JP6355822B2 - Method and apparatus for generating gradient values - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating gradient values.

Prior art From the prior art, there are known methods for determining a plurality of gradient values, for example for a gradient value corresponding to the gradient of a flat ground below the bicycle. Furthermore, devices for processing the measured signals are known, in which the slope of the flat ground below the bicycle can be inferred based on an evaluation of the measured signals generated on the bicycle.

  Therefore, for example, in German Patent Application Publication No. 40111560 (DE 401 15560 A1), there is a device that detects and displays the height difference and the inclination of the vehicle traveled by the vehicle by a combination of an electronic odometer and a pendulum. It has been taken up.

German Patent Application No. 40111560

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating gradient values. Here, at least two pressure characteristic quantities and at least one acceleration characteristic quantity are detected independently of each other. Subsequently, a first gradient value is generated depending on the at least two pressure characteristic amounts, and a second gradient value is generated depending on the at least one acceleration characteristic amount. The slope value can be taken as a base value for further data processing. The apparatus comprises a processing unit for carrying out the method, wherein the processing unit converts the gradient characteristic quantity into a quotient value of two gradient values as a signal representing the first or second gradient value. Depending on output. At least two pressure characteristic quantities can be detected using an atmospheric pressure sensor. The at least one acceleration characteristic quantity can be detected using an acceleration sensor, preferably a MEMS sensor.

  The invention further relates to a bicycle, in particular an electric bicycle. The bicycle here is equipped with a device suitable for generating gradient values. This device is preferably suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention, in particular it is also the device according to the invention. The bicycle further comprises a system comprising a device according to the invention, the system comprising a setting device, which is configured to calculate at least one suspension parameter of a bicycle mechanical suspension with a calculated hardness. Change depending on the value.

  The core of the present invention is that the first or second gradient value is output depending on the quotient value of the two gradient values. In this case, in particular, when the quotient is larger than 1, the first gradient value is output as the output value, and when the quotient is smaller than 1, the second gradient value is output as the output value. .

  Alternatively, the first or second gradient value may be output depending on the difference between the two gradient values. Further alternatively, the first or second slope value may be output depending on the first and second slope values and a plurality of vehicle parameters. The vehicle parameter may be a bicycle speed and / or a driving path characteristic. Alternatively, the first or second gradient value may be output depending on the weighting function. In addition to the slope value, this weighting function takes into account further characteristic quantities such as information on the speed of the bicycle and the mechanical suspension.

  The background of the present invention is that an acceleration sensor can be used to determine a gradient value even in a stationary state of a bicycle without depending on speed. This is because the degree of inclination of the bicycle with respect to the direction of gravitational acceleration is measured. The background of this means by which the gradient at rest can be measured is that the acceleration sensor always measures the gravitational acceleration and the value of the gravitational acceleration is subtracted with further consideration. By using the vector direction of gravitational acceleration, the upper and lower spatial axes can also be determined by the acceleration sensor. When the position of the acceleration sensor changes due to, for example, rotation of the sensor, the inclination angle of the sensor is based on the change in measured acceleration by linking to the inclination of the spatial axis derived based on the gravitational acceleration with respect to the vector direction of the gravitational acceleration. Can be determined. The output gradient value can be used for drive control of the motor, and the motor in that case can be used in the mode of the electric bicycle. The greater the gradient, the greater the assistance by the electric bicycle motor. Further, the output gradient value may be used, for example, to determine the energy cost when driving a bicycle within the frame of the sports display. The background to this energy cost determination when driving a bicycle is that under larger gradients, the bicycle driver must provide more power to drive the bicycle. The greater the force that the driver must provide, the higher the driver's energy cost.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a signal representative of the stiffness value of the bicycle component mechanical suspension is output depending on the quotient of the two gradient values. Alternatively, this signal may be output depending on the difference between the two gradient values. This mechanical suspension may be a front axle suspension, a rear axle suspension or a saddle suspension.

  According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one suspension parameter of the mechanical suspension is set depending on a hardness value calculated based on the model. This suspension parameter may be the amount of attenuation of the mechanical suspension. In particular, a setting device is provided for setting the suspension parameters. The setting device here can be a motor, in particular an electric motor, or a device for changing the physical state of the liquid. For this change in physical state, for example, the pressure, temperature or viscosity of the liquid may be changed. The setting device is arranged, for example, on a bicycle front axle suspension and / or a rear axle suspension and / or on a bicycle saddle suspension.

  According to a further embodiment of the invention, a pressure sensor is arranged on the handle of the bicycle for the detection of at least two pressure characteristic quantities.

  According to a further embodiment of the invention, an acceleration sensor is arranged in the bicycle transmission unit and / or the bicycle motor for the detection of at least one acceleration characteristic quantity. In particular, the motor may be a central motor of an electric bicycle.

  Further embodiments of the invention are aspects of the dependent claims.

The schematic diagram of the relationship between the gradient characteristic amount calculated | required using the acceleration sensor, and the 2nd gradient characteristic amount calculated | required using the at least 2 pressure sensor. 1 is a schematic view of a bicycle according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method according to the present invention.

In the following, the present invention will be described in detail on the basis of a plurality of embodiments in which further features of the invention may be clarified. Some embodiments are shown in the drawings.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows the relationship between the sensor signal SG indicating the slope of the flat ground below the bicycle and the actual slope ST of the flat ground from the sensor information. Reference numeral 101 indicates the course of the gradient characteristic amount detected depending on the acceleration sensor. Reference numeral 102 indicates the course of the gradient characteristic amount detected depending on at least two pressure sensors. These gradient characteristic quantities are signals representing gradient values. The two gradient characteristic amounts almost coincide with the actual gradient up to a predetermined gradient value depending on the type of the acceleration sensor. From this (predetermined) gradient value, the gradient characteristic amount determined depending on the acceleration sensor exists above the actual gradient. Furthermore, the gradient characteristic amount determined depending on the pressure sensor corresponds to the actual gradient. Therefore, the difference between the gradient characteristic value courses 101 and 102 is caused in particular by the following. That is, the load distribution is shifted in the direction of the rear axle in a bicycle that is about to enter an uphill run. Thereby, in the travel mode depending on the acceleration sensor, a larger gradient than that depending on the pressure sensor is required. The reason for this is that the suspensions arranged on the front axle are pulled in different directions due to the increase in the load on the rear axle, which leads to the inclination of the bicycle with respect to the direction of the bicycle and the direction of gravity acceleration. . As a result, the acceleration sensor measures a greater gradient when the load on the rear axle is increased caused by running uphill. On the other hand, the pressure sensor measures only the pressure difference at at least two places, which is hardly influenced by the inclination of the bicycle. Therefore, gradient measurement using a pressure sensor rather corresponds to the actual gradient. During the normal running mode, the two gradient characteristic quantities can be compared with each other. The difference or quotient of the two gradient characteristic quantities can be recorded via the reference table. The large difference between the two obtained gradient characteristic quantities may indicate the following. That is, on the one hand there is a very soft setting for the bicycle suspension (because the suspensions are more likely to be pulled in different directions) or on the other hand there is a fully cushioned bicycle. It is. This is because the inclination of the bicycle is further strengthened by the excessively soft front axle suspension and rear axle suspension.

  Information about the overly soft mechanical suspension can be provided to the driver or used as information in the case of an automatically configurable mechanical suspension. In the case of an automatically configurable mechanical suspension, this information is available for setting the mechanical suspension. When the difference between the plurality of gradient characteristic amounts changes regularly, this may suggest the following. That is, it may indicate that different drivers used the same bicycle. This information can be stored, for example, and can be used for analysis at the time of maintenance. This is because, based on this information, the possible wear of the bicycle depending on the weight of the driver can be determined.

Furthermore, information on the mechanical suspension and analysis of the two gradient characteristic quantities under different driving conditions can be used to generate gradient values that can be used for motor display or drive control. Also good. In general, the following function is generally used:
α = f (α _baro , α _acc , v, k _Feder , p) (1)
Is established.

Where α is an output gradient, α _baro is a gradient calculated by an atmospheric pressure sensor, α _acc is a gradient represented by an acceleration sensor, v is a vehicle speed, and k _Feder Is the suspension stiffness and p is a road parameter such as further bicycle parameters and road characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, this function is as follows:
α = Aα _baro + B (α _acc + C) (2)
It can be written.

Here, A and B are weighting coefficients having a value of 1 in total. C indicates a correction term obtained by correcting a value of the acceleration sensor and obtaining in accordance with a reference table determined in advance. If it is determined that there is no difference between the multiple gradients determined by the barometric and acceleration sensors over the entire gradient region, the suspension is probably set to hard or possibly present. Absent. Thereby, during running, the value of the acceleration sensor is mainly available as a gradient reference used for closed loop control and display. Accordingly, A = 0 and B = 1 for the weighting coefficients A and B in the equation (2). Similarly, the same weighting is performed in the state of v = 0 km / h. This is because the value α _baro cannot be obtained.

  In another case, that is, when a difference always occurs between the acceleration sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor over the entire region, the value of the pressure sensor is exclusively used. This is because this value does not sufficiently depend on the characteristic amount of the suspension fork. Therefore, A = 1 and B = 0 for the weighting coefficients A and B in the equation (2).

  In a given case, depending on the situation, the barometric sensor or the acceleration sensor may output a reliable signal. For example, when driving on rough roads or when accelerating rapidly, the acceleration sensor may be damaged in some cases and the signal from the barometric sensor can be trusted. In other cases, for example, in a case where the slope is slight on a preferable flat road, the acceleration sensor normally supplies a signal having higher reliability than the atmospheric pressure sensor.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a first embodiment of the bicycle according to the invention. A bicycle is indicated by the symbol F. Reference sign DS indicates a pressure sensor. A reference symbol FG indicates a suspension fork. Reference numeral M indicates a motor. A drive unit is indicated by reference numeral AE. An acceleration sensor BS may be disposed in the drive unit AE. The symbol V indicates an apparatus for generating a gradient value. This device V includes a processing unit denoted by the reference VA. This processing unit VA is arranged, for example, on the handle of the bicycle F and is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows a device V for generating gradient values. This device V has a processing unit VA for carrying out the method according to the invention. The processing unit VA receives a signal obtained by the sensor method. These signals can be detected using the sensor BS and the sensor DS and can be transmitted to the processing unit VA. The sensor BS can be an acceleration sensor. The sensor DS can be a pressure sensor. The processing unit VA generates gradient characteristic quantities as signals, and these gradient characteristic quantities represent gradient values.

  The gradient characteristic amount can be output from the processing unit VA, can be transmitted to the display device A, and can be displayed there as a gradient value. For the generation of the control signal, a motor controller can be present inside or outside the processing unit VA. These control signals can be transmitted to the motor M. The motor M can be used for the operation of the electric bicycle, and in particular, the motor M can be used for the operation of the electric bicycle starting from a stationary state. Another generated control signal can be transmitted to the setting device E, and a setting control can be present inside or outside the processing unit VA for the generation of this other signal. This setting device E can be used for setting a bicycle mechanical suspension. The gradient value can also be transmitted to the memory device S and stored there. The gradient values stored in this memory device S can be used for analysis purposes.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the method according to the invention. This method starts automatically. In the detection step 1, at least two pressure characteristic amounts and at least one acceleration characteristic amount are detected. In the subsequent generation step 2, one gradient value is generated depending on at least two pressure characteristic quantities, and yet another gradient value is generated depending on at least one acceleration characteristic quantity. In a subsequent check step 3, it is checked which of the two gradient values is to be output. For this purpose, a quotient of the second gradient value for the first gradient value is formed. Depending on the value of this quotient, the output step 4 outputs or stores the first or second gradient value. This output is preferably performed on the display device A of the speedometer. In the end step 5, the method ends. This method can be repeated after the end step 5 .

Claims (9)

A method for generating a gradient value, comprising:
Detecting at least two pressure characteristic quantities using a pressure sensor (DS) and detecting at least one acceleration characteristic quantity using an acceleration sensor (BS);
Generating a first gradient value depending on the at least two pressure characteristic quantities, and generating a second gradient value depending on the at least one acceleration characteristic quantity;
In a method comprising:
Outputting the first or second gradient value depending on a quotient of the second gradient value with respect to the first gradient value or a difference value between the first gradient value and the second gradient value; A method comprising the steps of:   The calculated hardness value of the mechanical suspension (FG) is set to a quotient of the second gradient value with respect to the first gradient value or a difference value between the first gradient value and the second gradient value. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of depending on output. Each step of the method of claim 2;
Changing at least one suspension parameter of the mechanical suspension (FG) depending on the calculated hardness value;
A method for driving and controlling the setting device (E). A device (V) for generating a gradient value, comprising:
A pressure sensor (DS);
An acceleration sensor (BS);
A processing unit (VA);
With
The processing unit (VA)
Based on at least two pressure characteristic amounts detected using the pressure sensor (DS) and at least one acceleration characteristic amount detected using the acceleration sensor (BS), a first gradient value is obtained. Generating the second gradient value depending on the at least one pressure characteristic amount, and generating a second gradient value depending on the at least one acceleration characteristic amount;
In device (V):
The processing unit (VA) outputs a signal representing the first or second gradient value to a quotient of the second gradient value with respect to the first gradient value or the first gradient value and the second gradient value. A device (V) that outputs depending on a value of a difference from a gradient value.   The processing unit (VA) outputs a signal representing a hardness value of the mechanical suspension (FG) as a quotient of the second gradient value with respect to the first gradient value or the first gradient value and the second gradient value. The device (V) according to claim 4, wherein the output (V) depends on a value of a difference from the gradient value. A system comprising the apparatus according to claim 5 ,
The system includes a setting device (E),
The setting device (E) changes at least one suspension parameter of the mechanical suspension (FG) depending on the calculated hardness value.   Bicycle (F) comprising the device (V) according to claim 4 or 5.   Bicycle (F) according to claim 7, comprising the system according to claim 6.   The bicycle (F) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the bicycle (F) is an electric bicycle.

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