Method for Monitoring Tire Inflating Operation

• US 20080266073A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Tu, Thomas H., Duffy, James L.
• Application Number:
  US11/739,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0406 Alarms noticeable from outside the vehicle, e.g. indication in side mirror, front light or audible alarms B60C23/0403, B60C23/0405 take precedence
• 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 23/0484 Detecting an ongoing tyre inflation
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/043 characterised by the inflation control means or the drive of the air pressure system

Abstract

A method for monitoring the fill-up of a vehicle tire to the cold inflation pressure recommended for a cold tire condition. The method includes establishing a calibration temperature that corresponds to temperature of air in a cold tire condition, determining that air is being added to the tire, measuring the temperature of the air in the tire and adjusting the measured tire pressure to compensate for the difference between the measured temperature and the calibration temperature corresponding to a cold inflation temperature, comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended tire pressure has been obtained and generating a signal cognizable by the operator outside the vehicle so that the operator will cease filling the tire when the pressure is obtained.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the fill-up of a vehicle tire to the cold inflation pressure recommended for a cold tire condition, comprising:

establishing a calibration temperature that corresponds to temperature of air in a cold tire condition;

determining that air is being added to the tire;

measuring the temperature of the air in the tire and adjusting the measured tire pressure to compensate for the difference between the measured temperature and the calibration temperature corresponding to a cold inflation temperature;

comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended tire pressure has been obtained; and

generating a signal cognizable by the operator outside the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that air is being added to the tire by detecting that the rate of pressure increase in a tire exceeds that which might occur from heating up of the tire.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the vehicle is stationary and also observing that the rate of pressure increase in a tire exceeds that which might occur from heating up of the tire.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing the calibration temperature at the temperature of the air in the tire upon vehicle power-up after the most recent 3 hour period of the vehicle being stationary.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the measured pressure in the tire by the formula

P_adj=[(273+T_m)/(273+T_cal)]*P_placard

where T_m is the air temperature measured in the tire, T_cal is the established calibration temperature and P_placard is the cold inflation temperature recommended for the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by flashing the vehicle exterior lights.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by sounding the vehicle horn.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure by the steps of, if the temperature of air in the tire is equal to or less than the calibration temperature, then comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended cold inflation tire pressure has been obtained, or if the temperature of air in the tire exceeds the calibration temperature, then adjusting the measured tire pressure to compensate for the difference between the measured temperature and the calibration temperature corresponding to a cold inflation temperature and comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended cold inflation tire pressure has been obtained.

9. A method for monitoring the fill-up of a vehicle tire to the cold inflation pressure recommended for a cold tire condition, comprising:

collecting tire air pressure and tire air temperature data;

establishing a calibration temperature that corresponds to tire air temperature in a cold tire condition;

determining that the tire is being filled by air being added to the tire while the vehicle is stationary by observing the rate of pressure increase in the tire pressure data;

comparing the tire air temperature with the calibration temperature to determine whether tire air temperature is either at or below the cold inflation temperature and thus cold, or whether the tire air temperature is above the cold inflation temperature and thus hot;

if the tire air temperature is determined to be cold, then comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended tire pressure has been obtained, or if the tire air temperature is determined to be hot, then adjusting the measured tire pressure to compensate for the difference between the measured temperature and the calibration temperature, before then comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended tire pressure has been obtained; and

generating a signal cognizable by the operator outside the vehicle so that the operator will cease filling the tire when the pressure is obtained.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising establishing the calibration temperature at the temperature of the air in the tire at vehicle power-up following the vehicle being stationary for a predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising adjusting the measured pressure in the tire by the formula:

P_adj=[(273+T_m)/(273+T_cal)]*P_placard

where T_m is the air temperature measured in the tire, T_cal is the established calibration temperature and P_placard is the cold inflation temperature recommended for the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by flashing the vehicle exterior lights.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by sounding the vehicle horn.

14. A method for monitoring the fill-up of a vehicle tire to the cold inflation pressure recommended for a cold tire condition, comprising:

collecting temperature and pressure data from the tire;

establishing a calibration temperature that corresponds to temperature of air in the tire at vehicle power-up during the most recent 3 hour period of stationary non-movement of the vehicle;

determining that the vehicle tire is being filled with air by detecting that the vehicle is stationary while observing that the rate of pressure increase exceeds that rate of pressure increase that could occur by heating of the tire;

if the temperature of air in the tire is equal to or less than the calibration temperature, then comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended cold inflation tire pressure has been obtained;

if the temperature of air in the tire exceeds the calibration temperature, then adjusting the measured tire pressure to compensate for the difference between the measured temperature and the calibration temperature corresponding to a cold inflation temperature and comparing the adjusted pressure with the manufacturer'"'"'s recommended pressure cold inflation pressure to determine that the recommended cold inflation tire pressure has been obtained; and

generating an audible or visual signal cognizable by the operator outside the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting the measured pressure in the tire by the formula

P_adj=[(273+T_m)/(273+T_cal)]*P_placard

where T_m is the air temperature measured in the tire, T_cal is the established calibration temperature and P_placard is the cold inflation temperature recommended for the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by flashing the vehicle exterior lights.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising generating a signal cognizable by the operator by sounding the vehicle horn.