TW201806815A - Electronic shifting systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless control system for a bicycle, comprising a first shift control unit for a component of a bicycle, the first control unit comprising a radio configured to receive control signals, wirelessly transmitted by a second control unit of the bicycle; the radio operable to receive the control signals only when the radio is operating in a listen mode; and a processor configured to: activate the listen mode of the radio for a first length of time; detect, with the radio, a noise level during the first length of time; and extend the activation of the listen mode for a first extended time period when the noise level achieves a noise level threshold.

Description

Electronic shifting system and method

This application is a continuation of U.S. Application Serial No. 14/534,363, filed on Nov. 6, 2014, which is filed on Patent No. 8,909,424, the divisional application, which claims the benefit of the Provisional Application No. 61/712,636 filed on October 11, 2012, the contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. . Field of invention

The present invention relates to a bicycle gear change system. In particular, the present invention is directed to a system including a bicycle gear changer that is wirelessly actuated. The systems include a bicycle gear converter controlled by a wireless control signal, wherein the wireless control signal is generated by a bicycle control assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A prior art electromechanical shifting system requires the wireless transmitter and receiver to be continuously turned on. To save energy, very low power and low range transceivers are utilized. However, low power transceivers suffer from poor wireless performance. The latest systems require periodic beacon signals that will also always consume battery power.

A highly reliable and safer wireless control system for bicycles is needed. The present invention satisfies this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses a relatively high power transmitter and receiver to turn off the transmitter and receiver when not in use and in the radio listening mode by having the transmitter and receiver in action while the bicycle is active Power cycling between the radio off mode to save power. Once a predetermined noise threshold is reached, defining a noisy environment, the inventive system provides an extended radio listening mode to avoid transmission loss.

One aspect of the present invention provides a wireless control system for a bicycle that includes a first shift control unit for one of the components of a bicycle, the first control unit including: a radio that is assembled Receiving a control signal wirelessly transmitted by a second control unit of the bicycle. This aspect further provides that the radio is operative to receive the control signals only when the radio is operating in a listening mode; and a processor configured to: initiate the listening mode of the radio for a first time a length of time; detecting, by the radio, a noise level during the first time period; and when the noise level reaches a noise level threshold, causing the activation of the listening mode to be extended by a first extension period.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for transmitting and receiving a wireless control signal on a bicycle, wherein the method includes transmitting a wireless control signal to a radio; and periodically repeating the first duration of time by the radio Detecting a control signal transmitted by a control unit of a bicycle on a communication frequency channel; determining, by a processor, a noise level on the frequency channel during the first time length; and at the noise level When the noise level threshold is reached, the radio sense control signal is used for an extended length of time.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a bicycle control system that is assembled to accommodate a first shift control unit, the first shift control unit including: a radio that is assembled to receive one of the bicycles A second control unit wirelessly transmits a control signal operative to receive the control signal only when the radio is operating in a listening mode. The first shift control unit further includes a processor configured to: periodically activate the listening mode of the radio for a plurality of listening periods; and periodically detect the listening periods by the radio One of the noise levels during the period; when the noise level has not reached a noise level threshold during the listening period, the listening mode of the radio is revoked; the noise level is detected at the radio When the noise level threshold has been reached during any of the plurality of listening periods, the activation of the listening mode is extended for an extended period of time; and the noise level is at the extended time When the noise level threshold has not been reached during the period, the listening mode of the radio is revoked.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a wireless control system for a bicycle. The wireless control system includes a first control unit for one of the components of a bicycle, the first control unit. The first control unit includes: at least one noise radio configured to detect a noise level of a wireless environment including a signal transmitted wirelessly by a second control unit of the bicycle, and configured to receive At least one of the wirelessly transmitted control signals received by the second control unit of the bicycle receives a radio, the at least one radio operable to receive the control signal only when the radio is operating in a listening mode; and a processor. The processor is configured to: initiate the listening mode of the at least one receiving radio for a first length of time; detect the noise level by the at least one noise radio; and reach a noise level at the noise level When the threshold is reached, the activation of the listening mode is extended for a first extended period of time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described herein with reference to the drawings. It is understood that the drawings and the description herein are to be construed as illustrative only, and not limited by the scope of the appended claims. For example, the terms "first" and "second", "front" and "post" or "left" and "right" are used for the sake of clarity and are not intended to be limiting terms. Moreover, unless otherwise indicated, the terms refer to bicycle mechanisms that are conventionally mounted to a bicycle and in which the bicycle is oriented and used in a standard manner.

Referring to Figure 1, a bicycle 20 having a curved handle is illustrated having a wireless communication/control system 22 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The wireless control system 22 includes at least one shifting unit 24 (shifter) that is mountable to a bicycle handle 26 that is attached to the bicycle. The wireless control system 22 of the bicycle 20 may also have one or both of an electromechanical front gear changer 28 and an electromechanical rear gear changer 30 that are mounted to the bicycle frame 32 portion of the bicycle 20. For example, the gear shifters 28, 30 can be a transmission or an internal gear hub. In addition to or instead of a gear changer, control system 22 can be used with other systems and/or components of bicycle 20, such as suspension assemblies and systems, controllable seat tubes, power meters, cadence meters, lighting, bicycles. Computer, etc. For the context, the bicycle 20 will typically have a transmission assembly 33, as is known in the art, having one or more front links 35 connected to a plurality of rear sprockets 37 by a chain 39.

Figure 2 shows the toggle shifting unit 24 in more detail. The shifting unit 24 can include a brake support bracket 34 mountable to the handle, a brake lever 36, and a shift lever 38 operatively coupled to the shift switch 40 (which is one form of a shift actuator, for example, A button or the like), a front gear changer shift button 42 and a master control unit 44, and a power source such as a battery 46. For example, shift switch 40 can be actuated by any suitable actuator/device, such as a momentary contact button.

Referring also to the embodiment of FIG. 6, the main control unit 44 can receive input signals from the shift switch 40 and the front gear change (FD) shift toggle button 42, and also includes: a processor, a CPU 48, which is configured Communicating with the shift switch for processing the input signal; the memory assembly 50, which communicates with the CPU; an optional indicator for displaying a status signal generated by the CPU, such as the LED 52; and the wireless transmitter and receiver 54 . It should be noted that the term "transmitter and receiver" as used herein may include a transceiver, a transmitter-receiver or at least one radio, and encompasses any one or more of the devices that are separate or combined, capable of measuring, Transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals, including shifting signals or control commands or other signals associated with a function of the component being controlled. For example, the functionality of at least one radio can be described with respect to a particular radio (eg, a noisy radio and/or a receiving radio). Thus, this may describe that multiple disparate radios perform separate functions (eg, dissimilar noise radio snooping noise and/or communication signals that are differently received by the radio listening control unit), or they may be described for multiple modes of operation and / or a single radio that can be operated or assembled by the execution of multiple functions. It is contemplated that the transmitter and receiver 54, the master control unit 44, and the CPU 48 can each be an integral part of the shift control unit 24.

The shifting unit 24 can be supplied in pairs 24a, 24b and is typically mounted to a handle 26 or similar component, with one shifting unit being positioned to operate with the right hand and the other being positioned to operate with the left hand. When two separate shifting units are used, there may be a pair of master control units (MCUs) 44 in system 22, one of the two units 24a, 24b having one of the MCUs. The shifting unit 24 can be positioned at any position within reach of the user, and such as in a bicycle type known as a time trial bicycle, a plurality of units and or shift switches 40 or the like can be positioned on the shifting unit, The chronograph bicycle can have a shifting unit on both the handle and the extension.

In one embodiment, for example, the CPU 48 can use the system having Atmel ^® ATmega324PA eeprom memory of microcontroller inside, and use the transmitter and receiver 54 may be based Atmel ^® AT86RF231 2.4GHz transceiver, It utilizes AES encryption and DSS spread spectrum technology that supports 16 channels and IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. Covers other suitable CPUs and wireless transmitters and receivers.

In one embodiment of the wireless control system 22, the shift lever 38 on the right shifting unit 24a causes a shift signal corresponding to an upshift when actuated, and the upshift can be actuated by the rear gear shifter 30. The shift lever on the left shift unit 24b causes a shift signal corresponding to the downshift when actuated, and the downshift can be actuated by the rear gear shifter 30. Upshifting corresponds to gear shifting to a higher gear (eg, smaller rear sprocket 37), and downshifting corresponds to gear shifting to a lower gear (eg, larger rear sprocket 37). A front shift actuator 42, which may be in the form of a button and is an optional component, may be disposed on the two shifting units 24 and, when operated, transmits a toggle front shift signal to toggle the front gear shifter 28 . Thus, each MCU 44 of each shifting unit 24 can wirelessly transmit an acceptable shift signal and can be actuated by each gear shifter.

It may also be desirable to add modifier actuator 56 to, for example, shifting unit 24. Modifier actuator 56, which may be in the form of a button, does not operate when operated alone, but causes the generation of different types of signals (i.e., non-shift signals) when operated in conjunction with another actuator. For example, when the shift lever 38 of the unit 24a is pressed in conjunction with the modifier actuator 56, a "shift alignment inward" or trim command or the like may be issued instead of an "upshift" command. Modifier actuator 56 can be located on shift lever 38 and in communication with MCU 44.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment having a system 22 suitable for use in a flat handle application. In this embodiment, a right shifting unit 124a and a left shifting unit 124b are provided. The shift junction box 58 can be connected to the right shift unit 124a and the left shift unit 124b by a signal line 60. A single master control unit 144 can be located in the shift junction box 58 (Fig. 8) that receives signals from the left shift unit 124a and the right shift unit 124b. The single master control unit 144 includes components similar to the components of the MCU 44 in the shift unit 24. Specifically, the MCU 144 includes a CPU 148 in communication with the left shift unit 124a and the right shift unit 124b, a memory component 150 in communication with the CPU, a transmitter and receiver component 154, and an operating condition for indicating the operation of the MCU 144. LED 152. Battery 146 provides power to MCU 144 and provides an operation to modify actuator 156 to modify the MCU.

Although this embodiment is shown as having a single master control unit 144 in common, two master control units can be used. Alternatively, junction box 58 and common master control unit 144 can be used in the bend version described above. Each of the shifting units 124a, 124b can have a shift switch 140 that responds to the shift lever 38 of the shifting unit 24 described above.

One embodiment of an electromechanical rear gear changer 30 (RD) is shown in FIG. In general, electromechanical gear converters are known in the art. The rear gear changer of the present invention includes a power source 62 (battery), a motor unit 64, and a gear converter control unit 66 (SCU or "slave control unit"). Gear changer control unit 66 (FIG. 7) may include CPU 68 for processing signals/commands and the like, wake-up sensor 70 operatively coupled to CPU 68, memory component 72, function button 74, indicator (such as LED 76), an output 78 for transmitting control signals to motor unit 64, and a transmitter and receiver 80 for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. Motor unit 64 receives and executes position trim commands and/or gear change commands from gear changer control unit 66.

One embodiment of an electromechanical front gear changer 28 (FD) is shown in FIG. As with the rear gear changer described above, the front gear changer has a power source 82 (battery), a motor unit 84, and a gear changer control unit 86 (SCU). The gear changer control unit 86 (Fig. 7) may include a CPU 88 for processing signals/commands and the like, a wakeup sensor 90 operatively coupled to the CPU, a memory component 92, function buttons 94, indicators ( Such as LED 96), an output 98 for controlling/operating the motor unit 84, and a transmitter and receiver 100 for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, the transmitter and receiver may also be referred to as a gear converter transmitter and receiver. Device. Motor unit 84 receives and executes position and/or gear change commands from gear changer control unit 86. In the illustrated embodiment, the front gear changer shifts between the two links. Instead, more than two links are covered. The CPU 88 can also be configured to toggle the shift front gear shifter 28 between the two links when the subsequent release function button 94 is pressed.

Referring also to Figure 9, although the rear gear changer 30 and the front gear changer 28 are each described as having a gear changer control unit, a single common gear changer control unit 102 can be utilized. The illustrated common gear changer control unit 102 is located in the gear changer junction box 104, but may also be located within the rear gear changer 30 or the front gear changer 28. The shared gear changer control unit 102 can include a power source 184 (battery). The gear converter control unit 102 can include a CPU 188 to process signals from the MCU 144, a wake-up sensor 190, a memory component 192 coupled to the CPU, a function switch 194, an LED 196, and a combination to transmit and A transmitter and receiver 200 that receives wireless signals.

In one embodiment, CPU 88 or system 188 may have an internal memory of the eeprom Atmel ^® ATmega324PA 8 bit RISC microcontroller. The transmitter and receiver 100, 200 can be an Atmel ^® AT86RF231 2.4 GHz transceiver utilizing AES encryption and DSS spread spectrum technology supporting 16 frequency channels and IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. Channel selection

It is possible to set system 22 to one of a plurality of different selectable transmitter and receiver frequency channels to avoid crosstalk with other nearby systems. The device can be designated as a channel master in system 22. The channel master can be the rear gear changer 30. The rear gear changer 30 can be set to a particular transmitter and receiver frequency channel prior to pairing the devices (i.e., the shifting unit and the gear changer). This setting can be accomplished by pressing function button 74 in a sequence, or by a selector switch, or by wireless communication with a device designed to perform this task. It is believed that this setting will be used by the skilled artisan to achieve this task. pair

The components of the wireless control system 22 are paired to enable wireless communication between the components. Referring to Figures 2 and 4-7, each master control unit 44 has a unique device identification ("device ID") value and a "device type" value that are permanently stored in the MCU memory component 50. The "Device Type" value indicates the type of device, such as "Right Shifter Unit" or "Left Shifter Unit".

An example of a front gear changer will be described for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of a pairing operation. It should be understood that for a rear gear changer, the basic steps will be the same. Front gear changer 28, including gear changer control unit 86 (SCU), is paired with shifter 24 containing MCU 44 as described below. When the mode change mechanism in the form of a function button 94 on the gear changer is pressed for a predetermined period of time, the SCU 86 of the gear changer enters or transitions to the pairing mode. The SCU 86 can cause the LEDs 96 on the gear changer 28 to flash slowly to indicate that the SCU is in pairing mode and the SCU transmitter and receiver 100 are turned on. At this point, the transmitter in SCU 86 and the receiver portion of receiver 100 scan the transmitter and receiver channels for listening to the transmitted signals, where listening can also be referred to as monitoring. Next, the shift lever/button 38 on the shift unit 24 having the MCU 44 is pressed and held, thereby causing the MCU to transmit a repeat shift signal containing "device ID" and "device type" as part of the signal. When the SCU 86 in the gear changer 28 detects a repeated shift signal from the MCU 44, the SCU can change the LED 96 to continuously open. The SCU receiver portion of the transmitter and receiver 100 continues to listen to the repeated shift signals from the MCU 44 of the shifter for a predetermined period of time, which may be about two seconds. Once the SCU 86 of the gear changer 28 has determined that it has received a shift signal from the MCU 44 within the required time period, the SCU exits the pairing mode and stores the "device ID" in the space reserved for its "device type". In the SCU memory component 92. If the SCU 86 is the channel master in system 22, it will also send a signal to command the MCU 44 in the paired shifter 24 to operate on a particular channel. The shifter 24 is now paired with the gear changer 28 and the SCU 86 of the gear changer will respond to commands from the MCU 44 of the paired shifter.

The memory 92 of the SCU 86 of the gear changer 28 will record only one device ID for each device type. If the shifter 24 having the device id "234" is paired with the rear gear changer 30, and the other shifter 24 having the device ID "154" later is paired with the rear gear changer, the new value "154" will be used. The SCU 72 memory value "234" in the "device type" space is overwritten, and the rear gear changer 30 will no longer respond to the shifter 24 having the device ID "234".

One embodiment of the wireless system 22 has a right shifter 24a and a left shifter 24b; each shifter has an MCU 44, and a front gear changer 28 and a rear gear changer 30, each having a SCU 86, 66 (Figure 6 and Figure 7). Therefore, it should be understood that the pairing procedure will be repeated four (4) times for this embodiment. The rear gear changer 30 will be paired with each of the right shifter 24a and the left shifter 24b, and the front gear changer 28 will pair each of the right shifter and the left shifter. This results in a highly secure system because the physical proximity is required to press the buttons on the assembly to pair the devices. In addition, each gear changer 28, 30 will only respond to the shifter that it has paired with. If the operator verifies that each of the shifters 24a, 24b controls each of the gear shifters 28, 30, the operator can be confident that no unauthorized shifters have been paired. In an alternative embodiment where the pair of shifters 124a, 124b share the MCU 144 or the front gear changer 28 shares the SCU with the rear gear changer 30, the number of pairing steps will be reduced. Wake sensor

Power system design considerations are conserved on battery powered wireless devices and are contemplated by design considerations in embodiments of the present invention. If the electronic device remains continuously turned on, the battery tends to be quickly depleted. Therefore, various strategies can be implemented to conserve battery power. When the bicycle/system is not active, the MCU 44 coupled to the shifting unit 24 can be assembled to sleep, i.e., in a relatively low power state. During this time, the CPU 48 is in a low power state (sometimes referred to as standby or sleep mode) and the transmitter and receiver 54 are off. The MCU 44 wakes up only when the switch or button is activated (becomes sufficiently power and operable) and transmits a signal, otherwise it sleeps.

For example, SCU 66 in gear changer 30 can receive control signals from MCU 44 or, in some cases, from other SCUs. If the transmitter and receiver 80 are kept open continuously, the battery 62 will be quickly depleted. SCU 66 may include wake-up unit 70 to determine and signal when the bicycle is in use. In one embodiment, for example, a SignalQuestTM SQ-MIN-200 or FreescaleTM Semiconductor MMA8451Q vibration sensor can be used as a sensor for the wake-up unit. When the bicycle is operated, the vibration is caused by the uneven road surface and the power transmission motion, and the vibration is easily detected by the sensor (not shown). Other sensors may be used for the wake-up unit 70, such as an accelerometer or a magnetic reed switch that is assembled to detect a magnet attached to the moving element of the bicycle 20. When the bicycle 20 is operated, vibration or movement is detected and the wake-up unit 70 transmits a wake-up signal to wake up the SCU 66 (Fig. 10). The SCU 66 becomes awake after becoming power-sufficient and operating according to the wake-up signal from the vibration sensor as long as the SCU receives the wake-up signal from the wake-up unit 70. If the wake-up signal is not received within the time period in which the predetermined sleep timeout value is exceeded, the SCU 66 will return to sleep. The duration of sleep overtime can be about 30 seconds. Transmitter and receiver timing

Power consumption can be further reduced by frequently turning the transmitter and receiver 80, 100 on and off according to a predetermined or given period or cycle when the SCUs 66, 86 wake up. When the SCUs 66, 86 receive signals from the wake-up sensors 70, 90, the SCU enters an awake mode, thereby making the ground power sufficient and operational. During the awake mode, the SCUs 66, 86 "turn on" the transmitters and receivers 80, 100 to monitor the shifting signal duration listening time A, which may be referred to as the listening mode, and then "close" the waiting time B, which may be It is called non-listening mode to save energy, as shown on the timeline SCU on the table. The sum of one cycle of time A and B defines the cycle time for a given wake mode cycle or wake mode. Typically, the listening mode time A can be about 5 ms and the waiting time or non-listening mode B can be about 45 ms. In this state, the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100 are turned on (in the listening mode) only about 10% of the time of the wake-up mode cycle time.

FIG. 11A shows transmitter and receiver timings when control signals are transmitted from MCU 44 to SCUs 66, 86. The control signals can be used to facilitate any type of signal that controls the bicycle and/or bicycle components. For example, the control signal can be a seat tube signal, a suspension adjustment signal, or a shift signal. After pressing the shift button 38 on the shifting unit 24, the MCU 44 enters an awake mode or state, waits for the channel to become clear, and transmits a series of repeated control/shift signals without detecting other signals or noise. . Each of the repeated shift signals has a duration C (about 1 ms) followed by a remaining period time D (about 2 ms) and for a certain length of time, ie, message duration F (about 100 ms) , repeated in. The message duration F is selected such that the shift signal from the MCU 44 will be actively monitored or listened to by the transmitters and receivers 80, 100 of the SCUs 66, 86 (i.e., in the listening mode) for at least one time. Consistent. In the example shown in FIG. 11A, the four control signals coincide with the time of the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 in the listening mode, as illustrated by the dashed lines. In other words, the gear changer transmitter and receiver actively listen for the shift signal from the shifter transmitter and receiver during one of the wake mode cycle times (ie, the listening period), and the shifter transmitter And the receiver is configured to transmit the shift signal for a duration longer than the wake mode cycle time to ensure that the gear converter transmitter and the receiver are in an active listening state while the shift signal is being transmitted, wherein the listener can also listen to It is called monitoring.

Figure 11B shows the transmitter and receiver timings when control signal 11 is transmitted in a noisy environment. In this embodiment, the receivers 80, 100 of the SCUs 66, 86 detect and/or otherwise measure the noise level N. The noise level N is dependent on the environmental variables of the presence of adjacent electrical transmissions. These local electrical transmissions produce background noise that can be specified by a proportional value. For example, the value can indicate a measure of the spectral density. In this embodiment, as long as the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100 are in the listening mode, the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100 can monitor and measure the noise level N for noise level threshold determination. . The SCU transmitters and receivers 80, 100 can be configured to detect noise only on a single frequency channel such that only the noise affecting the frequency channels selected for transmission and reception is measured.

The noise level threshold value can be determined by comparing the measured noise level value with the noise level threshold value. The noise level threshold may be selected as a value suitable for determining the probability of reliably receiving the control signal. For example, the noise level threshold I can be selected from a range of -70 decibels to 1 milliwatt (or "dBm") to -40 dBm. In an embodiment, the noise level threshold I can be -50 dBm, -55 dBm, -60 dBm, or -65 dBm. If the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 determines that the detected noise level has reached the noise level threshold I, the SCU will remain in the listening mode for the first extended time period H1. The first extended period H1 can be any length of time. For example, the time period can be less than one ("1") second, such as 250 milliseconds, 500 milliseconds, or 750 milliseconds. The device may also be configured to further extend the activation of the listening mode for a second extended period of time when the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 determines that the noise level threshold I has been reached during the first extended time period H1. segment. The second extended period H2 can also be any amount of time. For example, the second extended period of time can be less than one ("1") second, such as 250 milliseconds, 500 milliseconds, or 750 milliseconds. The first extended period H1 and the second extended period H2 may be the same or different lengths of time. In an embodiment, the first extended time period H and the second extended time period are the same.

In one embodiment, the extended time period H will begin from the decision time each time the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 periodically measures the noise level and determines that the noise level threshold I has been reached. Because in this embodiment, the extended time period H is greater than the time between the detection or sampling rates of the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100, the activation of the listening mode will actually continue until the SCU transmitter and receiver 80 100 determines that the noise level has no longer reached the noise level threshold I, and then continues for another extended period of time H before the cancellation of the listening mode is initiated. According to this embodiment, the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 will begin the listening mode when the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 determines that the noise level has reached the noise level threshold I; as long as during the extended period H The noise level threshold is reached, that is, remains in the listening mode; and the listening mode ends after the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 determines that the noise level has not reached the noise level threshold I for an extended period of time H. .

The noise level threshold I can be combined to correspond to a noise level in the case where the control signal 11 is no longer reliably received. If the control signal 11 is transmitted during the listening mode time A, the probability that the signal is received by the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100 is related to the noise level N. In general, the concentration of transmission is higher in high noise level environments. The lower probability of receiving control signals in a high noise level environment is due to the tendency of the transmission to interfere with other transmissions. When there is a high concentration of transmission, there is a relatively low probability of receiving a control signal, generally as in a high noise level environment. If the noise level N reaches the noise level threshold I, it is unlikely that the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 will receive any of a plurality of control signals for a given period of time. By extending the listening duration for an extended period of time H when the noise level N reaches the noise level threshold I, the length of the listening duration is increased and thus the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 receives the control signal 11 The chance is increased. When the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 hears a shift or control signal, the SCUs 66, 86 maintain the transmitter and receiver in the listening mode even if the signal is detected for use in another device.

Before returning to sleep (ie, non-listening mode) to conserve power, the SCU transmitter and receiver 80, 100 will remain in the listening mode for a sustained listening duration G after receiving the last signal. The listening duration G can be any length of time. For example, in one embodiment, the listening duration G can be less than one ("1") second, such as 20 milliseconds, 40 milliseconds, or 80 milliseconds. It should be understood that the various timings illustrated herein are exemplary in nature.

11C shows a timeline of a possible extended time period in which a radio will listen, according to one embodiment. The beginning of the extended time period H1 corresponds to the initial noise level detection that has reached the noise level threshold I. If the radio then detects the noise level of the noise level threshold I during the extended time period H1, the radio will then continue to listen for a long period of time H2 from the detection time. The radio can perform multiple noise level detections during the extended time period H1. In one embodiment, if even a limited number of noise level detections (eg, as few as one ("1")) reach the noise level threshold I, the radio will begin to listen for an extended period of time. Time period H2. Since the interfering signal is usually transmitted intermittently in the packet, in a noisy environment where the signal may actually be lost, it is possible that only a few of the plurality of noise level detections reach the noise level threshold I.

Figure 11C depicts a cascade of such noise level detections, each detection triggering for an extended period of time. The cascade has a transition at the beginning of the new extended time period, indicated by the arrows in Figure 11C. Similar to the above, if the noise level detection reaches the noise level threshold I during the extended time H2, the radio will listen for the extended extension time H3. If the noise level detection reaches the noise level threshold I during the extended time H3, the radio will listen for an extended time H4. This cascade will continue until the extension time (indicated by H(x)) after the last noise level detection of the noise level threshold I is reached.

During racing or large group riding, it is inevitable that the cyclist will use several systems that are detectably in close proximity. Both MCU 44 and SCU 66 (i.e., 86) may have special features to achieve coexistence during crowded use and ensure high reliability. The MCU transmitter and receiver 54 has the ability to transmit and receive signals. Prior to transmitting the wireless signal, MCU 44 will listen to determine if other transceivers or transmissions are transmitting. These other transceivers may or may not be part of an instantaneous system. When the MCU 44 hears other transceivers, the MCU will observe the device IDs of the other signals and count them until they see the device repeat before transmitting. When MCU 44 determines that the channel is clear to transmit after hearing other transmissions (i.e., any transmissions from the master control unit that are paired with any of SCUs 66, 86, where other transmissions may be referred to as noise) The MCU will begin to transmit signals, but the repetition interval can be adjusted by increasing the time between transmissions of the repeated signals to avoid collisions with other transmissions/noises.

Figure 13 is a flow chart illustrating a method for transmitting and receiving wireless control signals on a bicycle. As presented in the following sections, the actions can be performed using any combination of the components indicated in Figures 6-9. For example, the following actions may be performed by radios 80, 100, 200 and/or CPUs 68, 88, 192, and additional or other components. Additional, different or fewer actions are available. For example, action 301 can be omitted. The actions are performed in the order presented or in other order. These actions can also be repeated.

The method can include transmitting a wireless control signal (act 301). Transmission may be performed by one or more shifting units 24A, 24B. The transmission can be directed to a radio, such as the radio 100 of the front derailleur 28 and/or the radio 80 of the rear derailleur 30.

The method further includes listening for the control signal for a first length of time (act 302). The control signal can be transmitted by the control unit of the bicycle on the communication frequency channel. Listening can be achieved by a radio such as radio 100 of front derailleur 28 and/or radio 80 of rear derailleur 30.

The method determines a noise level during the first length of time (act 303). The noise level can be the same noise level N measured on the frequency channel. In an embodiment, the determination of the noise level N is performed by a radio such as the radio 100 of the front derailleur 28 and/or the radio 80 of the rear derailleur 30. The radios 100, 80 can be configured to perform a determination of the noise level N using a processor such as the CPU 88, 68. The determination of the noise level provides the processor with information suitable for achieving a balance between successful transmission of the signal and low power consumption.

In act 304, it is determined if the noise level has reached a noise level threshold (304). Next, the determination of the noise level N from the previous step is applied to further determine whether the noise level N has reached the noise level threshold I.

If the threshold has been reached, the method continues to listen to the control signal for an extended length of time (305). Similar to the listening control signal for a first length of time, the length of the listening duration may be performed by a radio such as the radio 100 of the front derailleur 28 and/or the radio 80 of the rear derailleur 30. The noise level threshold can be reached when it is detected that the relative measurement of the noise level corresponds to an environment that is more noisy than the noise level threshold. For example, the noise level threshold can be set to -50 dBm such that a detected noise level of less than -50 dBM (such as -55 dBm) will reach the noise level threshold. Alternatively, the noise level can be measured in absolute units such that the detected noise level greater than the noise level threshold will reach the noise level threshold. In other words, the noise level whose absolute magnitude is greater than the noise level threshold will reach the noise level threshold. In one embodiment, if the noise level does not reach the noise level threshold, then the method restarts (301).

Although the wireless control signal is transmitted to the radio (301) once listed, it should be recognized that this transmission can be made at any point throughout the method. For example, transmitting the wireless control signal a second time to the radio may occur simultaneously with or after the first transmission of the wireless control signal to the radio.

The method can further include determining, by the processor, a noise level during an extended length of time (306). In this embodiment, if the noise level reaches the noise level threshold (307), the method can continue to again extend the length of time (305) by the radio listening control signal. Similarly, if the noise level threshold (307) has not been reached, then the action 301 of transmitting the wireless control signal to a radio may be repeated.

The method illustrated in Figure 13 represents a particular option for adjusting the wireless transmission behavior in response to noise levels. Listening to the first time duration in a quiet environment (act 302) and listening to a duration in a noisy environment (act 305) can impact the balance between effective wireless communication and battery drain. The noise level threshold can be an adjustable feature that can be changed manually or in response to other metrics that may be successful or unsuccessful. One such responsive change may be to compare control signal count values as discussed below for handling multiple shift commands. For example, if the noise level does not reach the noise level threshold at a given time, and the control signal has a count value that is greater than the count value removed from the count value of the last received control signal, the noise The level threshold can be adjusted to the level that will be reached by the instantaneous noise level. This adjustment will cause the listening duration to be extended for a length of time, thus increasing the control signal being received. Depending on the situation, if the noise level does reach the noise level threshold at a given time and the sequential control signal is received, the noise level threshold can be adjusted.

Figure 12 shows the interaction of three MCUs attempting to transmit simultaneously. The timeline MCU1 shows the sleep (low power mode), wake-up (power sufficient and includes active monitoring mode) and transmission (TX) states of the first MCU. When the shift actuator is operated, the MCU wakes up and pauses to listen to the duration quiet time (J) before transmitting the signals (S11 to S14). Since no other signals or noise are heard during the quiet time J in this example, S11 to S14 are repeated at a minimum repetition rate E (about 3 milliseconds). When the MCU wakes up between transmitted signals, it listens for signals from other transmitters.

MCU2 wakes up from the TX command request and starts listening at time T2. After the MCU 2 receives the signals S13 and S14, both from the common MCU, the MCU 2 determines that both devices will transmit and starts transmitting signals S21 through S25 at a repetition rate E2 (about 6 milliseconds) at time T3. The MCU 2 transmits the signal S21 at time T3 before S15 of the MCU 1, and thus "upgrades" S15. MCU1 listens between S14 and the planned S15 signal, and hears signal S21 from MCU2. MCU1 then cancels S15 and begins transmitting new signals S15' through S18 at repetition rate E2 starting at time T4. MCU1 selects to transmit signal S15' about 3 milliseconds from T3, thereby maintaining the interval between the repeated signals at a first interval of about 3 milliseconds or an ambient signal repetition rate.

The MCU 3 causes wakeup by detecting a TX command request (shift signal) and starts listening at time T5. After the MCU 3 receives the signals S24, S18, and S25, where both S24 and S25 are from the common MCU, the MCU 3 determines that the three devices will transmit and begins transmitting signals S31 through S35 at a repetition rate E3 (about 9 milliseconds) at time T6. Signal S31 is transmitted before the planned signal S19 of MCU1. The MCU 1 listens between the signal S18 and the planned signal S19, and receives S25 from the MCU 2 and S31 from the MCU 3. MCU1 then cancels S19 and begins transmitting new signals S19' through S1B at repetition rate E3 starting at time T7. MCU1 selects to transmit signal S19' about 3 milliseconds from T6, thereby maintaining an ambient signal repetition rate of about 3 milliseconds. The signal S19' is transmitted before the planned S26 of the MCU 2, thereby boosting the signal. MCU2 listens between signal S25 and planned S26, and receives S31 from MCU3 and S19' from MCU1. MCU 2 then cancels S26 and begins transmitting new signals S26' through S2A at repetition rate E3 starting at time T8. MCU 2 selects to transmit signal S26' about 3 milliseconds from T7, thereby maintaining an ambient signal repetition rate of about 3 milliseconds.

Between S28 and S29, MCU2 observes that only S34 has been received from MCU3, and it is determined that only two devices are currently communicating. After S29, MCU 2 transmits signals S2A through S2B at an increased repetition rate E2. Between S34 and S35, MCU3 observes that only S29 is received from MCU2, and it is also determined that only two devices are currently communicating. After S35, MCU 3 transmits signals S35 through S38 at an increased repetition rate E2. Between S37 and S38, MCU3 observes that no signal is received and it is communicating alone. After S38, MCU 3 transmits signals S38 through S3A at an increased repetition rate E.

Although the above example describes that the transmitter adjusts its repetition interval at the next transmission cycle, it may be desirable to wait for more than one cycle before adjusting the repetition rate. This gives the transmitter more opportunities to notify other transmitters that it may not have noticed its initial count.

There are two devices that will try to risk sending signals at exactly the same time. In order to reduce the possibility of collision, the signal repetition rate E can be arbitrarily changed as much as, for example, plus/minus 1 millisecond.

The present invention may also include a method of maximizing the reliability of a transmitted repeated shift signal corresponding to an input signal for a given message duration. If the repetition interval of the plurality of repeated shift signals produces a situation in which only a few repeated shift signals can be transmitted, the system can increase the length of the message duration to transmit a sufficient number of repeated signals at an increased interval rate. Dispose of repeated shift commands

Because the MCU 44 of the shifter 24 transmits the shift signal multiple times, the SCUs 66, 86 of the gear shifters 30, 28 need to identify the method of repeatedly receiving the shift signal and the new shift signal. When the MCU 44 generates a shift signal, it also produces a "count value" that is transmitted along with the device ID and device type. The count value can be used to indicate a repeat, sequential or non-sequential shift signal. Whenever the continuous shift signal is generated by the MCU 44, the new count value is obtained by taking the previous count value from the memory and increasing the value by one (1) or sequentially incrementing the count value to obtain the new count value. produce. When the SCU 66, 86 receives the shift signal, it compares the received count value with the signal type (eg, upshift, downshift) and the device type (right shifter, left shifter) stored in the SCU. The previously received count value in memory 72,92. If the count value, signal type, and device type match the value stored in the memory, the command is ignored because it is a repetitive signal that has been processed. If the count value is different from the value stored in the memory, the SCU 66, 86 will calculate the value "pending" by subtracting the count value in the memory from the received count value. If the operator pushes the upshift lever once and no wireless transmission is lost, the SCU 66 calculates a pending value = 1 and executes a command to upshift once to the motor unit 64. The SCU 66 will then record the new count value to the memory for each signal type and device type. However, if the operator quickly presses the upshift lever 38 and the system 22 is in a noisy wireless environment where wireless signals often fail, the SCU 66 can calculate a pending value greater than one. In this situation, the shift signal is lost, or the operator presses the lever 38 more than once before the SCU 66 opens its transmitter and receiver. If the SCU 66 receives the shift signal corresponding to the upshift input signal and calculates the pending value 3, it is known that the upshift lever 38 has been operated three times since receiving the last shift signal corresponding to the upshift input signal (3) And, the command to upshift three (3) times will be sent to the motor unit 64. The SCU 66 will then record the new count value to the memory for each signal type and device type. SCU 66 will also ignore the signal corresponding to the upshift or downshift input signal when gear converter 30 is at its range limit. In order for this to happen, the SCU 66 will record its position.

The value of the noise level threshold I is preferably tunable to account for the changing noise environment. Proper tuning of the noise level threshold I can be used to maximize battery power while maintaining good wireless performance in noisy environments. Depending on the situation, SCU 66 may be configured to reduce the value of noise level threshold I if it receives a number of control signals having a non-sequential or particularly distant count value, thereby indicating non-sequence or A particularly remote control signal and indicating that the SCU 66 has not received the intervention control signal due to noise.

In an embodiment, SCU 66 may be configured to increase the value of noise level threshold I if a threshold has been reached, but SCU 66 has still received a substantially sequential count value. The control signal indicates that the current noise level does not substantially interfere with control signal transmission and reception. A similar measure of the non-sequential count value received by SCU 66 may be used to extend the activation of the listening modes of the SCU transmitter and receivers 80, 100 for an extended period of time. In fact, this metric can be used as an indirect noise sensor by measuring a successful transmission instead of noise instead of or in combination with another type of noise sensor and/or noise measurement. Other shifting methods

The MCU 44 may also generate control signals regarding the status (upshift and downshift) of the shift button 38. For example, when the up button 38 of the unit 24a is pressed, the MCU transmits an "upshift button pressed" signal and transmits an "upshift button released" signal when the upshift button is released. This feature applies to system 22 in which there is no dedicated front gear changer shift button 42 on the shifting unit and the front gear changer 28 is by upshifting and downshifting button 38 of the two units 24a, 24b Press to toggle the shift. In the case of a front shift, the SCU 66, 86 will first receive both the upshift and downshift button pressed signals before receiving the upshift or downshift button has been released, thereby indicating that the button was pressed before any button was released. Two buttons. When the SCU 86 of the current gear changer 28 receives this sequence of signals, it will perform a shifting of the front gear changer. When the rear gear changer 30 receives this sequence of signals, it will ignore the signals.

If the rear gear changer SCU 66 receives the upshift or downshift button has released the signal without first receiving the upshift or downshift button pressed signal, the rear gear changer SCU can infer because the button 38 is quickly pressed and released , so the button off signal is lost or not transmitted from the MCU 44. In this condition, the rear gear changer SCU 66 will advance and perform an upshift or downshift.

Although the transmitted signals are only described as being from MCU 44, SCUs 86, 66 in front gear changer 28 and rear gear changer 30 may also send signals to other devices. For example, the rear gear changer 30 can send a message to the forward gear changer 28 indicating the current gear position of the rear gear changer. This will allow the front gear changer 28 to optimize the trim position of the front gear changer based on the position of the rear gear changer 30. Other types of information that can be transmitted by the SCU 66, 86 of the device include battery power, number of shifts, device ID, temperature, error code, firmware version, and the like. ANT/BTLE Bridge

The system 22 of the present invention may also communicate with smart use of other third party devices such as ANT or Bluetooth ^® (BTLE) The standard agreement. One of the devices in the system can collect data from other devices, such as battery power, gear position, firmware version, etc., and share data with third party devices using different communication protocols to effectively operate as an information bridge.

Although the invention has been described by reference to the specific embodiments thereof, it is understood that various modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept described. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiments,

20‧‧‧Bicycle
22‧‧‧Wireless Control System
24, 124‧‧‧ shifting unit
24a, 124a‧‧‧ Right shifting unit
24b, 124b‧‧‧ Left shifting unit
26‧‧‧Bicycle handle
28‧‧‧Electromechanical front gear changer
30‧‧‧Electrical rear gear changer
32‧‧‧Bicycle frame
33‧‧‧ Transmission assembly
34‧‧‧Brake support bracket
35‧‧‧ Front chain
36‧‧‧Brake lever
37‧‧‧After sprocket
38‧‧‧Shift lever
39‧‧‧Chain
40, 140‧‧‧ shift switch
42‧‧‧Front gear changer toggle button
44, 144‧‧‧ Master Control Unit (MCU)
46, 146‧‧‧ battery
48, 68, 88, 148, 188‧‧ ‧ processors (CPU)
50, 72, 92, 150, 192‧‧‧ memory components
52, 76, 96, 152, 196‧‧‧ LED
54‧‧‧transmitters and receivers
56‧‧‧Modifier actuator
58‧‧‧Shift junction box
60‧‧‧ signal line
62, 82, 184‧‧‧ power supplies
64, 84‧‧‧ motor unit
66, 86, 102‧‧‧ Gear Inverter Control Unit (SCU)
70, 90, 190‧‧ ‧ wake up sensor
74, 94, 194‧‧‧ function buttons
78, 98‧‧‧ output
80, 100, 200‧‧‧ radio/transmitters and receivers
104‧‧‧Gear Converter Junction Box
154‧‧‧Transmitter and receiver components
156‧‧‧Modify actuator
301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307‧‧‧ actions
S11, S12, S13, S14, S15, S15', S16, S17, S18, S19, S19', S1A, S1B, S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, S26, S26', S27, S28, S29, S2A , S2B, S31, S32, S33, S34, S35, S36, S37, S38, S39, S3A‧‧‧ signals
A‧‧‧ listening time
B‧‧‧ Waiting time
C‧‧‧ duration
D‧‧‧Remaining cycle time
F‧‧‧Message duration
G‧‧‧ listening duration
H‧‧‧Extended time period
I‧‧‧Noise level threshold
J‧‧‧Quiet time
N‧‧‧Noise level
E, E2, E3‧‧‧ repetition rate
H1‧‧‧First extended period
H2‧‧‧Second extended period
H3, H4, H(x)‧‧‧ extended time
T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8‧‧‧ time

Figure 1 is a side view of a bent handle bicycle on which a wireless component is mounted;

2 is a view of a shifter/brake assembly having an integrated master control unit (MCU);

Figure 3 is a flat handle with a shifting unit connected to a discrete control unit;

Figure 4 is a rear gear changer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a front gear changer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

6 to 9 are schematic diagrams of a wireless communication/control system;

Figure 10 is a wake-up/sleep timeline of a gear converter control unit (SCU);

Figure 11A is a timeline of the SCU transmitter and receiver and the MCU transmitter and receiver;

11B is a timeline of an SCU transmitter and receiver and an MCU transmitter and receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

11C is a timeline of an SCU transmitter and receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 12 is the wake-up/sleep/TX timeline of the MCU;

Figure 13 is a flow chart illustrating wireless transmission and reception in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (21)

A wireless control system for a bicycle, comprising: a first control unit for one of the components of a bicycle, the first control unit comprising: a radio that is assembled to receive a second by the bicycle a control signal transmitted by the control unit in a wireless manner, the radio being operable to receive the control signal only when the radio is operating in a listening mode; and a processor configured to: initiate the listening mode duration of the radio a first time length; detecting, by the radio, a noise level during the first time period; and when the noise level reaches a noise level threshold, enabling the activation of the listening mode for one duration The first extended period of time. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the first extended time period is one of at least 250 milliseconds, 500 milliseconds, or 750 milliseconds. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to periodically initiate the listening mode of the radio for the first length of time. The wireless control system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: in the case where the detected noise level does not reach the threshold during the first length of time, The listening mode is revoked when it expires. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: periodically detect, by the radio, the noise level during the first extended time period, and detect the noise level When the noise level threshold is not reached during the first extended period of time, the listening mode is deactivated. The wireless control system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to: detect, by the radio, a noise level during the first extended time period; and at the first extended time of the noise level When the noise level threshold is reached during the segment period, the activation of the listening mode is extended for a second extended period of time. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the noise level is detected as one of the spectral density. The wireless control system of claim 7, wherein the noise level threshold is determined to have a value in a range of approximately -70 dB to -40 dBm. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect the noise level on only a single frequency channel. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the control signals comprise a device identification associated with a transmission device. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the control signals associated with the transmission device comprise a count value, wherein the count value is sequentially incremented as each successive control signal from the same transmission device is transmitted. The wireless control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: extend the activation of the listening mode by one time when the radio receives sequential control signals having the same device identification and non-sequential count values The second extended period of time. The wireless control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: when the radio receives sequential control signals having the same device identification and non-sequential count values, the noise level threshold has not been reached Adjust the value of the noise level threshold. The wireless control system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: adjust the noise when the radio does not receive sequential control signals having the same device identification and non-sequential count values during the extended time period The value of the threshold value. A method for transmitting and receiving a wireless control signal on a bicycle, wherein the method comprises: transmitting a wireless control signal to a radio; periodically listening by the radio for one first time length controlled by one of the bicycles a control signal transmitted by the unit on a communication frequency channel; determining, by a processor, a noise level on the frequency channel during the first time length; and reaching a noise level threshold at the noise level At this time, the radio listening control signal lasts for an extended length of time. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining of the noise level is performed by the processor based on a value measured by the radio during the first length of time. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless control signals comprise: a shift command corresponding to one of the upshifts, the upshift being drivable by an electromechanical gear converter; or a shift command corresponding to one of the downshifts, The downshift can be driven by the electromechanical gear converter. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor and the radio are used for an integral part of a shift control unit of a bicycle. The method of claim 15, further comprising: detecting noise by a noise sensor to determine the noise level during the first length of time by the processor. A bicycle control system is assembled to accommodate a first control unit, the first control unit comprising: a radio configured to receive a control signal wirelessly transmitted by a second control unit of the bicycle The radio is operative to receive the control signal only when the radio is operating in a listening mode; and a processor configured to: periodically initiate the listening mode of the radio for a plurality of listening periods; Periodically detecting one of the noise levels during the listening period by the radio; when the noise level has not reached a noise level threshold during the listening period, the radio is deactivated Listening mode; when the radio detects that the noise level has reached the noise level threshold during any of the plurality of listening periods, the activation of the listening mode is extended for an extended period of time a time period; and when the noise level has not reached the noise level threshold during the extended period of time, the listening mode for activating the radio is revoked . A wireless control system for a bicycle, comprising: a first control unit for one of the components of a bicycle, the first control unit comprising: being assembled to detect a second control unit included by the bicycle At least one noise radio of one of a wireless environment of a wirelessly transmitted signal, and at least one receiving radio configured to receive a control signal wirelessly transmitted by the second control unit of the bicycle, At least one receiving radio operable to receive the control signal only when the radio is operating in a listening mode; and a processor configured to activate the listening mode of the at least one receiving radio for a first length of time; The noise level is detected by the at least one noise radio; and when the noise level reaches a noise level threshold, the activation of the listening mode is extended for an extended period of time.