SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM OF ESTIMATING TIRE PRESSURE DEVIATIONS

• US 20100164704A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nira Dynamics AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Nira Dynamics AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Gustaysson, Tony, Lindskog, Peter, Hall, Peter, Stenman, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/062 Frequency spectrum analysis of wheel speed signals, e.g. using Fourier transformation

Abstract

The invention provides a system, a method and a computer program of estimating tire pressure deviations in a number of tires of a vehicle wherein a plurality of possible constellations of one or more pressure deviating tires exists. The system comprises a plurality of pressure deviation detectors (11), wherein each of the detectors (11) is adapted to detect at least one of the pressure deviating tire constellations. The system further comprises an output unit (12) which is adapted to provide for a warning if one of the pressure deviation detectors (11) detects at least one of the pressure deviating tire constellations.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. System of estimating tire pressure deviations in a number of tires of a vehicle wherein a plurality of possible constellations of one or more pressure deviating tires exists, the system comprising:

a plurality of separate pressure deviation detectors (11), wherein at least one pressure deviation detector is provided for and assigned to each of the possible pressure deviating tire constellations, and wherein each detector (11) is optimised to detect the pressure deviating tire constellation to which it is assigned; and

an output unit (12) which is adapted to provide for a warning if one of the pressure deviation detectors (11) detects one of the pressure deviating tire constellations.

30. System according to claim 29, including a unit for determining a warning level in dependence on pressure deviations estimated by the system, wherein, if one of the pressure deviation detectors (11) detects one pressure deviating tire constellation, the output unit (12) additionally provides information specifying the warning level.

31. System according to claim 30, wherein the unit for determining the warning level provides a low priority warning level, if an estimated pressure deviation exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and a high priority warning level, if an estimated pressure deviation exceeds a second predetermined threshold which is greater than the first threshold, or if the estimated pressure deviation has exceeded the first threshold for a predetermined time period.

32. System according to claim 29, wherein a unit for roll radius based tire pressure monitoring (5) and/or a wheel spectrum analysis module (4) and/or a wheel correlation module are arranged to provide data to the pressure deviation detectors (11).

33. System according to claim 29, wherein the detectors (11) further comprise different detector types which are adapted to detect different pressure deviation situations, the detector types comprising at least one of a puncture detector type for detecting rapid pressure deviations, a diffusion detector type for detecting slow pressure deviations, a flat tire detector type for detecting rapid and large pressure deviations, an asymmetric detector type for detecting asymmetric pressure deviations, a detector type for detecting leakage during calibration, a detector type for detecting different tire sizes and further detector types for detecting other situations than the ones listed above.

34. System according to claim 32, comprising a plurality of detectors (11) of different types for each pressure deviating tire constellation.

35. System according to claim 29, further comprising a control unit for activating and/or deactivating any of the pressure deviation detectors (11) and/or for adapting detector parameters in response to vehicle parameters, driving situations, external commands or other external influences.

36. System according to claim 29, further including a load compensation unit (10) connected to load compensate signals before they are provided to the detectors (11).

37. Method of estimating tire pressure deviations in a number of tires of a vehicle wherein a plurality of possible constellations of one or more pressure deviating tires exists, the method comprising:

detecting the pressure deviating tire constellations using a plurality of separate pressure deviation detectors (11), wherein at least one pressure deviation detector is provided for and assigned to each of the possible pressure deviating tire constellations, and wherein each detector is optimised to detect the pressure deviating tire constellation to which it is assigned; and

providing a warning if one of the pressure deviating tire constellations is detected.

38. Method of claim 37, comprising determining a warning level in dependence on estimated pressure deviations and, if one of the pressure deviating tire constellations is detected, additionally providing information specifying the determined warning level.

39. Method according to claim 37, comprising activating and/or deactivating detectors (11) in response to external signals and/or changing detector parameters in response to external requests or driving/vehicle conditions.

40. Method according to claim 37, comprising detecting different deviation situations using a plurality of detectors (11) of different detectors types which are adapted to detect different pressure deviation situations, the detector types comprising at least one of a puncture detector type for detecting rapid pressure deviations, a diffusion detector type for detecting slow pressure deviations, a flat tire detector type for detecting rapid and large pressure deviations, an asymmetric detector type for detecting asymmetric pressure deviations, a detector type for detecting leakage during calibration, a detector type for detecting different tire sizes and further detector types for detecting other situations than the ones listed above.

41. Method of claim 40, wherein the detectors (11) comprise several detectors of different detector types which are each adapted to detect the same pressure deviating tire constellation.

42. Method of claim 37, comprising activating and/or deactivating any of the pressure deviation detectors (11) and adapting the detector parameters in response to vehicle parameters, driving situations, external commands or other external influences.

43. Computer program of estimating tire pressure deviations in a number of tires of a vehicle wherein a plurality of possible constellations of one or more pressure deviating tires exists, the computer program storing instructions to enable:

detecting the pressure deviating tire constellations using a plurality of separate pressure deviation detectors (11), wherein at least one pressure deviation detector is provided for and assigned to each of the possible pressure deviating tire constellations, and wherein each detector is optimised to detect the pressure deviating tire constellation to which it is assigned; and

providing a warning if one of the pressure deviating tire constellations is detected.