TIRE CONDITION ADVISORY SYSTEM

• US 20150158347A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: FRITZ, SCOTT, KAVARANA, FAROKH, ZDEB, DAVID, DeYOUNG, JOHN
• Granted Patent: US 9,233,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• 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

A display and a controller are used to implement a tire pressure optimization system for a vehicle. The controller is programmed to receive inflation pressure information indicative of a vehicle tire'"'"'s inflation pressure, and identify an operating state of the vehicle as being in an optimum state when the inflation pressure information indicates optimum performance, in a warning state when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is beyond a warning pressure threshold, or in an advisory state when the inflation pressure information indicates an undesirable performance characteristic outside of the warning state and the optimum state. The controller is programmed to operate the display to output an optimum state indication when the operating state is in the optimum state, a warning indication when the operating state is in the warning state, and an advisory indication when the operating state is in the advisory state.

Claims

1. A tire pressure optimization system for a vehicle, comprising:

a display; and

a controller in communication with the display, the controller programmed to;

receive inflation pressure information indicative of a vehicle tire'"'"'s inflation pressure,

identify an operating state of the vehicle as being in an optimum state when the inflation pressure information indicates optimum performance, in a warning state when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is beyond a warning pressure threshold, or in an advisory state when the inflation pressure information indicates an undesirable performance characteristic outside of the warning state and the optimum state, and

operate the display to output an optimum state indication when the operating state is in the optimum state, a warning indication when the operating state is in the warning state, and an advisory indication when the operating state is in the advisory state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the advisory state to the optimum state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including a description of the undesirable performance characteristic.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the undesirable performance characteristic is at least one of a ride characteristic, an efficiency characteristic or a tire wear characteristic.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning pressure threshold includes a warning low pressure threshold and a warning high pressure threshold, and the controller is further programmed to:

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is below the warning low pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of low tire inflation pressure, and

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is above the warning high pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of high tire inflation pressure.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the warning state, a warning indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the warning state to the optimum state.

7. A vehicle, comprising:

a tire;

a device for detecting the tire'"'"'s inflation pressure and communicate inflation pressure information indicative of the tire'"'"'s inflation pressure;

a display; and

a controller in communication with the device and the display, the controller programmed to;

identify an operating state of the vehicle as being in an optimum state when the inflation pressure information indicates optimum performance, in a warning state when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is beyond a warning pressure threshold, or in an advisory state when the inflation pressure information indicates an undesirable performance characteristic outside of the warning state and the optimum state, and

operate the display to output an optimum state indication when the operating state is in the optimum state, a warning indication when the operating state is in the warning state, and an advisory indication when the operating state is in the advisory state.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the advisory state to the optimum state.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including a description of the undesirable performance characteristic.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the undesirable performance characteristic is at least one of a ride characteristic, an efficiency characteristic or a tire wear characteristic.

11. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the warning pressure threshold includes a warning low pressure threshold and a warning high pressure threshold, and the controller is further programmed to:

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is below the warning low pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of low tire inflation pressure, and

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is above the warning high pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of high tire inflation pressure.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the warning state, a warning indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the warning state to the optimum state.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of tires;

a plurality of devices for detecting a tire'"'"'s inflation pressure, each device associated with one of the plurality of tires and communicating inflation pressure information indicative of the associated tires'"'"' inflation pressures;

a display; and

a controller in communication with the plurality of devices, to receive the inflation pressure information, and the display, the controller programmed to;

identify an operating state of each of the tires as being in an optimum state when the inflation pressure information indicates optimum performance, in a warning state when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is beyond a warning pressure threshold, or in an advisory state when the inflation pressure information indicates an undesirable performance characteristic outside of the warning state and the optimum state, and

operate the display to output, for each of the plurality of tires, an inflation pressure indication and an operating state indication including an optimum state indication when the operating state is in the optimum state, a warning indication when the operating state is in the warning state, and an advisory indication when the operating state is in the advisory state.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the advisory state to the optimum state.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the advisory state, the advisory indication including a description of the undesirable performance characteristic.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the undesirable performance characteristic is at least one of a ride characteristic, an efficiency characteristic or a tire wear characteristic.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the warning pressure threshold includes a warning low pressure threshold and a warning high pressure threshold, and the controller is further programmed to:

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is below the warning low pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of low tire inflation pressure, and

when the inflation pressure information indicates the inflation pressure is above the warning high pressure threshold, identify the operating state is in the warning state, and output the warning indication including a warning of high tire inflation pressure.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

when the operating state is in the warning state, a warning indication including an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the warning state to the optimum state.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the display to output:

the operating state indication includes a background display indicative of the operating state, with the inflation pressure indication being a foreground display on the background display.

20. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising:

an output device comprising at least one of an audio device and a second display, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the output device to output a second advisory indication including at least one of a description of the undesirable performance characteristic and an instruction for adjusting the inflation pressure to change the operating state from the advisory state to the optimum state.