Versatile electric bicycle systems

• US 9,415,833 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• 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): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US14/863,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/119
• 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 system for controlling an electric vehicle having a motor, the electric vehicle comprising a bicycle, moped, motor assisted cycle, or motorcycle, the system comprising:

a user access point unit configured to receive a user input for controlling the electric vehicle; and

an electric vehicle computing unit configured to control one or more performance characteristics of the electric vehicle,

wherein the electric vehicle computing unit controls the electric vehicle based on the received user input,

wherein the one or more performance characteristics comprises a power output of the motor, and the electric vehicle computing unit is configured such that the power output of the motor of the electric vehicle is limited to a maximum power output that complies with regulations of a first jurisdiction encompassing a current location of the electric vehicle,

wherein the user access point unit or electric vehicle computing unit is configured to determine the maximum power output that complies with the one or more regulations of the first jurisdiction by determining the current location of the electric vehicle and accessing maximum power output regulation data for the current location, and

wherein the user access point unit or electric vehicle computing unit is further configured to transmit log data, to be stored by a log database, wherein the log data comprises data related to the user input and a time and location of the vehicle when the user access point unit received the user input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle computing unit or the user access point unit communicates with a main computing system which maintains a regulations database to retrieve the regulations of the first jurisdiction encompassing the current location of the electric vehicle and automatically configures the electric vehicle to comply with the retrieved regulations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

the user access point unit communicates with a main computing system which maintains a regulations database to retrieve the regulations of the first jurisdiction encompassing the current location of the electric vehicle and transmits the retrieved regulations to the electric vehicle computing unit, and

the electric vehicle computing unit automatically configures the electric vehicle to comply with the regulations transmitted by the user access point unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the current location of the electric vehicle is automatically determined, without any user input, based on location information provided by a GPS module configured to determine location information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the current location of the electric vehicle is determined based on the user input specifying a location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more performance characteristics comprises:

(i) pedal assist or power on demand modes of power application, (ii) a power output of the motor, (iii) a top speed of the electric vehicle, (iv) a maximum torque of the motor, and (v) a brake ON or OFF status.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein

the electric vehicle computing unit detects a change in the current location of the electric vehicle causing the current location to be encompassed by a second jurisdiction different from the first jurisdiction,

the electric vehicle computing unit automatically configures the electric vehicle to comply with regulations of the second jurisdiction.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle computing unit further comprises:

a power control module for controlling the power output of the motor of the electric vehicle;

a GPS module for detecting the current location of the electric vehicle;

a speed detection module for detecting a current speed of the electric vehicle;

a navigation module for providing directions to a user; and

a battery level detection module for monitoring a current battery level by communicating with one or more battery sensors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein

the user input specifies at least one of a top speed and a maximum power output, and

the electric vehicle computing unit prevents the electric vehicle from exceeding each of said at least one of the top speed and the maximum power output.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises user selection of a riding mode specifying how the electric vehicle is to be used, and the electric vehicle computing unit controls the electric vehicle according to the selected riding mode.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

(1) in a case that the riding mode is a bicycle mode, the electric vehicle computing unit turns off the motor of the electric vehicle such that the electric vehicle is driven solely by pedaling, or the electric vehicle computing unit limits performance of the motor of the electric vehicle to conform with an electric bicycle class regulation of the first jurisdiction,

(2) in a case that the riding mode is a moped mode, the electric vehicle computing unit limits the performance of the motor of the electric vehicle to conform with a moped or limited use vehicle class regulation of the first jurisdiction, and

(3) in a case that the riding mode is an off-road-only mode, the electric vehicle computing unit allows the motor of the electric vehicle to perform in an uninhibited manner.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle computing unit unlocks the electric vehicle when a valid connection is established between the electric vehicle computing unit and the user access point unit, and locks the electric vehicle when the valid connection is terminated.

13. A method for controlling an electric vehicle having a motor, the vehicle comprising a bicycle, moped, motor assisted cycle, or motor cycle, the method comprising:

determining, by a user access point unit or an electric vehicle computing unit, a current location of the electric vehicle, the current location being part of a first jurisdiction having a set of electric vehicle regulations;

determining, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, based on the set of electric vehicle regulations of the first jurisdiction, a maximum allowable value for each of one or more control parameters of the electric vehicle, wherein the one or more control parameters comprises a power output of the motor;

limiting, by the electric vehicle computing unit, each of said one or more control parameters of the electric bicycle to the maximum allowable value;

receiving, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, a user input for the one or more control parameters; and

transmitting, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, log data to be stored by a log database, wherein the log data comprises data related to the user input and a time and location of the vehicle when the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit received the user input,

wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more control parameters of the electric vehicle further comprises at least one of a power, a torque of the motor and a speed of the electric vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, a change of the current location of the electric bicycle from the first jurisdiction to a second jurisdiction having another set of electric bicycle regulations;

determining, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, based on said another set of electric bicycle regulations of the second jurisdiction, a new maximum allowable value for each of said one or more control parameters; and

limiting, by the electric vehicle computing unit, each of said one or more control parameters to the new maximum allowable value.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

periodically updating, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, the current location of the electric vehicle by communicating with a GPS module.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, the set of electric bicycle regulations corresponding to the first jurisdiction from a regulations database including a set of electric vehicle regulations for each one of a plurality of jurisdictions.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

periodically updating, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, the regulations database such that the set of electric vehicle regulations are up to date for each one of the plurality of jurisdictions.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, a user-specified value for one of said one or more control parameters, the user-specified value being lower than the maximum allowable value for said one of said one or more control parameters; and

limiting, by the electric vehicle computing unit, said one of said one or more control parameters to the user-specified value.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the user access point unit or the electric vehicle computing unit, user specification of a riding mode specifying an intended behavior of the electric vehicle;

turning off, by the electric vehicle computing unit, the motor of the electric vehicle, such that the electric vehicle is driven solely by pedaling, or limiting, by the electric vehicle computing unit, performance of the motor of the electric vehicle to conform with an electric bicycle class regulation of the first jurisdiction, in a case that the specified riding mode is a bicycle mode;

limiting, by the electric vehicle computing unit, the performance of the motor of the electric vehicle to conform with a moped or limited use vehicle class regulation of the first jurisdiction, in a case that the specified riding mode is a moped mode; and

allowing, by the electric vehicle computing unit, the motor of the electric vehicle, in a case that the specified riding mode is an off-road-only mode, to perform in an uninhibited manner regardless of the set of electric vehicle regulations of the first jurisdiction.