METHOD OF IDENTIFYING POSITIONS OF WHEEL MODULES

• US 20100274607A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Carresjô, Erik, Hasselberg, Per
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0477 Evaluating waveform of pressure readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/28 with special adaptations for determining imbalance of the body in situ, e.g. of vehicle wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

There is provided a method of identifying locations of modules (400) of an apparatus (600, 680, 690, 2200) for monitoring wheels (10) of a vehicle (900). The sensor modules (400) operatively revolving with the wheels (10). The modules (400) communicate with a processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) of the vehicle (900). The modules (400) sense a physical parameter of the wheels (10) and generate corresponding sensor signals for the processing arrangement (950). The processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) processes the sensor signals to compute information indicative of operation of the wheels (10). The apparatus (1) also includes a sensor arrangement (118) for sensing an angular orientation (0) of the wheels (10). The method includes steps of: (b) arranging an elongate feature (1100) in an at least partially transverse direction relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle (900); (c) driving the vehicle (900) over the elongate feature (1100) to cause the wheels (10), together with their associated modules (400), to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature (1100) and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of the wheels (10) onto the elongate feature (1100) to the processing arrangement (950), the signals identifying a time at which their wheels (10) contacted onto the elongate feature (1100) and identification codes (ID) of the modules (400); and (d) from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement (950), identifying whereat modules (400) are located on the wheels (10) of the vehicle (900).

Claims

1. A method of identifying locations of one or more modules (400) of an apparatus (600, 680, 690, 2200) included in a vehicle (900) for monitoring operation of at least one wheel (10) of the vehicle (900), said one or more sensor modules (400) operatively mounted to revolve with said at least one wheel (10), said one or more modules (400) being operatively coupled in communication with a processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) of said vehicle (900), said one or more modules (400) being operable to sense at least one physical parameter of said wheel (10) and to generate at least one corresponding sensor signal for said processing arrangement (950), said processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) being operable to process said at least one sensor signal to compute information indicative of operation of said at least one wheel (10),

characterized in that

said method includes steps of:

(a) arranging for at least one elongate feature (1100) to be provided in an at least partially transverse direction relative to a direction of travel of said vehicle (900);

(b) driving said vehicle (900) over said elongate feature (1100) to cause said at least one wheel (10), together with its associated one or more modules (400), to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature (1100) and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of said at least one wheel (10) onto said elongate feature (1100) to said processing arrangement (950), said signals identifying a time at which their at least one wheel (10) contacted onto the elongate feature (1100) and one or more identification codes (ID) of said one or more modules (400) mounted onto said at least one wheel (10); and

(c) from a temporal sequence of said signals received at the processing arrangement (950), identifying locations whereat the one or more modules (400) are located on said one or more wheels (10) of said vehicle (900).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus (1) includes a sensor arrangement (118) for sensing an angular orientation (0) of said at least one wheel (10).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signals are indicative of at least one of:

(e) one or more components of acceleration (A_r, A_y) sensed at said at least one wheel (10); and

(f) a pressure sensed in a tyre (30) of said at least one wheel (10).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said vehicle (900) is driven at said partially transverse angle so as to result in signals from said one or more modules (400) being temporally mutually different between corresponding left-hand-side and right-hand-side wheels (10) of said vehicle (900), thereby enabling said processing arrangement (950) to distinguish locations of said one or modules (400) along said vehicle (900) and distinguish whether said one or more modules (400) are located on a left-hand side or a right-hand side of said vehicle (900).

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, said method being implemented repetitively whilst said vehicle (900) is being driven in normal use.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, including an additional step of identifying those one or more modules (400) mounted to a wall (230) or onto an inside rim of a tyre (30) of said at least one wheel (10) by identifying periodic pulses (500) in acceleration signal components (A_y, A_z) derived from said one or more modules (400) corresponding to rotation of said at least one wheel (10).

7. A wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) operable to execute a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

8. A module (400) operable to function in a vehicle (900) for implementing a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A vehicle (900) including a wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 7 operable to monitor operation of at least one wheel (10) of said vehicle (900) pursuant to a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A wheel (10) including one or more modules (400) mounted thereonto, said one or more modules (400) operable to function with a wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 7 operable to monitor operation of at least one wheel (10) of said vehicle (900) pursuant to a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. A tyre (30) including a module (400) as claimed in claim 8.

12. A tyre (30) as claimed in claim 11, wherein said module (400) is mounted to a side wall (230) of said tyre (30).

13. A system including one or more vehicles (900), wherein each vehicle (900) includes a wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) operable to execute a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, said system comprising:

(a) a control centre (1000) for coordinating repair or maintenance of said one or more vehicles (900);

(b) one or more service facilities (1010) operable to perform repair or replacement on said one or more vehicles (900);

wherein said system is operable to;

(c) enable each wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) to monitor operation of its one or more associated wheels (10) and detect when a problem or potential problem arises therewith;

(d) enable each wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) to communicate said problem or potential problem to said control centre (1000), for said control centre (1000) to identify one or more service facilities (1010) capable of addressing said problem or potential problem; and

(e) enable said control centre (1000) to communicate instructions to said one or more vehicles (900) whose wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) has detected a problem or potential problem to said identified one or more service facilities (1010) for said problem or potential problem to be addressed.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said system in (e) is operable to inform said identified one or more service facilities (1010) in advance of arrival of said one or more vehicles (900) for maintenance or repair, so that said identified one or more service facilities (1010) are provided with an opportunity to make preparation for arrival of said one or more vehicle (900) for maintenance or repair.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein said control centre (1000) is operable to organise said maintenance or repair at said identified one or more service facilities (1010) automatically without one or more drivers (910) of said one or more vehicles (900) needing to intervene.

16. A system as claimed in claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein said one or more vehicles (900) include global position sensing apparatus (1020) thereon coupled in communication with said wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) for enabling said one or more vehicles (900) to communicate their position to said control centre (1000), so that said control centre (1000) is operable to identify one or more service facilities (1010) most suitably geographically disposed to service said one or more vehicles (900).

17. A method of operating a system including one or more vehicles (900), wherein each vehicle (900) includes a wheel-monitoring apparatus (600, 680, 690, 2200) operable to implement a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, said system comprising:

(a) a control centre (1000) for coordinating repair or maintenance of said one or more vehicles (900);

(b) one or more service facilities (1010) operable to perform repair or replacement on said one or more vehicles (900);

wherein said method includes steps of;

(c) enabling each wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) to monitor operation of its one or more associated wheels (10) and to detect when a problem or potential problem arises therewith;

(d) enabling each wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) to communicate said problem or potential problem to said control centre (1000), for said control centre (1000) to identify one or more service facilities (1010) capable of addressing said problem or potential problem; and

(e) enabling said control centre (1000) to communicate instructions to said one or more vehicles (900) whose wheel-monitoring apparatus (1) has detected a problem or potential problem to said identified one or more service facilities (1010) for said problem or potential problem to be addressed.

18. A software product recorded on a data carrier, said product being executable on computing hardware for executing a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.