HYBRID SENSOR-ENABLED ELECTRIC WHEEL AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, MULTI-HUB WHEEL SPOKING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLING WHEEL SPOKES

• US 20160307376A1
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Biderman, Assaf, Ratti, Carlo, Outram, Christine Louise
• Application Number:
  US15/194,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307376A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/003 specially adapted for bicycles B60B1/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/0276 the spoke being crooked in the middle and having double length
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/041 of bicycle wheels bicycle rims characterised by means for attaching spokes B60B21/062
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/042 Attaching spokes to hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/122 for spoke tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0068 the element being a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/023 specially adapted for bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2900/114 Size
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/04 built-up of several main parts B60B7/01, B60B7/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/061 characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 : Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/10 : Arrangement of audio equipment; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/411 : Torque sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 : Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/50 : characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/60 : power-driven at axle parts
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/65 : with axle and driving shaft arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 : characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/224 : Paging receivers with visible signalling details
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 : Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 : at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 : using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49515 : Joining spokes to rim and hub

Abstract

Embodiments of hybrid sensor-enabled and autonomous electric wheels can include a plurality of systems and devices integrated into a single compact hub unit that can be retrofitted into numerous types of two-wheeled bicycles. In one embodiment, an electrically motorized bicycle wheel can include a wheel rim, a wheel hub having an electric motor, a battery pack and a control unit configured to control a drive torque of the electric motor, and a plurality of wheel spokes connecting the wheel rim to the wheel hub. The electric motor, the battery pack and the control unit can be positioned within the wheel hub of the electrically motorized bicycle wheel.

Claims

1. A data collection system, comprising:

a data collection warehouse in communication with a vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human, the data collection warehouse operable to collect data related to at least one of a user, the vehicle, and an environment around the vehicle from the vehicle.

2. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data from the vehicle is communicated wirelessly to the data collection warehouse.

3. The data collection system as recited in claim 2, wherein the data is communicated via a wireless telecommunications system in the vehicle.

4. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data from the vehicle is stored on board the vehicle.

5. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of a location, a temperature, a measure of humidity, a gas analysis, a particulate measure, a traffic pattern, and a noise level.

6. The data collection system as recited in claim 5, wherein the location is provided by a global positioning system.

7. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data from the vehicle is processed by the data collection warehouse.

8. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data collection warehouse is configured to provide the data overlaid onto at least one of a street map, a land use map, and an open space map.

9. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data collection warehouse is configured to provide an overview of the data by overlaying the data onto a map.

10. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data collection warehouse is configured to provide a prediction of future conditions by overlaying the data onto a map.

11. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data can be displayed to the user.

12. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of historical and real-time information about a physical performance of the user while riding.

13. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data associated with the user includes caloric output data.

14. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the online data collection warehouse is accessible by a third party.

15. The data collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data communication warehouse is configured to communicate with the vehicle via a wireless device that is associated with the user and configured to communicate with both the vehicle and the data collection warehouse.

16. A method to collect data, comprising:

receiving data transmitted by a vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human at an online data collection warehouse, wherein the data is related to at least one of a user, the vehicle, and an environment around the vehicle.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising communicating aggregated data to the vehicle, wherein the aggregated data is formed from data received from at least one vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising processing the data from the vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising overlaying the data onto a map.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data overlaid on the map provides a map of an environmental condition.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein a current set of the environmental conditions is presented to the user.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data overlaid on the map provides historical data of past environmental conditions.

23. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data overlaid on the map provides a prediction of future environmental conditions.

24. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data can be displayed to the user.

25. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data includes at least one of historical and real-time information about a physical performance of the user while riding.

26. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the data associated with the user includes caloric output data.

27. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the online data collection warehouse is accessible by a third party.

28. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the data transmitted by the vehicle at a portable wireless device that is associated with the user and configured to communicate with both the vehicle and the online data collection warehouse; and

transmitting the data from the wireless device to the online data collection warehouse.

29. A data collection system, comprising:

an electrically motorized wheel to convert a non-motorized wheeled vehicle to an electrically motorized wheeled vehicle via installation of the electrically motorized wheel, the electrically motorized wheel comprising;

a sensor connected to the electrically motorized wheel, the sensor operable to collect data; and

a wireless communication protocol device connected to the electrically motorized wheel, the wireless communication protocol device in communication with the sensor to wirelessly communicate the data; and

a data collection warehouse in communication with the electrically motorized wheel, the data collection warehouse operable to collect data related to at least one of a user, the electrically motorized wheel, and an environment around the electrically motorized wheel from the electrically motorized wheel.