Patents by Inventor Michael T. Gansler
Michael T. Gansler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9477228Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Segway, Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Publication number: 20160041558Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Patent number: 9168966Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Segway, Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Publication number: 20140163855Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Patent number: 8467941Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2012Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Segway, Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Publication number: 20120239284Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: SEGWAY INC.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Patent number: 8170780Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Segway, Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Patent number: 7979179Abstract: An apparatus and method for a pitch state estimator is provided. The pitch state estimator generates a pitch state signal for establishing the orientation used in the control of a ground-traversing vehicle. The vehicle has a support for supporting a load which is preferably a human passenger. In one embodiment, the pitch state estimator includes a pitch sensor connected to the vehicle producing a pitch signal representing an estimate of a pitch angle of the vehicle. The pitch angle is associated with a coordinate system referenced to gravity. The pitch state estimator also includes at least one inertial reference sensor connected to the vehicle producing an inertial orientation signal with respect to the vehicle. Further included is a state estimator module for receiving the pitch signal and the inertial orientation signal and calculating a pitch state signal from the inertial orientation signal and the pitch signal sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Segway Inc.Inventor: Michael T. Gansler
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Patent number: 7857088Abstract: A transporter that includes a platform for supporting a load and at least one primary ground-contacting element. The transporter includes an actuator for applying torque to the at least one primary ground-contacting element for propelling the transporter with respect to a surface. The transporter also includes a controller for controlling the actuator, the controller includes an input for receiving specification by a user of a desired direction of travel based on a position of a member with respect to a fiducial axis, a differentiator for calculating a rate of change of the position of the member with respect to the fiducial axis, and a processor for generating a yaw command signal based at least on the position of the member and the rate of change of the position of the member which is weighted based on the level of experience of the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2010Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Segway Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Jon M. Stevens, Philip LeMay, Michael T. Gansler
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Publication number: 20100222994Abstract: A transporter that includes a platform for supporting a load and at least one primary ground-contacting element. The transporter includes an actuator for applying torque to the at least one primary ground-contacting element for propelling the transporter with respect to a surface. The transporter also includes a controller for controlling the actuator, the controller includes an input for receiving specification by a user of a desired direction of travel based on a position of a member with respect to a fiducial axis, a differentiator for calculating a rate of change of the position of the member with respect to the fiducial axis, and a processor for generating a yaw command signal based at least on the position of the member and the rate of change of the position of the member which is weighted based on the level of experience of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Jon M. Stevens, Philip LeMay, Michael T. Gansler
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Patent number: 7740099Abstract: A transporter that includes a platform for supporting a load and at least one primary ground-contacting element. The transporter includes an actuator for applying torque to the at least one primary ground-contacting element for propelling the transporter with respect to a surface. The transporter also includes a controller for controlling the actuator, the controller includes an input for receiving specification by a user of a desired direction of travel based on a position of a member with respect to a fiducial axis, a differentiator for calculating a rate of change of the position of the member with respect to the fiducial axis, and a processor for generating a yaw command signal based at least on the position of the member and the rate of change of the position of the member which is weighted based on the level of experience of the user.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2007Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Segway Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Jon M. Stevens, Philip LeMay, Michael T. Gansler
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Publication number: 20100114468Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: Segway Inc.Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
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Publication number: 20090105908Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a steering command of a vehicle is provided. A deadband value based on a current state of a transporter is applied to a roll compensated steering command to control steering of the vehicle. A gain is applied to a steering command to control steering of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: Segway Inc.Inventors: Robert Casey, Michael T. Gansler, John B. Morrell, Michael F. Kaufman, Jon M. Stevens
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Publication number: 20090055033Abstract: A method for initializing a controller of a balancing transporter involving acquiring a plurality of orientation signals associated with the balancing transporter. The method also involves determining if one or more of a plurality of angular rate sensors has a signal output offset below a threshold based on the plurality of orientation sensor signals. The method also involves initializing a pitch state estimator for controlling operation of the balancing transporter based on output of the one or more of the plurality of angular rate sensors. The method also involves controlling operation of the balancing transporter based on at least one output of the pitch state estimator.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2007Publication date: February 26, 2009Inventors: Michael T. Gansler, Michael F. Kaufman
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Publication number: 20080161990Abstract: An apparatus and method for a pitch state estimator is provided. The pitch state estimator generates a pitch state signal for establishing the orientation used in the control of a ground-traversing vehicle. The vehicle has a support for supporting a load which is preferably a human passenger. In one embodiment, the pitch state estimator includes a pitch sensor connected to the vehicle producing a pitch signal representing an estimate of a pitch angle of the vehicle. The pitch angle is associated with a coordinate system referenced to gravity. The pitch state estimator also includes at least one inertial reference sensor connected to the vehicle producing an inertial orientation signal with respect to the vehicle. Further included is a state estimator module for receiving the pitch signal and the inertial orientation signal and calculating a pitch state signal from the inertial orientation signal and the pitch signal sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2007Publication date: July 3, 2008Inventor: Michael T. Gansler