WO2020240254A1

WO2020240254A1 - Electronic system for detecting the activity of a vehicle's direction button

Info

Publication number: WO2020240254A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/054438
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Guadagnin
Original assignee: Bernardi, Marilena
Priority date: 2019-05-29
Filing date: 2019-05-29
Publication date: 2020-12-03

Abstract

Described is an electronic system for detecting actions of a driver or user of a vehicle, comprising a first electronic device (20), fixed to a handlebar (1) of the vehicle in the proximity of a direction button (3) of the vehicle, which is coupled with a movement sensor (27, 29), which detects the movement of the direction button (3); the first electronic device (20) is designed to be associated, by means of a "pairing" mode, to a second electronic device (50) present on a helmet (100) of the user of the vehicle, in such a way that the movement sensor (27, 29) is able to detect a movement action of the direction button (3) of the vehicle and communicate the above-mentioned movement action, by means of a Bluetooth communication (23, 53), to the second electronic device (50), which activates, following the above- mentioned communication, a series of LEDs (54), which display to other vehicles, which follow, the changes of direction of the vehicle.

Description

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE ACTIVITY OF A VEHICLE'S DIRECTION BUTTON

This invention relates to an electronic system for detecting actions of a driver or user of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, bicycle and/or e-bike, who acts on the direction button of the above-mentioned vehicles.

The system operates in association with an electronic device located on a helmet in use by the same user of the vehicle, in order to create a visual accident prevention system, which is able to warn the drivers of transport vehicles or other subjects which follow the driver or user of the vehicle of the imminent relative change of direction.

The electronic system which is the object of the invention comprises a support in the form of a bracelet or ring with the possibility of having inserted an RFID tag, said support being fixed in an adherent and difficult to remove manner to the handgrip of a handlebar of a vehicle, to which is associated a waterproof and removable portion either fully or partially. Both the bracelet or ring and the waterproof and removable portion are made of plastic material.

According to a first embodiment, inside the waterproof and removable portion is housed an electronic system with an electronic circuit comprising a microprocessor, a Bluetooth chip, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, another sensor/antenna for reading RFID tags and/or managing other activities, which is controlled by dedicated software and firmware and powered by one or more button batteries with a USB cable or by a recharging system which uses the vibrations of the vehicle itself by means of a piezoelectric apparatus and which is inserted in the support in the form of a bracelet or ring or by an induction system.

According to a first embodiment of the system, from the waterproof and removable portion leads a wire with a jack which connects the internal electronic system with a movement sensor, which is fixed with adhesive on the direction button of the vehicle.

According to an alternative embodiment, there is no connection of the wire to the sensor on the button and the electronic system, includes, in addition to the microprocessor, Bluetooth chip, gyroscopic sensor, accelerometer sensor, and sensor/antenna for reading RFID tags and/or managing other activities, include a movement sensor, all controlled by dedicated software and firmware and powered by electricity supplied again by one or more button batteries or rechargeable with USB cable or by a recharging system which uses vibrations of the vehicle itself activating a piezoelectric or by an induction system. In this case, one or two magnets with opposite signs are fixed with adhesive on the direction button.

In any case, the support bracelet or ring can have a tab with a greater or lesser length, free to vibrate; the tab, to which are connected piezoelectric systems, recharges the electronic system inserted in the waterproof and removable portion. Moreover, the support bracelet or ring can also be equipped with a mini solar panel with recharging functions.

The support in the form of a bracelet or ring is fixed to the handgrip of a handlebar of a vehicle, which is close to the direction button of the above- mentioned vehicle, by means of a locking system, for example by means of a fixing screw, and has a coupling/uncoupling seat for the waterproof and removable portion where the electronic system is inserted.

As mentioned, the electronic system which is the object of the invention is associated (by means of a pairing operation) to an electronic device positioned on a helmet in use by the driver or user of the vehicle, wherein the above-mentioned electronic device comprises an electronic circuit with a microprocessor and Bluetooth chip, as well as other sensors and electronic components, including electronic cards with low consumption and high luminosity LEDs, designed to switch on when the electronic system, inserted in the waterproof and removable portion detects the action of the driver or user of the vehicle on the direction button of the above-mentioned vehicle.

Following the imminent decision by the driver or user to move the vehicle to the right or left, the system communicates the intention to the electronic device associated with the helmet for displaying, by the switching on of the LEDs, the consequent action.

The aim of the electronic system for detecting activities of a driver or user of a vehicle, when the driver or user acts on the direction button of the vehicle, is to create an accident prevention system by means of an optical display with LEDs on the helmet of the driver of the vehicle of the imminent changes of direction to the drivers of the transport vehicles which follow or to other subjects, thereby preventing possible accidents (if, for example, the drivers of the transport vehicles which follow are distracted, possibly due to their improper use of their smartphone). Means are currently known, for example from patent document EP2626245A1 , designed for displaying actions for stopping and changing direction of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, bicycle or e-bike, as are known, for example from patent document EP1312273B1 , “smart” helmets, comprising global localisation systems, environment interaction sensors and mobile communication devices for providing data, monitoring actions and conditions of the driver and sending data and information on the position and the conditions of the driver.

However, these systems still have technical drawbacks and application problems.

Also present on the market are bracelets fixed on handgrips or handlebars of motorcycles comprising electronic systems for controlling the functions of interphone systems installed on the helmet of a motorcyclist or passenger, but these systems do not have components and functions similar to those according to this invention.

The aim of the invention is therefore to make an electronic system for detecting actions of a driver or user of a vehicle who acts on the direction button of the above-mentioned vehicle, which can be associated (pairing) with an electronic device located on the helmet in use by the driver or user of the vehicle, in order to create an extremely reliable and precise system, designed to carry out a preventive optical display, by means of a series of LEDs located on the helmet of the user, of the imminent changes of direction.

Another aim of the invention is to reduce the number of victims amongst the “vulnerable subjects” (motorcyclists, cyclists and/or users of e-bikes), which, unfortunately, are on the increase in advanced countries.

Another aim of the invention is to reduce social costs and, in particular, the costs for medical and rehabilitative expenses to be borne by national states. Further features and advantages of the system for detecting actions of a driver or user of a vehicle, such as motorcycles, bicycles and/or e-bikes, designed to act on the direction button of the above-mentioned buttons and which is able to be paired with an electronic device located on the helmet in use by the driver or user of the vehicle to create an accident prevention system by optically displaying imminent changes of direction of the vehicle, according to the invention, are more clearly described below for the two preferred, non-limiting embodiments, and in the accompanying drawings where: - Figure 1 is a cross section view of the support in the form of a bracelet or ring with the RFID tag and the tab for recharging by means of vibrations, to which is associated the waterproof and removable portion of the electronic detection system according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the electronic system according to the invention, with the movement sensor fixed on the direction button and connected, by means of a wire, to the waterproof and removable portion;

- Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the electronic system according to the invention, with the movement sensor located inside the waterproof and removable portion and with two magnets with opposite signs fixed on the direction button of the vehicle.

With particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, the electronic system, which is the object of the invention, comprises a first electronic device (20), which is inserted inside a waterproof and removable portion (4), associated with a support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A). This support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A) has a seat for receiving an RFID tag (41 ) and has a tab (42) to which are connected piezoelectric system (43) for recharging the electronic device (20).

Figure 2 shows how the support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A) is fixed to the handgrip (2) of the handlebar (1 ) of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, bicycle and/or e-bike, by means of a fixing screw (10), in the proximity of the direction button (3) of the vehicle. The electronic device (20) comprises an electronic circuit (21 ), a microprocessor (22), a Bluetooth chip (23), an accelerometer (24), a gyroscope (25), another sensor (26) for reading RFID tags and/or for managing other activities and one or more button batteries (28) or rechargeable by means of USB cable or by means of a piezoelectric or induction system, all controlled by dedicated software and firmware. Moreover, according to a first embodiment of the detection system which is the object of the invention, the electronic system (21 ) is connected, by means of a jack (8B), to an electric cable (8A), which has, at the other end, a movement sensor(29), which can be fixed with adhesive to a part of the direction button (3) of the vehicle.

Outside the waterproof and removable portion (4) there is an ON/OFF button (5) designed for switching on, switching off and/or associating the electronic device (20), two status LEDs (6A) for displaying the switching on or the switching off of the electronic device (20), a further LED (6B), which displays whether the pairing has occurred between the first electronic device (20) and a second electronic device (50), equipped with an electronic circuit (51 ), a microprocessor (52) and a Bluetooth chip (53) and present on the helmet (100) of the user, and further LEDs (7) for displaying the status of the battery (28).

After having fixed the support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A) to the handgrip (2) of the vehicle, by means of the screw (10), and after having fixed the movement sensor (29) to the direction button (3) of the vehicle, the driver or user of the above-mentioned vehicle firstly switches on the first electronic device (20) (switching on the device (20) switches on one of the status LEDs (6A)) and then associates, by actuating the pairing mode, the first electronic device (20) to the second electronic device (50) present on the helmet (100) of the user of the vehicle. The completed association will be displayed by the switching on of the LED (6B).

In the way, the first electronic device (20) can communicate with the second electronic device (50) and, therefore, when the driver or user of the vehicle is about to change direction and acts on the direction button (3) moving it to the right or to the left, this action will be detected by the movement sensor (29), which will communicate it to the first electronic device (20), which, by means of the Bluetooth chip (23), will send information to the second electronic device (50) present on the helmet (100) of the user, thanks to the connection with the Bluetooth chip (53). The electronic device (50) thereby activates and/or switches on the display LEDs located in the electronic cards (54). In this way, the driver or user of the vehicle (motorcycle and/or bicycle and/or e-bike) is able to warn the drivers of the transport vehicles or other subjects which follow it of the imminent relative change of direction.

In order to change or recharge the batteries (28), the driver or user of the vehicle can firstly disconnect the jack (8B) of the cable (8A) from the waterproof and removable portion (4), keeping the movement sensor (29) fixed to the direction button (3), and, subsequently, detach the waterproof and removable portion (4), from the support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A), which in any case remains fixed to the handgrip (2) of the handlebar. With particular reference to Figure 3, which refers to an alternative embodiment of the electronic system according to the invention, the support (4A) in the form of a bracelet or ring, which includes the waterproof and removable portion (4), containing the first electronic device (20), is fixed to the handgrip (2) of the handlebar (1 ) of a vehicle (motorcycle and/or bicycle and/or e-bike), by means of the fixing screw (9), in the proximity of the direction button (3).

Inside the waterproof and removable portion (4) there is the first electronic device (20) including electronic circuit (21 ), microprocessor (22), Bluetooth chip (23), accelerometer (24), gyroscope (25), sensor (26) for reading RFID tags and/or for managing other activities, movement sensor (27) and one or more button batteries (28) or rechargeable by means of USB cable or by means of a piezoelectric or induction system, all controlled by dedicated software and firmware, whilst on the direction button (3) are fixed with adhesive two magnets with opposite signs (8A, 8B).

Inside the waterproof and removable portion (4) there is an ON/OFF button (5) designed for switching on, switching off and/or associating the first electronic device (20), two status LEDs (6A) for displaying the switching on of the device (20), a further LED (6B), which displays whether the pairing has occurred between the first electronic device (20) and the second electronic device (50) present on the helmet (100) of the user and further LEDs (7) for displaying the status of the battery (28).

After having fixed the support in the form of a bracelet or ring (4A), containing the waterproof and removable portion (4), to the handgrip (2), by means of the screw (9), and after having fixed the two magnets with opposite signs (8A, 8B) to the direction button (3) of the vehicle, the driver or user of the above-mentioned vehicle firstly switches on the electronic device (20) (one of the status LEDs (6A) switches on) and then associates, by actuating the pairing mode, the electronic device (20) to the electronic device (50) present on the helmet (100) of the user. The completed association will be displayed by the switching on of the LED (6B). In the way, the first electronic device (20) and the second electronic device (50) can communicate with each other and, when the driver or user of the vehicle is about to change direction and acts on the direction button (3) of the vehicle on which the two magnets with opposite signs (8A, 8B) are fixed, moving it to the right or to the left, this action will be detected by the movement sensor (27) present on the electronic circuit (21 ) and the relative information, by means of the Bluetooth chip (23), will be sent to the electronic device (50) present on the helmet (100) of the user, thanks to the connection with the Bluetooth chip (53). The second electronic device (50) thereby activates and/or switches on the display LEDs located in the electronic cards (54). In this way, the driver or user of the vehicle (motorcycle and/or bicycle and/or e-bike) is able to warn the drivers of the transport vehicles or other subjects which follow it of the imminent relative change of direction. In order to replace or recharge the batteries (28), the driver or user of the vehicle can detach the waterproof and removable portion (4), of the support (4A), which, however, remains fixed to the handgrip (2).

The invention described can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

Further, all the details can be replaced by other technically-equivalent elements.

Lastly, the components used, providing they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may vary according to requirements and the state of the art.

Where the characteristics and the techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have been used only with the aim of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and, consequently, the reference signs do not constitute in any way a limitation to the interpretation of each element identified, purely by way of example, by the signs numbers.

Claims

1 . Electronic system for detecting actions of a vehicle’s user, comprising a first electronic device (20), placed inside a waterproof and removable portion (4) of a support in the shape of a bracelet or a ring (4A), said support shaping as a bracelet or ring (4A) being fixed to a handlebar (1 ) of said vehicle in proximity of a direction button (3) of the vehicle and said first electronic device (20) being composed of a electronic circuit (21 ), a microprocessor (22), a Bluetooth chip (23), an accelerometer (24), a gyroscope (25), a sensor (26) for reading RFID tags and one or more batteries (28), characterized in that said first electronic device (20) is coupled to at least one movement sensor (27, 29), which detects the movements of said direction button (3), said first electronic device (20) being configured to be coupled, by means a "pairing" mode, to a second electronic device (50), equipped with an electronic circuit (51 ), a microprocessor (52) and a Bluetooth chip (53), which is installed on a helmet (100) of the vehicle’s user, so that said first electronic device (20) is able to communicate with said second electronic device (50) and so that said movement sensor (27, 29) is able to detect a movement action, performed by said vehicle’s user, of said direction button (3) and to communicate said movement action, by means of said Bluetooth chip (23, 53), to said second electronic device (50) present on the user's helmet (100), said second electronic device (50) being able to activate, following said communication, a series of LEDs (54), in order to display to other vehicles the direction changes of the vehicle.

2. Electronic system as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that said first electronic device (20) has one or more batteries (28), which can be recharged with a USB cable or via a piezoelectric or induction system, managed by suitable software and firmware.

3. Electronic system as claimed in at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said electronic circuit (21 ) of said first electronic device (20) is connected, via a jack (8B), to an electric cable (8A), which has said movement sensor (29), said movement sensor (29) being fixed to said direction button (3).

4. Electronic system as claimed in at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said waterproof and removable portion (4) of said bracelet-shaped or ring-shaped support (4A) has a button (5) for switching on and switching off said first electronic device (20) and for coupling said first electronic device (20) to said second electronic device (50) and a series of LEDs (6A, 6B, 7) for displaying said switching on, said switching off and said coupling of said first electronic device (20) with said second electronic device (50) and for displaying the status of said one or more batteries (28).

5. Electronic system according to at least one of the claims 1 -2 and 4, characterized in that two opposed magnets (8A, 8B) are fixed on said direction button (3), said magnets (8A, 8B) being coupled to said movement sensor (27) and said movement sensor (27) being present on said electronic circuit (21 ) of said first electronic device (20).

6. Electronic system according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said waterproof and removable portion (4) of said bracelet-shaped or ring-shaped support (4A) has a seat for housing an RFID TAG (41 ).

7. An electronic system according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said bracelet-shaped or ring-shaped support (4A) has a tongue (42) to which piezoelectric systems (43) are connected to provide for charging said first electronic device (20).