Bicycle data communication method and apparatus

• US 6,724,299 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Takebayashi, Haruyuki, Takeda, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/185,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20040000990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 340/432, 340/442, 340/447, 340/438, 340/521, 340/461, 340/462, 733/790.1, 733/790.7, 482/57, 482/62, 482/63, 701/1, 116/62.1, 345/866, 345/746, 345/156
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems

Abstract

A method of communicating data in a bicycle data processing system comprises the steps of communicating first information from a transmitter to a receiver, wherein the first information has a first rate of change; and communicating second information from the transmitter to the receiver a plurality of times, wherein the second information has a second rate of change that is greater than the first rate of change. A method of storing data in a bicycle data processing system comprises the steps of receiving a first data item a first time; storing a value of the first data item in a first memory; receiving the first data item a second time; comparing a value of the first data item received the first time with a value of the first data item received the second time; and storing the value of the first data item received the second time in the first memory when the value of the first data item received the first time substantially equals the value of the first data item received the second time.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data in a bicycle data processing system comprising the steps of:

communicating first information from a transmitter to a receiver, wherein the first information has a first rate of change; and

communicating second information from the transmitter to the receiver a plurality of times between a first transmission of the first information and a second transmission of the first information, wherein the second information has a second rate of change that is greater than the first rate of change, and wherein there is no additional transmission of the first information between the first and second transmissions of the first information.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second information comprises bicycle speed data.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second information comprises crank RPM data.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second information comprises wheel RPM data.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second information comprises driving mode data.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second information comprises gear position data.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first information comprises distance data.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first information comprises suspension mode data.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of communicating the second information comprises the step of communicating the second information a plurality of times contiguously.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first information comprises a first data item, and wherein the second information comprises the second data item and a third item.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of communicating the second comprises the step of communicating the second data item and the third data item each time the second information is communicated.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of communicating the second information comprises the step of communicating the third data item after communicating the second data item.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the step of communicating the second information comprises the step of communicating the third data item after the second data item each time the second item is communicated.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of communicating the second information comprises the step of communicating the second information a plurality of times contiguously.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the first information is selected from the group comprising distance data and suspension mode data, and wherein the second information is selected from the group comprising bicycle speed data, crank RPM data, wheel RPM data, driving mode data, and gear position data.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the first information is selected from the group consisting of bicycle speed data, crank RPM data, wheel RPM data, driving mode data, and gear position data.

17. A method of storing data in a bicycle data processing system comprising the steps of:

receiving a first data item a first time;

storing a value of the first data item in a first memory;

receiving the first data item a second time;

comparing a value of the first data item received the first time with a value of the first data item received the second time; and

storing the value of the first data item received the second time in the first memory when the value of the first data item received the first time substantially equals the value of the first data item received the second time.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the step of storing the value of the first data item received the second time comprises the step of storing the value of the first data item received the second time when the value of the first data item received the second time exactly equals the value of the first data item received the first time.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises bicycle speed data.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises crank RPM data.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises crank RPM data.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises drive mode data.

23. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises gear position data.

24. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises distance data.

25. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first data item comprises suspension mode data.

26. The method according to claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second data item a first time;

storing a value of the second data item in a second memory;

receiving the second data item a second time after receiving the first data item the second time;

comparing a value of the second data item received the first time with a value of the second data item received the second time; and

storing the value of second data item received the second time in the second memory when the value of the second data item received the second time substantially equals the value of the second data item received the second time.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the step of receiving the second data item the first time comprises the step of receiving the second data item between receiving the first data item the first time and receiving the first data item the second time.

28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising the steps of:

storing the first data item received the first time in a first current data memory before receiving the first data item the second time; and

storing the first data item received the second time in the first current data memory.

29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising the steps of:

storing the second data item received the first time in a second current data memory before receiving the second data item the second time; and

storing the second data item received the second time in the second current data memory.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the step of storing the first data item received the first time comprises the step of storing the first data item received the first time in the first current data memory before receiving the second data item the first time, and wherein the step of storing the second data item received the first time comprises the step of storing the second data item received the first time in the second current data memory before receiving the first data item the second time.

31. The method according to claim 26 wherein the step of receiving the second data item the first time comprises the step of receiving the second data item after receiving the first data item the first time and after receiving the first data item the second time.

32. The method according to claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

storing the first data item received the first time in a current data memory before receiving the first data item the second time; and

storing the second data item received the first time in the current data memory before receiving the second data item the second time.

33. The method according to claim 32 further comprising the steps of:

storing the first data item received the second time in the current data memory before receiving the second data item the first time; and

storing the second data item received the second time in the current data memory.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the step of receiving the first data item the second time comprises the step of receiving the first data item the second time immediately after receiving the first data item the first time.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of receiving the second data item the second time comprises the step of receiving the second data item the second time immediately after receiving the second data item the first time.