US 11,976,941 B2Granted

Method and system for measuring speed and distance of a bicycle

AssigneeThe Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

InventorArnaud Casagrande

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and system for measuring a physical parameter, such as speed and/or distance travelled by a bicycle, includes a permanent magnet disposed on a front fork and a measuring circuit with a magnetic sensor disposed on a rim of the wheel at the same distance from the wheel axis of rotation as the magnet. The sensor passes in front of the magnet to generate an induced voltage pulse at each passage. The induced voltage is rectified and stored on a capacitor. Energy recovery during the sensor passing in front of the magnet allows powering of the measuring circuit. The parameter is calculated in the calculation unit clocked by an oscillator based on the received induced voltage pulses by knowing the bicycle wheel diameter. Measurements performed from the measuring circuit are transmitted to a portable device carried by the user or mounted on the bicycle to be displayed.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for measuring at least one physical parameter including at least one of speed and distance travelled by a bicycle during use thereof by a user, using at least one permanent magnet disposed on a frame portion or a fork for mounting a freely rotatable wheel and at least one measuring circuit with at least one magnetic sensor disposed on a wheel of the bicycle, the permanent magnet being disposed on the frame portion or the fork at a same distance from an axis of rotation of the wheel as the measuring circuit to be opposite to the measuring circuit at its passage during rotation of the wheel, comprising:

a) setting the bicycle into movement with the wheel in rotation with the measuring circuit,
b) detecting a passage of the magnetic sensor of the measuring circuit opposite to the permanent magnet by generating an induced voltage pulse at each passage of the measuring circuit in rotation,
c) rectifying the voltage generated by the magnetic sensor using a rectifier and storing the rectified voltage on a smoothing capacitor to power the measuring circuit,
d) calculating a physical parameter comprising at least one of the speed and the travelled distance of the bicycle in a calculation unit, which is clocked by a timepiece quartz oscillator of the measuring circuit, based on the induced voltage pulses received over time from the magnetic sensor using a value of a diameter of the wheel of the bicycle, and storing of at least one of measurements of speed and travelled distance obtained by integration into the calculation unit of the measuring circuit in a non-volatile memory of the measuring circuit, and
e) wirelessly transmitting at least one measurement calculated in the calculation unit of the measuring circuit to a portable device carried by the user or on a portion of the bicycle using a signal transmission-reception unit linked to an antenna of the measuring circuit.

2 more elements

A method for measuring at least one physical parameter including at least one speed and distance travelled by a bicycle during use thereof by a user, using at least one permanent magnet disposed on a frame portion or a fork for mounting a freely rotatable wheel and at least one measuring circuit with at least one magnetic sensor disposed on a wheel of the bicycle, the permanent magnet being disposed on the frame portion or the fork at a same distance from an axis of rotation of the wheel as the measuring circuit to be opposite to the measuring circuit at its passage during the rotation of the wheel, comprising:

a) setting the bicycle into movement with the wheel in rotation with the measuring circuit,
b) detecting a passage of the magnetic sensor of the measuring circuit opposite to the permanent magnet by generating an induced voltage pulse at each passage of the measuring circuit in rotation,
c) rectifying the voltage generated by the magnetic sensor using a rectifier and storing the rectified voltage on a smoothing capacitor to power the measuring circuit,
d) determining passage times of the measuring circuit with the magnetic sensor opposite to the permanent magnet in a calculation unit, which is clocked by a timepiece quartz oscillator of the measuring circuit, based on induced voltage pulses provided by the magnetic sensor,
e) wirelessly transmitting data relating to passage times of the magnetic sensor opposite to the permanent magnet to a portable device carried by the user or on a portion of the bicycle by a signal transmission-reception unit linked to an antenna of the measuring circuit, and
f) calculating in a processing unit of the portable device the physical parameter and storing measurements of at least one of speed and travelled distance obtained by integration into the processing unit of the portable device in a non-volatile memory of the portable device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/442,390Filed 9 Mar 2020
Priority: EP 1916571328 Mar 2019
Published: US 2022/0170762 A12 Jun 2022
Granted: 7 May 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01C 22/002
Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers: for…
G01P 3/487
Of pulse signals: delivered by rotating magnets
H04Q 9/00
Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from
H04Q 2209/88
Arrangements in the sub-station, i.e. sensing device: providing power supply at the sub-station