Wireless bicycle trip meter

• US 6,281,674 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chun-Mu Huang
• Original Assignee: Chun-Mu Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Chun-Mu
• Primary Examiner(s): Patidar, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aurora, Reena
• Application Number:
  US09/352,462
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 324/174, 324/173, 324/166, 324/167, 324/160, 324/207.26, 324/260, 324/205, 324/172, 324/394, 340/432, 340/670, 340/671
• US Class Current: 324/174
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/30 for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/225 Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/026 for speed measuring devices, e.g. pulse generator
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/07 Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00

Abstract

A trip meter includes a bracket secured to a member of a bicycle, a main body detachably secured to the bracket, a signal receiving circuit positioned in the main body for wirelessly receiving a pulse signal outputted from a transmitter, and a signal processing circuit electrically connected to the signal receiving circuit for counting a number and a frequency of the pulse signal and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of the plurality of trip data. The trip meter further includes a display circuit electrically connected to the signal processing circuit for displaying the output signal generated from the signal processing circuit, a battery built in the main body for supplying a power to the signal receiving circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the display circuit, and a detector positioned in the main body for detecting a connective state of the main body and the bracket so that the signal receiving circuit is unable to wirelessly receive the pulse signal of the transmitter when the main body of the trip meter is detached from the bracket on the bicycle.

Claims

1. A trip meter adapted to be used in a bicycle for displaying a plurality of trip data of said bicycle, wherein said bicycle has a signal transmitter for outputting a pulse signal each time said bicycle travels over a specific distance, comprising:

a bracket secured to a member of said bicycle;

a main body detachably secured to said bracket;

a signal receiving circuit positioned in said main body for wirelessly receiving said pulse signal outputted from said transmitter;

a signal processing circuit electrically connected to said signal receiving circuit for counting a number and a frequency of said pulse signal and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of said plurality of trip data;

a display circuit electrically connected to said signal processing circuit for displaying said output signal generated from said signal processing circuit;

a battery built in said main body for supplying a power to said signal receiving circuit, said signal processing circuit, and said display circuit; and

a detector positioned in said main body for detecting a connective state of said main body and said bracket so that said signal receiving circuit is unable to wirelessly receive said pulse signal of said transmitter when said main body of said trip meter is detached from said bracket on said bicycle.

2. The trip meter according to claim 1 wherein said detector includes a switching circuit for controlling a power supply of said battery.

3. The trip meter according to claim 2 wherein said switching circuit is a switch having a resilient member for being turned on/off due to an elastic force of said resilient member in response to said connective state of said main body and said bracket.

4. The trip meter according to claim 2 wherein said switching circuit includes:

a magnetic bar arranged in said bracket; and

a reed switch arranged in said main body for being turned on/off due to a magnetic force of said magnetic bar in response to said connective state of said main body and said bracket.

5. The trip meter according to claim 2 wherein said switching circuit is mounted between said battery and said signal receiving circuit.

6. The trip meter according to claim 5 wherein said switching circuit is turned on and said power of said battery is supplied to said signal receiving circuit for allowing said signal receiving circuit to wirelessly receive said pulse signal transmitted from said transmitter when said main body of said trip meter is secured to said bracket on said bicycle.

7. The trip meter according to claim 6 wherein said switching circuit is turned off and said power supplied from said battery to said signal receiving circuit is interrupted so that said signal receiving circuit is unable to receive said pulse signal of said transmitter when said main body of said trip meter is detached from said bracket on said bicycle.

8. The trip meter according to claim 2 wherein said switching circuit is mounted between said battery and said signal processing circuit.

9. The trip meter according to claim 8 wherein said switching circuit is turned on and said power of said battery is supplied to said signal receiving circuit through said signal processing circuit for allowing said signal receiving circuit to wirelessly receive said pulse signal transmitted from said transmitter when said main body of said trip meter is secured to said bracket on said bicycle.

10. The trip meter according to claim 9 wherein said switching circuit is turned off and said power supplied by said battery is interrupted so that said signal receiving circuit is unable to wirelessly receive said pulse signal of said transmitter when said main body of said trip meter is detached from said bracket on said bicycle.

11. The trip meter according to claim 1 wherein said signal receiving circuit and said signal processing circuit are incorporated into an integrated circuit.

12. The trip meter according to claim 1 wherein said display circuit includes a liquid-crystal display (LCD).

13. The trip meter according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of trip data comprise a speed and a traveling distance of said bicycle.

14. A trip meter adapted to be used in a bicycle for displaying a plurality of trip data of said bicycle, wherein said bicycle has a signal transmitter for outputting a pulse signal each time said bicycle travels over a specific distance, comprising:

a bracket secured to a member of said bicycle;

a main body detachably secured to said bracket;

a signal receiving circuit positioned in said main body for wirelessly receiving said pulse signal outputted from said transmitter;

a signal processing circuit electrically connected to said signal receiving circuit for counting a number and a frequency of said pulse signal and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of said plurality of trip data;

a display circuit electrically connected to said signal processing circuit for displaying said output signal generated from said signal processing circuit;

a battery built in said main body for supplying a power to said signal receiving circuit, said signal processing circuit, and said display circuit; and

a detector positioned in said main body for detecting a connective state of said main body and said bracket so that said signal processing circuit is unable to receive said pulse signal from said signal receiving circuit when said main body of said trip meter is detached from said bracket on said bicycle.

15. The trip meter according to claim 14 wherein said detector includes a switching circuit mounted between said battery and said signal processing circuit for causing said power of said battery to be supplied to said signal processing circuit.

16. The trip meter according to claim 15 wherein said switching circuit is a switch having a resilient member protruded from said main body, for being turned on/off due to an elastic force of said resilient member in response to said connective state of said main body and said bracket.

17. The trip meter according to claim 15 wherein said switching circuit includes:

a magnetic bar arranged in said bracket; and

a reed switch arranged in said main body for being turned on/off due to a magnetic force of said magnetic bar in response to said connective state of said main body and said bracket.

18. The trip meter according to claim 15 wherein said switching circuit is turned on and said power of said battery is supplied to said signal processing circuit so that said signal processing circuit receives said pulse signal of said transmitter and generates said output signal indicative of said travel data when said main body of said trip meter is secured to said bracket on said bicycle.

19. The trip meter according to claim 18 wherein said switching circuit is turned off for interrupting said power to be supplied to said signal processing circuit and causing a loop between said signal processing circuit and said signal receiving circuit to be disconnected so that said signal processing circuit is unable to receive said pulse signal from said signal receiving circuit when said main body of said trip meter is detached from said bracket on said bicycle.

20. The trip meter according to claim 19 wherein said signal receiving circuit and said signal processing circuit are incorporated into an integrated circuit.

21. The trip meter according to claim 14 wherein said display circuit includes a liquid-crystal display (LCD).

22. The trip meter according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of trip data comprise a speed and a traveling distance of said bicycle.