Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter relates to saddle type vehicles. More specifically, the present subject matter relates to a warning or alert system in a saddle type vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A saddle type vehicle is a popular mode of personal transport. It consists of a frame structure, a prime mover, a plurality of body panels, a front wheel and a rear wheel. Generally, the rear wheel is the driven wheel. The prime mover drives the rear wheel via a transmission assembly, and the power to the rear wheel is delivered through one of a chain drive, a belt drive or a shaft drive. The prime mover can be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine or a combination thereof. The prime mover may be mounted on a swingarm for the rear wheel, or supported by the frame in a straddling position. Given that the vehicle has only two wheels, it does not have any inherent stability while it is stationary. While the vehicle is moving, the vehicle can stay upright due to a combination of the teachings of the laws of motion. A saddle type vehicle therefore requires a stand of some sort to be held upright while stationary or in a rest state.
[0003] Generally, a two-wheeler vehicle may be fitted with a side stand or a centre stand or both. Stands are usually mounted on the frame of the vehicle, to provide the best support that is possible to the vehicle while stationary. The stands are usually disposed at a location closer to the centre of gravity and the centre of mass of the vehicle. Since the prime mover typically is the heaviest part of the vehicle, the mounting point of the stands are generally near the mounting of the prime mover. A two-wheeler vehicle is stood upright when a centre stand is engaged, while the side stand on the other hand is configured such that when it is engaged, the vehicle leans on the side at which the stand is disposed.
[0004] However, in two-wheeler vehicles a common stance of negligence and carelessness is observed while using the side stand where the side stand is not kicked back when progressing from the rest state of the two-wheeler to a motion state of the two-wheeler. The negligence may be due to absence of mind, urgency, divergence in concentration and few other reasons, which may prevent the rider to kick back the side stand to its original closed position. Failure to kick back the side stand may adversely affect the stability of the vehicle and lead to accident of the vehicle and riders. To ensure security or safety of the rider, during absence of mind or negligence or urgency or carelessness there is a need for an alerting protocol in two wheeler vehicles which transmits the position of the side stand and centre stand to the riders in avoidance of fatal accidents.
[0005] Wireless communication has multiple applications in the automotive industry. In addition to systems such a keyless entry and exit into the vehicle, the electronic systems of the automobile can be updated over the air (OTA) by an authorized manufacturer or a service personnel. A most common feature in modern vehicles is the ability to interface one’s personal digital assistant to the vehicle. A user can interface his personal digital assistant with his vehicle to avail geolocation, vehicle health monitoring etc while driving, applications which would generally require connections to the internet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
[0007] According to embodiments illustrated herein, the present disclosure provides a saddle type vehicle comprising of one or more stand units and one or more control units. The one or more stand units are configured to support the saddle type vehicle in a rest state. The one or more control units are configured to determine a present position of the one or more stand units, determine a satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions, wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions being associated with the present position, transmit a first signal to at least one of an infotainment cluster and one or more transmitters for providing a pre-defined alert to at least one of the infotainment cluster and the one or more transmitters upon the satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions, and transmit a second signal to disengage a prime mover of the saddle type vehicle upon the satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions.
[0008] According to embodiments illustrated herein, the present disclosure provides a method for alerting a user of a saddle type vehicle, the method comprising steps: determining a present position of the one or more stand units, by one or more control units, wherein the one or more control units being disposed in the saddle type vehicle; determining a satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions, by the one or more control units, wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions being associated with the present position of the one or more stand units; transmitting a first signal, by the one or more control units, to at least one of an infotainment cluster and one or more transmitters for providing a pre-defined alert on at least one of the infotainment cluster and the one or more transmitters upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions; and transmitting a second signal, by the one or more control units, to a prime mover of the saddle type vehicle, wherein the second signal being configured to disengage the prime mover upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention. The detailed description is described with reference to an embodiment of a two wheeled saddle type motorized vehicle along with accompanying figures. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[00010] Figure 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a saddle type vehicle comprising of the side stand status indication system, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00011] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a saddle type vehicle with a side stand status indication system in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00012] Figure 3 is an exemplary illustration of a flow diagram representing the method for alerting the user being implemented in a saddle type vehicle, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00013] Figure 4 is a flow diagram for the method for alerting the user in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with some embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00014] The present disclosure may be best understood with reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein. Various embodiments are discussed below with reference to the figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed descriptions given herein with respect to the figures are simply for explanatory purposes as the methods and systems may extend beyond the described embodiments. For example, the teachings presented and the needs of a particular application may yield multiple alternative and suitable approaches to implement the functionality of any detail described herein. Therefore, any approach may extend beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown.
[00015] References to “one embodiment,” “at least one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one example,” “an example,” “for example,” and so on indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
[00016] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with different embodiments. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather those embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
[00017] The present invention is illustrated with a saddle type vehicle. However, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that the present invention is not limited to a saddle type vehicle and certain features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention can be used with other types of two wheelers such as scooter type, motorcycle type vehicle, step thru, and the like.
[00018] The object of the present subject matter is to provide an effective system and method for alerting a user of a vehicle when the one or more stand units of the vehicle are in open position.
[00019] To this end, the present disclosure provides for one or more control units configured to transit a first signal to at least one of an infotainment cluster and one or more transmitters for providing a pre-defined alert on the infotainment cluster and the one or more transmitters when the present position of the one or more stand units is determined to be in an open position in contact with the ground surface. The pre-defined alert further comprises of at least one of a pre-defined alert message displayed on the infotainment cluster, an illumination of a dedicated tell-tale disposed on the infotainment cluster and the transmittance of a pre-defined audio command in a pre-defined pattern by the one or more transmitters.
[00020] While provision of a tell-tale being illuminated as an indication to an open position of the stand unit is known in the art, but it is not deemed effective in the backdrop of ambient lighting and when sometimes the rider is not even looking at the infotainment cluster. Thus, the provision of one or more transmitter units having a pre-defined audio command grabs the attention of the rider and indicates the open position of the one or more stand units.
[00021] It is a further object of the present subject matter to ensure safety of the user of the vehicle by disengaging the prime mover of the vehicle when the one or more stand units of the vehicle are in open position.
[00022] To this end, the one or more control units upon determining the present position of the one or more stand units to be an open position, transmits a second signal to disengage the prime mover of the saddle type vehicle. In the meantime, the present position of the one or more stand units is continuously determined by the one or more control units. Upon the present position of the one or more stand units being in a closed position, the one or more control units is configured to remove the transmittance of the second signal to the prime mover of the vehicle to permit mobility of the vehicle. The prime mover of the saddle type vehicle when disengaged from the transmission, can neither be kick started nor electric started.
[00023] Two wheeler vehicles are fitted with safety systems as well which are controlled by an electronic control system, such as antilock braking systems. Another safety system that is found in two wheeler vehicles is the side stand engine cut off system. In this system, the vehicle does not engage drive while the side stand is engaged. This is an important safety feature of modern day two wheelers as driving a vehicle while the side stand is engaged can be a dangerous endeavour, resulting in accidents. The problem does not arise with centre stands as by their very design, a centre stand has to be disengaged for the rider to be able to drive with both wheels on the ground.
[00024] A warning light for indication of side stand engagement is generally given on the infotainment cluster of the vehicle. This is generally disposed at a location which is in a direct line of sight of the rider. Often, a sound alert system is also configured which can alert the rider that the side stand is engaged. The infotainment cluster includes a display screen, a memory unit, a processing unit and connecting cables that communicatively connect the infotainment cluster to the other electronic controllers in the vehicle. A wireless transceiver is also often disposed in the infotainment cluster. This wireless transceiver can function according to one or more communication protocols. A popular choice is the Bluetooth system. A Bluetooth module is generally used for short range high speed communication between two electronic devices. A vehicle equipped with a Bluetooth module can connect with an external device seamlessly.
[00025] However, the warning systems in existing vehicles regarding side stand engagement warning may not be sufficient to alert the rider. Often, the rider will continuously try to start the vehicle unsuccessfully without realising that the side stand is engaged. Ambient noise and light often make it difficult to notice the warning light or sound. The rider may start checking other systems of the vehicle such as a choke etc, without even noticing the side stand alert on the instrument cluster. Since existing mobile devices can be interfaced with the vehicles, a system can be developed which will warn the rider about the status of the side stand. Many riders use their vehicles while wearing an earphone to listen to music, or to stay connected while driving. Such an existing interaction may be utilised to provide a much-needed redundancy to alert the rider that the side stand of the vehicle is engaged.
[00026] In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, it is an objective of the present subject matter to provide a side stand alert system for a vehicle using the interface of the vehicle and a personal digital assistant of the user. The present subject matter discloses a system and a method to directly warn the rider of the side stand engagement status.
[00027] In accordance with the present disclosure, the present subject matter incorporates a multi-faceted approach in alerting the user of the vehicle. The pre-defined alert transmitted by at least one of the infotainment cluster and the one or more transmitters comprises of a display of a pre-defined alert message on a display unit of the infotainment cluster, illumination of a tell-tale disposed on the infotainment cluster and transmittance of a pre-defined audio command in a pre-defined pattern by the one or more transmitters. Thus, ample indications to the present position of the one or more stand units is provided along with disengagement of the prime mover of the saddle type vehicle.
[00028] The object of the present subject matter is to provide a theft proof alerting system which additionally prevents engine start against unauthorized users of the saddle type vehicle.
[00029] To this end, in an embodiment, a personal digital assistant of an authorized user of the saddle type vehicle is communicatively coupled to the infotainment cluster disposed in the saddle type vehicle. The pairing of the personal digital assistant with the infotainment cluster is authorization based, where an unauthorized personal digital assistant is incapable of securing a connection with the infotainment cluster of the saddle type vehicle. The initial stage pairing of the personal digital assistant with the infotainment cluster is essential for future engagement of the prime mover of the saddle type vehicle for vehicle mobility.
[00030] The present subject matter proposes disposition of the one or more transmitters in a user wearable device. The user wearable device, in an embodiment, may be a helmet. The disposition of the one or more transmitters for transmitting the pre-defined audio command through a helmet helps eliminate external environment noises which would affect the strength and reciprocity of the transmitted indication. Thus, the present invention overcomes the technical problems associated with the strength and reciprocity of the transmitter indication of the position of the one or more stand units.
[00031] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a pre-defined alert to the user of the saddle type vehicle where the alerting method is linguistically adaptable for comprehension by various users of the saddle type vehicle.
[00032] To this end, the pre-defined audio command transmitted by the one or more transmitters is a customized recorded audio based on the user input to the user’s personal digital assistant which is stored in the user’s personal digital assistant.
[00033] In accordance with the disclosed configuration, an additional advantage of the present subject matter is the flexibility to manufacture variants in forms of size and ease of manufacturability. The present invention enables modified versions of vehicle layouts with minimal changes in the vehicle layout for implementing the system and method for alerting the user of the position of the one or more stand units without major revamping of core processes.
[00034] Further, in an embodiment of the present subject matter, the personal digital assistant of the user is communicatively interfaced with the infotainment cluster of the vehicle through a wireless communication protocol such as Bluetooth. The vehicle communicates data to the personal digital assistant regarding the health, maintenance requirements, fuel status etc to the user. Also, the vehicle utilises the internet connectivity of the personal digital assistant to display real time location of the vehicle, traffic data, navigational maps and other relevant data to the user while driving on the display screen of the infotainment cluster while driving, at the option of the user.
[00035] Figure 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a saddle type vehicle comprising of the side stand status indication system, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00036] With reference to Figure 1, 100 denotes the environment for operation of the side stand indication system, 102 denotes a vehicle, 104 denotes one or more stand units, 106 denotes one or more control units, 108 denotes an infotainment cluster, 110 denotes one or more transmitters, 112 denotes a personal digital assistant and 114 denotes a prime mover of the vehicle.
[00037] In an aspect, the vehicle (102) comprises of one or more stand units (104) communicatively connected to one or more control units (106). The one or more stand units (104) comprises of one or more side stand sensors which supply an output indicative of the position of the one or more stand units to the one or more control units (106). The one or more control units (106) are further communicatively connected to an infotainment cluster (106), a prime mover (114) and one or more transmitters (110) where the output of the one or more control units (106) is supplied to the infotainment cluster (108), the prime mover (114) and one or more transmitters (110). The infotainment cluster (108) is further communicatively connected to a personal digital assistant (112) of the user and the personal digital assistant (112) receives an input from the infotainment cluster (108) which it transmits to one or more transmitters (110) connected to the personal digital assistant (112).
[00038] In an embodiment, the vehicle (102) labelled in Figure 1 is not limited to a saddle type vehicle but embodiments disclosed in the present invention can be equivalently applied to other forms of two wheelers including scooter type vehicles, straddle type vehicles, motorcycle type vehicles, step thru vehicles, internal combustion vehicles, electric vehicle and hybrid vehicles. The term vehicle (102) used in the present disclosure relates to any machine configured to transport.
[00039] In an aspect, the vehicle (102) comprises of one or more stand units (104) configured to support the vehicle (102) in a rest state or a stationary state of a saddle type vehicle (102). The one or more stand units (104) comprises at least one of a side stand and a centre stand of the saddle type vehicle (100). The one or more stand units (104) are operable in at least two positions – an open position and a closed position. In an embodiment, the open position of the one or more stand units (104) is when the one or more stand units (104) is in contact with a ground surface in order to support the saddle type vehicle (102) in the rest or stationary state. In another embodiment, the closed position is when the one or more stand units (104) is horizontal and adjacent to a frame of the saddle type vehicle (102) such that the one or more stand units (104) do not interfere with the ground surface.
[00040] In an aspect, one or more control units (106) are disposed in the saddle type vehicle (102). The one or more control units (106) is configured to determine a present position of the one or more stand units (104). The present position of the one or more stand units (104) is at least one of the open position or the closed position.
[00041] In an embodiment, the one or more stand units (104) comprises one or more sensors configured to detect the present position of the one or more stand units (104) and are communicatively connected to the one or more control units (106). The one or more sensors comprises at least one of a side stand status sensor and a centre stand status sensor.
[00042] In operation, the one or more control units (106) are further configured to check the satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions and a second set of pre-defined conditions, wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions and a second set of pre-defined conditions are associated with the present position of the one or more stand units (104). The first set of pre-defined conditions are deemed satisfied when the one or more control units (106) determines the one or more stand units (104) to be in the open position. The second set of pre-defined conditions are deemed satisfied when the one or more control units (106) determines the one or more stand units (104) to be in the closed position.
[00043] In operation, when the first set of pre-defined conditions are satisfied, the one or more control units (106) is configured to transmit a first signal to at least one of an infotainment cluster (108) and one or more transmitters (110) and transmit a second signal to disengage a prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle so as to restrict the mobility of the saddle type vehicle (102). The transmittance of the first signal is for providing a pre-defined alert on at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110).
[00044] In an aspect, the pre-defined alert comprises at least one of a pre-defined alert message being displayed on a display unit of the infotainment cluster (108), an illumination of a tell-tale disposed on the infotainment cluster (108) and the transmittance of a pre-defined audio command in a pre-defined pattern by the one or more transmitters (110).
[00045] In an aspect, the tell-tale is configured to illuminate at a pre-defined frequency to ensure grabbing the attention of the user of the saddle type vehicle. In an embodiment, the tell-tale is configured to operate at 80 blinks a minute. Further, the illumination of the tell-tale is at a pre-defined wavelength. In an embodiment, the pre-defined wavelength being at least one of amber, red or green.
[00046] In an aspect, the pre-defined audio command is at least one of: a pre-stored recorded audio and a customized recorded audio. The pre-stored recorded audio is at least one of a voice, a tune and a chime, wherein the pre-stored recorded audio is stored in a personal digital assistant (112) of the user. The customized recorded audio is based on a user input to the personal digital assistant (112) and is stored in the personal digital assistant (112). The aspect of introducing a customized recorded audio permits linguistic adaptability of the side stand status indication system across diverse linguistic and cultural platforms. Further, it is intended to be best adapted to an alert the user effectively and reciprocally responds to.
[00047] In an aspect, the pre-defined pattern of the pre-defined audio command is at least one of a continuous cycle and a duty cycle. In an embodiment, under the continuous cycle the pre-defined audio is transmitted through the one or more transmitters (110) without an instant of pause. In another embodiment, the pre-defined audio command is transmitted in a duty cycle where a pre-defined time gap is provided between the repetitions of the pre-defined audio command. In an embodiment, the pre-defined time gap is of five seconds.
[00048] In operation, when the second set of pre-defined conditions are satisfied, the one or more control units (106) is configured to remove the transmittance of the first signal to the at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110), such that there is cessation of the pre-defined alert and also remove the transmittance of the second signal to the prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle (102), so that the mobility of the saddle type vehicle (102) is no longer restricted.
[00049] In an embodiment, the one or more control unit (106) is communicatively connected to the infotainment cluster (108), prime mover (114) and the one or more transmitters (110) through one of one or more CAN communication and one or more wire connectors. In an embodiment, the communication is one of electrical, cellular, CAN, LIN, LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared or other forms of transmission through electromagnetic signals.
[00050] In an aspect, the one or more control unit (202) is configured to control at least one of intensity, wavelength, pattern and operational frequency of illumination of the tell-tale on the infotainment cluster (108). The one or more control unit (106), in an embodiment, controls the intensity and wavelength of illumination of the tell-tale based on the ambient light sensor.
[00051] The one or more control unit (106) comprises suitable logic, circuitry, interfaces, and/or code that is configured to control transmission of the firs signal and the second signal. In an embodiment, the one or more control unit (106) comprises a memory which comprises suitable logic, circuitry, interfaces, and/or code that is configured to store the set of instructions, which may be executed by the one or more control unit (106). In an embodiment, the memory may be configured to store one or more programs, routines, or scripts that may be executed in coordination with the one or more control unit (106). The memory may be implemented based on a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), a storage server, and/or a Secure Digital (SD) card.
[00052] In an embodiment, the one or more control units (106) comprises at least one of an ignition control unit, an immobilizer unit, an engine control unit, an integrated starter generator controller (ISG Controller), a vehicle control unit, an engine management system, a body control unit, a microcontroller or a combination thereof.
[00053] In an aspect, the prime mover (114) with reference to the illustrated saddle type vehicle (102) may be a motor, an internal combustion engine or a combination thereof. The prime mover (114) is configured to convert the energy being transmitted into work. The prime mover (114) is communicatively connected to the one or more control units (106) of the saddle type vehicle (102). In an embodiment, an integrated starter generator is conn
[00054] In an aspect, the infotainment cluster (108) also referred to an instrument cluster or a dashboard provides an interface serving as a virtual platform to establish interaction between the rider of the vehicle (102) and the vehicle. The infotainment cluster (108) communicates plurality of vehicle parameters to the rider. In an embodiment, the infotainment cluster (108) is disposed in a field of view of the rider to ensure effective communication and awareness to the rider regarding the plurality of vehicle parameters. Typically, the infotainment cluster (108) is disposed with a plurality of tell-tales. The infotainment cluster (108) is provided with different gauges and warning lights as well. The term infotainment cluster (108) in accordance with the present disclosure can be interchangeably termed as a dash, a dashboard and a gauge cluster or any other device or electrical electronic equipment configured to serve as an interaction tool between the vehicle and the rider by communicating essential vehicle parameters to the rider.
[00055] In an aspect, the infotainment cluster (108) comprises of suitable circuitry interfaces, graphic interfaces and/or code configured to communicate or display a plurality of vehicle parameters to the rider.
[00056] In an embodiment, the infotainment cluster (108) is a digital instrument cluster provided with automotive grade systems such as LCD, cover lends, touch screen, adaptable back light, 3D graphics display. In an embodiment, the instrument cluster 100 includes an external memory, stepper motors, one or more motor control units, CAN interface, LIN interface.
[00057] In an aspect, one or more transmitters (110) serve the function of transmitting pre-defined audio commands to the user of the saddle type vehicle (102). In an embodiment, the one or more transmitters (110) are disposed in pre-defined regions of the vehicle (102) such as the handlebar assembly (not shown) or parts of the frame assembly (not shown). The pre-defined regions for disposition of the one or more transmitters (110) is based on strength of perceivability of the pre-defined audio commands by the rider or user from the disposed location of the one or more transmitters (110).
[00058] In another embodiment, the one or more transmitters (110) are disposed in a user wearable device. The user wearable device may be a safety gadget, a helmet or a connected helmet. The intent of disposition of the one or more transmitters (110) in user wearable devices negates the interference of external environment noises with the pre-defined audio command, thus establishing effective communication.
[00059] In an aspect, the one or more transmitters (110) comprises of amplifiers, AC to DC units capacitors, clock timers, and other electronic components configured to improve the clarity, amplitude and frequency of the transmitted pre-defined audio command.
[00060] In an aspect, the personal digital assistant (112) comprises of an electronic device configured to serve as a virtual interface for the rider of the vehicle in connection to personal information management of the rider or user by providing computing, information storage and retrieving capabilities. In an embodiment, the personal digital assistant (112) is a mobile device.
[00061] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a saddle type vehicle with a side stand status indication system in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00062] With reference to Figure 2, 200 denotes a system incorporating an exemplary embodiment. 201 denotes a mobile device, 202 denotes a mobile application, 203 denotes a communication module of the mobile, 204 denotes a headset, 205 denotes a vehicle, 206 denotes a speedometer of the infotainment cluster (108), 207 denotes a communication module of the speedometer, 208 denotes an engine management system – engine control unit, 209 denotes a side stand sensor and 210 denotes an Integrated starter generator controller.
[00063] At the outset, figure 2 denotes an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter and shall in no way be construed to be limited in applicability and protection to the exemplary embodiment.
[00064] The system (200) comprises a mobile device (201) and a vehicle (205). The mobile device has one or more processors (not shown), one or more memory units (not shown), a display unit (not shown), an audio output port (not shown), a first wireless communication module (203), and an application system to implement the method (100). A headset (204) can be connected to the mobile device (201) wirelessly through the wireless communication module (203) or a wired connection through the audio output port (not shown). In an embodiment, the headset (204) comprises of one or more transmitters (110).
[00065] The vehicle (205) comprises an infotainment cluster (108) including a speedometer (206), one or more controllers including an Engine Control Unit (ECU) (208) and an ISG controller (210), and an ISG machine. A side stand sensor (209) is communicatively connected to the ECU. The ISG controller (210) is also communicatively connected to the ECU (208). The ISG controller (210) can actuate the ISG (210) to either start or stop a prime mover (114) of the vehicle (205). The infotainment cluster (108) comprising of the speedometer (206) includes a second wireless communication module (207).
[00066] The first wireless communication module (203) and the second wireless communication module (207) can connect via one of several existing wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth. The side stand sensor (209) determines whether the side stand is actuated, and communicatively transmits the same to the ECU. The ECU transmits the information to the second wireless communication module (207). At the same time, the ECU communicates to the ISG (210) to actuate an engine stop. The application system (202) configured in the mobile device (201) generates an audio in the headphone (204) for warning the driver of the side stand being engaged.
[00067] Corollary to the exemplary embodiment, the infotainment cluster (108) is communicatively coupled to the personal digital assistant (112) such as a mobile device (201) of the user. In an embodiment, the infotainment cluster (108) interacts with a software application installed on the mobile device (201) of the user.
[00068] In an aspect, to establish communication between the personal digital assistant (112), a communication module (not shown) is provided in the infotainment cluster (108). In one non-limiting example, a Bluetooth module is provided in the infotainment cluster (108) which establishes connection between the infotainment cluster (108) and personal digital assistant (112) within a pairing range. However, this should not be construed as limiting and other modes of now known or later developed communication modules may be provided in the infotainment cluster (108) to establish communication with the personal digital assistant (112) of the rider of the vehicle (102). In another non-limiting example, a ZigBee module can be used as the communication module.
[00069] The infotainment cluster (108) and personal digital assistant (112) may include a processor which may be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. The processor may be one or more general processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, servers, networks, digital circuits, analog circuits, combinations thereof, or other now known or later developed devices for analysing and processing data. The processor may implement a software program, such as code generated manually i.e., programmed.
[00070] The infotainment cluster (108) and personal digital assistant (112) may also comprise a storage unit which may include a memory. The memory may be a main memory, a static memory, or a dynamic memory. The memory may include but is not limited to computer readable storage media such as various types of volatile and non-volatile storage media, including but not limited to random access memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable read-only memory, flash memory, magnetic tape or disk, optical media and the like. The memory is operable to store instructions executable by the processor. The functions, acts or tasks illustrated in the figures or described may be performed by the programmed processor executing the instructions stored in the memory.
[00071] The infotainment cluster (108) and personal digital assistant (112) may also include a disk or optical drive unit. The disk drive unit may include a computer-readable medium in which one or more sets of instructions, e.g., software, can be embedded. Further, the instructions may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described. In a particular example, the instructions may reside completely, or at least partially, within the memory or within the processor during execution by the telematics unit. The memory and the processor also may include computer-readable media as discussed above. The present invention contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions or receives and executes instructions responsive to a propagated signal so that a device connected to a network can communicate data over the network. Further, the instructions may be transmitted or received over the network. The network includes wireless networks, Ethernet AVB networks, or combinations thereof. The wireless network may be a cellular telephone network. Further, the network may be a public network, such as the Internet, a private network, such as an intranet, or combinations thereof, and may utilize a variety of networking protocols now available or later developed.
[00072] The infotainment cluster (108) and personal digital assistant (112) may accept incoming content and send content to connected components via a communication channel such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN) or Bluetooth.
[00073] In an aspect, the side stand sensor (209) detects whether the side stand is in an open position or a closed position. This information may be transmitted to one or more control units (106) on the vehicle (102). In an embodiment, the information is transmitted directly to the infotainment cluster (108) wherein the status of the side stand is displayed on the display screen. In another embodiment, the side stand sensor (209) transmits the information to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) (208) of the vehicle (102) with an internal combustion engine. In another embodiment, the side stand sensor (209) transmits the information to the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the vehicle (102) with an electric motor or a hybrid electric drivetrain. In these embodiments, the data is communicatively transmitted by the ECU (208) or the VCU to the infotainment cluster (108), and displayed on the display screen for informing the rider.
[00074] In an embodiment, the mobile device (201) of the user is interfaced with the infotainment cluster (206), and a headset (204) id paired to the mobile device (201) at the same time, a side stand engagement status warning is communicated to the driver by generating a audio alert in the headset (204) of the driver. In this embodiment, there is no audio warning directly in the driver’s headset if the mobile device (201) is not interfaced with the vehicle’s infotainment cluster (206). Also in this embodiment, the audio warning is not given if a headset (204) is not connected to the mobile device (201) of the user.
[00075] In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the audio warning is repeated at a certain frequency if the side stand is not in closed position by the user after at least a first warning is issued via audio transmission to the driver’s headset (204). In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the frequency and amplitude, as well as any modulation in the frequency and amplitude of the audio alert may be selected by the user on his mobile device (201).
[00076] In another embodiment of the present subject matter, an interface method is implemented by an application system in the mobile device (201) that facilitates the interfacing of the mobile device (201) with the infotainment cluster (206). This interfacing application shows the driver the various status information of the vehicle on a display screen of the mobile device (201). In an embodiment, the application system provides an option to the driver to connect his mobile device (201) to his vehicle (205). In another embodiment, this application system provides the alert to the driver regarding the side stand engagement, and transmits the audio warning to the headset (204) of the driver.
[00077] In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the ECU (208) / VCU continuously monitors the status of the side stand, and transmits the status to the infotainment cluster (206). The wireless module (207) of the infotainment cluster (206) transmits the status to the application system.
[00078] In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the warning system is only engaged when the ignition of the vehicle has been turned on.
[00079] The present subject matter described through the embodiments above improve the safety of the driver and passenger. In essence, it is a smart way to indicate a warning to the driver instead of relying on the user to realise that a specific problem may be existing. Most importantly, this creates a redundancy in a safety warning system. The scope of the present subject matter is in no way limited to the embodiments described in this document.
[00080] Figure 3 is an exemplary illustration of a flow diagram representing the method for alerting the user being implemented in a saddle type vehicle, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00081] Figure 3 illustrates a method implemented by one or more control units (106) disposed in the saddle type vehicle (102) for providing a pre-defined alert to the user of the saddle type vehicle (102).
[00082] The method starts at step 302 and proceeds to step 304. At step 304, the one or more control units (106) is configured to determine a present position of the one or more stand units (104) of the saddle type vehicle (102). To this end, the one or more control units (106) are communicatively connected to one or more sensors of the one or more stand units (104). The one or more sensors detect the present position of the one or more stand units (104) and communicate the same to the one or more control units (106). In an embodiment, the communication channel between the one or more sensors and the one or more control units (106) are established by wired connections. After determination of the present position of the one or more stand units (104) the method proceeds to step 304.
[00083] At step 306, the one or more control units (106) is configured to determine a satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions, where the first set of pre-defined conditions is associated with the present position of the one or more stand units (104). The first set of pre-defined conditions are deemed satisfied when the one or more stand units (104) is in an open position when the one or more stand units (104) being in contact with a ground surface to support the saddle type vehicle (102) in a rest state. After determination of the first set of pre-defined conditions the method proceeds to step 306.
[00084] At step 308, the one or more control units (106) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions as determined in step 306, sends a first signal to at least one of an infotainment cluster (108) and one or more transmitters (110) for providing a pre-defined alert on at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110). The pre-defined alert comprises at least one of a pre-defined alert message being displayed on a display unit of the infotainment cluster (108), an illumination of a tell-tale disposed on the infotainment cluster (108) and the transmittance of a pre-defined audio command in a pre-defined pattern by the one or more transmitters (110). In an embodiment, the one or more transmitters are disposed in a user wearable device such as a helmet or a headset the user is using. In another embodiment, the pre-defined alert comprises of the pre-defined alert being displayed on a display unit of the user’s personal digital assistant (112). The multi-faceted approach for alerting the user regarding the present position of the one or more stand units (104) ensures effective communication of the position and quicker reciprocity from the user’s side in addressing the issue.
[00085] In an aspect, the one or more control units (106) is communicatively connected to the one or more stand units (104); the infotainment cluster (108) is communicatively connected to the one or more control units (106); and the one or more transmitters (110) is functionally connected to the one or more control units (106). The communication between the one or more stand units (104), the one or more control units (106), the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110) being at least one of wired and wireless communication channels or a combination thereof. The communication is one of electrical, cellular, CAN, LIN, LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared or other forms of transmission through electromagnetic signals.
[00086] At step 310, the one or more control units (106) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions as determined in step 306, sends a second signal to a prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle (102), wherein the second signal is configured to disengage the prime mover (114) so as to inhibit mobility of the saddle type vehicle (102). The method ends at step 312.
[00087] Figure 4 is a flow diagram for the method for alerting the user in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with some embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00088] At the outset, figure 4 denotes an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter and shall in no way be construed to be limited in applicability and protection to the exemplary embodiment. Figure 4 can be best understood with reference to Figure 2 as Figure 4 represents the flowchart with reference to the exemplary embodiment represented in Figure 2.
[00089] The flowchart starts at Step 400 and proceeds to Step 401. At step 401, the ignition of the vehicle has been turned on. The electronic and electrical systems of the vehicle are drawing power from one or more electric storage devices (batteries) of the vehicle. The one or more control units (106) disposed in the vehicle are now powered and are active.
[00090] At step 402, the one or more control unit (106) being an Engine Control Unit (ECU) makes a determination whether the one or more stand units (104) being a side stand of the vehicle is in open position. If the determination is in the negative, no action is taken, and the ECU continues to make the determination at fixed intervals of time, thus ensuring regular monitoring of the present position of the one or more stand units (104).
[00091] At step 403, when it has been determined that the determination of the present position of the one or more stand units (104) made at step 402 was negative, then no indication mechanism by way of a pre-defined alert is engaged.
[00092] Alternately, at step 404a, it has been determined that the determination of the present position of the one or more stand units (104) made at step 402 was positive. The ECU actuates an ignition stop, stopping the engine. In an embodiment, the ignition stop or disengagement of the prime mover (114) of the vehicle is through communication of the ECU with an ISG controller disposed in the vehicle.
[00093] At step 404, it has been determined that the determination of the present position of the one or more stand units (104) made at step 402 was positive, and makes a further determination whether a personal digital assistant (112) such as a mobile device (201) is interfaced with the vehicle.
[00094] At step 406, when it has been determined that the mobile device (201) is not interfaced with the vehicle, and hence an indication of the side stand being in an open position is displayed only on the infotainment cluster (108) display.
[00095] At step 407, when it has been determined that the mobile device (201) is interfaced, and a further determination is then made whether a headset (204) of the user is connected to the mobile device (201). The headset (204) comprises one or more transmitters (110) functionally coupled to the one or more control units (106). If the determination at step 407 is negative, no pre-defined audio command is issued, and the pre-defined alert message on the infotainment cluster (108) is actuated. Alternately, if the determination at step 407 is positive.
[00096] At step 408, the infotainment cluster (108) initiates communication of the pre-defined alert to the mobile application system.
[00097] At step 409, a pre-defined audio command is issued to the driver over the headset (204) connected to the mobile device (201) at fixed intervals till the driver positions the side stand in the closed position. At step 410, the flowchart ends.
[00098] In an aspect, the “smart talk indication” illustrated in Figure 4 refers to the pre-defined audio command transmitted by the one or more transmitters (110).
[00099] A person with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the systems, modules, and sub-modules have been illustrated and explained to serve as examples and should not be considered limiting in any manner. It will be further appreciated that the variants of the above disclosed system elements, modules, and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined to create other different systems or applications.
[000100] The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the invention(s)” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including”, “comprising”, “having” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
[000101] The disclosed claimed limitations and the disclosure provided herein provides one or more control units disposed in a vehicle and communicatively coupled to one or more transmitters, an infotainment cluster and one or more stand units of the vehicle. The claimed invention maintains a compact vehicle layout, and provides an enhanced safety mechanism for disengaging the prime mover of the vehicle based on the present position of the one or more stand units. Further, the present subject matter ensures effective communication with the rider by using a multi-faceted pre-defined alert to effectively alert the user irrespective of external surrounding noise and ambient light.
[000102] Thus, the disclosed subject matter tries to overcome to technical problem of disposition of one or more control unit in a compact vehicle layout with minimized signal losses in transmission of the pre-defined alert.
[000103] Thus, the claimed limitations overcome the aforementioned technical problems by providing an effective pre-defined alert to the user of the saddle type vehicle and a method for transmitting the same to the user.
[000104] In light of the above-mentioned advantages and the technical advancements provided by the disclosed subject matter, the claimed embodiments as discussed above are not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the claimed embodiments enable the following solutions to the existing problems in conventional technologies. Further, the claimed embodiments clearly bring an improvement in the functioning of the vehicle itself as the claimed embodiments provide a technical solution to a technical problem.
[000105] A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with a other does not imply that all such components are required, On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the invention,
[000106] Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter and is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
[000107] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
[000108] A person with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the systems, modules, and sub-modules have been illustrated and explained to serve as examples and should not be considered limiting in any manner. It will be further appreciated that the variants of the above disclosed system elements, modules, and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined to create other different systems or applications.
[000109] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any of the aforementioned system modules may be suitably replaced, reordered, or removed, and additional system modules may be inserted, depending on the needs of a particular application.
[000110] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

 
, Claims:We claim,
1. A saddle type vehicle (102), the saddle type vehicle (102) comprising:
one or more stand units (104), the one or more stand units (104) being configured to support the saddle type vehicle (102) in a rest state; and
one or more control units (106), the one or more control units (106) being disposed in the saddle type vehicle (102) and being configured to:
determine a present position of the one or more stand units (104);
determine a satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions, wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions being associated with the present position;
transmit a first signal to at least one of an infotainment cluster (108) and one or more transmitters (110) for providing a pre-defined alert on at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions; and
transmit a second signal to disengage a prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle (102) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions.

2. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of pre-defined condition being when the present position of the one or more stand units (104) being in an open position,
wherein the open position being when the one or more stand units (104) being in contact with a ground surface to support the saddle type vehicle (102) in the rest state, and
wherein the one or more stand units (104) being at least one of a side stand and a centre stand of the saddle type vehicle (102).

3. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more control units (106) being configured to:
determine a satisfaction of a second set of pre-defined conditions, wherein the second set of pre-defined conditions being associated with the present position;
remove transmittance of the first signal to the at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110) upon satisfaction of the second set of pre-defined conditions; and
remove transmittance of the second signal to the prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle (102) upon satisfaction of the second set of pre-defined conditions,
wherein the second set of pre-defined conditions being when the one or more stand units (104) being in a closed position, and
wherein the closed position being when the one or more stand units (104) being horizontal and adjacent to a frame of the saddle type vehicle (102) such that the one or more stand units (104) do not interfere with the ground surface.

4. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more stand units (104) comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors being at least one of a side stand status sensor and a centre stand status sensor, wherein the one or more sensors being configured to detect the present position of the one or more stand units (104) and wherein the one or more sensors being communicatively connected to the one or more control units (106).

5. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-defined alert comprising at least one of:

display of a pre-defined alert message on a display unit of the infotainment cluster (108);
illumination of a tell-tale disposed on the infotainment cluster (108), wherein the tell-tale being configured to illuminate in at least one of a pre-defined frequency and a pre-defined wavelength; and
transmittance of a pre-defined audio command in a pre-defined pattern by the one or more transmitters (110).

6. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the infotainment cluster (108) being communicatively coupled to a personal digital assistant (112) of the user,
wherein the personal digital assistant (112) comprising a processing unit configured to link the position of the one or more stand units (104) to the pre-defined audio command in the pre-defined pattern; and
wherein the personal digital assistant (112) being communicatively coupled to the one or more transmitters (110) to transmit the pre-defined audio command to the one or more transmitters (110) in the pre-defined pattern upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions.

7. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pre-defined audio command being at least one of:
a pre-stored recorded audio being at least one of a voice, a tune and a chime, wherein the pre-stored recorded audio being stored in the personal digital assistant (112); and
a customized recorded audio based on a user input to the personal digital assistant (112) and the customized recorded audio being stored in the personal digital assistant (112).

8. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pre-defined pattern comprising at least one of a continuous cycle and a duty cycle, wherein in the duty cycle the pre-defined audio command is transmitted in a pre-defined time gap.

9. The saddle type (102) vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more control units (106) being at least one of an ignition control unit, an immobilizer unit, an engine control unit, an integrated starter generator controller, a vehicle control unit, an engine management system, a microcontroller, a body control unit or a combination thereof.

10. The saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitters (110) being disposed in a user wearable device.

11. A method for alerting a user of a saddle type vehicle (102), the method comprising steps:
determining a present position of the one or more stand units (104), by one or more control units (106), wherein the one or more control units (106) being disposed in the saddle type vehicle (102);
determining a satisfaction of a first set of pre-defined conditions, by the one or more control units (106), wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions being associated with the present position of the one or more stand units (104);
transmitting a first signal, by the one or more control units (106), to at least one of an infotainment cluster (108) and one or more transmitters (110) for providing a pre-defined alert on at least one of the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions; and
transmitting a second signal, by the one or more control units (106), to a prime mover (114) of the saddle type vehicle (102), wherein the second signal being configured to disengage the prime mover (114) upon satisfaction of the first set of pre-defined conditions.

12. The method for alerting the user of the saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of pre-defined conditions being when the present position of the one or more stand units (104) being in an open position,
wherein the open position being when the one or more stand units (104) being in contact with a ground surface to support the saddle type vehicle (102) in a rest state, and
wherein the one or more stand units (104) being at least one of a side stand and a centre stand of the saddle type vehicle (102).

13. The method for alerting the user of the saddle type vehicle (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more control units (106) being communicatively connected to the one or more stand units (104);
wherein the infotainment cluster (108) being communicatively connected to the one or more control units (106);
wherein the one or more transmitters (110) being functionally connected to the one or more control units (106);
wherein communication between the one or more stand units (104), the one or more control units (106), the infotainment cluster (108) and the one or more transmitters (110) being at least one of wired and wireless communication channels or a combination thereof.