Wireless system and method for collecting motion and non-motion related data of a rotating system

• US 7,902,815 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCIP Corporation
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Taylor, Bryant D., Woodard, Stanley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patidar; Jay M
• Application Number:
  US11/856,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20090072814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/48 by measuring frequency of generated current or voltage in general G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/488 delivered by variable reluctance detectors

Abstract

A wireless system for collecting data indicative of a tire'"'"'s characteristics uses at least one open-circuit electrical conductor in a tire. The conductor is shaped such that it can store electrical and magnetic energy. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the conductor resonates to generate a harmonic response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth. A magnetic field response recorder is used to (i) wirelessly transmit the time-varying magnetic field to the conductor, and (ii) wirelessly detect the harmonic response and the frequency, amplitude and bandwidth, associated therewith. The recorder is adapted to be positioned in a location that is fixed with respect to the tire as the tire rotates.

Claims

1. A wireless system for collecting data indicative of a rotating system'"'"'s characteristics, comprising:

at least one electrical conductor having first and second ends and shaped to form a geometric pattern between said first and second ends, said conductor so-shaped defining an open-circuit that can store electrical and magnetic energy wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said conductor so-shaped resonates to generate a harmonic response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth, said conductor so-shaped positioned within a rotating system; and

a magnetic field response recorder for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said conductor so-shaped and for wirelessly detecting said harmonic magnetic field response and said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith, said recorder positioned in a location that is fixed with respect to said rotating system as said rotating system rotates.

2. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said conductor comprises a thin-film trace defining said geometric pattern.

3. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said conductor is coupled to an inside surface of the rotating system.

4. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said conductor is embedded within the rotating system.

5. A wireless system as in claim 2 wherein the width of said trace is selected from the group consisting of uniform and non-uniform.

6. A wireless system as in claim 2 wherein spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is selected from the group consisting of uniform and non-uniform.

7. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said recorder comprises a processor for determining the magnitude of said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth.

8. A wireless system as in claim 7 wherein said recorder comprises antenna means for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said conductor so-shaped and for wirelessly detecting said harmonic magnetic field response frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith.

9. A wireless system as in claim 8 wherein the position of said antenna means is selected from the group consisting of co-location with said processor and separate location from said processor.

10. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one electrical conductor comprises a first conductor and a second conductor, said first conductor resonating at a first frequency in response to said time-varying magnetic field and said second conductor resonating at a second frequency in response to said time-varying magnetic field wherein said second frequency is different than said first frequency, said first conductor and said second conductor being spaced apart from one another within said rotating system such that said recorder detects said first frequency and said second frequency with rate amplitude changes for said first frequency and rate amplitude changes for said second frequency, said rate amplitude changes being indicative of rotation rate and rotation direction of said rotating system.

11. A wireless system as in claim 1 wherein said at least one conductor comprises a first conductor set and a second conductor set, said first set comprising a plurality of conductors aligned along a common axis and said second set comprising at least one first conductor and at least one second conductor, both positioned adjacent to said first set and inductively coupled thereto, such that said recorder detects responses from said first and second conductors, whereby response changes in said first set are detected in said first and second conductor responses.

12. A wireless system as in claim 11 wherein said rotating system is a tire and further wherein said second set of conductors is coupled to said tire inner sidewall, and said first set of conductors is coupled to both said tire inner bottom wall and said tire inner sidewall, wherein said plurality of conductors extend around at least a portion of said tire'"'"'s circumference.

13. A wireless system as in claim 11 wherein each conductor in said first set and second set resonate at a different frequency in response to said time-varying magnetic field.

14. A wireless system as in claim 11 wherein each conductor in said first set resonates at the same frequency in response to said time-varying magnetic field, and said conductors in said second set resonate at frequencies different from one another and different from said first set conductors.

15. A wireless system for collecting data indicative of a tire'"'"'s characteristics, comprising:

an electrical conductor having first and second ends and shaped to form a geometric pattern between said first and second ends, said conductor so-shaped defining an open-circuit that can store electrical and magnetic energy wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said conductor so-shaped resonates to generate a harmonic response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth, said conductor so-shaped positioned within a tire prior to the curing thereof; and

a magnetic field response recorder for wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said conductor so-shaped and for wirelessly detecting said harmonic response and said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith firstly as the tire cures and subsequently as the tire rotates when mounted on a vehicle.

16. A wireless system as in claim 15 wherein said harmonic response and said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth are used to simultaneously determine one or more tire attributes selected from the group consisting of damage, temperature, wear, delamination, strain, dielectric changes and pressure when said tire is mounted and simultaneously determine one or more tire attributes selected from the group consisting of rotation speed, temperature, damage and delamination when said tire rotates.

17. A wireless system as in claim 15 wherein said conductor comprises a thin-film trace defining said geometric pattern, further wherein the width of said trace is selected from the group consisting of uniform and non-uniform.

18. A wireless system as in claim 15 wherein said conductor comprises a thin-film trace defining said geometric pattern, further wherein the spacing between adjacent portions of said trace is selected from the group consisting of uniform and non-uniform.

19. A wireless system as in claim 15 wherein said recorder comprises a processor for determining the magnitude of said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth.

20. A wireless method of collecting data indicative of a tire'"'"'s characteristics, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one electrical conductor having first and second ends and shaped to form a geometric pattern between said first and second ends, said conductor so-shaped defining an open-circuit that can store electrical and magnetic energy wherein, in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, said conductor so-shaped resonates to generate a harmonic response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth;

embedding said conductor so-shaped within a tire prior to the curing thereof;

wirelessly transmitting said time-varying magnetic field to said conductor so-shaped from a location that is remote with respect to the tire; and

wirelessly detecting said harmonic response and said frequency, amplitude and bandwidth associated therewith at said location.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein, when the tire has cured and has been mounted on a vehicle, said location for said steps of wirelessly transmitting and wirelessly detecting is defined by a fixed position on the vehicle.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein, when the tire has cured and has been mounted on a vehicle, said method further comprises the step of comparing said bandwidth so-detected at different points in time to monitor temperature of the tire.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein, when the tire has cured and has been mounted on a vehicle, said method further comprises the step of comparing said amplitude so-detected to a threshold to monitor rotation rate of the tire.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein, after the tire has cured, said method further comprises the step of recording said frequency and amplitude so-detected to establish a baseline frequency and a baseline amplitude for the tire.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein, to monitor tire health after the tire has been mounted on a vehicle for rotation, said method further comprises the steps of:

comparing said baseline frequency with said frequency so-detected as the tire rotates;

comparing said baseline amplitude with said amplitude so-detected as the tire rotates; and

comparing said baseline bandwidth with said bandwidth so-detected as the tire rotates.