Bicycle programmed to communicate with a vehicle and a user input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902452-B2
Application number	US-201514804937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A bicycle includes a computing device including a processor and a memory. The processor is programmed to communicate with a user input device of a vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle. The processor is programmed to communicate with a mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bicycle comprising:
a computing device including a processor and a memory;
the processor being programmed to communicate with a user input device of a vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle and being programmed to communicate with a mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

2. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to automatically communicate with the user input device of the vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

3. The bicycle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the processor is programmed to automatically discontinue communication with the mobile device when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

4. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to communicate information from one of the user input device and the mobile device to the other of the user input device and the mobile device when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

5. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a connection and configured to communicate with both the user input device and the mobile device.

6. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the connection is one of a wired connection or a wireless connection.

7. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to receive an instruction to establish communication with at least one of the user input device of the vehicle and the mobile device.

8. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to receive data for at least one of battery charge, travel range, frame unfold check, tire pressure, and active safety system and wherein the processor communicates the data to the user input device of a vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle and wherein the processor communicates the data to the mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

9. The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a frame and a docking station on the frame configured to support the mobile device.

10. A system comprising a computing device having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions, the instructions comprising programming to:
detect at least one of when a bicycle is docked to a vehicle and when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle; and
communicate with a user input device of the vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle and communicate with a mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the instructions further comprise programming to automatically switch communication from the user input device of the vehicle to the mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

12. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the instructions further comprise programming to automatically switch communication from the mobile device to the user input device of the vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

13. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the instructions further comprise programming to communicate information from one of the user input device and the mobile device to the other of the user input device and the mobile device when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

14. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the instructions further comprise programming to receive data for at least one of battery charge, travel range, frame unfold check, tire pressure, and active safety system and to communicate the data to the user input device of a vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle and to communicate the data to the mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

15. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the instructions further comprise programming to receive an instruction to establish communication with at least one of the user input device of the vehicle and the mobile device.

16. A method comprising:
detecting at least one of when a bicycle is docked to a vehicle and detecting when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle; and
communicating data between a computing device of the bicycle and a user input device of the vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle and communicating data between the computing device of the bicycle and a mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising automatically switching communication with the computing device of the bicycle from the user input device of the vehicle to the mobile device when the bicycle is undocked from the vehicle.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising automatically switching communication with the computing device of the bicycle from the mobile device to the user input device of the vehicle when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising communicating information from one of the user input device and the mobile device to the other of the user input device and the mobile device when the bicycle is docked to the vehicle.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the data includes at least one of battery charge, travel range, frame unfold check, tire pressure, and active safety system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gerhardt Torsten
• Lloyd James
• Mundy Jonathan
• Southey Bruce
• Neugebauer James
• Potticary Simon
• Craven Richard

Classifications

• B62K11/00

  Motorcycles, engine-assisted cycles or motor scooters with one or two wheels (fairings or streamlining parts not forming part of the frame B62J; transmission of drive from engines to wheels B62M) · CPC title

• B60L53/68

  Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control · CPC title

• B62J45/10

  Arrangement of audio equipment; Supports therefor · CPC title

• B62J6/015

  using electrical power not supplied by the cycle motor generator, e.g. using batteries or piezo elements · CPC title

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title