A method and apparatus for detecting and varying indoor bicycle trainer pedaling resistance in varying manner to replicate the effects of increased system inertia. The effects of inertia are replicated by limiting acceleration/deceleration of the crank by application of increased/decreased unit resistance applied to pedaling. Thus, the decreased magnitude of acceleration events imitates the effects an increased system mass (inertia) perceived by the rider, enhancing "road feel", which is synonymous with the feeling of accelerating one's own inertia while cycling outdoors. This is accomplished through sensors used to detect or determine crank position with a high resolution, a method of providing and varying resistance, such as an eddy current resistance device using either electromagnets or permanent magnets and a microcontroller to calculate the required magnetic field strength and adjust the field strength or magnet position in the resistance unit to facilitate the change required as determined by the outlined algorithm.
G01P 3/00 - Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds
A63B 22/06 - Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with rotating cycling movement
A63B 71/06 - Indicating or scoring devices for games or players
G01P 3/36 - Devices characterised by the use of optical means, e.g. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light
A solar wireless collector beacon (data hub) and associated method stores source data, received wirelessly from a data source, in a data buffer of the data hub. Sensor data is read from one or more onboard sensors of the data hub and stored as structural and/or environmental data in the data buffer. The environmental data is processed to determine an operating status of a vehicle being used with the data hub and an energy harvester of the vehicle is controlled to harvest energy from the vehicle based on the operating status. One or more of the operating status, the source data, and the environmental data is wirelessly transmitted from the data hub to an external device.
A pumpjack monitor includes a processor and memory, a communicator for communicating with other monitors and a server, a sensor module having at least a strain gauge and accelerometers for determining vibration and position of the monitor. Other sensors may be internal, including sensors for polished rod rotation, or gas, or external and linked to the monitoring device wirelessly. Some embodiments serve as network hubs or bridges for other monitors. The server is configured to generate surface cards. A method for monitoring of pumpjacks uses the monitor to sense changes in pumpjack parameters, and communicate the changes to a server when changes exceed configurable thresholds. Some embodiments include determining location with GPS and/or relaying signals from other monitoring devices, smart power management, gas sensing, and relaying of signals from external wireless-equipped sensors such as valve position sensors, oil level sensors, and pressure sensors.
G01L 5/00 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
F04B 49/00 - Control of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups
G01C 9/00 - Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
G01L 3/00 - Measuring torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency, in general
H04W 4/38 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for collecting sensor information
F04B 47/02 - Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level
4.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TIME BASED REMOTE CONTROL OF PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY
Systems and methods provide remote control of product functionality and software kits allow firmware development of remote control of product functionality. The remote control may be time-based where the product functionality is based upon the expiration date and a current time. The remote control may be location-based where the product functionality is based upon the geographical location of the product. The remote control of the product functionality may be based upon proximity of the product to an authentication device.
A "sticker" location device includes a PCB with a processor and memory, a communicator for communicating with other location devices and a server, one or more sensors for determining an environment of the location device, and a power module. Some embodiments include GPS receivers and may serve as digital radio network hubs or bridges for other location devices. A method for tracking the location of assets uses these location devices attached to assets to sense an environment of the assets by comparing sensed environment to previously sensed environment, and communicating the changes in the environment from the location device to a server when the changes exceed a configurable threshold. Some embodiments include determining location with GPS and/or relaying signals from other location devices, and smart power management using low power digital radio modes unless sufficient energy is available for high power modes.
G01D 21/00 - Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
G01B 21/32 - Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant for measuring the deformation in a solid
A crank power measurement system measures one or more of force, torque, power, and velocity of the crank, and includes a crank, two or more strain gauges located on a surface of the crank, and electronics for receiving strain data from the two or more strain gauges and determining at least one or more of bend-strain, shear-strain, and axial strain. A bicycle crank mounted power generator generates power when the bicycle is being ridden by a user, and includes a base ring, with a plurality of magnets, attached to a frame of the bicycle and circling a bottom bracket attached to a crank, a coil system attached to the crank adjacent to the plurality of magnets to generate an output at leads of the coil, and electronics configured to manipulate the output to power an electronic device and/or store the output in a power supply.
G01L 5/22 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers
G01L 3/24 - Devices for determining the value of power, e.g. by measuring and simultaneously multiplying the values of torque and revolutions per unit of time, by multiplying the values of tractive or propulsive force and velocity
A61B 5/22 - Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow
G01L 1/04 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs
B62J 6/06 - Arrangement of lighting dynamos or drives therefor
A wireless sensor pod and associated method use a trigger event to pair with a master device. The wireless sensor pod includes an inertial sensor for detecting physical movement of the wireless sensor pod, a wireless transceiver, a processor communicatively coupled to the inertial sensor and the wireless transceiver, and a memory communicatively coupled with the processor and storing machine readable instructions. When the machine readable instructions are executed by the processor, they are capable of: detecting, using the inertial sensor, a first trigger event caused by the physical movement, and when the first trigger event is detected, transmitting, using the wireless transceiver, a communication to pair the wireless sensor pod with a master device.
An adhesively coupled power-meter measures one or more of force, torque, power, and velocity of a mechanical arm. The power meter includes a plate with a first surface prepared for adhesively coupling to the mechanical arm. At least one strain gauge is physically coupled with a second surface, opposite the first, of the plate and with an orientation corresponding to an orientation of the adhesively coupled power meter such that mechanical forces are transferred from mechanical arm to the at least one strain gauge when the plate is adhesively coupled to the mechanical arm. The power meter also includes electronics for receiving a signal from the at least one strain gauge and for determining one or more of force, torque, power and velocity from the signal, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting one or more of force, torque, power and velocity to a receiving device.
G01B 21/32 - Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant for measuring the deformation in a solid
G01L 5/00 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
G01P 5/00 - Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft
9.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BIOMETRIC SENSING WITH SENSOR FUSION
A system and method implement biometric sensing with sensor fusion. A first sensor is coupled with a user and is capable of sensing a first characteristic of the user. A second sensor is coupled with the user and is capable of sensing a second characteristic of the user. A memory stores software with machine readable instructions that when executed by a processor implement an algorithm to correct for motion artifacts included within the second characteristic based upon activity of the user determined from the first characteristic.
A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons
A61B 5/02 - Measuring pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
A61B 5/0205 - Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
A system and a method determine an activity of a user. Sensor data is collected from a sensor within a pod worn by the user. The sensor data is matched to a signature definition corresponding to a known activity and the sensor. When the sensor data matches the signature definition, the activity of the user is determined. Sensed data, signature data, and/or matched signature data may be communicated to and from external devices. Signatures may be learned for known activities.
A head-mounted peripheral vision display and associated methods display information to a user without distraction. A plurality of light display elements are positioned within an area of peripheral vision of at least one eye of the user such that the information is imparted to the user without a need for repositioning or refocusing of the eye. The information may be determined from data received from one or more sensors and an illumination pattern is determined based upon the performance information. The light display elements are controlled to display the illumination pattern to the user.
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