METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING BICYCLE

• US 20170043826A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Le Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Letv Sports Culture Develop (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Le Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Letv Sports Culture Develop (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Dalong
• Application Number:
  US15/244,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/00 Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles fittings for preventing or indicating use or theft of vehicles in general B60R; general features of locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 43/005 Timer devices controlling electrically operated locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 71/00 Locks specially adapted for bicycles, other than padlocks locks integral with holders for parking or storing bicycles B62H3/00; locks integral with cycles B62H5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

Embodiments of the application provide a method and apparatus for locking a bicycle, the method including: if the bicycle is not locked, then obtaining a stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary; and if the stationary length of time reaches a preset length of time threshold, then starting a lock on the bicycle to lock the bicycle. With the technical solutions according to the embodiments of the application, if the bicycle is not locked, then the length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary will be counted to thereby determine whether to lock the bicycle automatically instead of locking the bicycle manually so that the bicycle can be locked rapidly and conveniently; and the bicycle can be avoided from being lost because its rider forgets to lock the bicycle, thus further safeguarding the bicycle.

Claims

1. A method for locking a bicycle, the method comprising:

obtaining a stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary, wherein the bicycle is not locked; and

the stationary length of time characterizes a length of time between a point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, and a current point of time; and

if the stationary length of time reaches a preset length of time threshold, then starting a lock on the bicycle to lock the bicycle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary comprises:

determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a gyroscope;

or

determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a Global Positioning System (GPS);

or

determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a speed sensor.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary using the gyroscope comprises:

detecting a first angular speed of the bicycle using the gyroscope at a first point of time, and obtaining a first angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, according to the first angular speed;

detecting a second angular speed of the bicycle using the gyroscope at a second point of time, and obtaining a second angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, according to the second angular speed, wherein the first point of time is earlier than the second point of time, and the temporal difference between the first point of time and the second point of time is a preset value; and

if the first angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined is the same as the second angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, then determining the first point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary using the GPS comprises:

obtaining first positional information of the bicycle using the GPS at a first point of time;

obtaining second positional information of the bicycle using the GPS at a second point of time, wherein the first point of time is earlier than the second point of time, and the temporal difference between the first point of time and the second point of time is a preset value; and

if the first positional information is the same as the second positional information, then determining the first point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary using the speed sensor comprises:

obtaining a speed of the bicycle using the speed sensor at any point of time; and

if the speed of the bicycle is zero, then determining the any one point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary comprises:

recording the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

determining the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the stationary length of time reaches the preset length of time threshold, and before the lock on the bicycle is started, the method further comprises:

obtaining positional information of a terminal bound with the bicycle;

calculating the distance between the terminal and the bicycle according to the positional information of the terminal, and current positional information of the bicycle; and

determining that the calculated distance reaches a preset distance threshold.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein obtaining the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary comprises:

recording the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

determining the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein obtaining the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary comprises:

recording the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

determining the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein obtaining the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary comprises:

recording the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

determining the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein obtaining the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary comprises:

recording the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

determining the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

12. An apparatus for locking a bicycle, the apparatus comprising:

a stationary length of time obtaining unit configured to obtain a stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary, wherein the bicycle is not locked; and

the stationary length of time characterizes a length of time between a point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, and a current point of time; and

a locking unit configured to start a lock on the bicycle to lock the bicycle, if the stationary length of time reaches a preset length of time threshold.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises a point of time obtaining unit configured:

to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a gyroscope;

or

to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a Global Positioning System (GPS);

or

to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using a speed sensor.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the point of time obtaining unit configured to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary, using the gyroscope is configured:

to detect a first angular speed of the bicycle using the gyroscope at a first point of time, and to obtain a first angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, according to the first angular speed;

to detect a second angular speed of the bicycle using the gyroscope at a second point of time, and to obtain a second angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, according to the second angular speed, wherein the first point of time is earlier than the second point of time, and the temporal difference between the first point of time and the second point of time is a preset value; and

if the first angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined is the same as the second angle at which the body of the bicycle is inclined, to determine the first point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the point of time obtaining unit configured to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary using the GPS is configured:

to obtain first positional information of the bicycle using the GPS at a first point of time;

to obtain second positional information of the bicycle using the GPS at a second point of time, wherein the first point of time is earlier than the second point of time, and the temporal difference between the first point of time and the second point of time is a preset value; and

if the first positional information is the same as the second positional information, to determine the first point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the point of time obtaining unit configured to determine the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary using the speed sensor is configured:

to obtain a speed of the bicycle using the speed sensor at any point of time; and

if the speed of the bicycle is zero, to determine the any one point of time as the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the stationary length of time obtaining unit is configured:

to record the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

to determine the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the locking unit is configured, after the stationary length of time reaches the preset length of time threshold, and before the lock on the bicycle is started:

to obtain positional information of a terminal bound with the bicycle;

to calculate the distance between the terminal and the bicycle according to the positional information of the terminal, and current positional information of the bicycle; and

to determine that the calculated distance reaches a preset distance threshold.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the stationary length of time obtaining unit is configured:

to record the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

to determine the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the stationary length of time obtaining unit is configured:

to record the length of time from the point of time when the bicycle becomes stationary to the current point of time using a timer; and

to determine the recorded length of time as the stationary length of time for which the bicycle has been stationary.