Cognitive stabilizer wheels for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035555-B2
Application number	US-201615203320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a method and system including a sensor on a vehicle and a processor connected to the sensor. The processor determines a probability of falling based on input from the sensor, whether the probability of falling exceeds a threshold, and a state of an operator of the vehicle. An actuator connected to the processor receives a signal from the processor when the probability of falling exceeds the threshold and when the state of the operator includes an impaired state. Stabilizer wheels are connected to the actuator, where the signal includes a command to deploy the stabilizer wheels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving input from a first sensor on a vehicle;
determining a probability of falling based on the input;
determining whether an operator of the vehicle has an impaired state based on input from a second sensor; and
sending a signal to an actuator on the vehicle to deploy stabilizer wheels when:
the probability of falling exceeds a threshold;
the operator has an impaired state; and
an operator profile includes at least one of a neurological disease, a history of past falls, a history of past near-falls, or any combination thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the impaired state is selected from the group consisting of fatigued, nauseous, stressed, intoxicated, distracted, and drowsy.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the input from the second sensor comprises a facial expression of the operator captured by a camera or audible input captured by a microphone.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying a riding surface condition with an online resource.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying a location of the vehicle via a GPS device on the vehicle, wherein the signal is sent to the actuator when the location of the vehicle is within a predetermined area.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a high-risk area based on at least one of the operator profile or location information where other operators have fallen in the past; and
sending the signal to the actuator when the vehicle is in the high-risk area.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising creating a log including readings from the sensor and whether the vehicle fell at each reading, wherein said determining of the probability of falling is based on the log.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a distance of an object to the vehicle; and
sending the signal to the actuator when the distance to the object is below a collision threshold.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a road obstruction in front of the vehicle; and
sending a second signal to the actuator when the road obstruction is identified and the stabilizer wheels are in a deployed position, the second signal including a command to retract the stabilizer wheels.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold is set by a parent, teacher, physical therapist, or doctor.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operator profile includes a history of past falls and a history of past near-falls.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises an accelerometer, a Passive Infrared (PIR) detection unit, a smartphone-based real-time falling detection system, a wearable human body falling detection device, an acceleration sensor, or a tilt angle sensor.

13. A system comprising:
a first sensor on a vehicle;
a processor connected to said first sensor and a second sensor, said processor determines a probability of falling based on input from said first sensor and a state of an operator of the vehicle based on input from a second sensor;
an actuator connected to said processor
an electronic database connected to said processor and comprising an operator profile; and
stabilizer wheels connected to said actuator, wherein the signal includes a command to deploy said stabilizer wheels from said processor when:
the probability of falling exceeds a threshold;
the operator has an impaired state; and
the operator profile includes at least one of a neurological disease, a history of past falls, a history of past near-falls, or any combination thereof.

14. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising a GPS device connected to said processor.

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said electronic database includes readings from said first sensor and whether the vehicle fell at each reading, wherein said processor modifies the threshold based on data in said electronic database.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first sensor comprises a passive infrared detection unit.

17. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first sensor comprises an acceleration sensor or a tilt angle sensor.

18. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the stabilizer wheels have built-in sensors that detect how much weight is put on them.

19. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising sensors in a handle bar of the vehicle to differentiate falling from turning.

20. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:
first program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to receive input from a first sensor on a vehicle;
second program instructions executable by the device to cause the device to determine a probability of falling based on the input from the first sensor;
third program instructions executable by the device to cause the device to determine whether the probability of falling exceeds a threshold;
fourth program instructions executable by the device to cause the device to determine a state of an operator of the vehicle based on input from a second sensor;
fifth program instructions to maintain an electronic database comprising an operator profile; and
sixth program instructions executable by the device to cause the device to send a signal to an actuator on the vehicle to deploy stabilizer wheels when:
the probability of falling exceeds the threshold;
when the state of the operator includes an impaired state; and
the operator profile includes at least one of a neurological disease, a history of past falls, a history of past near-falls, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Erickson Thomas D
• Kim Minkyong
• Pickover Clifford A
• Vukovic Maja

Classifications

• G16H50/30

  for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W4/027

  using movement velocity, acceleration information · CPC title

• B62J45/00

  Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B5/1117

  Fall detection · CPC title