Method and apparatus for monitoring tire performance

• US 7,299,694 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Byrne, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/501,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468, 340440-447
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/027 using light, e.g. infrared, ultraviolet or holographic techniques

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assessing tire performance by generating accurate, timely tire-to-surface slippage information under any operational/environmental conditions and on any road and/or off-road surface without requiring instrumentation of the roadway. The approach is capable of storing generated tire-to-surface slippage information for later retrieval and analysis and/or capable of supporting dynamic, real-time collection and dissemination of generated data. One exemplary embodiment generates and disseminates tire-to-surface slippage information in real-time that is compatible with and may be formatted for use by any consumer vehicle control system as well as external test and analysis equipment.

Claims

1. A method for determining an amount of wear of a tire tread, comprising:

(a) recording a first signal propagation time for a signal to travel along a path that includes a distance from a bottom of a tire groove to a surface in contact with the tire tread;

(b) recording a second signal propagation time for a signal to travel along a path that includes a distance from the bottom of the tire groove to a surface in contact with the tire tread; and

(c) determining the amount of wear of the tire tread based upon a comparison of the first propagation time with the second propagation time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) further includes:

(c.1) subtracting the second signal propagation time from the first signal propagation time and dividing the difference by two to determine a change in the signal propagation times due to wear of the tire tread; and

(c.2) determining the amount of wear of the tire tread based upon the determined change in the signal propagation times due to wear of the tire tread.