Apparatus and method to dynamically adjust electronic braking using TPMS

• US 10,150,456 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McIntyre, Matthew D, Deniau, Jean-Christophe, Farrell, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kyung J
• Application Number:
  US14/309,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0488 Movement sensor, e.g. for sensing angular speed, acceleration or centripetal force
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/108 to a trailer fluid system
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/06 Wheel load; Wheel lift
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1725 Using tyre sensors, e.g. Sidewall Torsion sensors [SWT] for tyre pressure and temperature detection B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1887 especially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations

Abstract

The dynamic footprint of a tire is received and the dynamic footprint is determined by and received from a tire pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor. A weight or load of the secondary vehicle attached to the primary vehicle is calculated based at least in part on the footprint. Instructions to alter the operation of the braking system of the secondary vehicle based on the calculated weight or load are transmitted to the secondary vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically adjusting a braking system of a secondary vehicle being towed by a primary vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an area of the dynamic footprint of a tire, the area of the dynamic footprint being determined by and received from a tire pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor, the area being determined by measuring an elapsed time between;

a. the occurrence of a first shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a first instantaneous time impacting pavement on which the tire is traveling; and

b. the occurrence of a second shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a second instantaneous time leaving the pavement on which the tire is traveling, said shock waves being detected by an accelerometer in the TPM sensor;

the area being determined by calculating the length of an arc travelled by the tire between the occurrences of the first and second shock waves and comparing the calculated length to an overall length of the tire rotation;

receiving the measured pressure of the tire;

calculating the weight or force of the secondary vehicle on the tire using the pressure and the area;

calculating a mass from the calculated weight or force;

using the mass, calculating at a processor a momentum value sufficient to change a speed of the secondary vehicle from a first value to a second value;

transmitting instructions to alter the operation of the braking system based upon the momentum value;

re-calculating the momentum value in real-time and at predetermined time intervals regardless of the speed of the secondary vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising making an adjustment to the braking system of the secondary vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the adjustment is changing a voltage or current.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the adjustment is opening or closing a valve in the braking system in the secondary vehicle.

5. An electronic control unit (ECU) disposed in a primary vehicle and configured to communicate with a tire pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor in a secondary vehicle, the ECU comprising:

an interface;

a receiver coupled to the interface, the receiver configured to receive an area of the dynamic footprint of a tire, the dynamic area being determined by measuring an elapsed time between;

a. the occurrence of a first shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a first instantaneous time impacting pavement on which the tire is traveling; and

b. the occurrence of a second shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a second instantaneous time leaving the pavement on which the tire is traveling, said shock waves being detected by an accelerometer in the TPM sensor;

the area being determined by calculating the length of an arc travelled by the tire between the occurrences of the first and second shock waves and comparing the calculated length to an overall length of the tire rotation;

a transmitter coupled to the interface;

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to receive the area and the measured pressure of the tire, to calculate the weight or force of the secondary vehicle on the tire using the pressure and the area, and to calculate a mass from the calculated weight or force, the processor configured to, using the mass, calculate a momentum value sufficient to change a speed of the secondary vehicle from a first value to a second value, transmit instructions via the transmitter to alter the operation of the braking system based upon the momentum value, and re-calculate the momentum value in real-time and at predetermined time intervals regardless of the speed of the secondary vehicle.

6. The ECU of claim 5 wherein the adjustment is a change to a voltage or current.

7. The ECU of claim 5 wherein the adjustment is an opening or closing a valve in the braking system of the secondary vehicle.

8. A method of dynamically adjusting a braking system of a secondary vehicle being towed by a primary vehicle, the method comprising:

determining an area of a dynamic footprint of a tire of a secondary vehicle that is attached to a primary vehicle, the dynamic area being determined by measuring an elapsed time between;

a. the occurrence of a first shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a first instantaneous time impacting pavement on which the tire is traveling; and

b. the occurrence of a second shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a second instantaneous time leaving the pavement on which the tire is traveling, said shock waves being detected by an accelerometer in the TPM sensor; and

the area being determined by calculating the length of an arc travelled by the tire between the occurrences of the first and second shock waves and comparing the calculated length to an overall length of the tire rotation;

transmitting the area of the dynamic footprint and a tire pressure to an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit responsively calculating the weight or force of the secondary vehicle on the tire using the tire pressure and the area, the electronic control unit calculating a mass from the calculated weight and force and using the mass to calculate a momentum value sufficient to change a speed of the secondary vehicle from a first value to a second value, transmitting instructions to alter the operation of the braking system based upon the momentum value, and re-calculating the momentum value in real-time and at predetermined time intervals regardless of the speed of the secondary vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising making an adjustment to the braking system of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the adjustment is changing a voltage or current.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the adjustment is opening or closing a valve in the braking system of the secondary vehicle.

12. A tire pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor disposed in a secondary vehicle that communicates with an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed in a primary vehicle, the TPM comprising:

an interface;

a transmitter coupled to the interface;

a sensing apparatus for measuring tire pressure;

a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to determine an area of a dynamic footprint of a tire of the secondary vehicle based at least in part on the sensed readings of the sensing apparatus, the area being determined by measuring an elapsed time between;

a. the occurrence of a first shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a first instantaneous time impacting pavement on which the tire is traveling; and

b. the occurrence of a second shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a second instantaneous time leaving the pavement on which the tire is traveling, said shock waves being detected by an accelerometer in the TPM sensor;

the area being determined by calculating the length of an arc travelled by the tire between the occurrences of the first and second shock waves and comparing the calculated length to an overall length of the tire rotation;

the processor further configured to transmit the area of the dynamic footprint to the ECU via the transmitter, wherein the ECU receives the measured pressure of the tire and calculates a weight or force of the secondary vehicle on the tire using the pressure and the area, the ECU further configured to calculate a mass from the calculated weight or force, wherein the ECU using the mass, calculates a momentum value sufficient to change a speed of the secondary vehicle from a first value to a second value wherein the ECU transmits instructions to alter the operation of the braking system based upon the momentum value, and wherein the ECU re-calculates the momentum value in real-time and at predetermined time intervals regardless of the speed of the secondary vehicle.

13. The TPM sensor of claim 12 wherein the adjustment is a change to a voltage or current.

14. The TPM sensor of claim 12 wherein the adjustment is opening or closing a valve in the braking system of the secondary vehicle.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an area of the dynamic footprint of a tire, the area of the dynamic footprint being determined by and received from a tire pressure monitoring (TPM) sensor, the area being determined by measuring an elapsed time between;

a. the occurrence of a first shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a first instantaneous time impacting pavement on which the tire is traveling; and

b. the occurrence of a second shock wave created and detected by the TPM sensor at a second instantaneous time leaving the pavement on which the tire is traveling, said shock waves being detected by an accelerometer in the TPM sensor; and

the area being determined by calculating the length of an arc travelled by the tire between the occurrences of the first and second shock waves and comparing the calculated length to an overall length of the tire rotation;

receiving the measured pressure of the tire;

calculating the weight or force of the secondary vehicle on the tire using the pressure and the area;

calculating a mass from the calculated weight or force;

using the mass, calculating at a processor a momentum value sufficient to change a speed of the secondary vehicle from a first value to a second value;

transmitting instructions to alter the operation of the braking system based upon the momentum value;

re-calculating the momentum value in real-time and at predetermined time intervals regardless of the speed of the secondary vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises making an adjustment to the braking system of the vehicle.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the adjustment is changing a voltage or current.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the adjustment is opening or closing a valve in the braking system.