Comparative tire animation

• US 7,978,093 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Sigillito, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/237,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/447, 340/691.6, 340/438, 340/445, 731/181, 731/46, 731/465, 731/462, 702/182, 701/1, 701/29, 701/82
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/02 Tyres
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

In the specification and figures a method of displaying comparative tire data is described and shown, wherein a vehicle with a particular set of tires is driven through a test course, vehicle data is recorded, the vehicle is driven through the test course with a different set of tires, the recorded data is processed, the processed data is transformed into an animation, and the animation is displayed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying comparative tire data, comprising:

driving a vehicle mounted with a particular set of tires through a test course;

recording vehicle data;

repeating the above steps for as many sets of tires as are desired to be compared;

processing said vehicle data;

transforming said processed data into an animation; and

displaying said animation of said processed data, wherein said animation simultaneously depicts said vehicle driving through said test course with each set of tires tested.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said test course includes a test course selected from the group comprising a straight track, an oval, a road course, a skidpad, an autocross, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said driving takes place in specific environmental conditions, wherein said specific environmental conditions are selected from the group comprising dry, wet, snow, ice, low temperature, average temperature, high temperature and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle data is selected from the group comprising vehicle pitch, vehicle roll, vehicle yaw rate, steering wheel angle, ride quality, noise, vehicle position, body slip angle, time to drive through course segment, time to drive through complete course, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said vehicle data is recorded using a data recorder attached to said vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said vehicle data is transmitted to a remote location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle data includes images of said vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said vehicle data comprises arranging said vehicle data in columns corresponding to the three dimensional position and rotation of said vehicle as it drives through said test course.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said animation depicts said vehicle driving through said test course alone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said animation depicts said vehicle driving through a particular segment of said test course.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said particular segment of said test course is selected from the group comprising a cornering segment, an acceleration segment, or a braking segment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said animation is accompanied by a voiceover explaining each segment of said test course.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said animation is accompanied by a voiceover comparing the performance of each set of tires tested.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said animation comprises displaying said animation on a website.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said animation comprises displaying said animation on a video monitor.

16. The method of claim 1, further including the step of using said animation to determine whether a particular tire design should be modified.

17. A method of displaying comparative tire data, comprising:

driving a vehicle mounted with a particular set of tires through a test course;

recording vehicle data;

repeating the above steps for as many sets of tires as are desired to be compared;

processing said vehicle data;

transforming said processed data into an animation of said vehicle simultaneously driving through said test course with each set of tires tested; and

displaying on a website said animation of said vehicle driving on said test course.

18. A method of displaying comparative tire data, comprising:

driving a vehicle mounted with a particular set of tires through a test course;

recording vehicle data;

repeating the above steps for as many sets of tires as are desired to be compared;

processing said vehicle data;

transforming said processed data into an animation, wherein said animation simultaneously depicts said vehicle driving through said test course with each set of tires tested;

displaying said animation of said vehicle driving on said test course; and

using said animation to determine whether a particular tire design should be modified.