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

• US 20160355233A1
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• 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:
  US15/194,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20160355233A1
• 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 system, comprising:

a vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human; and

a wireless communication protocol device connected to the vehicle, the wireless communication protocol device operable to wirelessly communicate data related to the vehicle, a user of the vehicle, or an environment around the vehicle with a device remote from the vehicle.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a portable wireless device associated with the user of the vehicle.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the wireless communication protocol device is further configured to receive control data communicated by the portable wireless device.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an online data collection warehouse configured to communicate with the wireless device.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit at least one of the data and information about the user to the online data collection warehouse.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the wireless device is configured to receive information from the online data collection warehouse.

7. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the wireless device is configured to display data communicated to the wireless device by the vehicle or the online data collection warehouse.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the wireless device is configured to analyze the data prior to display.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is mountable to the vehicle.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is an online data collection warehouse.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the wireless communication protocol device is configured to receive information from the online data collection warehouse.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to receive data collected by the vehicle.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the data is associated with the user of the vehicle.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the data is associated with environmental conditions.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the data is associated with location and time.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the data is associated with a measure of performance of the vehicle.

17. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the data collected by the vehicle is used with at least one of caloric output data, power information, and torque information to provide the user with information about their physical performance while riding.

18. A method for wirelessly communicating with a vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human, the method comprising:

transmitting, using a wireless communication protocol device connected to the vehicle, at least one of the data and information about the vehicle, a user of the vehicle, or an environment around the vehicle to a device remote from the vehicle; and

receiving the data at the device remote from the vehicle.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising communicating the data from the device to an Internet application.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the device is a portable wireless device associated with the user of the vehicle.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising communicating the data from the device via a cellular data network.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising communicating the data from the device to a third party.

23. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the device is an online data collection warehouse.

24. A method for wirelessly communicating with vehicle adapted to be at least partially powered by a human, the method comprising:

transmitting data from a device remote from the vehicle and configured to communicate with the vehicle;

receiving the data at the vehicle; and

configuring a parameter of the vehicle based on the data.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the device is a portable wireless device associated with a user of the vehicle.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising communicating the data from the wireless device via a cellular data network.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising transmitting the data from an online data collection warehouse to the device remote from the vehicle.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising communicating the data from the device to a third party.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the device is an online data collection warehouse.

30. A system, comprising:

an electrically motorized wheel for converting a non-motorized vehicle to an electrically motorized vehicle via installation of the electrically motorized wheel; and

a wireless communication protocol device mounted to the electrically motorized wheel, the wireless communication protocol device operable to wirelessly receive an input from a wireless control system remote from the electrically motorized wheel.