Systems and methods for automatic configuration and automatic calibration of continuously variable transmissions and bicycles having continuously variable transmissions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875603-B2
Application number	US-201816034659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A continuously variable transmission on a bicycle may be automatically configured with little or no assistance from a user. Optical scanning devices, RFIDs, and other information capturing technology can communicate with a controller. The controller may then perform a portion or all of a configuration process. In operation, a controller may determine that calibration is needed. A calibration process may be initiated and performed with little or no user interaction. A calibration process may account for a load, a power source, or an environment.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A method for automatically configuring a bicycle by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) controller, comprising:
presenting a display via a graphical user interface (GUI);
receiving, via the GUI, a set of user inputs;
receiving a first packet of information from the CVT controller, the first packet of information containing a set of operating parameters for a CVT; and
operating the CVT according to a set of parameters based on the set of user inputs and the first packet of information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one user input of the set of user inputs comprises one of a gear ratio, a desired riding performance, a distance, a desired bicycle speed, a preferred language, a preferred unit system, and a load.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the CVT according to a set of parameters comprises selecting an algorithm for operating the CVT.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the CVT according to a set of parameters based on the set of user inputs and the first packet of information comprises:
operating the CVT according to a first algorithm;
determining a second algorithm based on the set of parameters or the set of user inputs; and
replacing the first algorithm with the second algorithm.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the set of parameters comprises information for one or more of the CVT, an electric motor, a rear gear, a front gear, a chain length, and a physical configuration of the bicycle.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising communicating the second algorithm to a server.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the set of user inputs comprises an operating mode or a target cadence.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving, by a system controller communicatively coupled to the CVT controller, a second packet of information, the second packet of information comprising a set of operating parameters for an electric motor or a set of parameters for a rider preference, and
operating the CVT according to the first packet of information and the second packet of information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of user inputs includes information about a geographic area or jurisdiction, and wherein operating the CVT is performed based on the geographic area or jurisdiction.

Assignees

• Fallbrook Ip Co Llc

Inventors

• Contello Wayne Leroy
• Sweet Brian Benjamin
• Hilgart Richard
• Birchak Jeffrey A
• Gust Kevin Alan

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• F16H61/664

  Friction gearings · CPC title

• F16H61/66

  specially adapted for continuously variable gearings (control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38) · CPC title

• F16H15/28

  with external friction surface · CPC title

• B62M25/08 Primary

  with electrical or fluid transmitting systems · CPC title