# US 10,479,445 B2 · Smart crank control for E-bike > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,445 B2 - Document ID: US10479445B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/814,364 - Filed: 2017-11-15 - Published: 2019-04-04 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-03 - Assignees: PALTORC, Inc. - Applicants: PalTorc, Inc. - Inventors: Jyh-Ping Johnny Wang; Steve Chih-Ching Chou; Dann Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479445B2 ## CPC - B62M 6/50: characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof - B60K 31/02: including electrically actuated servomechanism - B60L 3/0015: {Prevention of collisions} - B60L 3/08: Means for preventing excessive speed of the vehicle - 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 - B60L 50/20: using propulsion power generated by humans or animals - B62M 6/00: Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles with additional source of power, e.g. combustion engine or electric motor - B62M 6/55: power-driven at crank shafts parts - B60L 2200/12: Bikes - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2240/486: Operating parameters - F16C 3/06: Crankshafts - H01R 39/08: Slip-rings - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The bike's crank speed and crank position are sensed via a micro controller, torque sensor, gyro and accelerator disposed on the bike's crank. External power and control signals can be passed to and from the crank micro controller and the e-bike controller through a throttle connector of the e-bike controller via slip rings around the crank hub with and with pogo pin connectors connected to the respective slip rings. Throttle data can also be provided to the e-bike controller wirelessly via a wireless dongle coupled to the throttle connector of e-bike controller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A smart crank control system for an e-bike, the e-bike including a crank and an electric motor connected to an e-bike controller, the e-bike controller including a throttle connector, the smart crank system comprising: a strain gauge disposed on the crank; a control board disposed on the crank and coupled to the strain gauge, the control board including a motion sensor, a digital motion processor and a micro controller; and a plurality of slip rings disposed about the crank to provide for a power connection to the control board without interfering with rotation of the crank, wherein the control board is coupled to the e-bike controller through the throttle connector of the e-bike controller, and wherein the control board is configured to transmit to the e-bike controller an output in the form of a throttle magnitude value for the e-bike controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The smart crank system of claim 1, wherein the micro controller is configured to determine a crank speed, a crank position and a torque data for the crank of the e-bike and report a throttle data to the e-bike controller via the throttle connector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The smart crank system of claim 2, wherein the micro controller includes a digital to analog converter so that the throttle data is outputted in an analog format. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The smart crank system of claim 1, wherein the control board is coupled to the throttle connector via a cable extending between the slip rings and the throttle connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The smart crank system of claim 1, wherein the control board is coupled to the throttle connector wirelessly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The smart crank system of claim 5, wherein the control board further includes a wireless transceiver, and the smart crank system further includes a wireless transceiver dongle coupled to the throttle connector of the e-bike controller via a wire, wherein the control board is wirelessly connected to the wireless transceiver dongle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The smart crank system of claim 6, wherein the wireless transceiver dongle includes a digital to analog converter so that a throttle data can be outputted to the e-bike controller in an analog format. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The smart crank system of claim 6, wherein the e-bike controller includes a serial port and the wireless transceiver dongle is connected to the e-bike controller via the wire connected to the serial port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The smart crank system of claim 1, wherein the micro controller includes a digital to analog converter so that a throttle data is outputted in an analog format. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The smart crank system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pogo pin connectors, each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of slip rings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The smart crank system of claim 10, wherein a power input cable is connected to an at least one of the plurality of pogo pin connectors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The smart crank system of claim 10, wherein a first end of a data cable is connected to one of the plurality of pogo pin connectors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The smart crank system of claim 12, wherein an opposing second end of the data cable is connected to the throttle connector of the e-bike controller. ### Claim 14 A method of providing electrical pedal assistance to a rider of an e-bike, the method comprising: determining a torque data from a strain gauge disposed on a crank of the e-bike; determining a crank speed from a motion sensor and a digital motion processor provided to the crank of the e-bike; determining a crank position from the motion sensor and the digital motion processor provided to the crank of the e-bike; determining a total pedaling force value for the rider; passing a throttle data signal through a slip ring disposed around an axle of the crank of the e-bike; and communicating the throttle data signal to an e-bike controller through a throttle connector of the e-bike controller, wherein the throttle data signal is an output in the form of a throttle magnitude value for the e-bike controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting a first end of a data cable to the slip ring via a pogo pin connector and a second end of the data cable to the throttle connector of the e-bike controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the throttle data signal is an analog data signal, and wherein the throttle data signal is determined based upon at least the total pedaling force value for the rider, the crank speed and the crank position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the rider of the e-bike is reverse pedaling. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the rider of the e-bike is resting with both cranks of the e-bike parallel to the ground. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the crank of the e-bike is in a dismount position. ### Claim 20 An e-bike, comprising: a crank; an electric motor; an e-bike controller connected to the electric motor, the e-bike controller including a throttle connector; a strain gauge disposed on the crank; a control board disposed on the crank and coupled to the strain gauge, the control board including a motion sensor and a digital motion processor; and a plurality of slip rings disposed about the crank that provide for a rotational power coupling for the control board, wherein the control board is coupled to the e-bike controller through the throttle connector via the plurality of slip rings and a conduit extending between the plurality of slip rings and the throttle connector of the e-bike, and wherein the control board is configured to transmit to the e-bike controller an output in the form of a throttle magnitude value for the e-bike controller.