Bicycle motor control system

A bicycle motor control system for controlling a motor for assisting rotation of a bicycle wheel, the bicycle motor control system comprising:

• a motor communication part that performs power line communication with an electrical bicycle component through a common power line used to communicate both electrical power and information, the electrical bicycle component being configured to change a motor operation mode of the motor;
• and
• a first mode switching part operated either by electrical power supplied via the common power line through which the motor communication part performs power line communication, or by electrical power obtained from a generator;
• the first mode switching part switching the motor operation mode from a motor driving mode to a motor power generating mode in which the motor outputs electrical power that has been generated using rotation of the bicycle wheel upon a determination that communication between the motor communication part and the electrical bicycle component has stopped,
• a stoppage time calculating part that calculates a time for which communication between the motor communication part and the electrical bicycle component is stopped, and
• communication between the motor communication part and the electrical bicycle component being determined to have stopped upon the time calculated by the stoppage time calculating part being equal to or greater than a predetermined time.

A bicycle motor control system for controlling a motor for assisting rotation of a bicycle wheel, the bicycle motor control system comprising:

• a motor communication part that performs power line communication with an electrical bicycle component through a common power line used to communicate both electrical power and information, the electrical bicycle component being actuated using electrical power that has been charged by a power source that is different from the motor, the electric bicycle component being configured to change a motor operation mode of the motor;
• a first mode switching part operated either by electrical power supplied via the common power line through which the motor communication part performs power line communication, or by electrical power obtained from a generator, the first mode switching part switching the motor operation mode from a motor driving mode to a motor power generating mode in which the motor outputs electrical power that has been generated using rotation of the bicycle wheel upon a determination that communication between the motor communication part and the electrical bicycle component has stopped;
• and
• a second mode switching part that switches the motor operation mode from the motor power generating mode to the motor driving mode based on the mode switching signal from the electrical bicycle component, the second mode switching part switching the motor operation mode from the motor power generating mode to the motor driving mode upon determination that communication has been possible for a predetermined time between the motor communication part for the motor and a communication part that communicates with the electrical bicycle component.

A bicycle motor control system for controlling a motor for assisting rotation of a bicycle wheel, the bicycle motor control system comprising:

• a motor communication part that performs power line communication with an electrical bicycle component through a common power line used to communicate both electrical power and information, the electrical bicycle component being actuated using electrical power that has been charged by a power source that is different from the motor, the electric bicycle component being configured to change a motor operation mode of the motor;
• a first mode switching part operated either by electrical power supplied via the common power line through which the motor communication part performs power line communication, or by electrical power obtained from a generator, the first mode switching part switching the motor operation mode from a motor driving mode to a motor power generating mode in which the motor outputs electrical power that has been generated using rotation of the bicycle wheel upon a determination that communication between the motor communication part and the electrical bicycle component has stopped;
• a rotation detecting part that detects a state of rotation of the bicycle wheel;
• and
• a second mode switching part that switches the motor operation mode from the motor power generating mode to the motor driving mode based on the mode switching signal from the electrical bicycle component, the second mode switching part switching the motor operation mode from the motor power generating mode to the motor driving mode based on the state of rotation detected by the rotation detecting part upon a rotational speed of the wheel reaching a predetermined rotational speed or upon the distance over which the bicycle has traveled reaching a predetermined distance.