Master communication apparatus, slave communication apparatus, and wireless communication apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084146-B2
Application number	US-201916562405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 5, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A master communication apparatus comprises a master wired communicator, a master wireless communicator, and a master controller. The master wired communicator is configured to communicate with a slave wired communicator of a slave communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel. The master wireless communicator is configured to communicate with a slave wireless communicator of the slave communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel. The master controller is configured to transmit, via one of the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator, a control signal to control a component of the human-powered vehicle. The master controller is configured to control the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator in accordance with a priority order. The master controller is configured to set the priority order in accordance with information relating to the master communication apparatus and the slave communication apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A master communication apparatus for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a master wired communicator configured to communicate with a slave wired communicator of a slave communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel;
a master wireless communicator configured to communicate with a slave wireless communicator of the slave communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel; and
a master controller configured to transmit, via one of the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator, a control signal to control a component of the human-powered vehicle, the master controller being configured to control the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator in accordance with a priority order stored in a memory of the master controller, the master controller being configured to set the priority order in accordance with communication information transmitted by at least one of the master communication apparatus and the slave communication apparatus.

2. The master communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operating device including
a user interface configured to receive a user input, and
a base configured to be attached to a steering device of the human-powered vehicle, wherein

the master controller is configured to generate the control signal in response to the user input, and
the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator are arranged on the base of the operating device.

3. The master communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the master controller is configured to set the priority order in accordance with communication information relating to the communication between the master communication apparatus and the slave communication apparatus.

4. The master communication apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the communication information relates to communication between the master wired communicator and the slave wired communicator.

5. The master communication apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the communication information relates to communication between the master wireless communicator and the slave wireless communicator.

6. The master communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the master controller is configured to set the priority order in accordance with operational status information relating to operational status of at least one of the master wired communicator, the slave wired communicator, the master wireless communicator, and the slave wireless communicator.

7. The master communication apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the operational status information includes power supply information relating to status of power supply to at least one of the master wired communicator, the slave wired communicator, the master wireless communicator, and the slave wireless communicator.

8. A wireless communication system for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
the master communication apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
the slave communication apparatus configured to transmit the control signal to the electric component via the wired communication channel.

9. A master communication apparatus for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a master wired communicator configured to communicate with a slave wired communicator of a slave communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel;
a master wireless communicator configured to communicate with a slave wireless communicator of the slave communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel;
a master controller configured to transmit, via one of the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator, a control signal to control an electric component of the human-powered vehicle, the master controller being configured to control the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator; and
an operating device including
a user interface configured to receive a user input, and
a base configured to be attached to a steering device of the human-powered vehicle, the master controller being configured to generate the control signal in response to the user input, the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator being provided in the base of the operating device.

10. A master communication apparatus for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a master wired communicator configured to communicate with a slave wired communicator of a slave communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel;
a master wireless communicator configured to communicate with a slave wireless communicator of the slave communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel; and
a master controller configured to transmit, via one of the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator, a control signal to control a component of the human-powered vehicle, the master controller being configured to control the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator in accordance with a priority order stored in a memory of the master controller, the master controller being configured to set the priority order in accordance with information relating to communication between the master communication apparatus and the slave communication apparatus, wherein
the communication information includes acknowledgement information relating to a time period from transmission of the control signal to receipt of an acknowledgement signal from the slave communication apparatus.

11. A master communication apparatus for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a master wired communicator configured to communicate with a slave wired communicator of a slave communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel;
a master wireless communicator configured to communicate with a slave wireless communicator of the slave communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel; and
a master controller configured to transmit, via one of the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator, a control signal to control a component of the human-powered vehicle, the master controller being configured to control the master wired communicator and the master wireless communicator in accordance with a priority order stored in a memory of the master controller, the master controller being configured to set the priority order in accordance with information relating to communication between the master communication apparatus and the slave communication apparatus, wherein
the master controller is configured to set the priority order in accordance with error information including an error message transmitted by at least one of the master wired communicator, the master wireless communicator, the slave wired communicator, and the slave wireless communicator.

12. A slave communication apparatus for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a slave wired communicator configured to communicate with a master wired communicator of a master communication apparatus in the human-powered vehicle via a wired communication channel;
a slave wireless communicator configured to communicate with a master wireless communicator of the master communication apparatus via a wireless communication channel; and
a slave controller configured to receive, via one of the slave wired communicator and the slave wireless communicator, a control signal to control an electric component of the human-powered vehicle, the slave controller being configured to control the slave wired communicator and the slave wireless communicator in accordance with a prior

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Komada Yasuyuki
• Masuda Takaya
• Kasai Yoshiyuki
• Matsumoto Hiroshi

Classifications

• B62K23/02

  hand actuated (arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14) · CPC title

• H02J7/1407

  on vehicles not being driven by a motor, e.g. bicycles · CPC title

• B60L50/66

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title

• B60L50/20

  using propulsion power generated by humans or animals · CPC title

• B60L2200/12

  Bikes · CPC title