Control method and device for a vehicle for signaling when the optimal working temperature of tires and brakes is reached

• US 8,355,843 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ferrari SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Ferrari SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Visconti, Amedeo, Calvosa, Antonio, Cavanna, Martino
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US12/536,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.4, 701/48, 701/36, 702/138, 702/140, 702/127, 702/130, 702/131, 188/79.52, 340/438, 340/442, 340/445, 340/449, 731/46, 374/E13.008, 374/E13.01
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only

Abstract

An embodiment of a control method for a vehicle which is provided with a number of wheels, each of which comprises a tire and at least a disc brake of a braking system; the control method includes the step of sensing the current temperature of at least one component of a respective wheel by means of at least one sensor; determining, in a step of engineering and setting up, at least one first predetermined threshold value indicating the minimum temperature from which the component of wheel shows its maximum efficiency; comparing the current temperature of the component of wheel with the first predetermined threshold value; and signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the component of wheel is lower than the first predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. Control method for a vehicle provided with a number of wheels, each of which comprises a tire and at least a disc brake of a braking system;

the control method comprises the step of sensing the current temperature of at least one rotary component of at least one wheel;

determining, in a preliminary step of engineering and setting up, at least one first predetermined threshold value indicating the minimum temperature from which the rotary component of wheel shows a desired efficiency;

comparing the current temperature of the rotary component of wheel with the first predetermined threshold value;

signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the rotary component of wheel is lower than the first predetermined threshold value;

determining, in a preliminary step of engineering and setting up, a first predetermined threshold value of the tire indicating the minimum temperature from which the tire of wheel shows a desired efficiency and a first predetermined threshold value of the disc brake indicating the minimum temperature from which the disc brake of wheel shows a desired efficiency;

sensing the current temperature of the tire of at least one wheel and the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel;

comparing the current temperature of the tire of wheel with the first predetermined threshold value of the tire, and the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel with the first predetermined threshold value of the disc brake; and

signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the tire of wheel is lower than the first predetermined threshold value of the tire and/or signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel is lower than the first predetermined threshold value of the disc brake.

2. A method according to claim 1 and comprising the further steps of:

recognizing the driver'"'"'s choice of a desired driving mode for the vehicle; and

varying the first predetermined threshold value according to the desired driving mode of the vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 1 and comprising the further step of limiting the maximum performance of the vehicle when the temperature of the rotary component of wheel is lower than the first predetermined threshold value.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

determining, in a step of engineering and setting up, at least a second predetermined threshold value which is higher than the first predetermined threshold value and indicates the maximum working temperature of the rotary component of wheel;

comparing the current temperature of the rotary component of wheel with the second predetermined threshold value; and

signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the rotary component of wheel is higher than the second predetermined threshold value.

5. A method according to claim 4 and comprising the further steps of:

recognizing the driver'"'"'s choice of a desired driving mode of the vehicle; and

varying the second predetermined threshold value according to the desired driving mode of the vehicle.

6. A method according to claim 4, comprising the further step of limiting the maximum performance of the vehicle when the temperature of the rotary component of wheel is higher than the second predetermined threshold value.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

determining, in a preliminary step of engineering and setting up, a second predetermined threshold value of the tire indicating the maximum working temperature of the tire and a second predetermined threshold value of the disc brake indicating the maximum working temperature of the disc brake;

sensing the current temperature of the tire of at least one wheel and the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel;

comparing the current temperature of the tire of wheel with the second predetermined threshold value, and the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel with the second predetermined threshold value of the disc brake; and

signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the tire of wheel is higher than the second predetermined threshold value of the tire and/or signaling to the driver when the current temperature of the disc brake of wheel is higher than the second predetermined threshold value of the disc brake.