Route directions display system

• US 5,450,325 A
• Filed: 03/09/1992
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Velotrend AG
• Original Assignee: Angel L. Rodriguez
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Angel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland, Susan
• Application Number:
  US07/848,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.04, 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 364/468, 364/460, 364/561, 364/708, 364/709.1, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles

Abstract

A cyclocomputer for use on a bicycle displays route instructions stored in the cyclocomputer, displays two dimensional graphs on the face of the cyclocomputer, and is capable of exporting and importing information to and from other computers or cyclocomputers. The route instructions may be displayed with symbols such as left arrow, right arrow and up arrow or with alphanumeric characters. The displayed instruction is advanced to the next instruction automatically when a predetermined distance has been measured by the odometer or by the press of a button. Button presses may advance or review the displayed instructions. The distance to the next instruction point is constantly displayed. Importing information may be accomplished with an infrared link which communicates to many cyclocomputers at one time. Recorded data, such as speed, pedal cadence, or heart rate, may be displayed over distance or time, with the graphs being marked for each instruction point.

Claims

1. An odometer for use on a wheeled vehicle comprising:

(a) means for sensing each rotation of a rotating part which rotates a fixed number of times with each rotation of a wheel;

(b) means for counting sensations of rotation;

(c) means for causing the odometer to begin counting sensations of rotation;

(d) means for inputting to the odometer the distance travelled from the commencement of counting sensations of rotation; and

(e) means for using the distance travelled and number of rotations counted over that distance to subsequently calculate a second distance travelled from a second counted number of sensations of rotation.

2. A device for storing predetermined route instructions and communicating them to a bicycle rider, comprising:

(a) a housing for mounting on a bicycle;

(b) means within the housing for storing the predetermined route instructions and, associated with each route instruction, a distance value;

(c) means within the housing for communicating a predetermined route instruction to the rider;

(d) odometer means;

(e) means for comparing the stored distance value with distance measured by the odometer; and

(f) means for advancing the communicated instruction to the next predetermined route instruction when the comparison between the measured distance and the stored distance value reaches a certain number.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the means for communicating the route instruction comprises:

(a) means for announcing an audio instruction.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the housing has a display and the means for communicating the route instruction comprises:

(a) means for displaying the communicated instruction on the display.

5. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) means responsive to the odometer for calculating the current speed;

(b) means for calculating the remaining distance to the next instruction point; and

(c) means for calculating and communicating the remaining time to the next instruction point at the current speed.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the means for communicating the remaining time to the next instruction point comprises:

(a) means for announcing one or more sounds at one or more predetermined times prior to expected arrival at the next instruction point at the current speed.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the housing has a display and the means for communicating the remaining time to the next instruction point comprises:

(a) means for displaying on the display one or more visual symbols at one or more predetermined times prior to expected arrival at the next instruction point at the current speed.

8. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) means for calculating and communicating the remaining distance to the next instruction point.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the housing has a display and the means for communicating the remaining distance to the next instruction point comprises:

(a) means for displaying on the display the remaining distance to the next instruction point.

10. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) means for obtaining from the odometer a measured distance value and storing it as the stored distance value.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) means for entering route instructions and storing them as the stored route instructions.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

(a) means for exporting the stored route instructions to a computer.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) means for exporting the stored distance values to a computer.

14. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) importing means for importing route instructions from a computer to be stored in the route instructions storage means.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the importing means comprises:

(a) a plurality of electrical wires.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the importing means comprises:

(a) transmitting means, coupled to the computer, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through free space; and

(b) means, coupled to the cyclocomputer, for receiving the transmitted electromagnetic radiation.

17. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

(a) importing means for importing information from a computer; and

(b) storage means for storing the imported information.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the importing means comprises:

(a) transmitting means, coupled to the computer, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through free space; and

(b) means, coupled to the storage means, for receiving the transmitted electromagnetic radiation.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the information comprises:

(a) information for calibrating an odometer function to the wheel size.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the information comprises:

(a) route instructions.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the importing means comprises:

(a) a plurality of electrical wires.

22. A cyclocomputer for a bicycle comprising:

(a) a display to present two dimensional graphs showing variation of one of the variables, speed, altitude, cadence, heart rate, and air temperature as a function of one of;

(1) time elapsed and (2) distance travelled by the bicycle on the face of the cyclocomputer; and

(b) means for displaying on the graphs a plurality of point locations each associated with a route instruction.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising:

(a) means for storing a sequence of predetermined route instructions;

(b) means for displaying a predetermined route instruction on the face of the cyclocomputer; and

(c) means for advancing the displayed predetermined instruction to the next predetermined instruction.

24. A device comprising the combination of a cyclocomputer with:

(a) a communication link to import information from a computer to be stored in the cyclocomputer, the information comprising information for calibrating an odometer function to the wheel size, the communication link including;

(a1) a plurality of electrical wires;

(a2) transmitting means, coupled to the computer, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through free space, the transmitting means further including means for transmitting to a plurality of receivers all at one time; and

(a3) means, coupled to the cyclocomputer, for receiving the transmitted electromagnetic radiation.

25. A device for storing a sequence of predetermined route instructions and communicating them to a bicycle rider, comprising:

(a) a housing for mounting on a bicycle;

(b) means within the housing for storing the predetermined route instructions;

(c) means within the housing for communicating a predetermined route instruction to the rider; and

(d) means for advancing to the next predetermined route instruction;

(e) importing means for importing information from a computer, the importing means including;

(e1) transmitting means, coupled to the computer, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through free space; and

(e2) means, coupled to the storage means, for receiving the transmitted electromagnetic radiation; and

(f) storage means for storing the imported information.

26. A device for storing a sequence of predetermined route instructions and communicating them to a bicycle rider, comprising:

(a) a housing for mounting on a bicycle;

(b) means within the housing for storing the predetermined route instructions;

(c) means within the housing for communicating a predetermined route instruction to the rider;

(d) means for advancing to the next predetermined route instruction, the means for advancing the instruction including;

(d1) odometer means;

(d2) means for storing a distance value associated with each route instruction;

(d3) means for comparing the stored distance value with distance measured by the odometer and producing a comparison value; and

(d4) means for advancing the communicated instruction to the next instruction when the comparison value reaches a certain number; and

(e) importing means for importing route instructions from a computer to be stored in the route instructions storage means, the importing means including;

(e1) transmitting means, coupled to the computer, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through free space to a plurality of receiver means all at one time; and

(e2) means, coupled to the cyclocomputer, for receiving transmitted electromagnetic radiation.