Adjustable Seat Post Control Using Acceleration-Based Movement Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing human-powered vehicles require manual adjustment of the adjustable seat post by riders, which is inefficient and dependent on human judgment for determining the appropriate height changes based on road conditions.
Innovation Solution
A processing device and method that utilizes an acceleration sensor, valve controller, and processor to automatically determine the raising or lowering of the adjustable seat post by analyzing acceleration information, including maximum and minimum acceleration values, velocities, and displacements to identify the vehicle's movement direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of the adjustable seat post is used, then the rider can adjust the seat height based on road conditions, but the process requires human judgment and manual operation which reduces efficiency and productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by using the acceleration sensor to automatically detect road conditions and trigger seat post adjustment without requiring the rider to manually judge or operate the adjustment mechanism. The vehicle adjusts itself based on detected conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical adjustment system with an automated control system that uses acceleration sensors, processors, and valve controllers to detect road conditions and automatically adjust the seat post height, eliminating the need for manual operation.
2Productivity
If automated detection and adjustment is implemented, then adjustment efficiency and productivity are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor serves multiple functions: it detects road conditions, determines whether the vehicle is on an uphill or downhill section, and provides data for automated seat post adjustment decisions, making a single component perform multiple detection tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary that receives acceleration data from the sensor, processes the information to determine road conditions, and generates control signals for the valve controller, simplifying the overall control architecture through a centralized decision-making unit.
3Measurement precision
If the acceleration sensor continuously monitors and processes data, then accurate automatic adjustment is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic sampling of acceleration data at detection time sequences rather than continuous monitoring, processing data only at intervals when the seat post valve is opened or closed, which reduces computational load and energy consumption while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor pre-calculates acceleration differences and compares them against stored thresholds before triggering adjustment actions, performing preliminary data processing to minimize the computational resources needed during actual adjustment decisions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Automatically adjusts the seat post height based on detected movement, reducing the need for human intervention and minimizing computational resources while improving accuracy and efficiency in adapting to varying road conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an acceleration sensor, configured for detecting acceleration information of the seat
Data Source
AI summary
A processing device for vehicles is disclosed, which includes an acceleration sensor and a processor. The processor executes following steps: receiving acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor in a time sequence; obtaining a maximum acceleration value, a minimum acceleration value, a first time of the maximum acceleration value being detected, and a second time of the minimum acceleration value being detected from the acceleration information; calculating a first acceleration difference between the maximum acceleration value and a gravitational acceleration value and a second acceleration difference between the minimum acceleration value and the gravitational acceleration value; and generating movement information based on the first acceleration difference and the second acceleration difference, where the movement information indicates either a seat of the vehicle is moved upward or the seat of the vehicle is moved downward.