Judging method of vehicle loading condition

• US 7,213,453 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Matsuura, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/184,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/462, 731/463, 731/464, 731/465, 731/468, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/446, 340/447, 340/448
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A method of judging a vehicle loading condition includes detecting rotational speeds of wheels mounted on a vehicle, calculating a judging value of tire pressures based on the difference of the sum of rotational speeds of two pairs of wheels located at the opposing corners of the vehicle and detecting an acceleration to a lateral direction of the vehicle. The loading state of the vehicle is judged by the change of a primary coefficient based on an approximated relation between the acceleration to a lateral direction and the judging value of the tire pressures. A tire deflation warning system detects the stop of the vehicle, and the air pressure of four wheels is judged not to be decreased if the loading condition of a vehicle is changed more than a fixed value before and after a vehicle stop. The tire deflation warning system can prevent a deflation alarm for a vehicle with a heavy load.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of judging a vehicle loading condition, comprising the steps of:

detecting rotational speeds of wheels mounted on a vehicle;

calculating a judging value of tire pressures based on the difference of the sum of rotational speeds of two pairs of wheels located at the opposing corners of the vehicle;

detecting an acceleration in a lateral direction of the vehicle;

detecting the stop of the vehicle;

determining a primary coefficient expressing a relationship between the calculated judging value and the detected acceleration in a lateral direction;

judging the loading state of the vehicle by a change of the primary coefficient before and after a vehicle stop; and

utilizing the judged loading state of the vehicle.

2. The computer implemented method of judging a vehicle loading condition according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the acceleration to a lateral direction comprises calculating the difference of the left and right wheels of the rotational speeds of the wheels.

3. The computer implemented method of judging a vehicle loading condition according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the stop of the vehicle comprises detecting that the rotational speeds of the wheels are continuously zero for a fixed time.

4. The computer implemented method of judging a vehicle loading condition according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the stop of the vehicle comprises detecting that the ignition switch of the vehicle is switched off.

5. A computerized device for judging vehicle loading condition, comprising:

means for detecting the rotational speeds of wheels mounted on a vehicle;

means for calculating the judging value of the tire pressures based on the difference of the sum of rotational speeds of two pairs of wheels located at the opposing corners of the vehicle;

means for detecting the acceleration to a lateral direction of the vehicle; and

means for detecting the stop of the vehicle;

means for determining a primary coefficient expressing a relationship between the calculated judging value and the detected acceleration in a lateral direction; and

means for judging the loading state of the vehicle by a change of the primary coefficient before and after a vehicle stop.

6. The judging device for vehicle loading condition according to claim 5, wherein the means for detecting the acceleration to a lateral direction includes means for calculating based on the difference of the left and right wheels of the rotational speeds of the wheels.

7. The judging device for vehicle loading condition according to claim 5, wherein the means for detecting the stop of the vehicle includes means for detecting that the rotational speeds of the wheels are continuously zero for a fixed time.

8. The judging device for vehicle loading condition according to claim 5, wherein the means for detecting the stop of the vehicle includes means for detecting that the ignition switch of the vehicle is switched off.

9. A computer implemented detection method of determining decreased tire pressures, comprising the steps of:

detecting the rotational speeds of four wheels mounted on a vehicle;

calculating a judging value of the tire pressures based on the difference of the sum of rotational speeds of two pairs of wheels located at the opposing corners of the vehicle; and

detecting the acceleration in a lateral direction of the vehicle;

determining a primary coefficient expressing a relationship between the calculated judging value and the detected acceleration in a lateral direction;

detecting four-wheel diffusion based on the determined primary coefficient before and after a vehicle stop; and

utilizing the detected four-wheel diffusion.

10. A computerized tire deflation warning system, comprising:

means for detecting the rotational speeds of wheels mounted on a vehicle;

means for calculating a judging value of the tire pressures based on the difference of the sum of rotational speeds of two pairs of wheels located at the opposing corners of the vehicle;

means for detecting the acceleration in a lateral direction of the vehicle;

means for determining a primary coefficient expressing a relationship between the calculated judging value and the detected acceleration in a lateral direction;

mean for detecting a vehicle stop

means for detecting four-wheel diffusion based on determining if the primary coefficient is changed from before a vehicle stop to after a vehicle stop by a fixed value.