Technique for detecting shifted cargo

• US 8,150,613 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Engelhard, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/277,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 340/440, 340/429, 340/689, 180/290, 701/124
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1307 Load distribution on each wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1315 Location of the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network

Abstract

A technique for determining shifted cargo on a vehicle is described. A method realization of this technique comprises the steps of acquiring data from a positional sensor and determining a change in a balance of loads upon wheels of the vehicle. Shifted cargo is determined if the change in load balance does not correspond to the positional data. Furthermore, a device and system suited for carrying out the method are provided.

Claims

1. A method for detecting shifted cargo transported by a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

acquiring data from a positional sensor;

for a set of wheels of the vehicle, determining a change in a balance of loads upon the wheels; and

determining shifted cargo if the change in load balance does not correspond to the data acquired from the positional sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining, for a first point in time, a first load balance and a first motional state of the vehicle based on the data acquired from the positional sensor;

determining, for a second point in time, a second load balance and a second motional state of the vehicle based on the data acquired from the positional sensor; and

determining shifted cargo if a first relationship between any two elements of a group comprising the first motional state, the second motional state, the first load balance and the second load balance does not correspond to a second relationship between the other two elements of said group.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the motional state is determined on the basis of at least one of one of a plurality of vehicle positions over time, a plurality of vehicle speeds over time and a vehicle position on a roadway the vehicle is travelling on.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the motional state is indicative of a vehicle acceleration.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the acceleration is determined on the basis of map data.

6. The method according to claim 2, comprising the step of determining, based on three elements of the group, an expected value for the fourth element and comparing said value to an actual value of the fourth element.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the balance of wheel loads is determined on the basis of tire pressures associated with each of the wheels in the set.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing data indicative of at least one of motional states of the vehicle and a set of load balances in a history database.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating a warning or status signal to a driver of the vehicle if shifted cargo was determined.

10. A computer program product with program code portions for carrying out the method according to claim 1 when the computer program product is run on a processing unit.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, stored on a computer-readable medium.

12. A device for detecting shifted cargo transported by a vehicle, the device comprising:

a positional sensor adapted to acquire positional data;

an interface adapted to receive data capable of indicating, for a set of wheels of the vehicle, a balance of loads upon the wheels; and

a processor adapted to detect shifted cargo by determining a lacking correspondence between a change in load balance and the data acquired from the positional sensor.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the positional sensor is a satellite navigation receiver.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the interface is adapted for wireless reception of data.

15. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a map database containing roadway information for a position of the vehicle.

16. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a mechanism for initiating a warning to a driver of the vehicle.

17. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a history database for storing data indicative of at least one of motional states of the vehicle and a set of load balances.

18. The device according to claim 12, where the device is a personal navigation device.

19. A system for detecting shifted cargo transported by a vehicle, comprising:

a device according to claim 12;

a set of sensors, each sensor being associated with a tire of the vehicle, for determining a set of tire pressures; and

at least one transmitter for transmitting the determined tire pressures to the interface of the device.