Sensor unit, method, device and sensor system for determining a side of a vehicle on which a wheel with a sensor unit is disposed

• US 7,277,008 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Froitzheim, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/203,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20060033611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 116/34.R, 116/34.B, 116/35.R
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/04 Indicating positive or negative direction of a linear movement or clockwise or anti-clockwise direction of a rotational movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/008 by using thermal pick-up

Abstract

A sensor unit for recording the direction of rotation of a wheel is embodied to record a variable that is characteristic for a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel. To determine a side of a vehicle on which a wheel is disposed, a variable is recorded which is characteristic for a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel. Further a direction of movement and an acceleration of the vehicle is recorded. The side of the vehicle is determined depending on the variable, the direction of movement of the vehicle and the acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A sensor unit for recording a direction of rotation of a wheel, comprising:

a sensor recording a variable being characteristic of a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel for assisting in determining the direction of rotation of the wheel.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1:

wherein said sensor includes a first and a second temperature sensor; and

further comprising a heating element, said first and said second temperature sensor and said heating element are disposed so that for a first direction of flow, the air stream first passes over a surface of said first temperature sensor, then a surface of said heating element and subsequently a surface of said second temperature sensor and for a second direction of flow, the air stream first passes over said surface of said second temperature sensor then said surface of said heating element and subsequently said surface of said first temperature sensor.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 2, further comprising an air channel, said first and second temperature sensors and said heating element are disposed in said air channel which is embodied so that an air mass which flows over said first and second temperature sensors and said heating element is small.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a first Pitot chamber having a first pressure sensor disposed in said first Pitot chamber for determining a first pressure, said first Pitot chamber having a cutout formed therein and disposed so that the first pressure determined is dependent on the direction of flow of the air stream.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 4, wherein said sensor includes a second Pitot chamber having a second pressure sensor disposed in said second Pitot chamber for determining a second pressure, said second Pitot chamber having a second cutout formed therein and disposed so that the second pressure determined is dependent on the direction of flow of the air stream being opposite that of the direction of flow of the air stream in said first Pitot chamber.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein said sensor has:

a first Pitot chamber;

a second Pitot chamber;

a common chamber wall between said first Pitot chamber and said second Pitot chamber; and

a differential pressure sensor disposed in said common chamber wall for determining a difference pressure between a first pressure in said first Pitot chamber and a second pressure in said second Pitot chamber depending on the direction of flow of the air stream.

7. A method for determining on which side of a vehicle a wheel is disposed, which comprises the steps of:

recording a variable being characteristic of a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel;

recording a direction of movement of the vehicle;

recording an acceleration of the vehicle; and

determining the side of the vehicle on which the wheel is disposed, in dependence on the variable, the direction of movement of the vehicle, and the acceleration of the vehicle.

8. A device for determining on which side of a vehicle a wheel is disposed, the device comprising:

an evaluation unit determining a side of the vehicle in dependence on a variable being characteristic of a direction of flow of an air stream in the tire of the wheel, a direction of movement of the vehicle and an acceleration of the vehicle.

9. A sensor system for determining on which side of a vehicle a wheel is disposed, the sensor system comprising:

a sensor unit for recording a direction of rotation of a wheel, said sensor unit having sensors recording a variable being characteristic of a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel, one of said sensors being disposed on each of the wheels of the vehicle; and

a device for determining on which side of the vehicle the wheel is disposed and receiving the variable from said sensor unit, said device having an evaluation unit embodied for determining the side of the vehicle in dependence the variable being characteristic of the direction of flow of the air stream in the tire of the wheel, a direction of movement of the vehicle and an acceleration of the vehicle.