METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING TIRE PERFORMANCE

• US 20060150724A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Byrne, Francis J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/027 using light, e.g. infrared, ultraviolet or holographic techniques

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assessing tire performance by generating accurate, timely tire-to-surface slippage information under any operational/environmental conditions and on any road and/or off-road surface without requiring instrumentation of the roadway. The approach is capable of storing generated tire-to-surface slippage information for later retrieval and analysis and/or capable of supporting dynamic, real-time collection and dissemination of generated data. One exemplary embodiment generates and disseminates tire-to-surface slippage information in real-time that is compatible with and may be formatted for use by any consumer vehicle control system as well as external test and analysis equipment.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring slippage of a tire contact area against a surface, comprising:

(a) generating a reference frame of the surface in contact with a portion of the tire contact area;

(b) generating a sample frame of the surface in contact with the portion of the tire contact area; and

(c) comparing the reference frame with the sample frame to determine whether the portion of the tire contact area has moved relative to the surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) further includes:

(a.1) illuminating the surface with electromagnetic radiation; and

(a.2) generating the reference frame based on a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) further includes:

(b.1) illuminating the surface with electromagnetic radiation; and

(b.2) generating the sample frame based on a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are images of the surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are pixilated images of the surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are compared using a correlation technique.

7. An apparatus for monitoring slippage of a tire contact area against a surface, comprising:

a sensor module that generates a reference frame of the surface in contact with a portion of the tire contact area and subsequently generates a sample frame of the surface in contact with the portion of the tire contact area; and

a processor module that compares the reference frame with the sample frame to determine whether the portion of the tire contact area has moved relative to the surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sensor module further comprises:

an illumination module that illuminates the surface with electromagnetic radiation; and

a receiver module that generates the reference frame and the subsequently generated sample frame based upon electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are images of the surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are pixilated images of the surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor module further comprises:

a correlation module that compares the reference frame and the sample frame using a correlation technique.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sensor module is mounted to an interior surface of a tire.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sensor module is mounted to a surface of a rim upon which a tire is mounted.

14. A program product apparatus having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for monitoring slippage of a tire contact area against a surface, comprising:

a sensor module that generates a reference frame of the surface in contact with a portion of the tire contact area and subsequently generates a sample frame of the surface in contact with the portion of the tire contact area; and

a processor module that compares the reference frame with the sample frame to determine whether the portion of the tire contact area has moved relative to the surface.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the sensor module further comprises:

an illumination module that illuminates the surface with electromagnetic radiation; and

a receiver module that generates the reference frame and the subsequently generated sample frame based upon electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the reference frame and the sample frame are pixilated images of the surface.

17. The program product of claim 14, wherein the processor module further comprises:

a correlation module that compares the reference frame and the sample frame using a correlation technique.

18-29. -29. (canceled)