Method for monitoring the travel speed of a bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12333869-B2
Application number	US-202217661040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2022
Priority date	May 4, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A method for monitoring the travel speed of a bicycle, in particular a pedelec. The method includes: providing a power supply for a speed signal transmitter, ascertaining a first speed for the bicycle, interrupting the power supply for the speed signal transmitter for a specifiable interruption time span, while the power supply is switched off, ascertaining a second speed, ascertaining a comparison result by comparing the ascertained first and second speed, and recognizing a faulty speed signal transmitter as a function of the result of the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring the travel speed of a bicycle, comprising the following steps:
in a sensor-power-supply period, providing a power supply for a first speed sensor that, when powered, transmits sensor signals in response to sensor trigger events;
ascertaining a first speed for the bicycle based on the sensor signals transmitted in the sensor-power-supply period;
in a first instance of a sensor-power-suppression period that immediately follows the sensor-power-supply period:
interrupting the power supply for the first speed sensor, thereby preventing transmission of additional sensor signals by the first speed sensor for an entirety of the first instance of the sensor-power-suppression period, which has a first predefined interruption time duration; and
ascertaining a second speed using a second speed sensor,

ascertaining a comparison result by comparing the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed; and
recognizing the first speed sensor as faulty as a function of the comparison result.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bicycle is a pedelec.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the interrupting is performed at regular time intervals.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor-power-suppression period is applied multiple times to provide for at least two interruptions, the first instance being a first one of the applications of the sensor-power-suppression period, and wherein a second instance of the sensor-power-suppression period has a second predefined interruption time duration, the first and second time durations being selected randomly for the first and second instances of the sensor-power-suppression period.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first speed sensor is monitored, by a further monitoring method, for proper functioning, a recognition of the first speed sensor as faulty taking place as a function of the comparison result and a result of the further test method.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first speed sensor is pulse-based, and the interruption takes place during a time period when a pulse of the first speed sensor is expected.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein, in each case that the first speed sensor is recognized as faulty, an event counter is increased from a prior value of the counter without restarting the counter on condition that the respective case occurs within a specifiable time span from an immediately preceding one of the cases, and the counter value is compared with a predefined count threshold value, and an action is initiated in response to a result of the counter value comparison being that the predefined count threshold value is exceeded.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the action is:
a time-offset switching off of at least one drive device of the bicycle, and/or
a visual display for a user of the bicycle, and/or
a message of a diagnostic system of the bicycle, and/or
a changeover to a speed signal alternative to the first speed sensor for ascertaining the speed of the bicycle, the speed signal alternative being GPS.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the comparing of the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed takes place by difference formation between the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed, and whether there is a jump between the respective speeds is ascertained based on the difference.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the jump is present when a magnitude of the difference is greater than a specifiable value, and/or when one of the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed is 0 km/h.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the value is 5 km/h.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the specifiable value is defined as a function of at least one of the ascertained first and second speeds.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to the first instance of a sensor-power-suppression period, ascertaining a third speed based on signals from the first speed sensor; and
wherein the ascertaining of the comparison result takes place through comparison of the ascertained first, second, and third speeds.

14. A device configured to monitor a travel speed of a bicycle, the bicycle being a pedelec, the device comprising:
a first speed sensor;
a second speed sensor;
a power supply device; and
a processor system that includes at least one processor, wherein the processor system is configured to:
in a sensor-power-supply period, use the power supply device to provide a power supply for the first speed sensor that, when powered, transmits sensor signals in response to sensor trigger events;
ascertain a first speed for the bicycle based on the sensor signals transmitted in the sensor-power-supply period;
in a first instance of a sensor-power-suppression period that immediately follows the sensor-power-supply period:
interrupt the power supply for the first speed sensor, thereby preventing transmission of additional sensor signals by the first speed sensor for an entirety of the first instance of the sensor-power-suppression period, which has a first predefined interruption time duration; and
ascertain a second speed using the second speed sensor;

ascertain a comparison result by comparing the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed; and
recognize the first speed sensor as faulty as a function of the comparison result.

15. A bicycle comprising:
a device configured to monitor a travel speed of the bicycle, the bicycle being a pedelec, the device including:
a first speed sensor;
a second speed sensor;
a power supply device; and
a processor system that includes at least one processor, wherein the processor system is configured to:
in a sensor-power-supply period, use the power supply device to provide a power supply for the first speed sensor that, when powered, transmits sensor signals in response to sensor trigger events;
ascertain a first speed for the bicycle based on the sensor signals transmitted in the sensor-power-supply period;
in a first instance of a sensor-power-suppression period that immediately follows the sensor-power-supply period:
interrupt the power supply for the first speed sensor, thereby preventing transmission of additional sensor signals by the first speed sensor for an entirety of the first instance of the sensor-power-suppression period, which has a first predefined interruption time duration; and
ascertain a second speed using the second speed sensor;

ascertain a comparison result by comparing the ascertained first speed and the ascertained second speed; and
recognize the first speed sensor as faulty as a function of the comparison result.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the interrupting is performed in an event-based fashion.

17. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the count threshold value is 3.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Stegmaier Juergen
• Dackermann Tim

Classifications

• G07C5/0825

  using optical means · CPC title

• G01S19/48

  by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system · CPC title

• G01P21/02 Primary

  of speedometers · CPC title

• B62M6/40

  Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor · CPC title

• B62J43/30

  for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion · CPC title