Method and apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure, and program for judging decompression of tire

• US 20030210136A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Oshiro, Yuji, Kitano, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/443
• 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 decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting rotational information of the respective tires; storing the rotational information of the respective tires; obtaining a slip rate between the tires and a road surface during running; comparing the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when at normal internal pressure; and judging simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both front wheels or simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both rear wheels on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold. It is possible to judge simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both front wheels or wheel two tires of both rear wheels.

Claims

1. A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting rotational information of the respective tires;

storing the rotational information of the respective tires;

obtaining a slip rate between the tires and a road surface during running;

comparing the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when at normal internal pressure; and

judging simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both front wheels or simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both rear wheels on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

obtaining a vehicle acceleration during running, obtaining a relationship between the vehicle acceleration, which is outside of a specified range in which the vehicle acceleration is proximate to zero, and the slip rate, and estimating a slip rate when the vehicle acceleration is zero on the basis of the relationship between the vehicle acceleration and the slip rate to calculate an average value thereof.

3. An apparatus for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to a vehicle, comprising:

rotational information detecting means which detect rotational information of the respective tires;

a rotational information storing which that stores the rotational information of the respective tires;

a slip rate calculating means which obtains a slip rate between the tires and a road surface during running;

a slip rate comparing means which compares the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when at normal internal pressure; and

a decompression judging means which judges simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both front wheels or simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both rear wheels on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further includes an acceleration calculating means which obtains a vehicle acceleration during running, a relation calculating means which obtains a relationship between the vehicle acceleration, which is outside of a specified range in which the vehicle acceleration is proximate to zero, and the slip rate, and an average value calculating means which estimates a slip rate when the vehicle acceleration is zero on the basis of the relationship between the vehicle acceleration and the slip rate and which calculates an average value thereof.

5. A program for judging decompression of a tire, in which for judging decrease in tire air-pressure of a tire, a computer is made to function as a rotational information storing means which stores the rotational information of the respective tires;

a slip rate calculating means which obtains a slip rate between the tires and a road surface during running;

a slip rate comparing means which compares the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when at normal internal pressure; and

a decompression judging means which judges simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both front wheels or simultaneous decompression of two wheel tires of both rear wheels on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold.

6. The program of claim 5, wherein the computer is further made to function as an acceleration calculating means which obtains a vehicle acceleration during running, a relation calculating means which obtains a relationship between the vehicle acceleration, which is outside of a specified range in which the vehicle acceleration is proximate to zero, and the slip rate, and an average value calculating means which estimates a slip rate when the vehicle acceleration is zero on the basis of the relationship between the vehicle acceleration and the slip rate and which calculates an average value thereof.