TIRE PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT

• US 20130184931A1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Moore, John E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/004 Tyre sensors other than for detecting tyre pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/001 Devices for manually or automatically controlling or distributing tyre pressure whilst the vehicle is moving
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/002 by monitoring conditions other than tyre pressure or deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00

Abstract

A tire pressure adjustment method and system is provided. The method includes receiving from a plurality of sensors in a vehicle, tread depth data associated with tread depths at multiple points on a tire tread comprised by a tire on the vehicle. The tread depth data is analyzed. A tire pressure value for an internal portion of the tire is determined based on results of the analysis. The tire pressure value is associated with modifying a group of tread depths during operation of the vehicle. In response, a command signal is generated. The command signal is configured to command a tire pressure modification device to adjust a current tire pressure value of the internal portion of the tire to the determined tire pressure value. The command signal is transmitted to the tire pressure modification device resulting in the current tire pressure value being adjusted to determined tire pressure value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer processor of a computing system from a first plurality of sensors in a vehicle, first tread depth data associated with first tread depths at multiple points on a first tire tread comprised by a first tire on said vehicle;

first analyzing, by said computer processor, said first tread depth data;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing, uneven tread wear patterns at said multiple points of said first tire tread;

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, sidewall data associated with sidewall portions of sidewalls on said first tire;

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said sidewall data determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing said second analyzing, and said uneven tread wear patterns, a first tire pressure value for a first internal portion of said first tire, wherein said first tire pressure value comprises a temporary tire pressure value is associated with modifying a first group of tread depths of said first tread depths during operation of said vehicle, and wherein said modifying said first group of tread depths corrects said uneven tread wear patterns;

generating, by said computer processor, a first command signal configured to command a first tire pressure modification device to adjust a tire pressure value of said first internal portion of said first tire to said first tire pressure value, wherein said tire pressure value comprises a current tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said first command signal to said first tire pressure modification device resulting in said tire pressure value being adjusted to said first tire pressure value.

2. The method of claim 1, said first command signal comprises a command for inflating said first portion of said first tire to said first tire pressure value.

3. The method of claim 1, said first command signal comprises a command for deflating said first portion of said first tire to said first tire pressure value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing, a second tire pressure value for a second internal portion of said tire, wherein said first tire pressure value differs from said second tire pressure value, wherein said internal portion differs from said second internal portion, wherein said second tire pressure value is associated with modifying a second group of tread depths of said first tread depths during operation of said vehicle, and wherein said second group of tread depths differ from said second group of tread depths;

generating, by said computer processor, a second command signal configured to command a second tire pressure modification device to adjust a second current tire pressure value of said second internal portion of said first tire to said second tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said first command signal to said second tire pressure modification device resulting in said second current tire pressure value being adjusted to said second tire pressure value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, second tread depth data associated with second tread depths at multiple points on a second tire tread comprised by a second tire on said vehicle;

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said second tread depth data;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said second analyzing, a second tire pressure value for a second internal portion of said second tire, wherein said second tire pressure value is associated with modifying a second group of tread depths of said second tread depths during operation of said vehicle;

generating, by said computer processor, a second command signal configured to command a second tire pressure modification device to adjust a second current tire pressure value of said second internal portion of said second tire to said second tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said second command signal to said second tire pressure modification device resulting in said second current tire pressure value being adjusted to said second tire pressure value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said second tire pressure value differs from said first tire pressure value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, environmental data comprising environmental conditions associated with said vehicle; and

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said environmental data, wherein said determining said first tire pressure value is further based on results of said second analyzing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor from said second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, data indicating that said environmental conditions comprise normal driving conditions for said vehicle;

third analyzing, by said computer processor, said data;

generating, by said computer processor, a second command signal configured to command said first tire pressure modification device to adjust said first tire pressure value of said first internal portion of said first tire back to said tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said second command signal to said first tire pressure modification device resulting in said first tire pressure value being adjusted to said tire pressure value.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said environmental conditions are selected from the group consisting of a temperature, road conditions, and weather conditions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said second plurality of sensors are located within said first tire.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second plurality of sensors are located in portions of said vehicle external to said first tire.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of sensors are located within said first tire.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of sensors are located in portions of said vehicle external to said first tire.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of sensors are located in said first tire and portions of said vehicle external to said first tire.

16. The method of claim 1, said first internal portion of said first tire comprises an entire portion of said first tire.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, load data comprising load conditions associated with said vehicle; and

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said load data, wherein said determining said first tire pressure value is further based on results of said second analyzing.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in said computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the method of claim 1.

10. (canceled)

19. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a computer processor of a computer system implements a method, said method comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor from a first plurality of sensors in a vehicle, first tread depth data associated with first tread depths at multiple points on a first tire tread comprised by a first tire on said vehicle;

first analyzing, by said computer processor, said first tread depth data;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing, uneven tread wear patterns at said multiple points of said first tire tread;

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, sidewall data associated with sidewall portions of sidewalls on said first tire;

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said sidewall data

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing said second analyzing, and said uneven tread wear patterns, a first tire pressure value for a first internal portion of said first tire, wherein said first tire pressure value comprises a temporary tire pressure value is associated with modifying a first group of tread depths of said first tread depths during operation of said vehicle, and wherein said modifying said first group of tread depths corrects said uneven tread wear patterns;

generating, by said computer processor, a first command signal configured to command a first tire pressure modification device to adjust a tire pressure value of said first internal portion of said first tire to said first tire pressure value, wherein said tire pressure value comprises a current tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said first command signal to said first tire pressure modification device resulting in said tire pressure value being adjusted to said first tire pressure value.

20. A computer system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor implements a method comprising:

receiving, receiving, by said computer processor from a first plurality of sensors in a vehicle, first tread depth data associated with first tread depths at multiple points on a first tire tread comprised by a first tire on said vehicle;

first analyzing, by said computer processor, said first tread depth data;

determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing, uneven tread wear patterns at said multiple points of said first tire tread;

receiving, by said computer processor from a second plurality of sensors in said vehicle, sidewall data associated with sidewall portions of sidewalls on said first tire;

second analyzing, by said computer processor, said sidewall data determining, by said computer processor based on results of said first analyzing said second analyzing, and said uneven tread wear patterns, a first tire pressure value for a first internal portion of said first tire, wherein said first tire pressure value comprises a temporary tire pressure value is associated with modifying a first group of tread depths of said first tread depths during operation of said vehicle, and wherein said modifying said first group of tread depths corrects said uneven tread wear patterns;

generating, by said computer processor, a first command signal configured to command a first tire pressure modification device to adjust a tire pressure value of said first internal portion of said first tire to said first tire pressure value, wherein said tire pressure value comprises a current tire pressure value; and

transmitting, by said computer processor, said first command signal to said first tire pressure modification device resulting in said tire pressure value being adjusted to said first tire pressure value.