Tire status detection system

• US 6,973,824 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental AG
• Original Assignee: Continental AG
• Inventors: Becherer, Thomas, Liu, Robert Yen, Giustino, James Michael, Bichler, Alan Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jenkins, Jermaine
• Application Number:
  US10/166,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20030010107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468, 340441-447
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/06 Signalling devices actuated by deformation of the tyre , e.g. tyre mounted deformation sensors or indirect determination of tyre deformation based on wheel speed, wheel-centre to ground distance or inclination of wheel axle

Abstract

A method for monitoring an operating condition of a vehicular tire. The method includes providing magnetized areas in the tire and magnetic field sensors on the chassis of the vehicle. Rotation of the tire produces magnetic field pattern signatures which characterize the tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions. Changes in magnetic field pattern signatures from a baseline are indicative of impending abnormalities in tire integrity that can be recognized in advance to forestall vehicle accidents attributed to tire faults.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an operating condition of a vehicular tire, comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating condition of the vehicular tire wherein the operating condition includes tread, sidewall and bead conditions.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the at least one magnetized area in every tire of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing multiple magnetic field sensors at predetermined locations on the chassis of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing two sets of magnetic field sensors, wherein using 0°

as a footprint mark, a first set placed at a 180°

position on the tire, and a second set placed at 225°

from the footprint.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field pattern further comprises phase and amplitude signatures of the vehicle tire.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising comparing a change in the phase and amplitude signatures of one tire, to other phase and amplitude signatures of remaining tires of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising employing a bilinear fit algorithm to the phase and amplitude signatures to predict lateral forces, circumferential torques and load variations.

8. A method for monitoring an overlapping of vehicular tire tread splices employing the method of claim 1.

9. A method for monitoring vehicular tire pressures employing the method of claim 1.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forwarding the calculated operating condition of the vehicular tire to vehicle control systems including antilock braking systems, traction control systems, rollover prevention systems, and electronic stability program performance.

11. A method for monitoring a separation of vehicular tire tread splices employing the method of claim 1.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising rotating the vehicular tire at a constant angular velocity.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying said method to every tire on the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is positioned close to a bead of the tire and wherein a second at least one magnetic field sensor is positioned close to a tread of the tire.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is located at 180°

from a tire footprint and a second at least one magnetic field sensor is located at 90°

from the tire footprint.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is located at 180°

from a tire footprint and a second at least one magnetic field sensor is located at 270°

from the tire footprint.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is located at 180°

from a tire footprint.

18. A method for monitoring an overlapping of vehicular tire sidewall splices, comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating condition of the vehicular tire wherein the operating condition includes sidewall conditions.

19. A method for monitoring a separation of vehicular tire sidewall splicer, comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating conditions of the vehicular tire wherein the operating condition includes sidewall splices.

20. A method for monitoring separation of vehicular bead splices comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating condition of the vehicular tire wherein the operating condition includes bead conditions.

21. A method for monitoring an overlapping of vehicular bead splices comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating condition of the vehicular tire wherein the operating condition is overlapping of vehicular bead splices.

22. A method for monitoring an operating condition of a vehicular tire mounted on a running vehicle, comprising:

providing at least one magnetized area in a tire of a vehicle;

providing at least one magnetic field sensor at a predetermined location on a vehicle chassis;

recording, during the running of the vehicle at least one time period between passing of the at least one magnetized area and the at least one magnetic field sensor during rotation of the vehicular tire;

computing a magnetic field pattern that is characteristic of the vehicular tire'"'"'s materials, construction and deformation conditions; and

calculating the operating condition of the vehicular tire during the running of the vehicle wherein the operating condition includes tread, sidewall and bead conditions.