ELECTRIC BICYCLE WITH PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT

• US 20090181826A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James R. Turner
• Original Assignee: James R. Turner
• Inventors: Turner, James R.
• Application Number:
  US12/013,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/01 User's weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/065 within a certain range
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/50 characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications

Abstract

A control system for controlling an electric bicycle is provided, which includes an electric bicycle, an information processing unit, a monitoring device, an input device, and a display. The electric bicycle and the information processing unit exchange information with each other, and the information includes operation data on the electric bicycle, control data for the electric bicycle, exercise programs. The monitoring device monitors bodily condition of a bicycle rider, and communicates the monitored data with the information processing unit and the electric bicycle. Operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled by collected information and data. The operations of the electric bicycle include a power output level, gear shift, RPM, speed, and acceleration, and the operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled so as to keep a heart rate of the bicycle rider at a target heart rate.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling an electric bicycle comprising:

an electric bicycle; and

an information processing unit electronically connected to the electric bicycle, wherein the electric bicycle and the information processing unit exchange information with each other, and wherein the information comprises operation data on the electric bicycle, control data for the electric bicycle, and a plurality of exercise programs,

wherein a plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled by the information processing unit based on the operation data from the electric bicycle, the control data from the information processing unit, and the plurality of exercise programs.

2. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display information, the information comprising input and output to the control system, status of the control system, and status of the electric bicycle including power, battery state, RPM, and speed, wherein the information processing unit comprises a personal digital assistant, and wherein the display is integrated with the personal digital assistant.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the personal digital assistant and the electric bicycle communicate with each other through a wireless communication.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication comprises a Bluetooth and a WIFI (wireless fidelity).

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein the personal digital assistant and the electric bicycle communicate with each other through a wired communication, and wherein the wired communication connects the personal digital assistant and the electric bicycle through a USB (universal serial bus) cable.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the information processing unit comprises a microprocessor and a central processing unit (CPU), which are provided in an external device.

7. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device configured to monitor bodily condition of a bicycle rider to produce data, the monitoring device communicating the monitored data with the information processing unit and the electric bicycle, wherein the monitoring device comprises a heart rate monitor, wherein the heart rate monitor is configured to be worn by the bicycle rider, and wherein the plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled by the information processing unit further based on the monitored data from the monitoring device.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the heart rate monitor and the information processing unit communicate with each other through a wireless communication.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the heart rate monitor and the information processing unit communicate with each other through a wired communication.

10. The control system of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to input data into the information processing unit, wherein the information processing unit comprises a personal digital assistant, and wherein the input device is integrated with the personal digital assistant.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operations of the electric bicycle comprise a power output level, a gear shift, RPM (revolutions per minute), speed, and acceleration, and wherein the plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled so as to keep a heart rate of the bicycle rider at a target heart rate.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the target heart rate comprises the plurality of exercise programs, wherein each of the plurality of exercise programs is downloaded from an external computer network by the information processing unit, and wherein the external computer network comprises an Internet and a server.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of exercise programs is downloaded in real time through a cell phone by the information processing unit.

14. The control system of claim 1, wherein the information processing unit comprises a global positioning system (GPS), and wherein the target exercise program comprises information obtained from the GPS.

15. A control method for controlling the electric bicycle using the control system of claim 1, the control method comprising:

setting a target operation of the electric bicycle based on the input information from an input device;

monitoring the operation data from the electric bicycle;

monitoring a bodily status of the bicycle rider using a monitoring device, wherein the status of the bicycle rider comprises a heart rate;

calculating a feedback information for the electric bicycle to achieve a target operation; and

providing the calculated feedback information to the electric bicycle.

16. The control method of claim 15, wherein setting a target operation comprises:

accessing a server in an external computer network through a wireless communication;

downloading the plurality of exercise programs configured to achieve the target operation;

gathering operational information from the control system; and

uploading the gathered operational information to the server.

17. The control method of claim 16, wherein gathering operational information comprises gathering diagnostic information for service, performance information, and service history.

18. The control method of claim 17, further comprising charging the bicycle rider based on the service history.

19. A diagnostic system for diagnosing an electric bicycle comprising:

an electric bicycle; and

an information processing unit electronically connected to the electric bicycle, wherein the electric bicycle and the information processing unit exchange information with each other, and wherein the information comprises operation data on the electric bicycle,

wherein a plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are monitored by the information processing unit based on the operation data from the electric bicycle so as to diagnose service problems in the electric bicycle.

20. A control system for controlling an electric bicycle comprising:

an electric bicycle;

an information processing unit electronically connected to the electric bicycle, wherein the electric bicycle and the information processing unit exchange information with each other, and wherein the information comprises operation data on the electric bicycle, control data for the electric bicycle, a plurality of exercise programs;

a monitoring device configured to monitor bodily condition of a bicycle rider to produce data, the monitoring device communicating the monitored data with the information processing unit and the electric bicycle;

an input device configured to input data into the information processing unit;

a display configured to display information, the information comprising input and output to the control system, status of the control system, and status of the electric bicycle including power, battery state, RPM, and speed,

wherein a plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled by the information processing unit based on the monitored data from the monitoring device, the operation data from the electric bicycle, and the control data from the information processing unit, wherein the plurality of operations of the electric bicycle comprise a power output level, a gear shift, RPM (revolutions per minute), speed, and acceleration, and wherein the plurality of operations of the electrical bicycle are controlled so as to keep a heart rate of the bicycle rider at a target heart rate.