Disengagement detecting device and method

• US 20060109092A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshiyuki, Otsuki
• Application Number:
  US10/539,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109092A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.330
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/00 Hubs non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0068 the element being a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/0013 Hub caps

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disengagement detection device and method capable of detecting the disengagement of a wheel from a vehicle easily and reliably. A magnetic sensor 11 detects the magnetism naturally accumulated in a space inside a vehicle at or near a wheel mounted on the vehicle. A control unit 21 determines, for each prescribed interval, the average value of the output sensor data based on the magnetism detected with the magnetic sensor 11, judges that the wheel disengaged from the vehicle when the average value of the sensor data fluctuates by a prescribed threshold value or more and thereafter stabilizes at a value that is not in a stationary state, and controls the output unit 13 so as to output a disengagement notification signal to the outside. The present invention may be employed in antitheft devices for car wheels.

Claims

1. A disengagement detection device for detecting the disengagement of a wheel from a vehicle, comprising:

detection means for detecting the magnetism inside said vehicle at or near said wheel mounted on said vehicle; and

judgment means for judging the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle based on whether the value of said magnetism detected with said detection means changed by a prescribed threshold value or more, and whether a first stable state centered around a first value changed to a second stable state centered around a second value.

2. A disengagement detection device according to claim 1, wherein said detection means detects magnetisms in a plurality of different directions, and said judgment means judges the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle based on the comparison of the value of said magnetisms detected with said detection means, and the distribution of the value of the magnetisms detected previously with said detection means in a state where said wheel is mounted on said vehicle.

4. A disengagement detection device according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying that the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle has been detected with said judgment means.

3. A disengagement detection device for detecting the disengagement of a wheel from a vehicle, comprising:

detection means for detecting magnetisms in a plurality of different directions inside said vehicle at or near said wheel mounted on said vehicle; and

judgment means for judging the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle based on the comparison of the value of said magnetisms detected with said detection means, and the distribution of the value of the magnetisms detected previously with said detection means in a state where said wheel is mounted on said vehicle.

5. A disengagement detection device for detecting the disengagement of a wheel from a vehicle, comprising:

a detection step for detecting the magnetism inside said vehicle at or near said wheel mounted on said vehicle; and

a judgment step for judging the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle based on whether the value of said magnetism detected by the processing in said detection step changed by a prescribed threshold value or more, and whether a first stable state centered around a first value changed to a second stable state centered around a second value.

6. A disengagement detection device for detecting the disengagement of a wheel from a vehicle, comprising:

a detection step for detecting magnetisms in a plurality of different directions inside said vehicle at or near said wheel mounted on said vehicle; and

a judgment step for judging the disengagement of said wheel from said vehicle based on the comparison of the value of said magnetisms detected by the processing in said detection step, and the distribution of the value of the magnetisms detected previously by the processing in said detection step in a state where said wheel is mounted on said vehicle.