Method for monitoring a vehicle tire and a vehicle, and method for generating a vehicle tire interaction, model, vehicle diagnostic system

• US 20050150283A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TOV Automotive GmbH, TUV Automotive GmbH
• Original Assignee: TUV Automotive GmbH
• Inventors: Shick, Bernhard, Netsch, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 7,320,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/004 Tyre sensors other than for detecting tyre pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/13 Aquaplaning, hydroplaning

Abstract

An on-board vehicle diagnostic system includes sensors for recording vehicle operating parameters, such as speed, wheel speed, yaw rate, transverse acceleration, and/or tire operating parameters, such as the tire inflation pressure and the temperature at the belt edge. Relationships between the parameters are stored in a diagnostic model so that depending on the complexity level of the system and objective, predictions regarding the wear condition of the tire and/or erroneous vehicle adjustments are possible.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method for monitoring the condition of a vehicle tire, comprising:

providing a vehicle- and tire-specific diagnostic model for use in calculating at least one tire damage value, which value influences tire damage, based upon values of vehicle operating parameters representative of the loading of the vehicle tire, wherein the at least one tire damage value comprises the momentary temperature prevailing at a junction region between a sidewall and a tread of the vehicle tire,

providing a tire damage model for use in determining a tire damage characterizing value from the time progression of the at least one tire damage value, wherein the diagnostic model includes at least one vehicle adjustment parameter selected from the group consisting of wheel camber and wheel toe, and the tire damage model includes a time integral of the momentary temperatures prevailing at the junction region between the sidewall and the tread of the vehicle tire,

detecting the vehicle operating parameter values,

determining the at least one tire damage value,

recording the time progression of the at least one tire damage value; and

determining the tire damage characterizing value.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

calculating the at least one tire damage value,

detecting the at least one tire damage value by a sensor and

adapting the tire damage model when the calculated value differs from the detected value.

14. A method according claim 12, further comprising detecting the value of at least one environmental parameter and including the environmental parameter value in the diagnostic model.

15. A method for monitoring at least one vehicle adjustment parameter selected from the group consisting of wheel camber and wheel toe, comprising:

providing a vehicle- and tire-specific diagnostic model for use in calculating at least one value selected from the group consisting of a wheel camber value and a wheel toe value based upon (i) at least one tire damage value influencing damage to the vehicle tire and (ii) at least one vehicle operating parameter value,

detecting the at least one tire damage value and the at least one vehicle operating parameter value and

calculating at least one of the wheel camber value and the wheel toe value from the detected values.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the time progression of the at least one tire damage value is detected and included in the diagnostic model.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one tire damage value comprises the momentary temperature prevailing at a junction region between a sidewall and a tread of the vehicle tire.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

calculating the value of at least one vehicle adjustment parameter,

detecting the value of the at least one vehicle adjustment parameter by a sensor, and

adapting the diagnostic model when the calculated value differs from the detected value.

19. A method according to claim 18, further including detecting the value of at least one environmental parameter and including said value in the diagnostic model.

20. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

calculating the value of at least one vehicle adjustment parameter, detecting the value of the at least one vehicle adjustment parameter by a sensor, and adapting the diagnostic model when the calculated value differs from the detected value.

21. A method according to claim 15, further including detecting the value of at least one environmental parameter and including said value in the diagnostic model.

22. A method for generating a vehicle-tire interaction model, comprising:

calculating a tire- and vehicle-specific virtual map, which virtual map includes at least one tire operating parameter influencing tire damage as a function of at least one of;

(i) a vehicle adjustment parameter selected from the group consisting of wheel camber and wheel toe, (ii) a vehicle operation parameter and (iii) a tire adjustment parameter,

determining by testing a tire and vehicle-specific real map, which real map includes the at least one tire operating parameter influencing tire damage as a function of at least one of;

(i) a vehicle adjustment parameter selected from the group consisting of wheel camber and wheel toe, (ii) a vehicle operation parameter and (iii) a tire adjustment parameter, and

combining the virtual and real maps to form a vehicle-tire interaction model.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the at least one tire operating parameter influencing tire damage comprises a tire temperature value representative of the momentary temperature prevailing at a junction region between a sidewall and a tread of a vehicle tire.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising calculating the tire temperature value based upon a power dissipation model that includes power dissipated by at least one of longitudinal slip, tire slip, vertical deformation, rolling resistance and dynamic wheel toe change.

25. A method for generating a vehicle-tire reliability map, comprising:

determining a tire- and vehicle-specific map that includes at least one tire operating parameter influencing tire damage as a function of at least one of;

(i) a vehicle adjustment parameter, (ii) a vehicle operation parameter and (iii) a tire adjustment parameter,

determining by testing a tire service life for different values of the at least one tire operating parameter and

generating the reliability map from the tire- and vehicle-specific map and the determined service life data.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the at least one tire operating parameter influencing tire damage comprises a tire temperature value representative of the momentary temperature prevailing at a junction region between a sidewall and a tread of a vehicle tire.

27. A tire diagnostic system, comprising:

means for storing a vehicle- and tire-specific diagnostic model for use in calculating at least one tire damage value, which value influences tire damage, based upon values of vehicle operating parameters representative of the loading of the vehicle tire, wherein the at least one tire damage value comprises the momentary temperature prevailing at a junction region between a sidewall and a tread of the vehicle tire,

means for storing a tire damage model for use in determining a tire damage characterizing value from the time progression of the at least one tire damage value, wherein the diagnostic model includes at least one vehicle adjustment parameter selected from the group consisting of wheel camber and wheel toe, and the tire damage model includes a time integral of the momentary temperatures prevailing at the junction region between the sidewall and the tread of the vehicle tire,

sensors arranged and constructed to detect the values of the vehicle operating parameters included in the vehicle- and tire-specific diagnostic model,

means for determining the at least one tire damage value,

means for recording the time progression of the at least one tire damage value; and

means for determining the tire damage characterizing value.

28. A tire diagnostic system according to claim 27, further comprising:

means for calculating the at least one tire damage value,

means for detecting the at least one tire damage value by a sensor and

means for adapting the tire damage model when the calculated value differs from the detected value.

29. A tire diagnostic system according claim 28, further comprising means for detecting the value of at least one environmental parameter, wherein the environmental parameter value is included in the diagnostic model.

30. A vehicle diagnostic system, comprising:

means for storing a diagnostic model including relationships between vehicle adjustment parameters selected from wheel camber, wheel toe, vehicle operating parameters and tire adjustment parameters, and

means for detecting values of at least several of said parameters so that at least some of said parameters, which are not detected, are determined by entry of the detected parameters into the diagnostic model.