BICYCLE USER INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20090192673A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cannondale Bicycle Corporation (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cannondale Bicycle Corporation (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Song, Stanley, Extance, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/08 Steering dampers dampers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/04 for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3221 of piston rods
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/44 Means on or in the damper for manual or non-automatic adjustment; such means combined with temperature correction F16F9/53, F16F13/26 take precedence; temperature correction only F16F9/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A bicycle is disclosed having a control system with a user interface and an active suspension system. The control system includes a one or more sensors arranged to measure and transmit a signal indicative of the terrain over which the bicycle is being ridden. The active suspension system includes a valve box that is fluidly coupled to each chamber of the lower cylinder. An orifice in the valve box is changed in size in response to a signal from a sensor associated with the front wheel that changes the response of the suspension system due to changing terrain conditions. The user interface includes a selection device mounted to the handlebars that allows the user to change parameters of the active suspension system during operation of the bicycle.

Claims

1. A method of operating a bicycle suspension system with a bicycle control system having a graphical user interface including a processor, a display and a selection device, the method comprising:

displaying a set of menu entries on said display;

receiving at the processor and from an operator of the bicycle control system a menu entry selection signal indicative of said selection device pointing at a selected menu entry from the set of said menu entries;

displaying a suspension parameter entry on said display in response to the selected menu entry;

receiving at the processor a suspension parameter selection signal indicative of the selection device having been operated to change the selected suspension parameter; and

,

in response to said suspension parameter selection signal, storing said changed suspension parameter in a memory location.

2. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 1 wherein said set of menu entries are selected from anyone of:

ride mode;

fork setup;

rider setup;

view data; and

shut down.

3. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 2 further comprising the step of receiving a fork setup menu selection signal indicative of the selection device having been operated to point at said fork setup menu entry, and in response to said menu entry selection signal indicating fork setup, displaying a set of fork setup menu entries selected from anyone of:

cross-country;

all-mountain;

downhill;

travel management; and

lockout.

4. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said fork setup menu selection signal indicative of the selection device having been operated to point at a selected menu entry from the set of fork setup menu entries;

determining the setup parameters associated with said selected fork setup menu entry;

displaying each setup parameter associated with said selected fork setup menu entry on the display;

receiving at the processor a setup selection parameter signal for each of said setup parameters associated with said selected fork setup menu entry; and

,

storing said associated fork setup parameters in the memory.

5. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 4 wherein said fork setup parameters are chosen from a group comprising:

pedal platform;

rebound;

compression;

high speed compression;

low speed compression;

bottom out; and

blowoff threshold.

6. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at the processor a selection rider setup menu selection signal indicative of said selection device having been operated to point at said rider setup menu entry; and

,

in response to said rider setup menu selection signal, displaying a rider suspension preference menu on the display.

7. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 6 wherein said rider suspension preference menu is a progressive scale from soft to firm.

8. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a weight input menu on said display;

in response to an operator input, receiving at the processor a signal indicative of a rider weight value;

determining at the processor a recommended air pressure value from said selected rider suspension preference and said rider weight value; and

,

displaying said recommended air pressure on said display.

9. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 8 further comprising the steps:

determining at the processor a prediction of displacement in a suspension based on said recommended air pressure, said rider weight value and said selected rider suspension preference;

measuring via the processor the actual amount of displacement in a suspension;

displaying the predicted amount displacement and the actual amount of displacement on the display;

selecting via the processor a damping curve from said rider weight value, said selected rider suspension preference, and the actual amount of displacement.

10. A method of operating a bicycle suspension system with a bicycle control system having a graphical user interface including a processor, a display and a selection device, the method comprising:

displaying a first set of menu entries on said display, wherein said first set of menu entries include at least a ride mode entry, a fork setup entry, a rider setup entry, and a view data entry;

receiving at the processor and from an operator of the bicycle control system a menu entry selection signal indicative of said selection device pointing at a selected menu entry from the set of said first set menu entries;

displaying a set of graphical elements on said display in response to a selection of said ride mode menu entry;

displaying a second set of menu entries on said display in response to a selection of said fork setup menu entry; and

,

displaying a rider preference parameter on said display in response to a selection of said rider setup menu entry.

11. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 10 wherein:

said set of graphical elements include five graphical elements; and

,

said five graphical elements are positioned on said display to correspond with a location of electrical contacts on said selection device.

12. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 11 wherein said five graphical elements include a cross-country selection, an all-mountain selection, a downhill selection, a travel management selection, and a lockout selection.

13. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at the processor a fork setup signal indicative of the selection device having been operated to change the selected fork setup parameter, wherein said fork setup parameters include cross-country, all-mountain, downhill travel management, and lockout parameters; and

,

in response to said rider preference parameter selection signal, storing said changed fork setup parameter in a memory location.

14. The method of operating a bicycle suspension system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

collecting data representative of the amount of travel in a suspension system as a function of time;

storing said collected data;

generating a graphical representation of said collected data; and

,

displaying said graphical representation on said display in response to a selection of said view data menu entry.

15. A user interface for a bicycle control system comprising

a processor;

a display coupled to said processor;

a selection device movable between a first position, a second position and a third position, said selection device generating a first signal in response to said selection device being moved to said first position, generating a second signal in response to said selection device being moved to said second position and generating a third signal in response to said selection device being moved to said third position;

wherein said processor is responsive to executable computer instructions for displaying a set of menu entries on said display and moving between said menu entries in response to said first or second signal, said processor being further responsive to displaying a suspension parameter entry in response to said third signal.

16. The user interface for a bicycle control system of claim 15 wherein said selection device includes a fourth position and a fifth position, said selection device generating a fourth signal in response to said selection device being moved to said fourth position and a fifth signal in response to said selection device being moved to said fifth position.

17. The user interface for a bicycle control system of claim 16 wherein said selection device includes a lever having a first position located in a first direction relative to an origin, and a second position located in a second direction relative to the origin, wherein said first and second directions are arranged 180 degrees apart.

18. The user interface for a bicycle control system of claim 17 wherein said lever has a fourth position located in a third direction relative to the origin, and a fifth position located in a fourth direction relative to the origin, wherein said third and fourth directions are 180 degrees apart, and said third and fourth directions are each arranged 90 degrees from said first and second direction.

19. The user interface for a bicycle control system of claim 18 wherein:

said set of menu entries are selected from anyone of;

ride mode;

fork setup;

rider setup;

view data; and

shut down; and

,

said processor is further responsive to executable instructions for receiving said third signal indicating a ride mode menu selection, and in response to said ride mode menu selection generating graphical images on said display, wherein said graphical images are positioned on said display in the same relative position as said first position, said second position, said third position, said fourth position and said fifth position on said selection device.

20. The user interface for a bicycle control system of claim 19 wherein:

said processor is further responsive to executable computer instructions for determining setup parameters associated with a selected fork setup menu and displaying each setup parameter associated with said selected fork setup menu; and

,

said setup parameters include a selection device location parameter.