Guided control of a transporter

1. A method for conducting a riderless balancing transporter having two laterally disposed wheels and a motorized drive for dynamically stabilizing the transporter in balanced operation, the balancing transporter having a user input, the method comprising:

a. receiving an input via the user input;

b. generating a control signal corresponding to the input received; and

c. applying a torque to the laterally disposed wheels by means of the motorized drive so as propel the balancing transporter on the basis of at least the control signal; and

d. wherein the step of applying the torque includes applying a torque proportional to a sum of coadded terms including at least a first term proportional to the control signal and a second term proportional to additive inverse of the wheel velocity common to the two wheels.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control signal corresponds to a commanded torque.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control signal corresponds to a commanded velocity.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the torque proportional to the sum of coadded terms additionally includes a third term proportional to the differential velocity of the two wheels.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of generating a control signal corresponding to the signal received includes conditioning the input received.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein conditioning the input includes providing a deadband region in the vicinity of zero input.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein conditioning the input includes limiting the effect of user input to a specified range of control signals.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein conditioning the input includes limiting the slew rate of change of control signals in response to user input.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of applying a torque employs a control algorithm substantially identical to that which maintains balance of the transporter with an onboard rider.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising a step of decelerating the transporter after a specified distance, with respect to a fiducial reference, of riderless travel.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the fiducial reference is reset when a sensed velocity of the transporter falls below a specified threshold.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising a step of limiting a transporter velocity based upon sensing riderless locomotion.

13. A method for conducting a riderless balancing transporter having two laterally disposed wheels and a motorized drive for dynamically stabilizing the transporter in balanced operation, the balancing transporter having a user input, the method comprising:

a. receiving an input via the user input;

b. generating a control signal corresponding to the input received; and

c. applying a torque to the laterally disposed wheels by means of the motorized drive so as propel the balancing transporter on the basis of at least the control signal;

wherein the step of generating a control signal corresponding to the signal received includes conditioning the input received; and

wherein conditioning the input includes limiting the effect of user input to a specified range of control signals.

14. A method for conducting a riderless balancing transporter having two laterally disposed wheels and a motorized drive for dynamically stabilizing the transporter in balanced operation, the balancing transporter having a user input, the method comprising:

a. receiving an input via the user input;

b. generating a control signal corresponding to the input received; and

c. applying a torque to the laterally disposed wheels by means of the motorized drive so as propel the balancing transporter on the basis of at least the control signal;

wherein the step of generating a control signal corresponding to the signal received includes conditioning the input received; and

wherein conditioning the input includes limiting the slew rate of change of control signals in response to user input.

15. A method for conducting a riderless balancing transporter having two laterally disposed wheels and a motorized drive for dynamically stabilizing the transporter in balanced operation, the balancing transporter having a user input, the method comprising:

a. receiving an input via the user input;

b. generating a control signal corresponding to the input received;

c. applying a torque to the laterally disposed wheels by means of the motorized drive so as propel the balancing transporter on the basis of at least the control signal; and

d. decelerating the transporter after a specified distance, with respect to a fiducial reference, of riderless travel;

wherein the step of applying a torque employs a control algorithm substantially identical to that which maintains balance of the transporter with an onboard rider.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the fiducial reference is reset when a sensed velocity of the transporter falls below a specified threshold.

17. A method for conducting a riderless balancing transporter having two laterally disposed wheels and a motorized drive for dynamically stabilizing the transporter in balanced operation, the balancing transporter having a user input, the method comprising:

a. receiving an input via the user input;

b. generating a control signal corresponding to the input received;

c. applying a torque to the laterally disposed wheels by means of the motorized drive so as propel the balancing transporter on the basis of at least the control signal; and

d. limiting a transporter velocity based upon sensing riderless locomotion;

wherein the step of applying a torque employs a control algorithm substantially identical to that which maintains balance of the transporter with an onboard rider.