Systems and methods for integrating a portable electronic device with a bicycle

• US 8,364,389 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dorogusker, Jesse L., Fadell, Anthony, Hodge, Andrew, Krueger, Scott, Mason, James Eric, Novotney, Donald J., Schubert, Emily Clark, Wood, Policarpo, Johnson, Timothy, Haughay, Allen P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECK, KAREN JANE AMORES
• Application Number:
  US12/364,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/208, 701/213, 701/200, 701/207, 701/300, 701/410, 701/422, 701/428, 701/431, 340/427, 340/426.24, 340/432, 280/287, 482/8, 702/182, 702/142, 702/150, 702/176, 702/96
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 : with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/065 : within a certain range
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 : Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 : electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 : Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 : received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 : Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 : for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 : Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Systems and methods are providing for interfacing an electronic device with a bicycle system. The electronic device can receive the output from sensors coupled to the bicycle and generate riding characteristics for display to the user. The electronic device can in addition receive communications from other electronic devices and provide the communications to the user. In some embodiments, the electronic device can be paired with the devices of one or more other cyclists so that the cyclists can share riding characteristics and other information. This can allow the cyclists to ride as a team and better assist each other.

Claims

1. An electronic device for providing cycling information of a plurality of bicycles that are riding in a group, the electronic device being associated with a first bicycle of the plurality of bicycles, the electronic device comprising control circuitry operative to:

detect a plurality of other electronic devices, wherein each electronic device of the detected plurality of other electronic devices is associated with a respective bicycle of the plurality of bicycles;

determine at least a first riding characteristic of at least one of the first bicycle and a first user that is riding the first bicycle;

receive in real-time from at least one electronic device of the detected plurality of other electronic devices, at least a second riding characteristic of a second bicycle of the plurality of bicycles that is associated with the at least one electronic device and a second user that is riding the second bicycle;

provide at least one riding recommendation of the first user based on at least the determined first riding characteristic and the received second riding characteristic;

determine a current position of the first bicycle that is on a first cycling path;

in response to the determining the current position, identify at least a second cycling path that is located in the vicinity of the determined current position; and

provide the identified second cycling path to a display of the electronic device that is associated with the first bicycle for display to the first user.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

receive an indication of an interest from the first user;

in response to the receiving the indication, identify at least one attraction that is located in the vicinity of the determined current position and that is related to the interest; and

provide the at least one identified attraction to the display to the first user.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry provides the identified second cycling path to the display and the at least one identified attraction to the display by generating a map of the vicinity of the determined current position and displaying the generated map on the display, wherein the displayed map comprises representations of the identified second cycling path and the identified at least one attraction.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

identify a location of the second bicycle that is associated with the at least one electronic device; and

direct a display of the electronic device that is associated with the first bicycle to display the identified location and the received second riding characteristic.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to direct the display to display the identified location and the received second riding characteristic on a map that is displayed on the display.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

receive a comparison profile comprising at least one particular riding characteristic; and

direct a display to simultaneously display each of the at least one particular riding characteristic of the comparison profile and the determined first riding characteristic.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

provide a listing of available comparison profiles, wherein at least one of the available comparison profiles corresponds to past riding performances of the first user of the first bicycle; and

after the providing the listing, receive from the first user a selection of at least one of the available comparison profiles, wherein the received comparison profile is the at least one available comparison profile.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the comparison profile further comprises at least one riding characteristic that changes based on at least one of:

an environment of the first bicycle,

a location of the first bicycle along a course,

a duration of a current ride of the first bicycle, and

an amount of time that the first bicycle has been ridden.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to, prior to the receiving, receive from the first user a user selection of the second bicycle that is associated with the at least one electronic device of the plurality of other electronic devices from which to receive the second riding characteristic.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first riding characteristic comprises a first performance metric of the first user;

the second riding characteristic comprises a second performance metric of the second user; and

the at least one riding recommendation comprises a recommendation for the first user to adjust a position of the first bicycle with respect to the second bicycle.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first performance metric and the second performance metric comprises a physiological metric.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the physiological metric comprises at least one of a heart rate and calories burned.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first riding characteristic comprises a first metric that is associated with the first bicycle;

the second riding characteristic comprises a second metric that is associated with the second bicycle; and

the at least one riding recommendation comprises a recommendation for the first user to adjust at least one of cadence, a speed of the first bicycle, and a gear ratio of the first bicycle.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is operative to provide the at least one riding recommendation to the first user by at least one of audibly announcing the at least one riding recommendation to the first user and displaying the at least one riding recommendation on a display of the electronic device that is associated with the first bicycle.

15. An electronic device that is operative to:

determine a first location of a first user;

determine a second location of a second user and a second speed of the second user;

predict a future location of the second user based on each of the determined second location, the determined second speed, and predefined path data; and

determine a path for the first user to reach the second user based on the determined first location and the predicted future location.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the predefined path data is received by the electronic device from a remote source.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the predefined path data is received by the electronic device from a remote source.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is further operative to:

instruct the first user to follow the determined path;

determine a progress of the first user along the determined path; and

modify the determined path based on the determined progress.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is further operative to:

determine at least one traveling characteristic to assist the first user in reaching the second user;

determine a progress of the first user along the determined path; and

modify the determined at least one characteristic based on the determined progress.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is coupled to a first bicycle of the first user, and wherein the electronic device is operative to determine the second location and the second speed by receiving the second location and the second speed from another electronic device that is coupled to a second bicycle of the second user.