System and method for monitoring tyres

• US 20040073339A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Ruoppolo, Roberto Fernando J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• 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 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations

Abstract

System for monitoring a tyre (6), characterized in that it comprises a device (4) for detecting data from said tyre comprising a code identifying said tyre and data relating to the state of said tyre, and a central processing unit (3) able to cause automatic processing of said information and generate the value of an index characteristic of the tyre during use. Said value of a characteristic index comprises the operating cost of the tyre.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring a tyre fitted to a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

detecting data from said tyre, comprising;

a code identifying said tyre;

at least one item of data regarding the state of said tyre;

sending said data to a central processing unit by means of a predetermined telecommunications protocol;

causing automatic processing of said data by said central processing system so as to obtain at least one value for an index characterizing the tyre during use;

sending the value of said at least one index to a receiving unit.

2. Method according to claim 1, in which said value of a characteristic index comprises the operating cost of said tyre.

3. Method according to claim 1, in which said step of causing automatic processing of said data comprises the step of decoding said data.

4. Method according to claim 1, in which said information relating to the state of the tyre comprises the number pf kilometres travelled by said tyre.

5. Method according to claim 1, in which said tyre detection step comprises the steps of:

detecting information regarding the number of kilometres travelled by said vehicle;

associating said number of kilometres detected with said vehicle tyre.

6. Method according to claim 1, in which said step of detecting data from said tyre comprises the steps of decoding said data in a local processing unit connected to said central processing unit by means of said predetermined telecommunications protocol.

7. Method according to claim 6, in which said receiving unit is said local processing unit.

8. Method according to the preceding claims, in which said step involving decoding of said data involves:

comparing said detected data with information contained in a database;

updating said database with the detected data.

9. System for monitoring a tyre, characterized in that it comprises:

a device for detecting data from said tyre, comprising;

a code identifying said tyre;

at least one item of data relating to the state of said tyre;

a central processing unit able to cause automatic processing of said data and generate the value of at least one index characteristic of the tyre during use.

10. System according to claim 9, further comprising a local processing unit able to decode said data and transmit said decoded data to said central processing unit by means of a telecommunications network.

11. System according to claim 9, in which said information regarding the state of the tyre comprises:

number of tread band remoulds carried out on the carcass of said tyre;

number of kilometres travelled by each tread band remoulded on the carcass of said tyre;

number of kilometres travelled by the carcass of said tyre as a whole.

12. System according to claim 9, further comprising a database in which parameters comprising the following are stored:

number of tread band remoulds carried out on the

carcass of said tyre;

cost of remoulding the tyre;

number of kilometres travelled by each tread band remoulded on that tyre;

number of kilometres travelled by the tyre carcass as a whole;

position of the tyre on the vehicle.

13. System according to claim 9, in which said detection device comprises:

a control unit arranged on said vehicle and communicating with devices for detecting the number of kilometres of said vehicle;

a sensor inserted in said tyre.

14. System according to claim 12, in which said database is present in said central processing unit.

15. System according to claim 12, in which said database is present in said local processing unit.

16. System according to claim 9, in which said detection device comprises a sensor which is inserted in said tyre and which includes a device for counting the number of kilometres travelled by the tyre.

17. System according to the preceding claims, in which said sensor comprises a device for storing this detected data.