Method and device for assisting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle

• US 9,963,003 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schneider, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kerrigan, Michael V
• Application Number:
  US15/041,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20160159173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0486 comprising additional sensors in the wheel or tyre mounted monitoring device, e.g. movement sensors, microphones or earth magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/06 Accessories for tyre-inflating valves, e.g. housings, guards, covers for valve caps, locks, not otherwise provided for B60C23/0496 takes precedence; tools for screwing and unscrewing valve caps B25B27/0057; pump connectors F04B33/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/20 specially designed for inflatable bodies, e.g. tyres connecting valves to inflatable bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/005 for measuring fluid parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow

Abstract

In a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle, a closed loop control device and/or open loop control device is switchable into multiple warning stages such that: if at least one temperature value measured by a temperature sensor exceeds a first defined threshold value, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device switches into a first warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver to stop the vehicle within a defined period of time and/or within a defined section of road and/or that the driver is not to exceed a defined speed value. If the measured temperature value exceeds a second defined threshold value, greater than the first threshold value, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device switches into a second warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver that the driver is to stop the vehicle immediately.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle (1), the vehicle (1) having:

at least one vehicle tire (3) embodied as a pneumatic tire, at least one temperature sensor (17) configured to measure a temperature of the at least one vehicle tire (3), an indicating device (41) configured to indicate to the driver of the vehicle (1) information regarding the state of the at least one vehicle tire (3), a closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) connected to the temperature sensor (17) in a signal-transmitting manner, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) being configured to control an indication procedure of the indicating device (41) in a closed loop and/or open loop manner, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) being switchable into multiple warning stages, the method comprising;

if at least one temperature value measured by the temperature sensor (17) exceeds a first defined threshold value (TG1), the closed loop control device and/or the open loop control device (39) switching in a self-acting manner into a first warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver by the indicating device (41) that the driver is to stop the vehicle (1) within a defined period of time and/or within a defined section of road, and

if the measured temperature value exceeds a second defined threshold value (TG2), greater than the first threshold value (TG1), the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) switching in a self-acting manner into a second warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver by the indicating device (41) that the driver is to stop the vehicle (1) immediately,

wherein the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) is connected to a navigation system (43) of the vehicle (1) in a signal-transmitting manner, the method further comprising;

altering, by the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39), a route planned by the navigation system (43), taking into account the defined period of time and/or the defined section of road.

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

if the measured temperature value does not exceed the first threshold value (TG1), the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) switching in a self-acting manner into a basic mode in which information regarding the state of the vehicle tire (3) is not indicated to the driver by the indicating device (41).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) is connected to a speed regulating system (46) of the vehicle (1) in a signal-transmitting manner, the method further comprising:

if a prevailing vehicle speed is greater than the defined speed value, regulating and/or controlling the vehicle speed by the speed regulating system (46) such that the vehicle (1) does not exceed the defined speed value.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) comprises a predicting device (45) configured to predict and/or forecast a future increase in temperature of the vehicle tire (3) based upon at least one tire temperature parameter, the defined period of time and/or the defined section of road being determined by the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) based on a predicted increase in temperature of the vehicle tire (3), wherein the at least one tire temperature parameter comprises at least one temperature value measured by the temperature sensor (17) and/or by a prevailing and/or future traffic situation of the vehicle (1).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a commercial vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicating device is a visual and/or acoustic indicating device.

7. A device for assisting a driver of a vehicle, the device comprising:

at least one vehicle tire (3) embodied as a pneumatic tire;

at least one temperature sensor (17) configured to measure a temperature of the vehicle tire (3);

an indicating device (41), configured to indicate to the driver of the vehicle (1) information regarding the state of the at least one vehicle tire (3);

a closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) connected to the temperature sensor (17) in a signal-transmitting manner, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) being configured to control an indication procedure of the indicating device (41) in a closed loop and/or open loop manner, the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) being switchable into multiple warning stages, such that;

if at least one temperature value measured by the temperature sensor (17) exceeds a first defined threshold value (TG1), the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) switches in a self-acting manner into a first warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver by the indicating device (41) that the driver is to stop the vehicle (1) within a defined period of time and/or within a defined section of road, and

if the measured temperature value exceeds a second defined threshold value (TG2), greater than the first threshold value (TG1), the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) switches in a self-acting manner into a second warning stage in which it is indicated to the driver by the indicating device (41) that the driver is to stop the vehicle (1) immediately,

wherein the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) is connected to a navigation system (43) of the vehicle (1) in a signal-transmitting manner, and

the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) alters a route planned by the navigation system (43), taking into account the defined period of time and/or the defined section of road.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor (17) is connected to the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) in a signal-transmitting manner by a wireless signal-transmitting device (29), wherein a transmitting device (27) of the signal-transmitting device (29) is allocated to the temperature sensor (17), the transmitting device (27) being configured to transmit a measuring signal of the temperature sensor (17) to a receiving device (37) of the signal-transmitting device (29), said receiving device (37) being allocated to the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor (17) comprises at least one sensor contact element (19) connectable in a signal-transmitting manner to at least one transmitter contact element (35) of the transmitting device (27), said transmitter contact element (35) being coupled to the sensor contact element (19) so as to connect the temperature sensor (17) and transmitting device (27) in a signal-transmitting manner.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor contact element (19) is configured in a rod-like manner, and/or the at least one transmitter contact element (19) is configured in an annular and/or plate-shaped manner.

11. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a signal-transmitting device (31) configured to connect the sensor contact element (19) and the transmitter contact element (35) to one another in a signal-transmitting manner.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one vehicle tire (3) has a hollow chamber (21) filled with air and both the transmitter device (27) and the sensor contact element (19) are arranged outside the hollow chamber (21).

13. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a fixing device configured to affix the transmitting device (27) to an air valve (7) of the at least one vehicle tire (3), wherein the affixed transmitting device (27) at least partially surrounds the air valve (7) in an annular manner with a defined spacing.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the fixing device comprises at least one clamping element (51) configured to clamp and/or to press the transmitting device (27) against an air valve-side stop (49), the clamping element (51) being formed by a fastening element that can be screwed on to the air valve (7) by a nut.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor (17) is at least partially vulcanized into the air valve (7), the at least one sensor contact element (19) and/or a measuring region of the temperature sensor (17) being exposed to the exterior and/or protruding from the air valve (7) so as to measure the tire temperature.

16. The device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one vehicle tire (3) has a hollow chamber (21) filled with air, and wherein the temperature sensor (17) is affixed to an air valve (7) of the at least one vehicle tire (3), the temperature sensor (17) being affixed to the air valve (7) such that the temperature sensor can measure the air temperature in the hollow chamber (21).

17. The device according to claim 7, wherein the indicating device is a visual and/or acoustic indicating device.

18. The device according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a commercial vehicle.

19. An air valve on a vehicle tire embodied as a pneumatic tire, said air valve being usable with a device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a temperature sensor (17) is affixed to the air valve (7) so that the temperature sensor (17) and the air valve (7) form an assembly unit, the temperature sensor (17) being affixed to the air valve (7) such that the temperature sensor can measure the air temperature in a hollow chamber (21) of the pneumatic tire (3),

wherein the temperature sensor (17) is connected to the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39) in a signal-transmitting manner by a wireless signal-transmitting device (29), wherein a transmitting device (27) of the signal-transmitting device (29) is allocated to the temperature sensor (17), the transmitting device (27) being configured to transmit a measuring signal of the temperature sensor (17) to a receiving device (37) of the signal-transmitting device (29), said receiving device (37) being allocated to the closed loop control device and/or open loop control device (39),

further comprising a fixing device configured to affix the transmitting device (27) to an air valve (7) of the at least one vehicle tire (3),

wherein the fixing device comprises at least one clamping element (51) configured to clamp and/or to press the transmitting device (27) against an air valve-side stop (49), and

wherein the fixing device comprises at least one clamping element (51) configured to clamp and/or to press the transmitting device (27) against an air valve-side stop (49), the clamping element (51) being formed by a fastening element that can be screwed on to the air valve (7).