IP Library Granted Patent US 11,618,532
Granted Patent B2
US 11,618,532 · App. 16/748,127 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Electromechanical control device and methods for electromechanical control of a bicycle

Inventor: Brian Jordan (Highland Park, IL)
Assignee: SRAM, LLC
B62M9/122B62M6/50B62M9/124B62M9/132B62M25/08H04W74/002H04W80/06B62J45/10B62M2009/12413
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,618,532
App. No.
16/748,127
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electromechanical control system for a bicycle has a switch device, the switch device operating a switch between at least three positions. A control communication device transmits signals responsive to operation of the switch. The electromechanical control system includes an operation device configured to respond to signals transmitted by the control communication device. Signals transmitted by the control communication device include commands to listen and commands to operate.

Claims (28)

1. A method for wirelessly controlling a bicycle, comprising:

detecting, with a processor, a first movement of a switch in a switch device from a rest position to a first actuation position, the first movement closing a first circuit;

changing a mode of a wireless communication device from a rest mode to a ready mode responsive to detecting the first movement;

detecting, with the processor, a second movement of the switch in the switch device from the first actuation position to a second actuation position, the second movement closing a second circuit; and

transmitting a signal with the wireless communication device responsive to detecting the second movement of the switch, wherein the switch includes both the first circuit and the second circuit, and the first circuit and the second circuit are physically independent.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the signal with a communication device of an operation component of the bicycle; and

operating the operation component of the bicycle responsive to receiving the signal.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operation component is a gear changer of the bicycle.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the gear changer is a front derailleur.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the gear changer is a rear derailleur.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the signal is an operation signal.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the operation signal is configured to trigger a shifting operation of the gear changer of the bicycle.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the gear changer is configured to delay operation of the gear changer responsive to receiving the signal.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein a duration of the signal defines a transmission mode of the signal.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operation component is an adjustable suspension component.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

increasing power consumption of the wireless communication device responsive to detecting the first movement.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

decreasing power consumption of the wireless communication device after transmitting the signal with the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

listening in a first listening mode, by a communication device of an operation component, for the signal, the first listening mode including intervals of listening followed by intervals of rest.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

generating, by the processor, an anticipation signal; and

sending, by the wireless communication device, the anticipation signal to the communication device of the operation component of the bicycle.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving the anticipation signal by the communication device of the operation component; and

adjusting, by the communication device of the operation component, the listening to a second listening mode, wherein in the second listening mode the communication device of the operation component is configured to constantly listen for the signal.

Continuity (2)
Division 15950833 · Apr 11, 2018
Related Publication 20200156735A1 · May 21, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,246,797 US 12,296,911 US 12,617,492