Control system for bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919616-B2
Application number	US-201514692685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Apr 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A control system for a bicycle comprises a movement-information obtaining device, an actuator, an actuation controller, and a mode controller. The movement-information obtaining device is configured to obtain movement information indicating a movement of at least part of a first bicycle portion and configured to wirelessly output the movement information. The actuator is configured to actuate at least a second bicycle portion. The actuation controller has a wake mode to control the actuator based on an input signal and a sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode. The mode controller is configured to wirelessly receive the movement information and configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the movement information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a bicycle, comprising:
a movement-information obtaining device configured to obtain movement information indicating a movement of at least part of a first bicycle portion and configured to wirelessly output the movement information;
an actuator configured to actuate at least a second bicycle portion;
an actuation controller having a wake mode to control the actuator based on an input signal and a sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode; and
a mode controller configured to wirelessly receive the movement information and configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the movement information.

2. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the mode controller includes a detector circuit configured to detect carrier wave including the movement information and is configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode in response to detection of the movement information included in the carrier wave.

3. The control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sleep mode includes a light sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode and a deep sleep mode to be turned off, and
wherein an electrical power consumption in the deep sleep mode is lower than an electrical power consumption in the light sleep mode.

4. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second bicycle portion includes a movable member, and
the movable member is configured to be movable relative to a base member that is configured to be attached to a bicycle frame.

5. The control system according to claim 4 , wherein
the first bicycle portion includes a chain cage assembly including
at least one pulley configured to engage with a bicycle chain, and
a pulley support member configured to rotatably support the at least one pulley,

the movable member is configured to support the chain cage assembly thereon,
the actuator is configured to move the movable member to shift the bicycle chain, and
the movement-information obtaining device is configured to sense a rotation of the at least one pulley relative to the pulley support member to obtain the movement information.

6. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bicycle portion includes a bicycle frame and a wheel rotatable relative to the bicycle frame, and
the movement-information obtaining device is configured to sense a rotation of the wheel relative to the bicycle frame to obtain the movement information.

7. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bicycle portion includes a bicycle frame and a bicycle chain, and
the movement-information obtaining device is configured to sense a rotation of the bicycle chain relative to the bicycle frame to obtain the movement information.

8. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bicycle portion includes a bicycle frame and a crank assembly rotatable relative to the bicycle frame, and
the movement-information obtaining device is configured to sense a rotation of the crank assembly relative to the bicycle frame to obtain the movement information.

9. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bicycle portion includes a bicycle frame and a crank assembly rotatable relative to the bicycle frame, and
the movement-information obtaining device is configured to sense a pedaling force applied to the crank assembly to obtain the movement information.

10. The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a vibration-information obtaining device configured to obtain vibration information indicating a vibration of a bicycle, wherein
the mode controller is configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the movement information and the vibration information.

11. A control system for a bicycle, comprising:
a rider-information obtaining device configured to obtain rider information indicating that a rider is on a bicycle from a third bicycle portion and configured to wirelessly output the rider information;
an actuator configured to actuate at least a second bicycle portion;
an actuation controller having a wake mode to control the actuator based on an input signal and a sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode; and
a mode controller configured to wirelessly receive the rider information and configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the rider information.

12. The control system according to claim 11 , wherein
the third bicycle portion includes a suspension, and
the rider-information obtaining device is configured to obtain, as the rider information, a change in pressure in the suspension.

13. The control system according to claim 11 , wherein
the third bicycle portion includes a seatpost, and
the rider-information obtaining device is configured to obtain, as the rider information, a change in pressure in the seatpost.

14. The control system according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a vibration-information obtaining device configured to obtain vibration information indicating a vibration of the bicycle, wherein
the mode controller is configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the rider information and the vibration information.

15. The control system according to claim 11 , wherein
the mode controller includes a detector circuit configured to detect carrier wave including the rider-information and is configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode in response to detection of the movement information included in the carrier wave.

16. The control system according to claim 11 ,
wherein the sleep mode includes a light sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode and a deep sleep mode to be turned off, and
wherein an electrical power consumption in the deep sleep mode is lower than an electrical power consumption in the light sleep mode.

17. A control system for a bicycle, comprising:
an operation-information obtaining device configured to obtain operation information indicating that a user operates an input part of an operating device to move a bicycle component of the bicycle and to wirelessly output the operation information;
an actuator configured to actuate at least a second bicycle portion;
an actuation controller having a wake mode to control the actuator based on an input signal and a sleep mode to be suspended under an electrical power consumption lower than an electrical power consumption in the wake mode; and
a mode controller configured to wirelessly receive the operation information and configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the operation information.

18. The control system according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a vibration-information obtaining device configured to obtain vibration information indicating a vibration of a bicycle, wherein
the mode controller is configured to switch the actuation controller from the sleep mode to the wake mode based on the operation information and the vibration information.

19. The control system according to claim 17 , wherein

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Watarai Etsuyoshi

Classifications

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title

• B62M25/08 Primary

  with electrical or fluid transmitting systems · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• B62J2099/002

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• Y02T10/7258

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic