What is claimed is:
1. A sensor retainer for a bicycle sprocket assembly comprising:
an annular member for mounting and rotating coaxially with the bicycle sprocket assembly; and
a sensor element fixed to the annular member.
2. The sensor retainer according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of splines formed on an inner peripheral surface of the annular member.
3. The sensor retainer according to claim 1 wherein the annular member includes a threaded inner peripheral surface.
4. The sensor retainer according to claim 1 wherein the sensor element is embedded in the annular member.
5. The sensor retainer according to claim 1 wherein the sensor element comprises a magnet.
6. The sensor retainer according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of the sensor elements fixed to the annular member and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction.
7. The sensor retainer according to claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of sensor elements comprises a magnet.
8. A sensor assembly for a bicycle sprocket assembly comprising:
a sensor retainer for mounting coaxially with the sprocket assembly so that the sensor retainer rotates together with the sprocket assembly;
a first sensor element coupled for rotation with the sensor retainer; and
a second sensor element for attachment in close proximity to the sensor retainer so that the sensor retainer rotates relative to the second sensor element.
9. The sensor assembly according to claim 8 wherein the first sensor element comprises a signal generating element, and wherein the second sensor element comprises a signal receiving element.
10. The sensor assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first sensor element comprises a magnet.
11. The sensor assembly according to claim 8 wherein the second sensor element comprises:
a first sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element; and
a second sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element.
12. The sensor assembly according to claim 11 wherein the first sensor unit is offset from the second sensor unit in a circumferential direction.
13. The sensor assembly according to claim 8 wherein the first sensor element is embedded in the sensor retainer.
14. The sensor assembly according to claim 8 further comprising a plurality of the first sensor elements fixed to the sensor retainer and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction.
15. The sensor assembly according to claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of first sensor elements comprises a magnet.
16. The sensor assembly according to claim 8 wherein the sensor retainer comprises an annular member.
17. The sensor assembly according to claim 16 wherein the annular member includes a plurality of splines on an inner peripheral surface thereof.
18. The sensor assembly according to claim 16 wherein the annular member includes a threaded inner peripheral surface.
19. A sprocket assembly for a bicycle comprising:
a plurality of sprockets mounted together for rotation around a common axis; and
a sensor element coupled for rotation with the plurality of sprockets.
20. The sprocket assembly according to claim 19 wherein the sensor element comprises a magnet.
21. The sprocket assembly according to claim 19 further comprising a plurality of the sensor elements coupled for rotation with the plurality of sprockets.
22. The sprocket assembly according to claim 21 wherein each of the plurality of sensor elements comprises a magnet.
23. The sprocket assembly according to claim 19 further comprising an annular member coaxially mounted with the plurality of sprockets for integral rotation with the plurality of sprockets, wherein the sensor element is mounted to the annular member.
24. The sprocket assembly according to claim 23 wherein the sensor element is embedded in the annular member.
25. The sprocket assembly according to claim 23 wherein the annular member includes a plurality of splines on an inner peripheral surface thereof.
26. The sprocket assembly according to claim 23 wherein the annular member includes a threaded inner peripheral surface.
27. The sprocket assembly according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of sprockets includes a first sprocket and a second sprocket, wherein the first sprocket includes a shift facilitating structure for facilitating shifting of a chain from the second sprocket to the first sprocket, and wherein the sensor element is located at a specific rotational position relative to the shift facilitating structure.
28. The sprocket assembly according to claim 27 wherein the shift facilitating structure includes a recess disposed on a side of the first sprocket.
29. The sprocket assembly according to claim 27 wherein the first sprocket includes a first sprocket positioning structure on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and wherein the sensor retainer includes a retainer positioning structure on an inner peripheral surface thereof for positioning the sensor retainer at a predetermined rotational position relative to the first sprocket.
30. A sensor assembly for a bicycle comprising:
a plurality of sprockets mounted together for rotation around a common axis;
a first sensor element coupled for rotation with the plurality of sprockets; and
a second sensor element for attachment in close proximity to the plurality of sprockets so that the first sensor element rotates relative to the second sensor element.
31. The sensor assembly according to claim 30 wherein the first sensor element comprises a signal generating element, and wherein the second sensor element comprises a signal receiving element.
32. The sensor assembly according to claim 31 wherein the first sensor element comprises a magnet.
33. The sensor assembly according to claim 30 wherein the second sensor element comprises:
a first sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element; and
a second sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element.
34. The sensor assembly according to claim 33 wherein the first sensor unit is offset from the second sensor unit in a circumferential direction.
35. The sensor assembly according to claim 30 further comprising:
a sensor retainer for mounting coaxially with the sprocket assembly so that the sensor retainer rotates together with the sprocket assembly; and
wherein the first sensor element is coupled for rotation with the sensor retainer.
36. The sensor assembly according to claim 35 wherein the sensor retainer comprises an annular member.
37. The sensor assembly according to claim 36 wherein the first sensor element is embedded in the annular member.
38. The sensor assembly according to claim 36 wherein the annular member includes a plurality of splines on an inner peripheral surface thereof.
39. The sensor assembly according to claim 36 wherein the annular member includes a threaded inner peripheral surface.
40. The sensor assembly according to claim 35 further comprising a plurality of the first sensor elements fixed to the sensor retainer and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction.
41. The sensor assembly according to claim 40 wherein each of the plurality of first sensor elements comprises a magnet.
42. The sensor assembly according to claim 40 wherein the second sensor element comprises:
a first sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element; and
a second sensor unit for communicating with the first sensor element.
43. The sensor assembly according to claim 42 wherein the first sensor unit is offset from the second sensor unit in a circumferential direction.
44. The sensor assembly according to claim 43 wherein each of the plurality of first sensor elements comprises a magnet.
45. The sensor assembly according to claim 35 wherein the plurality of sprockets includes a first sprocket and a second sprocket, wherein the first sprocket includes a shift facilitating structure for facilitating shifting of a chain from the second sprocket to the first sprocket, and wherein the sensor element is located at a specified rotational position relative to the shift facilitating structure.
46. The sensor assembly according to claim 45 wherein the shift facilitating structure includes a recess disposed on a side of the first sprocket.
47. The sensor assembly according to claim 45 wherein the first sprocket includes a first sprocket positioning structure on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and wherein the sensor retainer includes a retainer positioning structure on an inner peripheral surface thereof for positioning the sensor retainer at a predetermined rotational position relative to the first sprocket.
48. A sensor retainer for a bicycle transmission comprising:
a fixing member for mounting the transmission to a bicycle frame; and
a sensor element mounted to the fixing member.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrical signal converter, comprising:
a plurality of inputs for receiving a first species of signal;
a plurality of n, converter elements for converting the first species of signal into a second species of signal, wherein n>3;
a switch for mapping the plurality of inputs to the plurality of converter elements; and
logic configured to cause the switch to map the inputs on a plurality of successive input cycles to different converter elements according to a delta-two-maximum pattern, wherein on a first input cycle, a converter element is used at position k, and on a second conversion cycle the converter element is used at position kt+1, wherein |k\u2212kt+1|\u22662.
2. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the converter elements are digital-to-analog converter elements.
3. The electrical signal converter of claim 2, wherein the plurality of inputs form a thermometer code.
4. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the converter elements are analog-to-digital converters.
5. The electrical signal converter of claim 4, wherein the second species of signal comprises a thermometer code.
6. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to select the delta-two-maximum pattern according to a pseudorandom input.
7. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the logic is configured to select the delta-two-maximum pattern according to a pseudorandom input plus a constant.
8. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the pattern encompasses n ordered converter elements and wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises:
if k is even, kt+1=k+2; and if k is odd, kt+1=k\u22122.
9. The electrical signal converter of claim 8, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern further comprises:
if k==1, kt+1=2; and if k is even and k==n, kt+1=k\u22121.
10. The electrical signal converter of claim 1, wherein the pattern encompasses n ordered converter elements and wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises swapping k and k+1.
11. The electrical signal converter of claim 10, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern further comprises:
on even cycles, if k is odd and k\u2260n, swap k and k+1;
on odd cycles, if k is even and k\u2260n, swap k and k+1.
12. A delta-sigma modulator comprising:
an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive an analog input and provide a digital output, the analog-to-digital converter comprising a plurality of n ordered converter elements, wherein n>3, and logic to rotate converter elements according to a first stepwise delta-two-maximum pattern;
a digital-to-analog converter configured to receive the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter and provide an analog output, the digital-to-analog converter comprising a plurality of ordered converter elements and logic rotate converter elements according to a second stepwise delta-two-maximum pattern;
a loop filter configured to receive the analog input and the analog output of the digital-to-analog converter, and to provide a filtered analog signal the analog-to-digital converter; and
element selection logic configured to select a number of steps;
wherein the first stepwise delta-two-maximum pattern and second stepwise delta-two-maximum pattern each ensure that a converter element used at a position k on a first conversion cycle is used at kt+1 on a second conversion cycle, wherein |k\u2212kt+1|\u22662.
13. The delta-sigma modulator of claim 12, wherein:
at least one of the delta-two-maximum patterns comprises, for element k, if k is of a first species, kt+1=k+2; if k is of a second species, kt+1=k\u22122.
14. The delta-sigma modulator of claim 12, wherein:
the digital-to-analog converter comprises n converter elements;
the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises two cycles, wherein, for element k:
on the first cycle, if k is odd, swap k and k+1;
on the second cycle, if k is even, swap k and k+1.
15. The delta-sigma modulator of claim 12, wherein the element selection logic selects the number of steps by calculating a pseudorandom number plus a constant.
16. A method performed by an electrical signal converter, comprising:
during a first time period, selecting a first converter element from among a plurality of n available ordered converter elements in the electrical signal converter, wherein n>3;
during a second time period:
calculating a pseudorandom number;
selecting a second converter element by stepping through available converter elements according to a delta-two-maximum pattern, the number of steps being a function of the pseudorandom number and being less than two.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the function of the pseudorandom number includes addition of a constant.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the constant is one.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern includes the steps 1-2-4-6-8 and 7-5-3-1.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises shifting converter elements up or down two elements
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises swapping adjacent converter elements.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises:
for element k, if k is of a first species, kt+1=k+2; if k is of a second species, select kt+1=k\u22122.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein:
the delta-two-maximum pattern comprises two cycles, wherein, for element k:
on the first cycle, for a first species of k, swap k and k+1;
on the second cycle, for a second species of k, swap k and k+1.