IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,383,783
Granted Patent B2
US 11,383,783 · App. 17/306,709 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Bicycle control device and system

Inventor: Kevin Wesling (Lombard, IL)
Assignee: SRAM, LLC
B62J45/412B62M9/122B62M9/123B62M9/133B62M25/08B62M9/12F16H61/0213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,383,783
App. No.
17/306,709
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bicycle control system may be configured to automatically control a bicycle, or components thereof. The bicycle control system may include a system control device configured to provide a simplified shifting system wherein large changes in speed associated with starting and stopping do not require the full attention of the automatic shifting system. The shifting system, or a system control device configured for controlling the shifting system, may be configured to determine when to enter an automatic shifting control mode, establish parameters for the automatic shifting of the automatic shifting control mode, and/or compare detected activities and values of the bicycle to the established parameters.

Claims (33)

1. A system control device for a bicycle having a transmission with a plurality of gear options, the system control device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the device at least to perform:

determining, from output of a power meter, that a rider power limit is exceeded; and

suspending an automatic shifting mode based on the determining the rider power limit is exceeded.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to perform:

determining, subsequent to the suspending and from output of the power meter, that the rider power limit is achieved; and

resuming the automatic shifting mode based on the determining that the rider power limit is achieved.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the resuming the automatic shifting mode is performed further based on a determination that a bicycle speed is above a speed threshold.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the resuming the automatic shifting mode includes:

establishing at least one automatic mode parameter as a speed parameter;

comparing an active speed of the bicycle to the speed parameter;

adjusting, based on the comparison, a shifting device of the bicycle to change to a different gear of the plurality of gears.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one speed parameter is adjustable based on rider input.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the rider input includes cadence data of the bicycle acquired over a period of time.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one speed parameter includes a low cadence limit.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one speed parameter also includes a high cadence limit.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to perform:

establishing a speed parameter during bicycle operation using one of at least two different techniques.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein establishing the speed parameter includes establishing a speed range including an upper speed limit and a lower speed limit.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein a different speed range is established for at least two gear options of the plurality of gear options.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed on a computer are operable to:

determine, based on output of a power meter, that a rider power limit is exceeded; and

suspend an automatic shifting mode based on the determination that the rider power limit is exceeded.

13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions that when executed on the computer are further operable to:

determine, subsequent to the suspending and from output of the power meter, that the rider power limit is achieved; and

resume the automatic shifting mode based on the determination that the rider power limit is achieved.

14. A method of operating a bicycle, the method comprising:

determining, with a processor using output of a power meter, that a rider power limit is exceeded; and

suspending an automatic shifting mode based on the determining the rider power limit is exceeded.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining, subsequent to the suspending and from output of the power meter, that the rider power limit is achieved; and

resuming the automatic shifting mode based on the determination that the rider power limit is achieved.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 16445868 · Jun 19, 2019
Continuation 15788374 · Oct 19, 2017
Provisional Application 62411188 · Oct 21, 2016
Related Publication 20210269120A1 · Sep 2, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,454,334