System for Detecting a Wheel Motion

• US 20110130919A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wenzler, Axel, Neuscheler, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

In a method for detecting a rolling motion of a wheel in a motor vehicle, a wheel acceleration variable characterizing a wheel acceleration is recorded using at least one sensor element, the wheel acceleration variable is scanned at various scanning points in time, and the presence of a rolling motion is detected with the aid of the scanned values. The wheel acceleration variable is scanned in a cycle, including at least three scanning points in time, of nonequidistant points in time.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method for detecting a rolling motion of a wheel in a motor vehicle, comprising:

recording over a specified period of time, using at least one sensor element, a wheel acceleration variable characterizing a wheel acceleration;

scanning the recorded wheel acceleration variable at multiple scanning points in time in a predetermined cycle of non-equidistant points in time including at least three scanning points in time; and

detecting the presence of a rolling motion of a wheel with the aid of the scanned values of the recorded wheel acceleration variable.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the wheel acceleration variable is one of a radial acceleration or a tangential acceleration occurring at the wheel.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the wheel acceleration variable has at least one component relating to a radial acceleration.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the non-equidistant scanning points in time are sequentially arranged within the predetermined cycle such that successive time intervals between two adjacent scanning points in time decrease.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the detection of the presence of the rolling motion of the wheel includes:

ascertaining, by the scanning, the maximum value of the recorded wheel acceleration variable within the predetermined cycle;

ascertaining, by the scanning, the minimum value of the recorded wheel acceleration variable within the predetermined cycle;

ascertaining the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the recorded wheel acceleration variable; and

detecting the presence of the rolling motion using the ascertained difference.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the rolling motion is detected as being present if the ascertained difference exceeds a specified threshold value.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the scanning cycle is repeated at specified times.

23. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the method is applied in connection with a tire-pressure monitoring system, and the operating mode of the tire-pressure monitoring system is adjusted depending on whether the rolling motion has been detected as being present.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein if the presence of the rolling motion has not been detected, tire pressure values ascertained by the tire-pressure monitoring system are one of (a) not transmitted or (b) transmitted at increased intervals.

25. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the sensor element is a piezoceramic sensor element.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel to the piezoceramic sensor element.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the detection of the presence of the rolling motion takes place using an electronic circuit, and wherein the electronic circuit is supplied with current only during the multiple scanning points in time.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the electronic circuit includes a charge-voltage converter.

29. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

specifying a minimum speed;

ascertaining a duration of a period of a wheel rotation at the specified minimum speed; and

selecting the length in time of the predetermined cycle including at least three scanning points to be one of equal to or greater than the period duration.

30. A device for detecting a rolling motion of a wheel in a motor vehicle, comprising:

recording over a specified period of time, using at least one sensor element, a wheel acceleration variable characterizing a wheel acceleration;

scanning the recorded wheel acceleration variable at multiple scanning points in time in a predetermined cycle of non-equidistant points in time including at least three scanning points in time; and

detecting the presence of a rolling motion of a wheel with the aid of the scanned values of the recorded wheel acceleration variable.