Method and monitoring unit for monitoring a tire of a motor vehicle

• US 8,402,821 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Fink, Alexander, Griesser, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US12/567,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/464, 731/465
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0481 System diagnostic, e.g. monitoring battery voltage, detecting hardware detachments or identifying wireless transmission failures
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A method and a monitoring unit for monitoring a tire of a vehicle record a first measured value of revolutions of a tire with a first sensor. In addition, a second measured value of the revolutions of a tire is recorded with a second sensor. Alternatively, a second measured value of a second, different measured variable of a tire can also be recorded. In a further step, the directly measured or derived measured values of a measured variable are compared and an error signal is generated if a determined deviation is greater than a predefinable tolerance value.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a tire of a vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

a) recording a first measured value of revolutions of the tire with a first chassis-mounted sensor;

b) recording a second measured value of the revolutions of the tire or a second measured value of a second, different measured variable of the tire with a second sensor of a direct tire pressure monitoring system;

c) determining a deviation by comparing the first measured value with the second measured value or comparing the second measured value with a value of the second measured variable derived from the first measured value or comparing a value of a third measured variable of the tire derived from the second measured value with a value of the third measured variable derived from the first measured value; and

d) generating an error signal if the determined deviation is greater than a predefinable tolerance value.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing one or more of the following group of measured variables as the second or third measured variable:

tire pressure, temperature, revolution time, rotational speed, wheel load, surface area of tire contact area or length of tire contact area.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises, rather than performing a direct comparison of the measured values, carrying out one or more of the following:

comparing the first time derivative of the measured values, comparing the second time derivative of the measured values, comparing a direction of change of the measured values, correlating the measured values over a predefinable time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out step c) by performing a reasonableness check of a first measured value and a second measured value of different measured variables, rather than a comparison of a first measured value and a second measured value of the same measured variable, and carrying out step d) by generating an error signal if the reasonableness check yields an implausible result.

5. A monitoring unit for monitoring a tire of a vehicle, the monitoring unit comprising:

a) means for recording a first measured value of revolutions of the tire with a first chassis-mounted sensor;

b) means for recording a second measured value of the revolutions of the tire or a second measured value of a second, different measured variable of the tire with a second sensor of a direct tire pressure monitoring system;

c) means for comparing the first measured value with the second measured value or comparing the second measured value with a value of the second measured variable derived from the first measured value or comparing a value of a third measured variable of the tire derived from the second measured value with a value of the third measured variable derived from the first measured value; and

d) means for generating an error signal if the determined deviation is greater than a predefinable tolerance value.

6. The monitoring unit according to claim 5, wherein one or more of the following group of measured variables is provided as the second or third measured variable:

tire pressure, temperature, revolution time, rotational speed, wheel load, surface area of a tire contact area or length of a tire contact area.

7. The monitoring unit according to claim 5, wherein rather than directly comparing the measured values, said comparing means is configured to perform at least one of the following:

a comparison of the first time derivative of the measured values, a comparison of the second time derivative of the measured values, a comparison of a direction of change of the measured values, a correlation of the measured values over a predefinable time period.

8. The monitoring unit according to claim 5, wherein a reasonableness check of a first measured value and a second measured value of different measured variables is provided, rather than a comparison of a first measured value and a second measured value of the same measured variable, and an error signal is generated if the reasonableness check yields an implausible result.

9. The monitoring unit according to claim 5, which further comprises a semiconductor device, said means for comparing and said means for generating an error signal being disposed in said semiconductor device, and at least one of a receiving means representing at least one input or a radio receiving module of said semiconductor device.

10. A monitoring unit for monitoring a tire of a vehicle, the monitoring unit comprising:

a) a first chassis-mounted sensor configured for monitoring a tire pressure and for recording a first measured value of revolutions of the tire;

b) a second sensor configured for directly monitoring the tire pressure and for recording a second measured value of the revolutions of the tire or a second measured value of a second, different measured variable of the tire;

c) a device for comparing the first measured value with the second measured value or comparing the second measured value with a value of the second measured variable derived from the first measured value or comparing a value of a third measured variable of the tire derived from the second measured value with a value of the third measured variable derived from the first measured value; and

d) a device for generating an error signal if the determined deviation is greater than a predefinable tolerance value.

11. A method for monitoring a tire of a vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

a) recording a first measured value of revolutions of the tire with a first chassis-mounted sensor;

b) recording a second measured value of the revolutions of the tire or a second measured value of a second, different measured variable of the tire with a second sensor;

c) determining a deviation by performing one or more of the following process steps;

comparing a first time derivative of the measured values;

comparing a second time derivative of the measured values;

comparing a direction of change of the measured values;

or

correlating the measured values over a predefinable time period; and

d) generating an error signal if the determined deviation is greater than a predefinable tolerance value.