Claim 20 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said method further comprises:
a. initiating cascading a plurality of task opportunities;
b. said initiating step comprises performing said switching function;
c. selecting a task;
d. said selecting step comprises performing an other switching function;
e. selectively controlling said task; and
f. said selective controlling step comprises performing still an other switching function.

### Claim 21 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said producing step comprises actuating an input.

### Claim 22 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said producing step comprises body-member actuating an input.

### Claim 23 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which said selectively performing step further comprises selectively adjusting said predetermined rate-of-change threshold.

### Claim 24 (depends on 6)

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which at least one of said determining steps comprises differentiating said output signal.