Sensor transponder and a procedure for measuring tire contact lengths and wheel load

• US 20070107505A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental AG, Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental AG, Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schillinger, Jakob, Lehmann, Joerg, Cyllik, Adrian, Von Lutz, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• 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 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0488 Movement sensor, e.g. for sensing angular speed, acceleration or centripetal force
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/064 comprising tyre mounted deformation sensors, e.g. to determine road contact area

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sensor transponder (1) and a procedure for calculating a tyre contact length (6). The sensor transponder (1) is arranged with at least one acceleration sensor on the inner side of a running surface (2) of a tyre (9). The signals from the acceleration sensor are compared with prespecified threshold values and then integrated, whereby following the formation of a quotient, the tyre contact length (6) is calculated independently of the velocity.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A sensor transponder (1) with a facility for transmitting measurement data from a tire (9) to a receiving facility and at least one acceleration sensor, characterized in that the sensor transponder (1) is fitted on an inner side of the running surface (2) of the tire (9).

12. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that as a receiving facility, a receiving antenna is fitted, which is preferably arranged in a vehicle.

13. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the receiving antenna is also designed as a transmitting antenna.

14. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the sensor transponder (1) comprises a memory for tire-specific parameters.

15. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the sensor transponder (1) comprises at least one pressure sensor.

16. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the sensor transponder (1) comprises at least one temperature sensor.

17. The sensor transponder (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that a central unit is fitted and the evaluation of the signals from the sensor transponder (1) is conducted in the central unit.

18. A procedure for calculating a tire contact length (6), whereby a sensor transponder (1) is fitted with at least one acceleration sensor arranged on the inner side of a running surface (2) of a tire (9), the signals from the acceleration sensor are compared with threshold values and are then integrated, and the tire contact length (6) is calculated independently of the velocity using quotient formation.

19. The procedure according to claim 18, characterized in that the tire contact area (tread) is calculated from the tire contact length (6) using tire-specific parameters.

20. The procedure according to claim 19, characterized in that the wheel load is calculated using the tire contact area and the tire pressure.