Apparatus and method for detecting decrease in tire air pressure and program for detecting decrease in tire air pressure

• US 8,387,451 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Shuto, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US13/173,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468
• US Class Current: 73/146.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A method for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure based on wheel rotation speed information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel vehicle. The method includes: a wheel rotation speed information detection step for detecting wheel rotation speed information of the respective tires; a first storage step for storing the wheel rotation speed information; a decreased pressure determination step for determining, based on the wheel rotation speed information, a decrease in tire air pressure; a second storage step for storing a relation between a standard driving torque and a vehicle speed obtained in advance; a decreased pressure determination prohibition step for prohibiting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure when a vehicle turning radius is lower than a predetermined threshold value determined by the relation, and a decreased pressure determination start step for starting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure when the turning radius is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure based on wheel rotation speed information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel vehicle, comprising:

a wheel rotation speed information detection step for detecting wheel rotation speed information of the respective tires;

a first storage step for storing the wheel rotation speed information detected in the rotation speed information detection step;

a decreased pressure determination step for determining, based on the wheel rotation speed information, a decrease in tire air pressure;

a second storage step for, assuming that a driving wheel torque required for a vehicle to run on a flat road at a fixed speed is a standard driving torque, storing a relation between the standard driving torque and a vehicle speed obtained in advance;

a decreased pressure determination prohibition step for prohibiting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when a vehicle turning radius is lower than a predetermined threshold value determined by the relation between the driving wheel torque and the standard driving torque depending on the vehicle speed, and

a decreased pressure determination start step for starting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when the turning radius is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The method for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure according to claim 1, wherein the relation is a difference between the driving wheel torque and the standard driving torque depending on the vehicle speed.

3. An apparatus for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure based on wheel rotation speed information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel vehicle, comprising:

a wheel rotation speed information detection means for detecting wheel rotation speed information of the respective tires;

a first storage means for storing the wheel rotation speed information detected by the wheel rotation speed information detection means;

a decreased pressure determination means for determining, based on the wheel rotation speed information, a decrease in tire air pressure;

a second storage means for, assuming that a driving wheel torque required for a vehicle to run on a flat road at a fixed speed is a standard driving torque, storing a relation between the standard driving torque and a vehicle speed obtained in advance;

a decreased pressure determination prohibition means for prohibiting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when a vehicle turning radius is lower than a predetermined threshold value determined by the relation between the driving wheel torque and the standard driving torque, and

a decreased pressure determination start means for starting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when the turning radius is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold value.

4. The apparatus for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure according to claim 3, wherein the relation is a difference between the driving wheel torque and the standard driving torque depending on the vehicle speed.

5. A program for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure which causes, in order to determine a decrease in tire air pressure based on wheel rotation speed information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel vehicle, a computer to function as:

a first storage means for storing wheel rotation speed information detected by wheel rotation speed information detection means for detecting wheel rotation speed information of the respective tires;

a decreased pressure determination means for determining, based on the wheel rotation speed information, a decrease in tire air pressure;

a second storage means for, assuming that a driving wheel torque required for a vehicle to run on a flat road at a fixed speed is a standard driving torque, storing a relation between the standard driving torque and a vehicle speed obtained in advance;

a decreased pressure determination prohibition means for prohibiting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when a vehicle turning radius is lower than a predetermined threshold value determined by the relation between the driving wheel torque and the standard driving torque depending on the vehicle speed, and

a decreased pressure determination start means for starting the determination of a decrease in tire air pressure based on the wheel rotation speed information when the turning radius is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold value.

6. The program for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure according to claim 5, wherein the relation is a difference between the drive wheel torque and the standard driving torque depending on the vehicle speed.