Method and apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure and program for judging decompression of tire

• US 7,057,526 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yanase, Minao
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/459,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340/870.16, 731/46, 731/463, 731/464
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of wheel speed information obtained from wheels attached to a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting wheel speed information of the respective tires; storing the wheel speed information of the respective tires; obtaining a vehicle body velocity of the vehicle; obtaining vehicle information of the vehicle during running such as driving force, wheel torque or slip rate; calculating a judged value of decompression; and detecting decrease in air-pressure of a tire upon calculating a multiple correlation coefficient for the judged value between the vehicle body velocity and the vehicle information and comparing the multiple correlation coefficient with a specified threshold. It is possible to accurately detect decompression of a tire.

Claims

1. A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of wheel speed information obtained from wheels attached to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting wheel speed information of the respective tires;

storing the wheel speed information of the respective tires;

obtaining a vehicle body velocity of the vehicle on the basis of the wheel speed information;

obtaining vehicle information of the vehicle during running including driving force, wheel torque or slip rate;

calculating a judged value of decompression on the basis of wheel speed information of the respective tires; and

detecting decrease in air-pressure of a tire upon calculating a multiple correlation coefficient for the judged value between the vehicle body velocity and the vehicle information and comparing the multiple correlation coefficient with a specified threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the judged value is a ratio of a value obtained by substracting a sum of signals of one pair of wheels located on one diagonal line from a sum of signals of the other pair of wheels located on the other diagonal line, to an average value of the two sums.

3. The method of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein relative speed ratio of the driving wheels or following wheels during running is corrected when the right and left tires of the driving wheels or the following wheels of the vehicle are tires of different types of which degrees of wear or front and rear rigidities differ from each other.

4. An apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of wheel speed information obtained from wheels attached to a vehicle, comprising:

wheel speed information detecting means which detect wheel speed information of the respective tires;

a memory means which stores the wheel speed information of the respective tires;

a velocity calculating means which obtains a vehicle body velocity of the vehicle on the basis of the wheel speed information;

a vehicle information calculating means that obtains vehicle information of the vehicle during running including driving force, wheel torque or slip rate;

a judged value calculating means that calculates a judged value of decompression on the basis of wheel speed information of the respective tires; and

a detecting means which detects decrease in air-pressure of a tire upon calculating a multiple correlation coefficient for the judged value between the vehicle body velocity and the vehicle information and comparing the multiple correlation coefficient with a specified threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the judged value is a ratio of a value obtained by substracting a sum of signals of one pair of wheels located on one diagonal line from a sum of signals of the other pair of wheels located on the other diagonal line, to an average value of the two sums.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the apparatus includes a correction means which corrects the relative speed ratio of the driving wheels or following wheels during running when the right and left tires of the driving wheels or the following wheels of the vehicle are tires of different types of which degrees of wear or front and rear rigidities differ from each other.

7. A program for judging decompression of a tire, wherein for judging decrease in tire air-pressure, a computer is made to function as a memory means which stores the wheel speed information of the respective tires;

a velocity calculating means which obtains a vehicle body velocity of the vehicle on the basis of the wheel speed information;

a vehicle information calculating means which obtains vehicle information of the vehicle during running including driving force, wheel torque or slip rate;

a judged value calculating means which calculates a judged value of decompression on the basis of wheel speed information of the respective tires; and

a detecting means which detects decrease in air-pressure of a tire upon calculating a multiple correlation coefficient for the judged value between the vehicle body velocity and the driving wheel and comparing the multiple correlation coefficient with a specified threshold.

8. The program of claim 7, wherein the computer is also made function as a correction means which corrects the relative speed ratio of the driving wheels or following wheels during running when the right and left tires of the driving wheels or the following wheels of the vehicle are tires of different types of which degrees of wear or front and rear rigidities differ from each other.