Interface for electric assist bicycle

Abstract

This invention relates to an interface for an electric-assisted bicycle. The electric bicycle interface is a hybrid wired / wireless electric bicycle control system that integrates a wireless bicycle component into the operation of an electric bicycle. The electric bicycle interface provides a frame-mounted control and display that connects to, for example, an auxiliary motor and a battery, and provides a wireless communication bridge between the wireless bicycle component and a corresponding wireless control located on a handlebar.

Claims

1. An interface for an electric-assisted bicycle, comprising: a cover for attachment to the top tube of a bicycle; a processor supported by the cover; a first button and a second button communicating with the processor and supported by the cover; and a display on the cover configured to indicate a power level of a battery of the bicycle, wherein the processor is configured to control an electric bicycle motor of the bicycle.

2. The interface as described in Request 1, wherein the first button is configured to generate a first control signal based on a first user input, and the second button is configured to generate a second control signal based on a second user input.

3. The interface as described in request item 2 further includes a wired communication interface for communicating with the processor.

4. The interface as described in claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to control the electric bicycle motor of the bicycle via the wired communication interface based on the first control signal.

5. The interface as requested in item 4, wherein the first user input and the second user input respectively include pressing and releasing the first button and the second button.

6. The interface as requested in item 5, wherein the first user input and the second user input respectively include pressing the first button and the second button for one second.

7. As in request item 6, a third user input includes pressing at least one of the first button and the second button for a defined period of time different from the first user input and the second user input.

8. The interface of request item 7, wherein the third user input is to press at least one of the first button and the second button for at least five seconds, which generates a third signal.

9. As in request item 8, the third signal executes a pairing procedure.

10. The interface as described in claim 4, further comprising a wireless communication interface for communicating with the processor.

11. The interface of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive a fourth control signal via the wireless communication interface and control the electric bicycle motor of the bicycle via the wired communication interface based on the received fourth control signal.

12. The interface of claim 11, wherein the fourth control signal is generated by a control device attached to a plurality of handlebars of the bicycle.

13. The interface of claim 1, further comprising an ambient light sensor configured to determine an ambient light quantity in an environment in which the interface is disposed, wherein the processor is configured to change a brightness of the display based on the determined ambient light quantity in the environment.

14. The interface of request item 1, wherein the first button is a power button for the electric bicycle motor and the second button is a mode button.

15. The interface as requested in Request 1, wherein the display is divided into at least two groups.

Images