Method for detecting uphill driving, control device, drive device and muscle-powered vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting (IV.1; IV.2; IV.3) an uphill movement of a muscle-powered vehicle (1). The muscle-powered vehicle (1) has a crank mechanism (4) for applying muscle power to the vehicle. The method comprises sensing (I.1) a torque value of the crank mechanism (4) and comparing (III.1; III.2; III.3) the torque value with a reference value. Furthermore, the method comprises detecting (IV.1; IV.2; IV.3) an uphill movement based on the comparison (III.1; III.2; III.3). The present invention also relates to a control device (8) configured to perform such a method, a drive device (2) with such a control device (8), and a muscle-powered vehicle with such a drive device (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for detecting uphill travel of a human-powered vehicle. The vehicle can be a bicycle, for example, a pedelec. The present invention also relates to a control device configured to carry out such a method. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a drive device for a human-powered vehicle having such a control device, as well as to a human-powered vehicle having such a drive device.

[0002] A vehicle's uphill travel can be detected by a specially designed inclination sensor when the vehicle exceeds a certain inclination angle. The detection of uphill travel can be used as information to control an electric assistance system. For example, traction control can be activated when traveling uphill.

[0003] DE 602 23 307 T2 relates to a method for controlling a motor-assisted bicycle, in which a control unit detects the current riding resistance and adjusts the assist drive force accordingly to facilitate uphill riding. The assist force is increased when an uphill gradient is detected to reduce the strain on the rider's muscle power.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to detect the uphill driving of a human-powered vehicle in a simple and cost-effective manner. This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous further developments are set out in the subclaims.

[0005] The present invention relates to a method for detecting uphill travel of a human-powered vehicle. The human-powered vehicle can be a two-wheeled vehicle, for example, a bicycle. The bicycle can be designed as a pedelec or an e-bike.

[0006] The detection can be performed by a control device, which can receive signals from one or more sensors for this purpose. The control device can be configured to initiate further measures in response to the detection, such as adjusting the operation of an electric motor to support the drive of the vehicle.

[0007] The muscle-powered vehicle has a crank device for transmitting a rider's muscle power, for example, for transmitting the rider's muscle power to a drive device. The crank device can have two pedals, allowing the rider to exert force on the crank device. The crank device can be rotatably mounted on a bottom bracket, which in turn can be mounted on a frame of the vehicle. The drive device can be a device for driving the muscle-powered vehicle and can have an output element, for example, a chainring, for transmitting torque from the drive device to a drive wheel of the vehicle. The drive wheel can be a rear wheel of a bicycle. The output element can transmit torque to the drive wheel via an endless circulating element, such as a chain or belt.Additionally, the drive device can include an electric motor to assist the muscular power. This can be connected to an energy storage device, such as an accumulator, which can provide electrical energy for the electric motor. The electric motor can be operated by the control device.

[0008] The method comprises detecting a torque variable of the crank device. The torque variable is a torque curve, but can also be a torque, a torque gradient and alternatively or additionally another torque variable. The torque variable can be time-dependent or angle-dependent. If the torque variable is time-dependent, the torque variable is related to a time. Accordingly, an angle-dependent torque variable is related to an angle. The detecting can comprise measuring, estimating, calculating, determining and alternatively or additionally further methods to obtain a torque variable. The detecting can be carried out by a sensor. The detecting can be carried out at least in part by a computational model. The detecting can be carried out at one point in time, at several points in time or continuously.

[0009] The method further comprises comparing the detected torque quantity with a reference quantity. The reference quantity can have the same physical unit as the torque quantity. The reference quantity can be a reference value, a reference curve, a reference gradient and alternatively or additionally a further reference quantity. The reference quantity can be time-dependent or angle-dependent. For example, a reference curve can describe a torque as a function of time or an angle. A reference curve can also describe an angle of rotation as a function of time. A reference curve can also describe a sine of an angle of rotation as a function of time. The comparison can comprise analyzing both quantities and determining one or more differences between the quantities. The comparison can also comprise determining one or more similarities between the quantities.The comparison may include determining a time shift and, alternatively or additionally, an angular shift between the torque value and the reference value. The comparison may also include determining whether the torque value coincides with a range of values ​​specified by the reference value. The comparison may also include determining whether or not the torque value exceeds a value specified by the reference value.

[0010] The method further comprises detecting uphill driving based on the comparison. The detection can comprise detecting uphill driving if a time and / or angular shift between the torque value and the reference value is greater than a predetermined value. The detection can also comprise detecting uphill driving if the torque value coincides with or exceeds a value range of the reference value. The detection of uphill driving can be performed by the control device described above or transmitted to it. As a result of detecting uphill driving, the control device can increase drive assistance from the electric machine described above. The control device can also regulate slip of the electric machine or take further measures to assist uphill driving.

[0011] The present method enables the detection of uphill driving in a simple and cost-effective manner without the use of inclination sensors. Thus, uphill driving can be detected easily and reliably if no inclination sensor is present or if the sensor is defective. The method can also serve as an additional, redundant method for detecting uphill driving if an inclination sensor is present. Thus, the present method allows uphill driving to be detected using torque and angle sensors already present in a vehicle. The method can thus be implemented particularly cost-effectively and without modifying existing vehicles.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the method, detecting the torque magnitude comprises detecting a torque curve. Furthermore, comparing the torque magnitude with the reference magnitude comprises comparing the torque curve with a reference curve. The torque curve and the reference curve can be a curve over time or over an angle of rotation. The curves can be continuous curves or discrete. If the curves are discrete, they are a series of multiple values ​​which together result in a curve. The reference curve can be a predetermined curve, which can be stored on a control device, for example the control device described above. The reference curve can also be a calculated curve which can have been calculated on the basis of a computer model. The reference curve can be a torque curve recorded while driving on level ground.By recording and comparing courses, it is possible to easily detect uphill driving based on a time or angle shift.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the method comprises detecting a rotation angle variable of the crank device. The rotation angle variable can be a rotation angle or a rotation angle profile. The rotation angle variable can also be a sine, cosine, and alternatively or additionally, another function of a rotation angle or rotation angle profile of the crank device. The rotation angle variable can be detected via a rotation angle sensor arranged on the crank device. The rotation angle variable can be detected over time. In this case, multiple measurements can be taken at a time interval, which detect an angular position and a time. The detection of a rotation angle variable can be controlled by a control device, for example the control device described above.By detecting a rotation angle value, the detected torque value can be assigned to a rotation angle, thus determining a rotation angle-dependent torque, for example, a rotation angle-dependent torque curve. Alternatively or additionally, the detected rotation angle value can be used as a reference value. For example, a sine wave of a time-dependent rotation angle curve of the crank mechanism is detected. Thus, the method for detecting uphill travel can be carried out simply and accurately.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the method, detecting the angle of rotation variable comprises detecting a rotation angle profile, and comparing comprises comparing the torque profile with the angle of rotation profile as a reference profile. The angle of rotation profile can be a profile of the angle of rotation of the crank device over time. The angle of rotation profile can be a sine, cosine, or another function of the angle of rotation of the crank device over time. The torque profile and the angle of rotation profile can be time-dependent, and comparing can comprise comparing with regard to a time shift between these profiles. Thus, detecting can comprise detecting uphill driving based on a time shift between the torque profile and the angle of rotation profile. Detecting can comprise detecting whether the torque profile is shifted by more than a predetermined time relative to the angle of rotation profile.This embodiment of the method enables detection of uphill driving in a particularly simple manner by detecting a time shift between a torque and a rotation angle value.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the method comprises determining a rotation angle-dependent torque curve based on the detected torque variable, for example, the detected torque curve, and the detected rotation angle variable, for example, the detected rotation angle curve. The torque curve can be a continuous or discrete curve. Torque values ​​are correlated with rotation angle values. Furthermore, the comparison can comprise comparing the rotation angle-dependent torque curve with a rotation angle-dependent reference torque curve. The reference torque curve can be a predetermined curve, which can, for example, be predetermined and stored in a memory.Multiple curves can also be stored, which can be selected depending on the pedaling frequency of the crank mechanism, the speed of the vehicle, or other conditions, and interpolation can take place between these curves. The curves can be angle-dependent, and the comparison can include a comparison with regard to an angular shift between these curves. The detection can include detecting uphill driving based on an angular shift between the angle-dependent torque curve and the angle-dependent reference torque curve. Thus, the detection can include detecting whether the torque curve is shifted by more than a predetermined angle relative to the reference torque curve.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the method comprises determining a rotation angle-dependent torque curve based on the detected torque variable and the detected rotation angle variable. Within the scope of this embodiment, it may additionally comprise determining an extremum of the rotation angle-dependent torque curve. Determining an extremum may comprise deriving the torque curve, for example, using a numerical method. An extremum of the rotation angle-dependent torque curve may be a point on the curve whose derivative with respect to the rotation angle is 0 and whose second derivative is not equal to 0. An extremum may be a maximum or a minimum. For example, an extremum may be a peak or trough of a sinusoidal curve. Determining the extremum may comprise determining the extremum as a function of a rotation angle.This makes it possible to determine at which angle of rotation position a maximum or minimum torque acts on the crank device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the reference variable comprises a reference angle range. The reference angle range can be the range spanned by a first reference angle to a second reference angle that is different therefrom. The reference angle range can be predetermined and stored, for example, on the control device described above. There can be multiple reference angle ranges. These can be selected depending on a cadence, a speed of the vehicle, or other conditions, with interpolation possible between them. The comparison within the scope of this embodiment can comprise comparing the determined angle of the extremum with the reference angle variable, for example, the reference angle range. Thus, comparing the angle of the extremum with the reference angle variable can comprise determining whether the determined angle coincides with the reference angle variable.For example, it can be determined whether the angle is greater than or equal to the above-described first angle of the reference angle range and less than or equal to the above-described second angle of the reference angle range. The comparison can also include determining whether the angle does not coincide with the reference angle range. In this embodiment, the detection can include detecting uphill driving based on a coincidence between the angle of the extreme value and the reference angle value.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the method comprises operating a drive device of the human-powered vehicle for at least temporary electrical assistance based on the detected uphill driving. Operation may include controlling or regulating an electric machine. The electric machine is designed to assist a driver in driving the vehicle. For example, the torque provided by the electric machine can be increased upon detection of uphill driving. This enables particularly easy and effortless uphill driving.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the method, the method can comprise detecting a rocking motion based on comparing a torque value with a reference value. Rocking motion is a pedaling movement of the rider where the rider is not sitting on a saddle or seat, but rather supports themselves exclusively on the handlebars and the crank mechanism. Rocking motion can be performed to introduce more power and thus a higher torque into the crank mechanism. This can be performed by a rider when riding uphill on a particularly steep incline. During a rocking motion, the approximately sinusoidal torque curve of the crank mechanism has a higher maximum torque. Detecting a rocking motion can comprise comparing a reference torque with a torque value. If the torque value is greater than the reference torque, rocking motion can be detected.A rocking motion can also be detected by another deviation, such as an angle or time shift. By detecting a rocking motion, measures can be initiated to support the rider. Assistance from the electric motor can be increased, or slippage can be regulated. Other measures can also be taken. For example, an electric motor can be set for a rocking motion, or a gear shift can be activated.

[0020] The present invention further relates to a control device for a human-powered vehicle. The control device is configured, i.e., specifically prepared, for example, programmed, to carry out the method according to one of the embodiments described above. The control device can be provided as part of the drive device or separately from it. The control device can have one or more interfaces. Thus, the control device can communicate with the various components of the drive device to carry out the method, for example, via a CAN bus. The control device can have one or more components, which can be provided at the same or different locations.

[0021] The present invention further relates to a drive device with a crank device for introducing a driver's muscle power into the drive device and an electric machine for temporarily electrically assisting the driver. Furthermore, the drive device comprises an output that is operatively connectable to a drive wheel of the muscle-powered vehicle and can be driven by both the crank device and the electric machine. The drive device further comprises a control device according to the embodiment described above for operating the electric machine. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a muscle-powered vehicle with such a drive device. The vehicle can further comprise an energy storage device, for example a battery, to supply the electric machine with energy.The human-powered vehicle may be configured as a bicycle and include brakes, a saddle, handlebars, a frame, a front and rear wheel, a chain, and other known bicycle components. For an understanding and understanding of the advantages of the individual features, reference is made to the above explanations in connection with the method of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a bicycle on an incline according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a method for detecting an uphill driving of the Fig. 1 illustrated bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows schematically a rotation angle dependent torque and a rotation angle dependent reference torque curve when performing the Fig. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a human-powered vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The human-powered vehicle 1 is a bicycle, more specifically a pedelec. The pedelec is shown on an incline 12, with a rider (not shown) riding it uphill over the incline 12. The Fig. The Pedelec shown in Figure 1 has a frame (not explained in detail) on which a front wheel 10 is mounted as a non-driven wheel and a rear wheel 3 as the drive wheel. The Pedelec also has elements (not explained in detail) that are typical of a bicycle. These include, for example, a saddle, a handlebar, a brake system, and other attachments, which, however, are not taken into account in the following explanation. The Pedelec has a drive device 2 that is mounted in the area of ​​the bottom bracket of the Pedelec's frame. To operate the drive device 2, an energy storage device 9 is provided on the frame, in the illustration on the down tube of the frame. This energy storage device is designed as a rechargeable battery. Furthermore, the Fig. The Pedelec shown in Figure 1 has a control device 8 which is also mounted on the frame.

[0023] The rear wheel 3, designed as a drive wheel, is coupled to the drive device 2 via a chain (not shown). The drive device 2 has a crank device 4, via which the driver can introduce muscle power into the drive device 2. The drive device 2 further has an electric machine (not shown), which is designed to assist the driver in driving the muscle-powered vehicle 1. The energy storage device 9 is connected to the electric machine and provides electrical energy for it. The control device 8 is also connected to the electric machine and is designed to control it. The control device 8 is designed to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 described method for detecting an uphill driving of the Fig. 1 shown muscle-powered vehicle 1.

[0024] When driving the in Fig. In the human-powered vehicle 1 shown in Figure 1, which is designed as a pedelec, the torque exerted by the rider on the crank mechanism 4 during one pedal revolution forms an approximately sinusoidal torque curve. This is the case both when riding uphill and when riding on flat ground. When riding uphill, however, a maximum force and thus a maximum torque are introduced into the crank mechanism 4 later in the course of a pedaling movement than is the case when riding on flat ground. Thus, the curve of the torque exerted by the rider on the crank mechanism 4 is shifted when riding uphill compared to the curve when riding on flat ground. This shift can be used to detect uphill riding. Fig. Figure 3 schematically shows a graph with two torque curves.

[0025] The horizontal axis represents a rotation angle of the crank mechanism 4, and the vertical axis represents a torque. The solid line represents a reference torque curve 14 during a full rotation of the crank mechanism 4 when driving on level ground. The dashed line represents a torque curve 16 during a full rotation of the crank mechanism 4 when driving uphill. The displacement described above is Fig. 3 by the angular displacement 18 between the two courses 14 and 16.

[0026] Fig. Figure 2 shows a flowchart of the method for detecting the uphill driving of the Fig. 1 shown muscle-powered vehicle 1, which is designed as a Pedelec. At the beginning of the Fig. 2, a detection step I is shown. Detection I comprises the two subordinate steps of detecting I.1 a torque value and detecting I.2 a rotation angle value. In the present embodiment, the torque value is a torque curve exerted by a driver on the crank device 4 during one complete crank revolution. In the present embodiment, the torque curve is detected via a torque sensor (not shown). In the present embodiment, the rotation angle value is a sine of the rotation angle curve during one complete revolution of the crank device 4. The rotation angle curve is detected via a rotation angle sensor (not shown). Fig. 2 the steps of three different embodiments of the method are shown below.

[0027] First, a first embodiment is described, which is represented by the left-hand strand of the flow diagram. Based on the curves recorded in steps I.1 and I.2, a rotation angle-dependent torque curve 16 is determined in a subsequent step II. This step is only carried out in embodiments of the method in which the detection IV.1 and IV.2 of uphill travel is carried out on the basis of an angle-dependent variable. A torque value is determined for each angular position during the complete crank revolution. The total of these torque values ​​across the rotation angle positions results in the rotation angle-dependent torque curve, which in Fig. 3 is shown with reference number 16.

[0028] In a subsequent step III.1, the torque value is compared with a reference value in this first embodiment. In the embodiment of the method shown in the left strand of the flow chart of the Fig. 2, the torque value is the angle-dependent torque curve 16 and the reference value is a angle-dependent reference torque curve 14. The reference torque curve 14 describes a rotation-angle-dependent torque curve on the crank device 4 during travel on a level surface and is stored on the control device 8. Both curves 14, 16 are in Fig. 3. In this embodiment, the reference torque curve 14 and the torque curve 16 are compared in step III.1 with regard to an angular displacement 18 between them, which is also shown in Fig. 3. In a further step IV.1, in this embodiment, uphill driving is detected on the basis of the comparison III.1, in this case on the basis of the existing angular displacement 18 between the curves 14 and 16. The control device 8 detects uphill driving when the Fig. 3 has a certain sign, for example a positive sign, and is greater than a predetermined limit value.

[0029] In the middle strand of the flow chart of the Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment. This embodiment corresponds to the first embodiment with the exception of the differences described below. In contrast to the first embodiment, the determining II has as a sub-step a determination II.1 of an extremum of the angle-dependent torque curve 16. The angular position of the extremum is determined. In this case, the reference variable is a reference angle variable with which the extremum may or may not coincide. In the present case, the reference angle variable is a range of angular positions. The reference angle range is designed such that an occurrence of the extremum within this range allows the conclusion to be drawn that driving uphill. In this embodiment, the comparing III.2 therefore comprises comparing the angle determined in step II.1 at the extremum with the reference angle range.More specifically, it is checked whether the angle falls within the reference angle range or not. Thus, in this embodiment, detection IV.2 of uphill driving occurs when the determined angular position of the extremum falls within this reference angle range.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the method, detecting uphill driving comprises detecting IV.3 based on a time shift. This embodiment corresponds to the first embodiment except for the differences described below. This embodiment corresponds to the right strand of the flowchart of Fig. 2. As can be seen from the flowchart, the first step of detection I corresponds to the previously described embodiments. Subsequently, in a comparison step III.3, a time-dependent torque curve is compared with a sine of the time-dependent angle of rotation curve. In comparison III.3, the two curves are compared for a time shift between them. The detection of uphill driving IV.3 is based on the time shift between the curves. When driving uphill, the sinusoidal time-dependent torque curve is arranged chronologically after the time-dependent sine of the angle of rotation curve.

[0031] As a final step, the method comprises a step of operating V the drive device 2 of the Fig.1 for at least temporary electrical assistance based on the uphill driving detected in step IV.1, IV.2, or IV.3. Operation V comprises operating the electric machine in the present embodiment such that the driver is assisted during uphill driving. Reference symbol 1 Muscle-powered vehicle 2 drive device 3 rear wheel 4 Crank device 8 Control device 9 Energy storage device 10 front wheel 12 slopes 14 Reference torque curve 16 Torque curve when driving uphill 18 Angular displacement I Capture Size I.1 Recording time-dependent torque curve I.2 Recording time-dependent angle of rotation II Determine angle-dependent torque curve II.1 Determine extremum torque curve III.1 Compare torque curve with reference torque curve III.2 Compare angle extremum with reference rotation angle range III.3 Compare torque curve with angle curve IV.1 Detecting uphill driving based on angular displacement IV.2 Detecting uphill driving based on extreme value IV.3 Detecting uphill driving based on time shift V Operating drive device

Claims

[1] Method for detecting (IV.1; IV.2; IV.3) an uphill driving of a muscle-powered vehicle (1), wherein the muscle-powered vehicle (1) has a crank device (4) for introducing a muscular force of a driver, comprising detecting (I.1) a torque value of the crank device (4), comparing (III.1; III.2; III.3) the torque value with a reference value and detecting (IV.1; IV.2; IV.3) an uphill driving based on the comparison (III.1; III.2; III.3), characterized by that the detection of the torque value comprises a detection (I.1) of a torque curve and the comparison of the torque value with the reference value comprises a comparison (III.1; III.2; III.3) of the torque curve with the reference value. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the method comprises detecting (I.2) a rotation angle value of the crank device (4). [3] Method according to claim 2, characterized bythat the detection of the angle of rotation size comprises detecting (I.2) a rotation angle curve, the comparison comprises comparing (III.3) the torque curve with the angle of rotation curve as a reference curve, and the detection comprises detecting (IV.3) the uphill driving on the basis of a time shift between the torque curve and the angle of rotation curve. [4] Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by in that the method comprises determining (II) a rotation angle-dependent torque curve (16) based on the detected torque variable and the detected rotation angle variable, the comparing comprises comparing (III.1) the rotation angle-dependent torque curve (16) with a rotation angle-dependent reference torque curve (14), and in that the detecting comprises detecting (IV.1) the uphill driving on the basis of an angular shift (18) between the rotation angle-dependent torque curve (16) and the rotation angle-dependent reference torque curve (14). [5] Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by in that the method comprises determining (II) a rotation angle-dependent torque curve (16) based on the detected torque variable and the detected rotation angle variable and determining (II.1) an extremum of the rotation angle-dependent torque curve (16), in that the comparison comprises comparing (III.2) the angle of the extremum with a reference angle variable, and in that the detection comprises detecting (IV.2) the uphill driving on the basis of a coincidence of the extremum with the reference angle variable. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the method comprises operating (V) a drive device (2) of the muscle-powered vehicle (1) for at least temporary electrical assistance based on the detected uphill driving (IV.1; IV.2; IV.3). [7] Control device (8) for a muscle-powered vehicle (1) which is arranged to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Drive device (2) for a muscle-powered vehicle (1) with a crank device (4) for introducing a driver's muscle power into the drive device (2), an electric machine for temporarily electrically assisting the driver, an output which can be operatively connected to a drive wheel (3) of the muscle-powered vehicle (1) and which can be driven both by the crank device (4) and the electric machine, and a control device (8) according to claim 7 for controlling the electric machine. [9] Muscle-powered vehicle (1) with a drive device (2) according to claim 8.

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