Electronic device for a vehicle

• US 5,497,143 A
• Filed: 06/10/1994
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanzaki, Takashi, Kuroki, Yasuo, Matsuo, Mitsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US08/258,091
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 340/432, 340/459, 340/438, 340/461, 340/462, 340/525, 340/456, 340/601, 340/602, 340/973, 340/870.1, 364/424.01-424.05, 364/431.05, 364/431.12, 364/420, 342/26
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/41 characterised by the type of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/01 Electric circuits

Abstract

An electronic device for a vehicle detects the number of rotations of a wheel of a vehicle, calculates the distance covered by the vehicle, measures the atmospheric pressure to provide data on the atmospheric pressure, obtains a height corresponding to the measured atmospheric pressure from a height-atmospheric pressure conversion table stored in a RAM on the basis of the measured atmospheric pressure data, calculates an tilt of a road where the vehicle travels on the basis of the height and the measured covered distance, detects a gear corresponding to the calculated tilt from a gear change conversion table, drives a transmission to put the gear in the meshed state. In order to apply a barometer to a weather forecast, an actual height where the vehicle travels is calculated on the basis of data on a tilt of the road measured by an inclinometer attached to the vehicle and the calculated covered distance. A change in the atmospheric pressure due to weather is distinguished from that due to the height to predict weather. The inventive device sets a gear suitable for the road and provides weather prediction, thereby bringing about efficient safe cycling.

Claims

1. An electronic device for a vehicle, comprising:

atmospheric pressure measuring means for measuring an atmospheric pressure to provide data on the measured atmospheric pressure;

first atmospheric pressure data storage means for storing first data on an atmospheric pressure at a first point measured by the atmospheric pressure measuring means;

second atmospheric pressure data storage means for storing second data on an atmospheric pressure measured by the atmospheric pressure measuring means at a second point different from the first point;

height difference data storage means for storing data on the difference between the first and second heights;

difference pressure calculating means for providing data on the actual atmospheric pressure difference between the first and second atmospheric pressures, data on which are stored in the first and second atmospheric pressure storage means, respectively; and

display means for displaying data based on data on the actual atmospheric pressure difference provided by the difference pressure calculating means.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays data on weather prediction corresponding to the atmospheric pressure difference provided by the difference pressure calculating means.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the height difference data storage means comprises:

covered distance calculating means for calculating a covered distance;

tilt angle detecting means for detecting a tilt angle of a road where the vehicle travels; and

height calculating means for calculating the height of the road on the basis of data on the tilt angle detected by the tilt angle detecting means and data on the covered distance calculated by the covered distance calculating means.

4. An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic device is mounted on a bicycle, and wherein the covered distance calculating means comprises:

a magnet attached to a wheel of the bicycle;

a magnetic sensor for sensing the magnet attached to the bicycle wheel each time the wheel makes a complete rotation; and

travelled distance calculating means for calculating the covered distance of the bicycle on the basis of the sensing of the magnet by the magnetic sensor, the measured number of rotations of the wheel and beforehand stored data on a distance which the wheel covers during a complete rotation of the wheel.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the difference pressure calculating means comprises:

unit change amount storage means for storing data on a change amount in the atmospheric pressure per unit height;

atmospheric pressure calculating means for calculating an atmospheric pressure for a height difference, data on which is stored in the height difference data storage means from the data on the change amount stored in the unit change amount storage means; and

comparing means for adding data on the atmospheric pressure calculated by the atmospheric pressure calculating means to data on the atmospheric pressure stored in the second atmospheric pressure data storage means and for comparing data on the result of the addition and data on the first atmospheric pressure stored in the first atmospheric pressure data storage means, thereby providing data on the difference pressure.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the unit change amount data storage means comprises:

change amount data storage means which stores an atmospheric pressure change amount per unit height differing depending on a height; and

atmospheric pressure height data storing means for storing data on a height corresponding to data on an atmospheric pressure,

wherein the atmospheric pressure calculating means reads from the atmosheric pressure height data storing means data on a height corresponding to data on the first atmospheric pressure stored in the first atmospheric pressure data storage means, adds the read data on a height and the data on a height difference stored in the height difference data storage means, detects from the change amount data storage means data on a change amount in the atmospheric pressure at a height corresponding to the result of the addition, and calculates data on an atmospheric pressure change corresponding to and from the height difference, data on which is stored in the height difference data storage means.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the difference pressure calculating means comprises:

atmospheric pressure height storing means for storing data on a height corresponding to data on an atmospheric pressure; and

atmospheric pressure detecting means for detecting from the atmospheric pressure height storage means data on a height corresponding to data on first atmospheric pressure stored in the first atmospheric pressure data storage means, adding the detected data on a height and the data on a height difference stored in the height difference data storage means, and detecting from the atmospheric pressure height storage means data on an atmospheric pressure corresponding to a height obtained as the result of the addition; and

comparing means for comparing data on the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure detecting means and data on a second atmospheric pressure stored in the second atmospheric pressure data storage means, thereby providing data on an atmospheric difference indicative of the result of the comparison.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the device is attached to a bicycle.

9. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays a picture corresponding to weather.