Traveling apparatus and method of controlling parallel two-wheeled vehicle

1. A traveling apparatus comprising:

drive means for independently driving two wheels disposed in parallel;

a chassis that connects the two wheels;

detection means provided in the chassis for detecting a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels is set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle; and

empty vehicle control means for controlling a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board,

wherein when the traveling apparatus is in an empty state and the posture angle detected by the detection means is less than a predetermined posture angle, then a gain of the drive means is zero, and

wherein the empty vehicle control means limits or controls the posture angle once the posture angle detected by the detection means is equal to or greater than the predetermined posture angle.

2. A traveling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the empty vehicle control means controls a position of the vehicle to be maintained regardless of the information on the detected posture angle.

3. A traveling apparatus comprising:

drive means for independently driving two wheels disposed in parallel;

a chassis for connecting the two wheels;

a turn operation unit configured to input a turn command via a control lever;

detection means provided in the chassis for detecting a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels being set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle;

empty vehicle control means for controlling a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board;

riding control means for controlling the posture of the vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of the rider on board; and

riding detection means provided to the riding control means for detecting a state of the rider having completed boarding,

wherein a function of turning the vehicle is stopped in a transition from the control by the empty vehicle control means to the control by the riding control means until the turn command is zero and the riding detection means detects the rider having completed the boarding.

4. A traveling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the empty vehicle control means controls a position of the vehicle to be maintained regardless of the information on the detected posture angle, and

the riding control means cancels the control to maintain the position of the vehicle after the transition.

5. A traveling apparatus comprising:

drive means for independently driving two wheels disposed in parallel;

a chassis for connecting the two wheels;

a turn operation unit configured to input a turn command via a control lever;

detection means provided in the chassis for detecting a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels being set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle;

empty vehicle control means for controlling a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board;

riding control means for controlling the posture of the vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of the rider on board; and

riding detection means provided to the riding control means for detecting a state of the rider having completed boarding,

wherein a function of turning the vehicle is stopped in a transition from the control by the riding control means to the control by the empty vehicle control means until the turn command is zero and the riding detection means detects that the rider has placed both feet upon a predetermined area located on the chassis.

6. A traveling apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the empty vehicle control means controls a position of the vehicle to be maintained regardless of the information on the detected posture angle after the transition to the control by the empty vehicle controller.

7. A traveling apparatus comprising:

a driver configured to independently drive two wheels disposed in parallel;

a chassis configured to connect the two wheels;

a detector provided in the chassis configured to detect a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels being set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle; and

an empty vehicle controller configured to control a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board,

wherein when the traveling apparatus is in an empty state and the posture angle detected by the detector is less than a predetermined posture angle, then a gain of the driver is zero, and

wherein the empty vehicle controller limits or controls the posture angle once the posture angle detected by the detector is equal to or greater than the predetermined posture angle.

8. A traveling apparatus comprising:

a driver configured to independently drive two wheels disposed in parallel, a chassis configured to connect the two wheels;

a detector provided in the chassis configured to detect a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels being set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle;

a turn operation unit configured to input a turn command via a control lever;

an empty vehicle controller configured to control a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board;

a riding controller configured to control the posture of the vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of the rider on board; and

a riding detector provided to the riding controller configured to detect a state of the rider having completed the boarding,

wherein a function of turning the vehicle is stopped in a transition from the control by the empty vehicle controller to the control by the riding controller until the turn command is zero and the riding detector detects the rider having completed the boarding.

9. A traveling apparatus comprising:

a driver configured to independently drive two wheels disposed in parallel;

a chassis configured to connect the two wheels;

a turn operation unit configured to input a turn command via a control lever;

a detector provided in the chassis configured to detect a posture angle of the chassis, such that rotating speed of the two wheels being set respectively based on information on the detected posture angle;

an empty vehicle controller configured to control a posture of a vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of no rider on board;

a riding controller configured to control the posture of the vehicle to stand the vehicle independently in a state of the rider on board; and

a riding detector provided to the riding controller configured to detect a state of the rider having completed the boarding,

wherein a function of turning the vehicle is stopped in a transition from the control by the riding controller to the control by the empty vehicle controller until the turn command is zero and the riding detector detects that the rider has placed both feet upon a predetermined area located on the chassis.

10. A traveling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the empty vehicle control means limits or controls the posture angle such that a center of axis of the traveling apparatus is positioned above a center axis of the two wheels.

11. A traveling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the empty vehicle control means limits or controls the posture angle such that a center of axis of the traveling apparatus is positioned above a center axis of the two wheels.

12. A traveling apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the empty vehicle control means limits or controls the posture angle such that a center of axis of the traveling apparatus is positioned above a center axis of the two wheels.