Bicycle display unit with backlight

Abstract

A bicycle display unit is provided for displaying information to the rider. The bicycle display unit is preferably part of a bicycle computer that is battery operated. The bicycle display unit has a display panel with a front display surface and a backlight arranged to illuminate the front display surface for viewing the information displayed thereon. The battery is electrically coupled to the backlight to supply electrical energy thereto. The bicycle display unit also has a backlight switch command operatively coupled between the backlight and the battery to selectively turn the backlight “on” and “off”, and a control unit that extends the life of the battery by controlling the illumination of the backlight. The backlight switch command turns “on” the backlight upon receiving a predetermined operational command. The predetermined operational command can be a pre-selected time period, a shifting operation, a mode change, etc. Also the control unit is operatively coupled to the backlight switch command to automatically turn “off” the backlight upon lapse of a predetermined time period after switching the backlight to be turned “on”. The backlight is preferably turned “on” for predetermined time period of less than 30 seconds. Preferably, the control unit prevents the backlight from being turned “on” that during selected hours, such as daylight hours, even if a predetermined operational command is received. A measuring device is preferably connected to the display unit to output the information on the display panel, such as bicycle speed, distance traveled, lap time, running time, current time, rider cadence, torque applied to the bottom bracket axle and shift position of the shifting mechanism.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.