Patent ID: 6941206

Claim:
A wheeled vehicle comprising a frame generally extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one front wheel coupled to the frame, at least one rear wheel coupled to the frame, a prime mover coupled to the frame and drivingly connected to at least one of the front and rear wheels, a control unit connected to the primer mover, and a sensor being coupled to the frame and communicating with the control unit, the sensor outputting a first lean signal to the control unit that varies with a leaning angle of the vehicle in a plane generally normal to the longitudinal axis, the sensor having at least one axis of detection and being arranged such that the axis of detection assumes a generally vertical central position when the vehicle stands upright, the first lean signal being generated when the axis of detection moves from its central position as the vehicle leans, the sensor includes an accelerometer configured to output a second lean signal that varies with the leaning angle of the vehicle, the accelerometer having a second detection axis that extends generally normal to the first detection axis, the second lean signal generated with the movement of the second detection axis when the vehicle leans, the control unit configured to determine whether the vehicle tips over based upon the first and second lean signals.