Pressure sensitive foil, a tire pressure sensor module, a tire, a method and a computer program for obtaining information related to deformations of a tire

• US 10,259,274 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2015
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Lange, Thomas, Peine, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plumb, Nigel
• Application Number:
  US14/796,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20170008355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 731465, 731464, 731463, 731462, 73146, 73 78, 73862381
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/064 comprising tyre mounted deformation sensors, e.g. to determine road contact area

Abstract

Embodiments provide a pressure sensitive foil, a tire pressure sensor module, a tire, a method and a computer program for determining information related to deformations of a tire. A pressure sensitive foil configured to determine information related to deformations of a tire. The pressure sensitive foil comprises an interface configured to provide the information related to the deformations of the tire to a control device. A tire pressure sensor module is configured to provide information related to deformations of a tire to a control device. The tire pressure sensor module comprises an interface configured to determine the information related to the deformations of the tire from a pressure sensitive foil.

Claims

1. A pressure sensitive foil locatable on an inside of a tire and configured to sense information related to a deformation of the tire defined by a contact area of the tire with a surface, the pressure sensitive foil comprising an interface configured to provide a signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire to a controller, wherein the information includes a pressure distribution indicating a shape of the contact area of the tire with the surface, and the shape is related to a type of motion of the tire.

2. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to provide the signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire to the controller via a tire pressure sensor module.

3. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 2, wherein the interface is configured to establish a wired connection to the tire pressure sensor module.

4. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to power supply the pressure sensitive foil.

5. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1 being coupled to the controller, which is configured to provide a signal to the pressure sensitive foil based on which the information related to the deformation of the tire is sensed.

6. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to carry out tire deformation measurements using the pressure sensitive foil as deformation sensor.

7. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1, wherein the shape is rectangular, indicating that the tire is at a standstill.

8. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1, wherein the shape is larger at an outside edge than at an inside edge, indicating that the tire is in a cornering scenario.

9. The pressure sensitive foil of claim 1, wherein the shape is asymmetrical to the center of the tire, indicating that the tire is in an aquaplaning scenario.

10. A tire pressure sensor module locatable on an inside of a tire and configured to provide to a controller information related to a deformation of the tire defined by a contact area of the tire with a surface, the tire pressure sensor module comprising an interface configured to obtain a signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire from a pressure sensitive foil, wherein the information includes a pressure distribution indicating a shape of the contact area of the tire with the surface, and the shape is related to a type of motion of the tire.

11. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 10, wherein the interface is configured to establish a wired connection to the pressure sensitive foil.

12. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 10, comprising a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the information related to the deformation of the tire to the controller.

13. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 10, wherein the interface is further configured to power supply the pressure sensitive foil.

14. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 13, further comprising an energy harvester configured to generate the power to supply the pressure sensitive foil.

15. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 10, further comprising the controller, which is configured to provide signals to the pressure sensitive foil using the interface based on which the information related to the deformation of the tire is sensed.

16. The tire pressure sensor module of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to carry out tire deformation measurements using the pressure sensitive foil as deformation sensor.

17. A tire comprising a pressure sensitive foil located on an inside of the tire and configured to sense information related to a deformation of the tire defined by a contact area of the tire with a surface, the pressure sensitive foil comprising an interface configured to provide a signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire to a controller, wherein the information includes a pressure distribution indicating a shape of the contact area of the tire with the surface, and the shape is related to a type of motion of the tire.

18. The tire of claim 17, further comprising a tire pressure sensor module coupled to the pressure sensitive foil and comprising a second interface configured to obtain the signal from the interface of the pressure sensitive foil.

19. The tire of claim 17, wherein the pressure sensitive foil extends at least partly along an inside of the tire on the backside of a contact area of the tire.

20. The tire of claim 17, wherein the pressure sensitive foil extents along an inside of a tire and along a complete circumferential backside of a contact area of the tire.

21. A tire for a vehicle comprising a pressure sensitive foil locatable on an inside of the tire and configured to sense information related to a deformation of the tire defined by a contact area of the tire with a surface, comprising a first interface configured to provide a signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire to a tire pressure sensor module, the tire pressure sensor module comprising a second interface, which is coupled with the first interface to obtain the signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire from the pressure sensitive foil, wherein the tire pressure sensor module further comprises a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the information related to the deformation of the tire to a controller, wherein the information includes a pressure distribution indicating a shape of the contact area of the tire with the surface, and the shape is related to a type of motion of the tire.

22. A method for obtaining information related to a deformation of a tire defined by contact area of the tire with a surface, comprising:

sensing a signal indicating information related to the deformation of the tire defined by the contact area of the tire with the surface; and

wirelessly transmitting the information related to the deformation of the tire from the tire to a controller,

wherein the information includes a pressure distribution indicating a shape of the contact area of the tire with the surface, and the shape is related to a type of motion of the tire.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing the signal indicating the information related to the deformation of the tire to a tire pressure sensor module before transmitting the information to the controller.