METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE MILEAGE OF A TIRE

• US 20110166825A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: KAMMANN, STEFAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,050,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/004 Tyre sensors other than for detecting tyre pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/02 by conversion into electric waveforms and subsequent integration, e.g. using tachometer generator G01C22/002, G01C22/004, G01C22/006 take precedence

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for determining the mileage of a tire, include measuring a first current mileage over a limited period a first time, measuring a second current mileage over a limited period a second time, providing a measurement-free rest period between the first measurement and the second measurement, and estimating the mileage during the rest period on the basis of the first current mileage and/or the second current mileage. In addition, the method is repeated, with the already performed second measurement replacing the first measurement. Since a supply of power is not needed or at least can be significantly reduced during the rest period, the power requirement for mileage determination during the life of the tire can be significantly reduced, which allows simplified supply of power for mileage determination.

Claims

1. A method for determining the mileage of a tire, the method comprising the following steps:

measuring a first current mileage over a limited period a first time;

measuring a second current mileage over a limited period a second time;

providing a measurement-free rest period between the first measurement and the second measurement;

estimating the mileage during the rest period based on at least one of the first current mileage or the second current mileage; and

repeating the method with the already performed second measurement replacing the first measurement.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using a profile of the mileage during the rest period, linearly interpolated between the first current mileage and the second current mileage, as a basis for the estimation of the mileage during the rest period.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using a constant profile of the mileage during the rest period at a level of the first current mileage or at a level of the second current mileage or an intermediate value between the first current mileage and the second current mileage, as a basis for the estimation of the mileage during the rest period.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises varying a duration of the measurement-free rest period on a basis of at least one current mileage, decreasing the duration of the measurement-free rest period when the current mileage is increasing and increasing the duration of the measurement-free rest period when the current mileage is decreasing.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises calculating a duration of the measurement-free rest period on a basis of at least one measured current mileage causing a number N of wheel revolutions of 5≦

N≦

1000 to fall into the measurement-free rest period.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein 10≦

N≦

250.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein 15≦

N≦

80.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein 20≦

N≦

25.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the first measurement during a first prescribed measurement time by measurement of a first number of wheel revolutions for determining the first current mileage and/or carrying out the second measurement during a second prescribed measurement time by measurement of a second number of wheel revolutions for determining the second current mileage.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the first measurement during a first prescribed number of wheel revolutions by measurement of a first measurement time for determining the first current mileage and/or carrying out the second measurement during a second prescribed number of wheel revolutions by measurement of a second measurement time for determining the second current mileage.

11. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises supplying the mileage to a load sensor for estimating a current load on the tire, and connecting the load sensor to a pressure sensor for measuring an internal pressure of the tire.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tire is a motor vehicle tire.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus carries out the method according to claim 1.

13. An apparatus for determining the mileage of a tire, the apparatus comprising:

a measurement sensor for performing a first measurement, over a limited period, of a first current mileage and a second measurement, over a limited period, of a second current mileage;

a voltage source for operating measurement electrics for said measurement sensor;

a switch for at least one of interrupting or connecting said voltage source for supplying power to said measurement sensor to provide a measurement-free rest period between the first measurement and the second measurement; and

a computation unit connected to said measurement sensor for estimating the mileage during the rest period on a basis of at least one of the first current mileage or the second current mileage.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tire is a motor vehicle tire.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said voltage source is a battery.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said measurement sensor is a contact area pass counter connected to said computation unit for counting wheel revolutions.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said contact area pass counter has a piezoelectric element connected to a counting unit.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, which further comprises a time sensor connected to said computation unit for measuring periods.

20. The apparatus according to claim 13, which further comprises at least one of a volatile or permanent memory for storing at least one of the mileage, the first current mileage, the second current mileage, a number of wheel revolutions or periods.