Bicycle electrical system diagnostic device

• US 9,227,697 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tetsuya, Hashimoto, Akinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Natalini, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US13/547,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 324/511, 738/659
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/30 for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/21 intended to provide information to rider or passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/005 Testing of electric installations on transport means

Abstract

A bicycle electrical system diagnostic device is provided for a bicycle electrical system in which several electric devices are connected. The diagnostic device includes a connecting section and an electric device recognizing section. The connecting section is configured to be connected to and disconnected from the electrical system. The electric device recognizing section is configured to communicate with the electrical system and recognize any of the electric devices while the connecting section is electrically connected to anyone of the electric devices.

Claims

1. A bicycle electrical system diagnostic device for a bicycle electrical system in which a plurality of electric devices are connected, the bicycle electrical system diagnostic device comprising:

a connecting section configured to be connected to and disconnected from the electrical system;

a user input device configured to receive user inputs; and

a computer including

a recognizing section programmed to communicate with the electrical system by the connecting section and recognize any of the plurality of electric devices connected to the electrical system diagnostic device by receiving identification information from any of the plurality of electric devices,

a problem diagnosing section programmed to determine if any of the plurality of electric devices connected to the connecting section has failed, and

an indicating section programmed to display any of the plurality of electric devices in a visual depiction of a bicycle on a screen with any of the plurality of electric devices that arc recognized by the recognizing section displayed in a different format than any of the plurality of electric devices that are not recognized by the electric device recognizing section.

2. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 1 wherein

the indicating section is further programmed to present any of the plurality of electric devices that may be connected to the electrical system diagnostic device to be selected by a user using the user input device, and

the problem diagnosing section is further programmed to target for diagnosing and to diagnose any of the plurality of electric devices connected to the connecting section, the indicating section displaying in the visual depiction of a bicycle an of the plurality of electric devices targeted for diagnosing in a different format than any of the plurality of electric devices that are not targeted for diagnosing,

the computer being further programmed to indicate on the visual depiction of the bicycle to the user any of the plurality of electric devices that were not recognized based on matching any of the plurality of electric devices selected by the user using the input device with any of the plurality of electric devices recognized by the recognizing section.

3. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the connecting section is configured to be connected directly to any of the plurality of electric devices or to be connected in between any of the plurality of electric devices.

4. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the indicating section indicates a failed electric device upon the problem diagnosing section determining that a problem exists in any of the plurality of electric devices.

5. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the problem diagnosing section determines if an electrical component contained in any of the plurality of electric devices has failed.

6. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 5, wherein

the indicating section indicates an electrical component that the problem diagnosing section has determined to have failed upon the problem diagnosing section determining that a problem exists in any of the plurality of electric devices.

7. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the indicating section indicates a cause of problem upon the problem diagnosing section determining that a problem exists in any of the plurality of electric devices.

8. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the indicating section indicates a repair technique corresponding to the problem upon the problem diagnosing section determining that a problem exists in any of the plurality of electric devices.

9. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the connecting section is connected to the electrical system using a power line communication line of any of the plurality of electric devices of the bicycle electrical system.

10. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 9, wherein

the connecting section is configured to be connected to a power line communication terminal of any of the plurality of electric devices of the bicycle electrical system.

11. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, further comprising

a communication cable coupled to the connecting section.

12. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 2, further comprising

a customizing section programmed to allow the user to change any of the plurality of electric devices targeted by the problem diagnosis section for diagnosing.

13. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 12, wherein

the customizing section is programmed to allow the user to change a function setting of any of the plurality of electric devices targeted by the problem diagnosis section for diagnosing.

14. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the problem diagnosing section is further programmed to allow the user to select between a system diagnosis selection, and an individual diagnosis section.

15. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 14, wherein

after selection of system diagnosis, the computer is programmed to allow the user to select any of the plurality of electric devices to be targeted by the problem diagnosing section.

16. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 14, wherein

after selection of individual diagnosis, the problem diagnosing section is programmed to automatically diagnose any of the plurality of electric devices connected to the connecting section.

17. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the problem diagnosing section determines if an electrical component contained in any of the plurality of electric devices has failed.

18. The bicycle electrical system diagnostic device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the indicating section is programmed to allow a user to select any of the plurality of electric devices connected to the connecting section as not recognized by the recognizing section.