Versatile electric bicycle systems

• US 9,168,975 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Civilized Cycles Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Civilized Cycles Incorporated
• Inventors: Schieffelin, Zachary
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Sara
• Application Number:
  US14/620,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/99, 701/532, 180/218, 180/220, 180/205.1, 180/206.1, 180/206.2, 180/206.3, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 9/23 above or alongside the rear wheel B62J9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/00 Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units program control for peripheral devices G06F13/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The disclosure herein provides systems for a versatile electric bicycle that is configured to be easily adapted to accommodate various needs and requirements. In certain embodiments, the foregoing may provide features and/or models that are configured to be easily adapted to accommodate parts of varying dimensions, different seating configurations, and/or particular laws and regulations of different jurisdictions.

Claims

1. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for causing a suitably programmed mobile computing device to process by one or more processors computer-program code by performing a method for controlling a maximum power output of a motor of a vehicle when the computer program is executed on the suitably programmed mobile computing device, the vehicle comprising an electric bicycle, moped, motor assisted cycle, or motorcycle, the method comprising:

determining, by a geolocation system of the mobile computing device, a geographic location representative of a geographic position of the vehicle;

accessing, by the mobile computing device, an electronic database comprising maximum power output regulation data;

determining, by the mobile computing device, based on the geographic location and the maximum power output regulation data, a power output limit related to the geographic location; and

transmitting, from the mobile computing device to a control system of the vehicle, data that enables the control system to limit a maximum power output of the motor of the vehicle to the determined power output limit.

2. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile computing device from a computer server system, an update to the maximum power output regulation data; and

modifying, by the mobile computing device, the electronic database in response to the received update.

3. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile computing device, a selection of an off-road-only mode of operation; and

transmitting, from the mobile computing device to the control system of the vehicle, data that instructs the control system to enable the maximum power output of the motor to exceed the power output limit.

4. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile computing device, a selection of a non-powered mode of operation; and

transmitting, from the mobile computing device to the control system of the vehicle, data that instructs the control system to disable the motor.

5. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining, by the mobile computing device, based on the geographic location, a vehicle speed limit for the geographic location; and

transmitting, from the mobile computing device to the control system of the vehicle, data that enables the control system to limit a maximum speed of the vehicle to the determined vehicle speed limit.

6. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the geolocation system of the mobile computing device uses at least one of a global positioning system or cellular tower triangulation to determine the geographic location.

7. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the transmitting, from the mobile computing device to the control system of the vehicle, comprises a wireless transmission.

8. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for causing a suitably programmed vehicle computer system to process by one or more processors computer-program code by performing a method for controlling a maximum power output of a motor of a vehicle when the computer program is executed on the suitably programmed vehicle computer system, the vehicle comprising an electric bicycle, moped, motor assisted cycle, or motorcycle, the method comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system from a mobile computing device comprising a geolocation system, data representative of a geographic location of the vehicle;

accessing, by the vehicle computer system, an electronic database comprising maximum power output regulation data;

determining, by the vehicle computer system, based on the geographic location and the maximum power output regulation data, a power output limit related to the geographic location; and

causing, by the vehicle computer system, the maximum power output of the motor of the vehicle to be limited to the determined power output limit.

9. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system, an update to the maximum power output regulation data; and

modifying, by the vehicle computer system, the electronic database in response to the received update.

10. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system, a selection of an off-road-only mode of operation; and

enabling, by the vehicle computer system, in response to the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation, the maximum power output of the motor of the vehicle to exceed the determined power output limit.

11. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 10, wherein the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation is received by the vehicle computer system from the mobile computing device.

12. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 10, wherein the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation is received by the vehicle computer system via a user input of the vehicle computer system.

13. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system, a selection of a non-powered mode of operation; and

disabling, by the vehicle computer system, in response to the selection of the non-powered mode of operation, the motor of the vehicle.

14. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the selection of the non-powered mode of operation is received by the vehicle computer system from the mobile computing device.

15. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 8, wherein the receiving, by the vehicle computer system from the mobile computing device, comprises a wireless transmission from the mobile computing device.

16. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for causing a suitably programmed vehicle computer system to process by one or more processors computer-program code by performing a method for controlling a maximum power output of a motor of a vehicle when the computer program is executed on the suitably programmed vehicle computer system, the vehicle comprising an electric bicycle, moped, motor assisted cycle, or motorcycle, the method comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system from a mobile computing device comprising a geolocation system, power output limit data indicative of a jurisdictional power output limit related to a geographic location of the vehicle, wherein the jurisdictional power output limit is determined by the mobile computing device querying an electronic database using geographic position data from the geolocation system; and

causing, by the vehicle computer system, the maximum power output of the motor of the vehicle to be limited to the jurisdictional power output limit for the geographic location of the vehicle.

17. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle computer system, a selection of an off-road-only mode of operation; and

enabling, by the vehicle computer system, in response to the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation, the maximum power output of the motor of the vehicle to exceed the determined power output limit.

18. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation is received by the vehicle computer system from the mobile computing device.

19. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein the selection of the off-road-only mode of operation is received by the vehicle computer system via a user input of the vehicle computer system.

20. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 16, wherein the receiving, by the vehicle computer system from the mobile computing device, comprises a wireless transmission from the mobile computing device.