Segway於2001年問世後，當時的氣氛是Segway是個劃時代的行動工具，在接頭看過老爺爺、老奶奶自己操作搭乘，在台灣一些風景區也曾看過，自己也親身體驗過，都是頗為驚豔。
當得知Steve Jobs曾經批評Segway過於龐大，認為它大的如PC，這自然是比對蘋果產品，針對當年讓眾人驚豔的產品，再看到Oxboard（其實這也不是挺新的東西，還有Ryno Motors）的小巧，還是認為Steve Jobs確實是有遠見的人！
（有趣照片可看：https://www.flickr.com/photos/27475255@N07/2684656692）
（也有比這些都炫的產品：http://rynomotors.com/、http://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/vehicles/misc/one-wheel-electric-scooter-by-ryno-motors/）
Segway（http://www.segway.com/），不少人看上Segway的技術，因此Segway被轉手多次，現在落在小米手上！（資料參考：http://buzzorange.com/techorange/2015/04/30/segway-after-ma/）
Segway的專利資訊：http://www.segway.com/patents.pdf
目前核准專利有：
US Patent numbers (issued): 5,701,965; 5,791,425; 5,794,730; 5,971,091; 5,975,225; 6,223,104; 6,288,505; 6,302,230; 6,332,103; 6,357,544; 6,367,817; 6,405,816; 6,408,240; 6,415,879; 6,435,535; 6,443,250; 6,538,411; 6,543,564; 6,553,271; 6,561,294; 6,571,892; 6,575,539; 6,581,714; 6,598,941; 6,651,763; 6,651,766; 6,715,845; 6,779,621; 6,789,640; 6,796,396; 6,799,649; 6,815,929; 6,827,163; D489,027; D489,029; D489,300; D493,127; D493,128; D493,129; D493,392; D493,749; 6,965,206; 6,929,080; 7,017,686; 6,874,591; 6,920,947; 6,866,107; 7,023,330; 6,868,931; 7,000,933; 29/481,973.
一些網頁文件揭露技術資訊：
從以上portfolio列出的最早專利US5701965，發明人就是創立Segway的"Dean L. Kamen"，原始專利權人為"DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP"，最近才轉到Segway Inc.。
請求項1界定人的運輸裝置，宣稱可以運行在不規則表面與階梯上，重要元件有motorized drive arrangement、control loop等，判斷與現行的Segway沒有太大關係，可能有技術起創的意義就是了。
1. A device, for transporting a human subject over a surface that may be irregular and may include stairs, the device comprising:
(a) a support for supporting the subject, the support having left and right sides and defining fore-aft and lateral planes;
(b) a plurality of support members on each side of the support, each support member being mounted to permit complete travel around an axis and joined to a discrete ground-contacting component, the ground-contacting component having a point of contact with the surface and occupying only a portion of the entire angular distance around the axis; the support and the support members being parts of an assembly;
(c) a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the assembly, coupled to the support members, for causing locomotion of the assembly and the subject over the surface; and
(d) a control loop, in which the motorized drive arrangement is included, for dynamically maintaining stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive arrangement so that the net torque experienced by the assembly about the point of contact with the surface, taking into account torques caused by gravity as well as by all other external forces and by the motorized drive, causes a desired acceleration of the assembly.
US6223104
這件就提到採用Gyroscope的用途：
另從專利局網站看到一件未列於官方文件的專利US7740099，揭露運輸增強控制技術，其中揭露Segway的主要元件，如actuator, controller, differentiator, processor等，
控制方法太有趣了，可參考claim 1：
1. A method for controlling yaw of a balancing transporter, comprising:
receiving an input from a user based on a position of a member with respect to a fiducial axis;
calculating a rate of change of the position of the member with respect to the fiducial axis; and
generating a yaw command signal based on at least 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 to reduce the effect that the rate of change of the position of the member has on the yaw command signal for a beginner user.
Oxboard（http://www.oxboard.nl/）是荷蘭公司Oxboard B.V.的產品，比Segway便宜多了，不過應用上可能需要再開發。尚未看到Oxboard專利。
Oxboard影片觀賞（網站上還有一些）：
https://youtu.be/_YH0JczXRtE
Ryno Motors（http://rynomotors.com/）
RYNO Motors Full Story：https://youtu.be/Z1YoCfm7nxU
US8800697為優先權在2009年的專利，這是一個可自動平衡的單輪車，主要元件可見claim 1，有輪組、多個馬達、傳動軸/帶、前叉以及一些轉向機械。其穩定的秘訣仍是陀螺儀。
1. An electric-powered, self-balancing unicycle, comprising:
a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly including:
a first electric motor having a first drive sprocket, and a second electric motor having a second drive sprocket, the first and second electric motors each attached to a mounting bracket;
a jackshaft having a jackshaft sprocket disposed at a first end thereof;
a first belt fitted to couple the first drive sprocket to the jackshaft sprocket;
a second belt fitted to couple the second drive sprocket to the jackshaft sprocket;
a main drive sprocket coupled to the jackshaft by a belt; and
a rim coupled to the main drive sprocket, wherein the mounting bracket, the first and second motors, the first and second drive sprockets, the jackshaft, the jackshaft sprocket, the first and second belts, and the main drive sprocket are all housed within an inside area formed by the rim for creating a bottom heavy weight distribution to aid in stabilized self-balancing;
a wheel fork coupled to the wheel assembly;
a body coupled to the wheel fork;
handlebars rotatably coupled to the body; and
a steering linkage coupled between the handlebars and the wheel fork.
US20140058600
幾件專利都提及此單輪車具備四種系統：
(1) the motor control amplifiers; (2) the micro-controller; (3) the gyro stabilization device; and (4) the system outboard accessories such as turn signals and headlights.
Ryno Motors, Inc.雖也應用類似Segway的平衡技術，但是仍開發自己的技術與專利，特別是應用了美國臨時案、WIPO案進行佈局，顯然Ryno Motors應頗有企圖。
後語：
若要與Segway競爭，後進除了開發自己的技術外，還是以產品導向，產品、市場、價格決定一切。
就產品性而言，Oxboard的可接受度應該比較高，但也不是很新的東西，曾在台北看過沒有把手的"類Segway"，這比較適合一般有趣的應用；就技術而言，應該還是不脫是如Segway應用陀螺儀的技術，而且Segway的應用顯然可以更多樣，更多擴充可能。
新聞參考：
http://www.cultofmac.com/323254/oxboard-like-a-segway-without-handles/
Ron
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