Apparatus and method for detecting a tire deformation of a vehicle tire

• US 7,343,790 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Hammerschmidt, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/467,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1463, 340442-447
• US Class Current: 73/146.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0477 Evaluating waveform of pressure readings

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a tire deformation of a vehicle tire includes a tire pressure sensor for sensing a tire pressure, a signal processor configured to provide a signal indicating the tire deformation based on a difference between the tire pressure at a first time and the tire pressure at a second time. What is achieved thereby is that a tire deformation may efficiently be sensed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a tire deformation of a vehicle tire, comprising:

a tire pressure sensor for sensing a tire pressure;

a state unit for providing a state information indicating whether the vehicle is in a parking state or in a moving state; and

a signal processor adapted to determine a first pressure value describing a tire pressure in a first vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state,

to determine a second pressure value describing a tire pressure in a second vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state, wherein the second vehicle state is different from the first vehicle state, and

to provide a signal indicating the deformation of the tire based on a difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value,

wherein the signal processor is controlled by the state information to indicate, whether the first value and the second value describe a tire pressure in the parking state or the moving state, or

wherein the signal processor is operational to perform a decision on the basis of the state information whether a vehicle state change has occurred, and to provide the signal indicating the tire deformation on the basis of the decision.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal processor comprises:

a unit for determining a tire pressure average value when the vehicle is in the first vehicle state and for providing the first pressure value based on the tire pressure average value; and

a unit for sensing a difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value, wherein the second pressure value is based on the tire pressure in the second vehicle state.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the unit for determining the tire pressure average value is further configured to determine the second tire pressure value based on a tire pressure average value in the second vehicle state.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the unit for determining further comprises a low-pass filter to determine the tire pressure average value by low-pass filtering, wherein the unit for determining is configured to provide the tire pressure average value as the second pressure value.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first pressure value based on the tire pressure average value is a square of the tire pressure average value.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tire pressure in the second vehicle state is larger than the tire pressure average value in the first vehicle state due to a tire deformation,

wherein the unit for providing the signal indicating the tire deformation is configured to provide the signal indicating the tire deformation at the second time, if the difference between the value and the further value exceeds a predetermined value.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state information includes information about a change in state.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tire pressure sensor is configured to determine a plurality of tire pressure measuring values within a first time interval in the first vehicle state, and to determine a second plurality of tire pressure measuring values within a second time interval in the second vehicle state, wherein the first plurality of tire pressure measuring values is larger than the second plurality of tire pressure measuring values.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tire pressure sensor is configured to change a tire pressure measuring rate depending on time.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tire pressure sensor is configured to change a tire pressure measuring rate depending on the vehicle state.

11. A method for detecting a tire deformation of a vehicle tire, comprising:

providing a state information indicating whether the vehicle is in a parking state or in a moving state;

determining a first pressure value describing a tire pressure in a first vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state;

determining a second pressure value describing a tire pressure in a second vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state, wherein the second vehicle state is different from the first vehicle state;

determining a difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value; and

providing a signal indicating the tire deformation based on the difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value,

wherein the state information is used to indicate whether the first value and the second value describe tire pressures in the parking state or in the moving state, or

wherein providing the signal indicating the tire deformation comprises performing a decision on the basis of the state information whether a vehicle state change has occurred, and providing the signal indicating the tire deformation on the basis of the decision.

12. Computer program with a program code for carrying out a method for detecting a tire deformation of a vehicle tire, comprising the steps of

providing a state information indicating whether the vehicle is in a parking state or in a moving state;

determining a first pressure value describing a tire pressure in a first vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state;

determining a second pressure value describing a tire pressure in a second vehicle state out of the parking state and the moving state, wherein the second vehicle state is different from the first vehicle state;

determining a difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value; and

providing a signal indicating the tire deformation based on the difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value,

wherein the state information is used to indicate whether the first value and the second value describe tire pressures in the parking state or in the moving state, or

wherein providing the signal indicating the tire deformation comprises performing a decision on the basis of the state information whether a vehicle state change has occurred, and providing the signal indicating the tire deformation on the basis of the decision,

when the program runs on a computer.