Technique for monitoring a tire condition of a vehicle

• US 7,417,531 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auto Director Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/226,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340/447
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• 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 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/13 Aquaplaning, hydroplaning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/32 Vehicle surroundings
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 : Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 : Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 : Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/221 : Column-oriented storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 : Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 : Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2553 : Binding renewal aspects, e.g. using keep-alive messages

Abstract

A control system is employed in a vehicle to assist a user to operate the vehicle effectively and safely. In accordance with the invention, the system provides driving assistance to the user by taking into account the user'"'"'s physical condition, the vehicle condition and the surrounding conditions. The surrounding conditions include, e.g., road, weather and traffic conditions, external to the vehicle. The vehicle condition concerns the conditions of the brakes, steering, tires, radiator, etc. of the vehicle. Signs of fatigue, stress and illness of the user are monitored by the control system to assess the user'"'"'s physical condition.

Claims

1. A method for use in a system in a vehicle for monitoring a tire condition, comprising:

receiving one or more signals containing at least data concerning a plurality of temperatures measured from different parts of a tire of the vehicle, and information for identifying the tire;

determining based at least on the data concerning the plurality of temperatures whether the tire is properly inflated;

identifying the tire based on the information; and

issuing an alert when it is determined that the tire is improperly inflated, the alert including an indication of the tire.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signals are received from one or more transmitters remote from the system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of temperatures include a first temperature of a first part of the tire, a second temperature of a second part of the tire and a third temperature of a third part of the tire.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein it is determined that the tire is over-inflated if the first temperature is higher than an average of the second and third temperatures by a threshold.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein it is determined that the tire is under-inflated if the first temperature is lower than an average of the second and third temperatures by a threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication includes a location of the tire.

7. Apparatus for use to monitor a condition of a tire of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sensors for measuring temperatures of different parts of the tire, the plurality of sensors being associated with the different parts of the tire, respectively; and

one or more transmitters for transmitting one or more signals to a receiver outside the tire, the one or more signals containing at least data concerning the temperatures measured by the sensors and information concerning the different parts of the tire associated with the sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the one or more signals also contain information for identifying the tire.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the receiver is associated with the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein whether the tire is properly inflated is determined as a function of at least the temperatures.

11. A system for use in a vehicle for monitoring a tire condition, comprising:

an interface for receiving one or more signals containing at least data concerning a plurality of temperatures measured from different parts of a tire of the vehicle, and information for identifying the tire;

a processor configured to determine based at least on the data concerning the plurality of temperatures whether the tire is properly inflated, the tire being identified based on the information; and

a device for issuing an alert when it is determined that the tire is improperly inflated, the alert including an indication of the tire.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the signals are received from one or more transmitters remote from the system.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of temperatures include a first temperature of a first part of the tire, a second temperature of a second part of the tire and a third temperature of a third part of the tire.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein it is determined that the tire is over-inflated if the first temperature is higher than an average of the second and third temperatures by a threshold.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein it is determined that the tire is under-inflated if the first temperature is lower than an average of the second and third temperatures by a threshold.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the indication includes a location of the tire.