Method of identifying positions of wheel modules

• US 8,483,908 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Hasselberg, Per, Carresj, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US12/742,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0477 Evaluating waveform of pressure readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/28 with special adaptations for determining imbalance of the body in situ, e.g. of vehicle wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

There is provided a method of identifying locations of modules (400) of an apparatus (600, 680, 690, 2200) for monitoring wheels (10) of a vehicle (900). The sensor modules (400) operatively revolving with the wheels (10). The modules (400) communicate with a processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) of the vehicle (900). The modules (400) sense a physical parameter of the wheels (10) and generate corresponding sensor signals for the processing arrangement (950). The processing arrangement (710, ECU 950) processes the sensor signals to compute information indicative of operation of the wheels (10). The apparatus (1) also includes a sensor arrangement (118) for sensing an angular orientation (0) of the wheels (10). The method includes steps of: (b) arranging an elongate feature (1100) in an at least partially transverse direction relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle (900); (c) driving the vehicle (900) over the elongate feature (1100) to cause the wheels (10), together with their associated modules (400), to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature (1100) and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of the wheels (10) onto the elongate feature (1100) to the processing arrangement (950), the signals identifying a time at which their wheels (10) contacted onto the elongate feature (1100) and identification codes (ID) of the modules (400); and (d) from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement (950), identifying whereat modules (400) are located on the wheels (10) of the vehicle (900).

Claims

1. A method of identifying locations of one or more modules of an apparatus included in a vehicle for monitoring operation of at least a front set of wheels and a rear set of wheels of the vehicle, the sets of wheels including a left and a right wheel, the one or more modules operatively mounted to revolve with the sets of wheels, the one or more modules being operatively coupled in communication with a processing arrangement of the vehicle, the one or more modules being operable to sense at least one physical parameter of the wheel and to generate at least one corresponding sensor signal for the processing arrangement, the processing arrangement being operable to process the at least one sensor signal to compute information indicative of operation of the sets of wheels, wherein the method includes:

(a) arranging for at least one elongate feature to be extending at a non-orthogonal inclined angle relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle;

(b) driving the vehicle over the elongate feature to cause the sets of wheels, together with its associated one or more modules, to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of the sets of wheels onto the elongate feature to the processing arrangement, the signals identifying a time at which their wheels contacted onto the elongate feature and one or more identification codes of the one or more modules mounted onto the sets of wheels; and

(c) from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement, identifying locations of the sets of wheels of the vehicle whereat the one or more modules are located, characterized in an additional step of identifying those one or more modules mounted to a wall or onto an inside rim of a tire of the at least one wheel by identifying periodic pulses in acceleration signal components derived from the one or more modules corresponding to rotation of the at least one wheel.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a sensor arrangement for sensing an angular orientation of the sets of wheels.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signals are indicative of at least one of:

(d) one or more components of acceleration sensed at the at least one wheel; and

(e) a pressure sensed in a tire of the sets of wheels.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is driven at a transverse angle so as to result in signals from the one or more modules being temporally mutually different between corresponding left-hand-side and right-hand-side wheels of the vehicle, thereby enabling the processing arrangement to distinguish locations of the one or modules along the vehicle and distinguish whether the one or more modules are located on a left-hand side or a right-hand side of the vehicle.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, the method being implemented repetitively whilst the vehicle is being driven.

6. A wheel-monitoring apparatus including of one or more modules for monitoring operation of at least a front set of wheels and a rear set of wheels of the vehicle, the sets of wheels including a left and a right wheel, the one or more modules operatively mounted to revolve with the sets of wheels, the one or more modules being operatively coupled in communication with a processing arrangement of the vehicle, the one or more modules being operable to sense at least one physical parameter of the wheel and to generate at least one corresponding sensor signal for the processing arrangement;

the processing arrangement being operable to process the at least one sensor signal to compute information indicative of operation of the sets of wheels, the processing arrangement being operable to receive signals, including signal components stimulated by contact of the sets of wheels onto an elongate feature extending at a non-orthogonal inclined angle relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle, the signals identifying a time at which their wheels contacted onto the elongate feature and one or more identification codes (ID) of the one or more modules mounted onto the sets of wheels;

in that the processing arrangement is arranged to identifying locations of the sets of wheels of the vehicle whereat the one or more modules are located from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement;

and in that the processing arrangement is arranged to identify those one or more modules mounted to a wall or onto an inside rim of a tire of the at least one wheel by identifying periodic pulses in acceleration signal components derived from the one or more modules corresponding to rotation of the at least one wheel.

7. A vehicle including a wheel-monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 6 operable to monitor operation of at least one wheel of the vehicle pursuant to a method of identifying locations of one or more modules of an apparatus included in a vehicle for monitoring operation of at least a front set of wheels and a rear set of wheels of the vehicle, the sets of wheels including a left and a right wheel, the one or more modules operatively mounted to revolve with the sets of wheels, the one or more modules being operatively coupled in communication with a processing arrangement of the vehicle, the one or more modules being operable to sense at least one physical parameter of the wheel and to generate at least one corresponding sensor signal for the processing arrangement, the processing arrangement being operable to process the at least one sensor signal to compute information indicative of operation of the sets of wheels, wherein the method includes:

(a) arranging for at least one elongate feature to be extending at a non-orthogonal inclined angle relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle;

(b) driving the vehicle over the elongate feature to cause the sets of wheels, together with its associated one or more modules, to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of the sets of wheels onto the elongate feature to the processing arrangement, the signals identifying a time at which their wheels contacted onto the elongate feature and one or more identification codes of the one or more modules mounted onto the sets of wheels; and

(c) from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement, identifying locations of the sets of wheels of the vehicle whereat the one or more modules are located, characterized in an additional step of identifying those one or more modules mounted to a wall or onto an inside rim of a tire of the at least one wheel by identifying periodic pulses in acceleration signal components derived from the one or more modules corresponding to rotation of the at least one wheel.

8. A tangible data carrier comprising a non-transitory software product recorded on the data carrier, the product being executable on computing hardware for executing a method of identifying locations of one or more modules of at apparatus included in a vehicle for monitoring operation of at least a front set of wheels and a rear set of wheels of the vehicle, the sets of wheels including a left and a right wheel, the one or more modules operatively mounted to revolve with the sets of wheels, the one or more modules being operatively coupled in communication with a processing arrangement of the vehicle, the one or more modules being operable to sense at least one physical parameter of the wheel and to generate at least one corresponding sensor signal for the processing arrangement, the processing arrangement being operable to process the at least one sensor signal to compute information indicative of operation of the sets of wheels, wherein the method includes:

(a) arranging for at least one elongate feature to be extending at a non-orthogonal inclined angle relative to a direction of travel of the vehicle;

(b) driving the vehicle over the elongate feature to cause the sets of wheels, together with its associated one or more modules, to contact momentarily onto the elongate feature and communicating signals including signal components stimulated by contact of the sets of wheels onto the elongate feature to the processing arrangement, the signals identifying a time at which their wheels contacted onto the elongate feature and one or more identification codes of the one or more modules mounted onto the sets of wheels; and

(c) from a temporal sequence of the signals received at the processing arrangement, identifying locations of the sets of wheels of the vehicle whereat the one or more modules are located, characterized in an additional step of identifying those one or more modules mounted to a wall or onto an inside rim of a tire of the at least one wheel by identifying periodic pulses in acceleration signal components derived from the one or more modules corresponding to rotation of the at least one wheel.