Wireless Bicycle Derailleur Wake Detection for Low-Power Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless electronic derailleurs on bicycles face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption, as their communication devices must remain in an active state to receive gearshift requests, leading to high energy usage when not in use, and existing solutions do not effectively differentiate between temporary and prolonged stops.
Innovation Solution
A wireless electronic derailleur design that includes a movement detector with a magnet and magnetic field sensor, housed in a separate casing and connected to the wireless communication device via a cable, allowing the derailleur to emit a wake signal and maintain the communication device in an active state only when the bicycle is in use, thus conserving energy by entering standby mode during prolonged stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless communication device remains in active state to receive gearshift requests, then the derailleur can respond to gearshift commands, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication device dynamically switches between active and standby states based on bicycle movement detection. When the bicycle is detected to be moving, the communication device activates to receive gearshift requests. When the bicycle is stationary, the communication device enters standby mode to conserve energy, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining responsiveness and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a movement detector that provides feedback about bicycle motion status to the wireless communication device. This feedback mechanism enables the communication device to adjust its operational state (active or standby) based on actual usage conditions, optimizing the balance between reliability and energy consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the communication device enters standby mode during stops, then energy consumption decreases, but the ability to distinguish between temporary and prolonged stops is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The movement detector continuously monitors bicycle motion and maintains detection capability even when the communication device is in standby mode. This preliminary detection action allows the system to distinguish between temporary and prolonged stops by tracking movement patterns over time, preventing information loss while enabling energy-saving standby operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement detector acts as an intermediary between the bicycle's actual motion state and the wireless communication device. It continues to gather information about stop duration and movement patterns, then provides this information to determine when to activate the communication device, thus maintaining information awareness while allowing the main device to conserve energy.
3Ease of repair
If the movement detector is housed in a separate casing, then maintenance and replacement become easier, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The derailleur system is segmented into distinct functional modules housed in separate casings: the wireless communication device in a first casing and the movement detector in a second casing. This segmentation allows the movement detector to be independently accessed, maintained, and replaced without affecting the communication device, thus improving ease of repair while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement detector is extracted from the main communication device housing and placed in a separate second casing. This extraction enables independent maintenance and replacement of the detector component, simplifying repair procedures. The complexity increase is offset by the modular architecture that allows each component to be serviced independently.
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
This solution ensures the wireless communication device remains active only during bicycle use, optimizing energy consumption by distinguishing between temporary and prolonged stops, thereby prolonging battery life and reducing unnecessary power usage.
Implementation Method 1
a movement detector with a magnet and magnetic field sensor
Implementation Method 2
The movement detector comprises a magnet and a magnetic field sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A bicycle wireless electronic derailleur (200, 300), comprising a support body (202, 302), a movable body (204, 304), comprising a chain guide (204, 306), actuation means (208, 308) configured to move the movable body (204, 304) with respect to the support body (202, 302), comprising an electric motor (210, 310), a controller (240) of the electric motor (210, 310), a wireless communication device (242), part of or in communication with the controller (240), configured to receive gearshifting request signals from a wireless transmitter (252) and housed in a first casing (202, 208, 302, 413, 513), and a bicycle movement detector (10) configured to emit a wake signal (244) for the wireless communication device (242). The movement detector (10) is at least partially housed in at least one second casing (22, 22A) different from the first casing (202, 208, 302), and is in communication through at least one cable (320, 320A) with the wireless communication device (242).