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US 12,015,435 B2Granted
Bike lock as communication hub for an electric bicycle
AssigneeRad Power Bikes Inc.
InventorsDave Miller, Jake Silsby, Bryan Ford, Redwood Stephens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments provide for a bike-supported communication network that manages and facilitates communications between components of an electric bicycle and a wireless network. In some embodiments, the systems and methods provide a bike-supported communication device that is integrated into a bike lock, lock, or lock assembly.
Claims20
An electric bicycle, comprising:
- a frame having a head tube, down tube, top tube, and seat tube;
- a front wheel attached to the frame via a fork connected to the head tube;
- a rear wheel attached to the frame via a dropout assembly of the frame;
- an electric motor mounted to the rear wheel that causes the rear wheel to rotate;
- a battery pack mounted to the frame of the electric bicycle that provides power to the electric motor;
- a controller that controls operations of the battery pack of the electric bicycle and the electric motor of the electric bicycle;
- and
- a lock assembly that is configured to lock the rear wheel of the electric bicycle, wherein the lock assembly includes:
- a communication device that communicates with a wireless network via one or more wireless communication protocols,
- wherein the communication device is configured to manage communications between the wireless network and the controller of the electric bicycle;
- and
- a fleet module, separate from the communication device, that communicates directly with a fleet management server,
- wherein the fleet management server is associated with a fleet of electric bicycles that includes the electric bicycle.
10 more elements
A lock assembly for an electric bicycle, the lock assembly comprising:
- a lock component that is configured to;
- lock a rear wheel of the electric bicycle, and
- cause an electric motor, a battery park, or a controller of the electric bicycle to operate in a locked mode of operation;
- and
- a communication device that communicates with a wireless network via one or more wireless communication protocols,
- wherein the communication device is configured to manage communications between the wireless network and the controller of the electric bicycle.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving, via a communications device contained within a lock assembly of an electric bicycle, information associated with a current operation of a component of the electric bicycle over a Bluetooth communication protocol that manages communications between the communications device and the component of the electric bicycle,
- wherein the current operation of the component of the electric bicycle includes a current operation of a battery pack or electric motor of the electric bicycle;
- and
- transmitting, via the communication device contained within the lock assembly of the electric bicycle, a message to a bicycle management server that is remote from the electric bicycle over a wireless network,
- wherein the message includes the information associated with the current operation of the component of the electric bicycle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.