Cloud based activity monitor for bicycles and application

• US 9,157,742 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wi-Mm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wi-Mm Corporation
• Inventors: Fahrner, Kevin, Levitt, Leslie, Echavarria, Pablo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/157,474
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/00 Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles fittings for preventing or indicating use or theft of vehicles in general B60R; general features of locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation

Abstract

A method for obtaining data and communicating with a bicycle mounted cloud based activity monitor is provided. The method includes accepting into a server a plurality of sensor data and GPS location coordinates from a device attached to a bicycle, wherein the activity monitor communicates data to the cloud server via a wireless coupling. The method further includes writing information relating to sensor, GPS, and alarm functions from the cloud based server into the bike mounted activity tracker via a wireless link.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a bicycle, comprising:

receiving, at a server, at least global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates, which arrive at the server at least in part via a wireless coupling from an electronic device attached to a bicycle;

providing access via the server, to one of;

the at least global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates, or information derived from the at least global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates; and

creating a moving geo-fencing zone, wherein providing access via the server includes indicating whether the electronic device and the bicycle are within the moving geo-fencing zone and determining whether an object other than the electronic device and the bicycle is within the moving geo-fencing zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates includes two or more from a group consisting of:

global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates, information derived from the global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates, and sensor information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access via the server includes providing a current location of the electronic device, based on the at least global positioning system-based bicycle position coordinates, in response to a request for the current location of the bicycle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing access via the server includes deriving metrics from data received from the electronic device, with the metrics accessible via a user interface;

the metrics include at least one from a group consisting of;

calories burned, distance traveled, carbon offset, path, speed, time, elevation, a report, a map, and a diagnostic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access via the server includes providing a user interface to at least one of:

a mobile communication device coupled to a cellular network, and a computing device coupled to a global communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless coupling includes a machine-to-machine protocol.

7. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions thereupon, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute a method for tracking a bicycle, comprising:

accepting into a server a plurality of location coordinates from a cloud base activity monitor device attached to a bicycle, wherein the device communicates the plurality of location coordinates to the server via a wireless coupling to a network;

writing information relating to the plurality of location coordinates, from the server into a memory; and

tracking a location of the bicycle, based upon the information relating to the plurality of location coordinates; and

establishing a geo-fencing, based on one from a group consisting of;

the plurality of location coordinates from the device attached to the bicycle, a fixed location, and one or more location coordinates from a further device attached to a further bicycle, wherein tracking the location of the bicycle includes tracking relative to the geo-fencing and determining whether an object other than the electronic device and the bicycle is within the geo-fencing.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the plurality of location coordinates from the device to a cellular telephonic network, as the wireless coupling to the network, wherein the plurality of location coordinates are communicated from the cellular telephonic network to the server.

9. The computer-readable media of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the plurality of location coordinates from the device to a local area wireless network, as the wireless coupling to the network, wherein the plurality of location coordinates is communicated from the wireless area network to the server.

10. The computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein tracking the location of the bicycle includes sending a notification in response to the location of the bicycle exceeding a geo-fencing boundary.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 7, further comprising:

accepting registration information into the server, wherein writing the information relating to the plurality of location coordinates, and tracking the location of the bicycle, are associated, in the memory, with the registration information.

12. A system for monitoring a bicycle, comprising:

a server, configured to couple to a network; and

the server configured to perform actions, including;

receiving global positioning system-based position coordinates, via a network, from an electronic device fastened to a bicycle, wherein the electronic device transmits the global positioning system-based position coordinates via a wireless coupling;

providing at least one user interface based on the global positioning system-based position coordinates;

establishing a geo-fencing zone based on the global position system based position coordinates; and

determining whether the electronic device fastened to the bicycle is within the geo-fencing zone and determining whether an object other than the electronic device and the bicycle is within the geo-fencing zone.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a cloud based activity monitor, configured to fasten to a bicycle and to act as the electronic device, wherein the wireless coupling includes a wireless coupling to one from a group consisting of;

a cellular telephonic network, a Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) hotspot, a wireless local area network, a Bluetooth connection, and a wireless mesh network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one user interface is provided to a cellular telephonic device, via a cellular telephonic network.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one user interface includes a graphical user interface provided to a computing device via a global communication network.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the actions further include:

responsive to a determination that the electronic device fastened to the bicycle is external to the geo-fencing, sending at least one from a group consisting of;

a text message to a cellular telephonic device, a broadcast message to a plurality of cellular telephonic devices, and an email message.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the actions further include:

generating a map that shows a location or a path of the bicycle, based on the global positioning system-based position coordinates, the map accessible via the at least one user interface.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the actions further include:

storing, associated with the global positioning system-based position coordinates in a memory, one or more from a first group consisting of;

a registration, an image of the bicycle, an image of an owner of the bicycle, and an identifier of the electronic device; and

responsive to receiving the one or more from the first group, performing one or more from a second group consisting of;

activation of the providing at least one user interface, management of a mission relating to the electronic device, and management of an individual system including the electronic device.