Bicycle Derailleur Automatic Shifting via Video Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Riders of bicycles with derailleur systems must manually shift gears, which can be distracting and prevents consistent gear shifting on familiar paths, as existing electronic systems do not enable automatic operation.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle derailleur system with a controller, camera, and memory device that captures video and collects chain shifting data to analyze and optimize gear shifts using image similarity comparison, allowing for automatic gear shifting on repeated paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual operation of derailleur assembly is used, then rider can control chain shifting, but rider attention is distracted and consistent shifting on familiar paths is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The derailleur system performs chain shifting automatically without rider intervention by using camera-based path recognition and machine learning algorithms to determine optimal shifting moments, enabling the system to serve itself based on stored historical data and real-time video analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical manual shifting system with an electronic control system that uses video capture, image processing, and automated control signals to operate the derailleur assembly, substituting mechanical rider input with electronic automation
2Extent of automation
If electronic shifting system is introduced, then chain shifting can be controlled, but rider still needs to manually operate it
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures and stores video footage and chain shifting data during previous rides on familiar paths before automatic operation is needed, preparing a database of path characteristics and optimal shifting patterns in advance for later automated comparison and execution
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously compares real-time video capture with stored historical video data from the same path, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze similarities, and adjusts chain shifting timing based on this feedback loop to achieve accurate automatic operation on familiar paths
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle derailleur system is applied to a bicycle and includes a controller, a camera, a derailleur assembly, and the memory device that are electrically connected to the controller. The camera records a real-time video of a road ahead. When the derailleur assembly is operated to shift, the derailleur assembly sends a chain shifting signal to drive the controller to process the video captured by the camera to obtain a section of video between a predetermined time before and after the chain shifting signal. The controller stores the section of the video along with information in the chain shifting signal to the memory device, to establish a basis for image similarity comparison. When the bicycle derailleur system is operated automatically, the image similarity comparison between real-time video recorded by the camera and the sections of the videos stored in the memory device is conducted to determine whether to shift.