Methods and apparatus to monitor and control mobility vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11119486-B2
Application number	US-201616330826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2016
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to provide an improved mobility vehicle are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a sensor positioned with respect to a seat to detect pressure by a user with respect to the sensor and to generate a signal corresponding to the pressure; and a processor to convert the signal into a control command for a powertrain to move the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a sensor positioned with respect to a seat to detect pressure by a user with respect to the sensor to generate a first signal corresponding to the pressure; and
a processor to monitor for control input including the first signal, a second signal from a dashboard application, and a third signal from an external source, the processor to convert a received at least one of the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal into control commands for motor control and steering control and to activate a powertrain to move the vehicle based on the control commands.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is incorporated into an armrest of the seat inside the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is incorporated into a controlling arm of the seat inside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and further including a second sensor to detect pressure by the user with respect to the second sensor, wherein the second sensor is to generate a second signal corresponding to the pressure.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the pressure corresponds to movement by a finger of the user on an area of the sensor corresponding to at least one of a) move forward, b) move backward, c) brake, d) left, or e) right.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the powertrain includes left and right powertrains, and wherein a mobility module adjusts a direction of movement of the vehicle by creating a speed differential between the left and right powertrains.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including the dashboard application to display information regarding the vehicle, the dashboard application configured to execute on a mobile device tethered to the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including an external sensor to provide autonomous input to control movement of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a communication interface to receive a control command from an external system.

10. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
detect pressure by a user with respect to a sensor in a vehicle, the sensor positioned with respect to a seat in the vehicle;
generate a first signal corresponding to the pressure;
monitor for control input including the first signal, a second signal from a dashboard application, and a third signal from an external source; and
convert a received at least one of the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal into control commands for motor control and steering control and to activate a powertrain to move the vehicle based on the control commands.

11. The storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the pressure corresponds to movement by a finger of the user on an area of the sensor corresponding to at least one of a) move forward, b) move backward, c) brake, d) left, or e) right.

12. The storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the powertrain includes left and right powertrains, and wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to adjust a direction of movement of the vehicle by creating a speed differential between the left and right powertrains of the vehicle.

13. The storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to update the dashboard application to display information regarding the vehicle, the dashboard application configured to execute on a mobile device tethered to the vehicle.

14. The storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to control movement of the vehicle based on autonomous input from an external sensor.

15. The storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to receive a control command from an external system via a communication interface.

16. A method comprising:
detecting, using a sensor, pressure by a user with respect to the sensor in a vehicle, the sensor positioned with respect to a seat in the vehicle;
generating, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first signal corresponding to the pressure;
monitoring, by executing an instruction with a processor, for control input including the first signal, a second signal from a dashboard application, and a third signal from an external source; and
converting, by executing an instruction with the processor, a received at least one of the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal into control commands for motor control and steering control and to activate a powertrain to move the vehicle based on the control commands.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pressure corresponds to movement by a finger of the user on an area of the sensor corresponding to at least one of a) move forward, b) move backward, c) brake, d) left, or e) right.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the powertrain includes left and right powertrains, and further including adjusting a direction of movement of the vehicle by creating a speed differential between the left and right powertrains of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16 , further including updating the dashboard application to display information regarding the vehicle, the dashboard application configured to execute on a mobile device tethered to the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 16 , further including controlling movement of the vehicle based on autonomous input from an external sensor.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Magraner Bonifacio Jose Daniel

Classifications

• B60L15/2036 Primary

  Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles · CPC title

• B60N2230/20

  Wireless data transmission · CPC title

• B60N2/0024

  for identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat · CPC title

• Y02T10/72

  Electric energy management in electromobility · CPC title

• B60L2250/00

  Driver interactions · CPC title