Method for monitoring a transmission of an electric bicycle, control unit, transmission analysis method and server device

Description

State of the art

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a transmission of a drive unit of an electric bicycle, and to a control unit for the vehicle for implementing the method. The invention also relates to a transmission analysis method and a server device for implementing the transmission analysis method.

[0002] Sending data from a vehicle control unit to a server device is known. For example, a bicycle computer can send a cyclist's coordinate profile and heart rate profile for a traveled route to a server device. Furthermore, route coordinates of a route can be sent from the server device to the vehicle control unit and received by the server device. DE 10 2005 048 533 A1 describes a method for monitoring a vehicle transmission. US 2016 / 321845 A1 describes a method for fault diagnosis of an electric two-wheeler. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a transmission of a drive unit of an electric bicycle according to claim 1, as well as a corresponding control device according to claim 4 and a corresponding transmission analysis method according to claim 6 and a corresponding server device according to claim 9. Advantageous embodiments are defined by the dependent claims.

[0004] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures. Figure 1 : Electric bicycle with sensors and control unit as well as driver Figure 2 : Connections between electric bike, smartphone and server device Figure 3 : Display device Figure 4 : Method for monitoring a transmission of a vehicle Figure 5 : Control unit for monitoring a vehicle's transmission Figure 6 : Flowchart of a gear analysis procedure for a server device Figure 7: Speed ​​diagram for a gearbox with a single tooth defect Figure 8 : Speed ​​diagram for a gearbox with several defective teeth. Examples of implementation

[0005] In Figure 1An electric bicycle 100 parked by means of a bicycle stand 101 is depicted as vehicle 100, and a rider 160 of the electric bicycle 100 standing next to it with a smartphone 150 as a mobile electronic device 150. The electric bicycle 100 has a drive unit 102. The drive unit 102 comprises a crankshaft 130, which is connected to two pedals 131 for transmitting the pedaling force of the rider 160 to the crankshaft 130 or a rear wheel of the electric vehicle 100. Furthermore, the drive unit 102 has an electric motor 120 as the drive motor. During operation of the electric bicycle 100, the electric motor 120 serves to assist the pedaling force of the rider 160. The electric motor 100 is controlled by a control unit 110, which is arranged on the electric bicycle 100. The control is carried out, for example, depending on a driver torque detected by a torque sensor.The rider torque is detected, for example, on a shaft of the drive unit 102 and results from the pedal force exerted by the rider 160 on the pedals 131. Furthermore, a speed sensor 141, which detects a speed of a shaft of the drive unit 102, and / or a vibration sensor 510, which detects a vibration of the drive unit 102 or the electric bicycle 100, can be provided in the drive unit 102. For example, the speed sensor 141 detects the speed of the rotor shaft of the electric motor 120 or the speed of the crankshaft 130 or a speed of a gear of a transmission 121 in the drive unit 102, wherein the transmission 121 is arranged, for example, between the crankshaft 130 and the electric motor 120. In this example, the motor torque and the rider torque are summed by means of the transmission 121 and transmitted to the rear wheel of the electric bicycle 100 via a chain or a toothed belt.The control unit 110 has a display device 112 and a transmitting and receiving unit 111. The transmitting and receiving unit 111 is configured to communicate or exchange data with a server device 200 and / or with the smartphone 150, in particular via a Bluetooth connection, using a mobile radio connection and / or a WLAN connection. The smartphone 150 has a display device 151.

[0006] In Figure 2The control unit 110 of the electric bicycle 100, a smartphone 150, and a server device 200 are shown as a block diagram. It can be provided that the control unit 110 is connected to the server device 200 via a mobile radio connection 201, i.e., exchanges data. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the control unit 110 is configured to be connected to a router 210 and the server device 200 via a WLAN connection 202, or to exchange data. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the control unit 110 is configured to exchange data with the smartphone 150, for example, via a Bluetooth connection 203. The smartphone 150 is configured to exchange data with the server device 200 via a mobile radio connection 204 or a WLAN connection 204.

[0007] In Figure 3the display device 112 of the control unit 110 or the display device 151 of the smartphone 150 is shown. By means of the display device 112 and / or 151, a transmission condition assessment representing a condition of the transmission 121 of the drive unit 102 is displayed to the rider 160 of the electric bicycle 100 in an area 301. The transmission condition assessment is displayed, for example, as a number or graphically or in color. For example, a red transmission symbol indicates to the rider 160 that the transmission 121 is in a worn condition. Furthermore, it can be provided that the rider 160 is additionally shown a predicted remaining service life of the transmission 121 in an area 302; for example, a remaining service life in a range of less than 1000 km or 500 operating hours is displayed to the rider.Preferably, further service data is displayed to the driver 160 in an area 303, for example, the driver 160 is shown a name and address of a bicycle dealer near the current location with a repair shop for repairing the transmission 121.

[0008] In Figure 4A sequence of the method for monitoring the drive unit 102 of the electric bicycle 100 is shown as a block diagram. The method is carried out by the control unit 110 or the mobile electronic device 150 or the smartphone 150. In a first step 410, at least one operating variable of a shaft of the drive unit 102 is recorded at at least two points in time. For example, the speed of the transmission 121 of the drive unit 102 is recorded by means of a speed sensor 141 and / or the speed of a rotor of the electric motor 120 of the drive unit 102 is recorded by means of a motor sensor system 141 for determining the rotor position. The recording 410 of the operating variable of the shaft of the drive unit 102 takes place at at least two points in time by means of the control unit or the smartphone 150. According to the invention, it is provided that in a step 412 at least one driving dynamics variable of the vehicle is recorded at at least two points in time.The driving dynamics variable is, for example, an acceleration of the vehicle and / or a speed of the vehicle. Subsequently, in a further step 420, the recorded operating variable profile is sent to the server device 200. According to the invention, in a further step 421, a driving dynamics variable profile is sent to the server device 200. Subsequently, the transmission condition assessment is received by the server device 200 as a function of the transmitted operating variable profile. According to the invention, the transmission condition assessment is additionally received by the server device 200 as a function of the transmitted driving dynamics variable profile.

[0009] The transmission condition rating is, for example, a number representing the condition of the transmission 121 of the electric bicycle 100. For example, the transmission condition rating is a number between 1 and 100, where 100 represents a new transmission. The transmission condition rating is optionally displayed to the rider 160 in step 470, wherein the display 470 can advantageously be graphical.

[0010] It may be provided that, in a step 440, a predicted remaining service life of the transmission 121 is additionally determined depending on the received transmission condition assessment. For example, the determination 440 is performed by assignment, i.e., a remaining service life is assigned to each transmission condition assessment. Alternatively, the predicted remaining service life can be received from the server device 200 in a step 450. The predicted remaining service life is displayed to the driver in optional step 480.

[0011] In a further optional step 458, location coordinates of the vehicle 100 can be acquired, and in an optional step 459, the location coordinates can be sent to the server device 200. Furthermore, in the optional step 460, service data can be received from the server device 200 depending on the sent location coordinates and the sent operating variable profile and / or the sent driving dynamics variable profile. The service data is displayed to the driver in the optional step 490.

[0012] Furthermore, in an optional step 431, receiving control parameters from the server device 200 as a function of the transmitted operating variable profile can be provided. The control parameters are configured to at least temporarily limit a generated torque and / or a generated rotational speed of the drive motor 120 or the electric motor 120.

[0013] Subsequently, an optional control 499 of the electric motor 120 takes place depending on the received control parameters (not in Figure 4 shown).

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, an automatic gear shift can be controlled depending on the received control parameters (not in Figure 4 shown).

[0015] In Figure 5The control unit 110 or a mobile electronic device 150, in particular a smartphone, for monitoring the transmission 121 of the drive unit 102 is shown schematically as a block diagram. The control unit 110 or the smartphone 150 has a computing unit 501 and detects at least one operating variable of a shaft of the drive unit 102 at at least two points in time. The detected operating variable is detected by means of a sensor 141 and / or 142, wherein the operating variable is, for example, a rotational speed, a torque, an angle of rotation of the shaft and / or a vibration variable of the drive unit 102. According to the invention, it is provided that the control unit 110, 150 detects at least one driving dynamics variable of the electric bicycle 100 at at least two points in time.The driving dynamics variable is, for example, an acceleration and / or a speed of the electric bicycle 100 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the electric bicycle 100, wherein the driving dynamics variable is preferably detected by a sensor 510. The sensor 510 is arranged on the electric bicycle 100 and is, for example, a speed sensor, in particular a reed sensor, and / or an acceleration sensor 510, in particular a MEMS acceleration sensor, which is arranged in the control unit 110, 150. Furthermore, the control unit 110, 150 can optionally detect location coordinates using a location sensor. The control unit 110 or the smartphone 150 stores the detected operating variable and the driving dynamics variable and / or the location coordinates, for example, in a memory 502 of the control unit 110 or the smartphone 150.For example, the operating variable history of the recorded operating variable over the last 5 minutes can be stored in memory 502, with the operating variable being recorded once per second. The operating variable history is then sent to a server device 200. The server device 200 determines the transmission condition assessment using a transmission analysis method. Optionally, the server device 200 determines, for example, the predicted remaining service life and / or the service data. The control unit 110 or the smartphone 150 receives the transmission condition assessment and optionally the predicted remaining service life and / or the service data.The control unit 110, 150 then optionally generates a display signal which is configured to display the transmission condition assessment, the predicted remaining service life and / or the service data to the driver 160 by means of a display device 112 of the control unit 110 or by means of a display device 151 of the smartphone 150.

[0016] According to the invention, it is provided that the control unit 110, 150 receives the control parameters depending on the transmitted operating variable profile or the control parameters depending on the received

[0017] Transmission condition assessment is determined. The control unit 110, 150 can then control the drive motor 120 depending on the control parameters. For example, the control parameters limit the maximum torque of the electric motor 120 to reduce wear on the transmission 121.

[0018] In Figure 6An exemplary embodiment of the sequence of a transmission analysis method according to the invention is shown as a block diagram. The transmission analysis method is carried out by means of the server device 200. In a first step 610 of the transmission analysis method, at least one operating variable profile of a shaft of the drive unit 102 of the electric bicycle 100 is received. In addition, the reception 611 of a driving dynamics variable profile of the vehicle 100 can be provided. Subsequently, a determination 620 of the transmission state evaluation takes place as a function of the at least one received operating variable profile. According to the invention, a determination 620 of the transmission state evaluation is provided as a function of several operating variable profiles, and a determination 620 of the transmission state evaluation is additionally provided as a function of at least one driving dynamics variable profile.For example, the transmission condition assessment is determined as a function of a speed curve of a rotor shaft of the electric motor 120 and as a function of the speed of the vehicle 100, see also the . Figure 7 and 8 The transmission condition assessment can preferably be determined 620 by means of a neural network through computer-based recognition as a function of the at least one operating variable profile, wherein a probability is assigned to the recognition of a transmission condition assessment. For this purpose, the neural network is trained with a plurality of operating variable profiles assigned to transmission condition assessments, whereby the weights in the neural network are adjusted. Then, in a further step 630, the determined transmission condition assessment is sent to the control unit 110 of the vehicle 100 and / or to the mobile electronic device 150, in particular the smartphone.

[0019] The transmission analysis method can optionally include receiving 612 location coordinates of the vehicle 100 and determining 640 service data depending on the received operating variable profile and the received driving dynamics variable profile and / or the received location coordinates of the vehicle 100. The determined service data are sent in the optional step 650 to the control unit 110 of the electric bicycle 100 or to the mobile electronic device 150.

[0020] Furthermore, the determination 660 of a predicted remaining service life of the transmission 121 as a function of the received operating variable profile and / or the received driving dynamics variable profile and a transmission 670 of the determined remaining service life of the transmission 121 to the control unit 110, 150 can be provided.

[0021] In Figure 7a diagram of the curve of an engine speed n as a function of time t is shown. The engine speed curve shows an increased speed 701 or a reduced speed 702 at periodic intervals or, after the expiration of fixed time periods, regularly strong deviations from the mean value of the engine speed n. The increased speed 701 represents damage to a specific tooth or a single tooth defect of the gear 121 or a first gear stage and / or a second gear stage of the gear 121. For example, the frequency of the increased speed 701 is a multiple of the gear ratio. At the same time as the increased speed 701 or the reduced speed 702, the engine torque M fluctuates, whereby the damaged tooth is subjected to further increased load. Consequently, there is increasing gear wear of the first gear stage and / or the second gear stage of the gear 121.If the damaged tooth breaks, this can lead to transmission damage. The determination 620 of a single-tooth defect can therefore be carried out by the server device 200, for example, depending on the determined motor speed n being exceeded, a threshold value. For example, the server device 200 determines the threshold value for determining 620 the transmission condition assessment of an impending transmission failure in 100 km, depending on a plurality of operating parameter profiles of a plurality of electric bicycles 100 assigned to the transmission condition assessments.

[0022] In Figure 8Another diagram of a different curve of an engine speed n as a function of time t is shown, with several single tooth defects 801, 802, 803 and 804 present. The transmission condition assessment can be determined alternatively or additionally depending on a comparison between engine speed curves by computer-based recognition using a neural network, compare for example Figure 7 and Figure 8 . The determination 620 can also be carried out as a function of a variance or a fluctuation in the rotational speed of the rotor shaft of the electric motor 120 at a constant speed.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring a transmission (121) of a drive unit (102) with a drive motor (120) of an electric bicycle (100), comprising the following method steps • detecting (410) at least one operating variable of a shaft in the drive unit (102) at at least two points in time by means of at least one sensor (141, 142), wherein the detected operating variable is a rotation speed, a torque, a rotation angle of the shaft and / or a vibration variable of the drive unit (102), and detecting (412) at least one driving dynamics variable of the electric bicycle (100) at at least two points in time, wherein the driving dynamics variable is an acceleration and / or a speed of the electric bicycle (100) in the longitudinal direction of the electric bicycle (100); • transmitting (420) the detected operating variable profile to a server device (200), and transmitting (421) the at least one driving dynamics variable profile to the server device (200), and • receiving (430) a transmission state assessment from the server device (200) depending on the transmitted operating variable profile and the transmitted driving dynamics variable profile, wherein the transmission state assessment represents the current state of the transmission (121) of the electric bicycle (100).

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the following steps are additionally carried out • detecting (458) location coordinates of the electric bicycle (100), • transmitting (459) the location coordinates to the server device (200), and • receiving (460) service data from the server device (200) depending on the transmitted location coordinates and the transmitted operating variable profile and / or the transmitted driving dynamics variable profile.

3. Method according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the following steps are carried out • receiving (431) control parameters from the server device (200) depending on the transmitted operating variable profile for controlling the drive motor (120), wherein the control parameters are configured to at least temporarily limit a generated torque and / or a generated rotation speed of the drive motor (120), and • controlling (499) the drive motor (120) depending on the received control parameters.

4. Controller (110, 150), configured to carry out a method according to any of Claims 1 to 3.

5. Electric bicycle (100) having a controller (110) according to Claim 4 for monitoring a transmission (121) of a drive unit (102) with a drive motor (120) of the vehicle (100).

6. Transmission analysis method for a server device (200), comprising the following steps • receiving (610) at least one operating variable profile of a shaft in a drive unit (102) with a transmission (121) and a drive motor (120) of an electric bicycle (100), wherein the operating variable is a rotation speed, a torque, a rotation angle of the shaft and / or a vibration variable of the drive unit (102), • ascertaining (620) a transmission state assessment depending on the received operating variable profile and a plurality of operating variable profiles of a plurality of other electric bicycles (100) having the same transmission (121), wherein the transmission state assessment represents the current state of the transmission (121) of the electric bicycle (100), wherein the transmission state assessment is ascertained (620) by computer-based identification by means of a neural network, wherein the neural network on the server device (200) is trained with the plurality of operating variable profiles associated with transmission state assessments of a plurality of vehicles (100) having the same transmission (121), and • transmitting (630) the transmission state assessment to a controller (110) of the electric bicycle (100) and / or to a mobile electronics device (150), and • receiving (611) at least one driving dynamics variable profile of the electric bicycle (100), wherein the driving dynamics variable profile is a temporal profile of a detected acceleration of the electric bicycle (100) and / or a detected speed of the electric bicycle (100) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (100), and • ascertaining (620) the transmission state assessment additionally depending on the received driving dynamics variable profile of the electric bicycle (100) and a plurality of driving dynamics variable profiles of a plurality of other electric bicycles (100) having the same transmission (121).

7. Transmission analysis method according to Claim 6, characterized in that the transmission state assessment is ascertained (620) by the computer-based identification additionally depending on the age of the transmission (121) of the electric bicycle (100).

8. Transmission analysis method according to either of Claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps • receiving (612) location coordinates of the electric bicycle (100), • ascertaining (640) service data depending on the received location coordinates and / or the received operating variable profile and / or the received driving dynamics variable profile, and • transmitting (650) the ascertained service data to the controller (110) of the electric bicycle (100) and / or to the mobile electronics device (150).

9. Server device (200), wherein the server device (200) is configured to carry out a transmission analysis method according to any of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the server device (200) • transmits the transmission state assessment to a controller (110) of the electric bicycle (100) and / or to a mobile electronics device (150).