JP2011164040A - Inverted-wheel type moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for detecting that an occupant boards or starts to board and that an article other than the occupant is mounted, while differentiating between the actions. <P>SOLUTION: A sensor unit 3 includes an infrared sensor 4 for human body detection capable of detecting infrared rays emitted by the occupant who boards a body 2 or starts to board it. Preferably, the infrared sensor 4 is disposed at a boarding position (step 6) of the body 2. Preferably, the sensor unit 3 further includes a beam sensor 12 for emitting visible light or infrared rays toward the occupant who boards the body 2 or starts to board it and detecting the presence of the occupant with the reflected light. Preferably, the beam sensor 12 is disposed at the boarding position (step 6) of the body 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inverted wheel type moving body.

  As a technique of this kind, US Pat. No. 6,057,059 discloses a rider detector that detects the presence of a rider on the base of a dynamically balanced balanced personal transport vehicle with two wheels. This rider detector is composed of a mat that covers the base and a switch provided below the mat, and the switch is turned on and off by deformation of the mat. If necessary, refer to Claim 15, Paragraph Nos. 0043 to 0047 of Document 1.

Japanese Patent No. 4162959

  However, the rider detector disclosed in Document 1 may erroneously detect that the article is a rider when an article (for example, a handbag or a document case) other than the rider is placed on the base. .

  A main object of the present invention is to provide a technique for detecting the passenger separately from the fact that the passenger has boarded or started boarding and that an article other than the passenger has been placed.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, an occupant detection device for detecting that the occupant has boarded or started to board the main body of an inverted wheel type moving body that moves in response to an operation by the occupant. And an infrared sensor for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays emitted from the occupant who has boarded or started boarding the main body. According to the above configuration, it is possible to distinguish and detect that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the main body and that an article other than the passenger has been placed on the main body.

  The infrared sensor is preferably provided at a boarding position of the main body.

  The above occupant detection device further includes a photoelectric sensor that emits visible light or infrared light toward the occupant who has boarded or started to board the main body, and detects the presence of the occupant by the reflected light. Is preferred. Thus, the detection accuracy of the passenger detection device can be further improved by adding a sensor having a different operation principle from the infrared sensor.

  It is preferable that the photoelectric sensor is provided at a boarding position of the main body.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, an inverted wheel type moving body that moves in response to an operation by a passenger includes a wheel, a wheel that rotatably supports the wheel, and a body that supports the passenger, An occupant detecting means capable of detecting that the occupant has boarded or started to board the main body, and the occupant detecting means is issued from the passenger who has boarded or started to board the main body. It includes an infrared sensor for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays. According to the above configuration, it is possible to distinguish and detect that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the main body and that an article other than the passenger has been placed on the main body.

  The occupant detection means further comprises a photoelectric sensor that emits visible light or infrared light toward the occupant who has boarded or started to board the main body, and detects the presence of the occupant by the reflected light. It is preferable that Thus, the detection accuracy of the passenger detection means can be further improved by adding a sensor having a different operating principle from the infrared sensor.

  The inverted wheel type moving body further includes posture control means for starting control of the posture of the main body when the boarding detection means detects that the occupant has boarded or started to board the main body. preferable. According to the above configuration, the occupant can board or start boarding the main body in which the posture is suitably controlled. From another viewpoint, according to the above configuration, even if an article other than the passenger is placed on the main body, the posture control means does not start controlling the posture of the main body. Contributes to reduction of power consumption.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the passenger detection for detecting that the passenger has boarded or started to board the main body of the inverted wheel type moving body that moves according to the operation by the passenger, The method includes a step of detecting infrared rays emitted from the passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body. According to the above method, it is possible to distinguish and detect that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the main body and that an article other than the passenger has been placed on the main body.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to distinguish and detect that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the main body and that an article other than the passenger has been placed on the main body.

The perspective view of the inverted motorcycle which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention FIG. 2 (a) is a partially enlarged side view of the inverted motorcycle and shows an initial state of the passenger's boarding. FIG. 2 (b) is a partially enlarged side view of the inverted motorcycle and the passenger's boarding state. Indicates the end state. Functional block diagram of the inverted motorcycle Control flow of the above inverted motorcycle

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  An inverted motorcycle 100 (inverted wheel type moving body) shown in FIG. 1 is a vehicle for transporting a passenger who has boarded the inverted motorcycle 100 in a desired direction. In other words, the inverted two-wheeled vehicle 100 moves in response to an operation by a passenger who has boarded the inverted two-wheeled vehicle 100.

  The inverted two-wheeled vehicle 100 supports a pair of wheels 1, a pair of wheels 1 rotatably, and a main body 2 that supports the occupant, and can detect that the occupant has boarded or started to board the main body 2. Main sensor unit 3 (passenger detection means, passenger detection device). The sensor unit 3 includes an infrared sensor 4 for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays emitted from a passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body 2.

  The main body 2 includes, as main components, a housing 5 that supports the pair of wheels 1 and a pair of steps 6 that are provided on the housing 5 and support the passenger from the soles. The main body 2 is further provided between the pair of steps 6, and a control box 8 containing a control device 7 (see FIG. 3) for controlling the operation of the inverted two-wheeled vehicle 100 and a passenger can hold with both hands. A handle column 10 provided with a handle 9 capable of being provided at the tip thereof and a pair of auxiliary wheels 11 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each sensor unit 3 is disposed at the approximate center in plan view of step 6 where the passenger steps on the sole. The sensor unit 3 is embedded in each step 6 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B in this embodiment. In the present embodiment, each step 6 is a boarding position of the main body 2 because the passenger touches the sole when boarding. Therefore, it can be mentioned that each sensor unit 3 is provided in each step 6 as a boarding position of the main body 2.

  In the present embodiment, the infrared sensor 4 is a pyroelectric infrared sensor for detecting a human body. Here, “for human body detection” means that the output becomes active when infrared rays emitted from the human body are detected, while the output is inactive when infrared rays emitted from articles other than the human body are detected. It means that it becomes. However, the infrared sensor 4 is not limited to the pyroelectric infrared sensor as long as it is for human body detection. That is, the infrared sensor 4 may be another type of thermal sensor such as a thermopile using the thermoelectromotive force effect, instead of the pyroelectric infrared sensor.

  In this embodiment, each sensor unit 3 emits visible rays or infrared rays toward a passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body 2 in addition to the infrared sensor 4, and the presence of the passenger is reflected by the reflected light. A beam sensor 12 is provided as an optical sensor for detection. As the beam sensor 12, either a limited reflection type or a distance setting type can be adopted. In the limited reflection type, the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are structured with an angle so that detection is performed only in a limited region where the optical axes intersect. In the distance setting type, a detection object is irradiated with a spot and detection is performed based on a difference in angle of reflected light from the detection object. The operation principle of the beam sensor 12 indicated by the broken line in FIG. 2A is drawn in the image of the limited reflection type. The direction in which the beam sensor 12 emits visible light or infrared light is a direction toward the passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body 2. In other words, when the beam sensor 12 is a limited reflection type, this direction is a direction having an inclination of about 20 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the upper surface 6a of the step 6 of the main body 2. When the beam sensor 12 is a distance setting type, the direction is substantially the same as the normal direction to the upper surface 6 a of the step 6 of the main body 2.

  Thus, each sensor unit 3 according to the present embodiment includes at least the infrared sensor 4 so that a passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body 2 can be detected without contact. Further, each sensor unit 3 further includes a beam sensor 12, so that the detection accuracy of the passenger is realized at a higher level.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 7 described above includes a microcomputer 13 (attitude control means) and a motor driver 14 as main components. The microcomputer 13 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 15 (Central Processing Unit), a readable / writable RAM 16 (Random Access Memory), a read-only ROM 17 (Read Only Memory), and an input / output port 18 for connection to an external device. The bus 19 enables data communication between these components. The motor driver 14 controls the operation of the motor 20 based on the attitude control signal received from the microcomputer 13. The output shaft of the motor 20 is connected to the axle of the wheel 1.

  The infrared sensor 4, the beam sensor 12, and the motor driver 14 described above are connected to an input / output port 18 of the microcomputer 13. With this configuration, the infrared sensor 4 transmits a human body detection signal to the microcomputer 13 when detecting infrared rays emitted from a passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body 2 as shown in FIG. Similarly, when the beam sensor 12 detects the reflected light as shown in FIG. 2A, the beam sensor 12 transmits a reflected light detection signal to the microcomputer 13. The microcomputer 13 transmits a desired posture control signal to the motor driver 14 to start controlling the posture of the main body 2 when it is detected by the sensor unit 3 that a passenger has boarded or started to board the main body 2. . In other words, in the present embodiment, when the microcomputer 13 receives both the human body detection signal and the reflected light detection signal, the microcomputer 13 transmits a desired posture control signal to the motor driver 14 in order to start controlling the posture of the main body 2.

  Next, the operation of the inverted motorcycle 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the inverted motorcycle 100 is turned on, the CPU 15 of the microcomputer 13 reads the control program stored in the ROM 17 and starts the control flow shown in FIG. 4 (S300). Next, the microcomputer 13 sets each sensor unit 3 (including the infrared sensor 4 and the beam sensor 12) to an operating state (ON) (S310). Next, the microcomputer 13 stands by until a reflected light detection signal is received from the beam sensor 12 (S320: NO). At this time, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the occupant raises the left or right foot F from the ground and makes the sole SOF face the upper surface 6a of step 6, the light receiving portion of the beam sensor 12 reflects the reflected light. (Dashed arrow) is received and a reflected light detection signal is transmitted to the microcomputer 13. When the microcomputer 13 receives the reflected light detection signal (S320: YES), the microcomputer 13 advances the process to S330. Next, the microcomputer 13 waits until a human body detection signal is received from the infrared sensor 4 (S330: NO). At this time, as shown in FIG. 2B, the infrared sensor 4 detects infrared rays (broken arrows) emitted from the sole SOF of the passenger's foot F and transmits a human body detection signal to the microcomputer 13. When the microcomputer 13 receives the human body detection signal (S330: YES), the microcomputer 13 advances the process to S340. Next, the microcomputer 13 starts to control the posture of the main body 2 by starting to transmit a desired posture control signal to the motor driver 14 (S340). For example, when the power of the inverted motorcycle 100 is turned off, or when the human body detection signal is interrupted by monitoring the human body detection signal received from the infrared sensor 4, the microcomputer 13 ends the process (S350).

(Summary)
(1, 5, 8) As described above, in the above embodiment, the sensor unit 3 includes the infrared sensor 4 for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays emitted from a passenger who has boarded or started to board the main body 2. Prepare. According to the above configuration, it is possible to distinguish and detect that a passenger has boarded or started to board the main body 2 and that an article other than the passenger has been placed on the main body 2.

  Accordingly, since it is not necessary to pay attention not to place an article on the step 6 of the main body 2 of the inverted motorcycle 100, the psychological burden on the user of the inverted motorcycle 100 can be reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the infrared sensor 4 is used for human body detection. However, the infrared sensor 4 does not have to be commercially available for human body detection. That is, for example, the infrared sensor 4 includes a determination circuit that analyzes the frequency characteristics of the detected infrared to determine whether the infrared is due to the human body. As a result, the general-purpose infrared sensor is used for human body detection. It can be configured to function as an infrared sensor. Therefore, in this specification, “an infrared sensor for detecting a human body” is interpreted to include “an infrared sensor that is commercially available for detecting a human body” and “an infrared sensor that can be used for detecting a human body”. And

(2) Moreover, it is preferable that the infrared sensor 4 is provided in the boarding position (step 6) of the main body 2.

(3, 6) The sensor unit 3 emits a visible ray or an infrared ray toward a passenger who has boarded or started to board the main body 2, and detects the presence of the passenger by the reflected light. 12 is preferably further provided. Thus, the detection accuracy of the sensor unit 3 can be further improved by adding a sensor having an operating principle different from that of the infrared sensor 4.

  This is because, as a general theory, an infrared sensor has a slightly poor directivity.

(4) The beam sensor 12 is preferably provided at the boarding position (step 6) of the main body 2.

(7) The inverted motorcycle 100 further includes a microcomputer 13 that starts controlling the posture of the main body 2 when it is detected by the sensor unit 3 that a passenger has boarded or started to board the main body 2. Is preferred. According to the above configuration, the passenger can board or start boarding the main body 2 in which the posture is suitably controlled. From another viewpoint, according to the above configuration, even if an article other than a passenger is placed on the main body 2, the microcomputer 13 does not start controlling the posture of the main body 2. Contributes to the reduction of

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications, for example.

  That is, instead of reading the control program from the ROM 17, the CPU 15 shown in FIG. 3 may read the control program from a storage medium such as an FD or CDROM in which the control program is stored in advance, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network). ) To read via the network.

1 Wheel 2 Body 3 Sensor unit (passenger detection means, passenger detection device)
4 Infrared sensor 6 Step (boarding position)
12 Beam sensor 100 Inverted motorcycle

Claims (8)

A passenger detection device for detecting that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the main body of the inverted wheel type moving body that moves in accordance with an operation by the passenger,
An infrared sensor for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays emitted from the passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body;
Passenger detection device. The occupant detection device according to claim 1,
The infrared sensor is provided at a boarding position of the main body,
Passenger detection device. The occupant detection device according to claim 1 or 2,
Further comprising a photoelectric sensor that emits visible light or infrared light toward the occupant who has boarded or started boarding the main body, and detects the presence of the occupant by the reflected light;
Passenger detection device. The occupant detection device according to claim 3,
The photoelectric sensor is provided at a boarding position of the main body,
Passenger detection device. An inverted wheel type moving body that moves in response to an operation by a passenger,
Wheels,
A main body that supports the occupant while rotatably supporting the wheel;
An occupant detection means capable of detecting that the occupant has boarded or started to board the main body;
With
The occupant detection means includes an infrared sensor for detecting a human body capable of detecting infrared rays emitted from the occupant who has boarded or started boarding the main body.
Inverted wheel type moving body. The inverted wheel type moving body according to claim 5,
The occupant detection means further comprises a photoelectric sensor that emits visible light or infrared light toward the occupant who has boarded or started to board the main body, and detects the presence of the occupant by the reflected light. Being
Inverted wheel type moving body. The inverted wheel type moving body according to claim 5 or 6,
Further comprising attitude control means for starting control of the attitude of the main body when it is detected by the boarding detection means that the passenger has boarded or started to board the main body.
Inverted wheel type moving body. A passenger detection method for detecting that the passenger has boarded or started boarding the body of an inverted wheel type moving body that moves in response to an operation by the passenger,
Detecting infrared rays emitted from the passenger who has boarded or started boarding the main body,
Passenger detection method.

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