DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE INFLATION STATE OF A TIRE

• US 20110030464A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Andrieux, Arnaud, Chabanon, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A device for estimating an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of an automobile, that includes a memory storing a reference signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions; a mechanism determining a current signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions; a mechanism comparing the current signature and the reference signature, and capable of outputting a signal based on the deviation between the current signature and the reference signature.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A device for detecting an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a memory storing a reference signature of a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions;

a means for determining a current signature of a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions; and

a means for comparing the current signature with the reference signature, and for outputting a signal depending on a difference between the current signature and the reference signature.

11. The detection device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a sensor that senses rotation speed of the wheel, including angle markers and a means for detecting the angle markers,

the means for determining a current signature further determining a signal depending on the inflation state of the tire, as a function of a signal received from the speed sensor and depending on successive passage of the angle markers.

12. The detection device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for comparing between the current signature and the reference signature comprises a device for locating an angular position of the markers corresponding to a location of the detected pressure increase.

13. A method for detecting an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of a motor vehicle, comprising:

storing a reference signature, of a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions;

determining a current signature of a wheel, of a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions;

determining a difference between the current signature and the stored reference signature; and

deducing the inflation state of the tire therefrom.

14. The detection method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the difference between the reference signature and the current signature is determined by producing a point-to-point difference between the current signature and the reference signature.

15. The detection method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the difference between the current signature and the stored reference signature is determined in real time.

16. The detection method as claimed in claim 13, applied to all of the tires of the vehicle, wherein the difference between the current signature and the stored reference signature is determined for each tire individually.

17. The detection method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a puncture-detection signal is transmitted if an isolated and time-limited increase in the difference between the reference signature and the current signature is detected.

18. The detection method as claimed in claim 13, applied to a vehicle fitted with studded tires, wherein the reference signature includes contribution of studs of the tire.