System for automatically measuring/adjusting the tire pressure of a motor vehicle and method for measuring/adjusting the tire pressure of a motor vehicle

• US 6,499,343 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Haas, Hardy, Moeller, Hubert, Vollert, Herbert, Faye, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US09/600,008
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/462, 731/463, 731/465, 731/468, 152/416, 152/417, 152/418, 340/442, 137/224, 137/226, 267/64.23
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/02 Supplying fuel to vehicles; General disposition of plant in filling stations apparatus for transferring measured quantities of petrol, oil, or the like from storage space to vehicles B67D
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/046 using electrical or electronical means

Abstract

An automatic vehicle tire pressure measurement/adjustment system for measuring and adjusting the tire pressure of a vehicle. The system includes an automatic handling unit having a pressure attachment positionable into a tire pressure measurement/adjustment position onto a valve of a tire, a tire pressure measurement device connectable to the pressure attachment for measuring the existing tire pressure, a determination device for determining a nominal tire pressure based on at least one vehicle-specific parameter, a first communication device located in the vehicle and connectable to the determination device for input of the at least one vehicle-specific parameter into the determination device, and a tire pressure adjustment device connectable to the pressure attachment and connectable to the determination device for transmitting the nominal tire pressure to establish a transmitted nominal tire pressure.

Claims

1. An automatic vehicle tire pressure system for measuring and adjusting a tire pressure of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an automatic handling unit having a pressure attachment positioned into at least one of a tire pressure measurement position and a tire pressure adjustment position on a valve of a tire of the vehicle;

a tire pressure measurement device connected to the pressure attachment for measuring the tire pressure;

a determination device for determining a nominal tire pressure based on at least one vehicle-specific parameter;

a first communication device located in the vehicle, where the first communication device transfers the at least one vehicle-specific parameter into the determination device; and

a tire pressure adjustment device connected to the pressure attachment and where the tire pressure adjustment device transmits a nominal tire pressure to the determination device to establish a transmitted nominal tire pressure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-specific parameter includes at least one of a vehicle model, tire type information, a vehicle mass, a number of vehicle occupants, and vehicle operating information.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second communication device connectable to the determination device for input of at least one non-vehicle-specific parameter;

wherein the determination device determines the nominal tire pressure based on the at least one non-vehicle-specific parameter.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one non-vehicle-specific parameter includes at least one of an intended maximum speed, a road condition associated with an intended travel route, an outside air temperature, and a weather forecast.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the tire pressure measurement device includes a tire air temperature measurement device for measuring the tire air temperature; and

the determination device determines the nominal tire pressure based on a measured tire air temperature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic handling unit includes a valve cap threader device for at least one of screwing and unscrewing a valve cap.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is installed at a filling station in a vicinity of a fuel pump and can be activated while the vehicle is being fueled.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is connected to an onboard computer of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is connected to a mass estimation device, the mass estimation device being located in the vehicle and being for estimating a vehicle mass based on at least one of a vehicle curb weight and a drive torque associated with a specific acceleration.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a gradient correction device to determine a gradient correction for the mass estimation device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination device determines the nominal tire pressure based on a GPS altitude measurement.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination device determines the nominal tire pressure using a table stored therein.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic handling unit is movable along a rail device.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transfer device connectable to the determination device for transferring at least one of the nominal tire pressure and a difference between the nominal tire pressure and an existing tire pressure to the vehicle for at least one of storage and display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle includes an analysis device for analyzing at least one of a frequency of transferred differences and a magnitude of the transferred differences and for providing a tire problem advisory based on changes in the transferred differences.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination device is arranged outside the vehicle and is connected to the communication device via at least one of a wireless interface, an infrared interface and a radio interface.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination device is arranged inside the vehicle and is connected to the tire pressure adjustment device via at least one of a wireless interface, an infrared interface and a radio interface.

18. An automatic vehicle tire pressure method for measuring and adjusting the tire pressure of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the vehicle;

automatically positioning a pressure attachment into at least one of a tire pressure measurement position and a tire pressure adjustment position on a valve of a tire of the vehicle;

inputting at least one vehicle-specific parameter into a determination device using a first communication device located in the vehicle;

determining a nominal tire pressure based on the at least one vehicle-specific parameter by using the determination device;

measuring an existing tire pressure using a tire pressure measurement device connectable to the pressure attachment;

comparing a determined nominal tire pressure to the existing tire pressure; and

establishing the determined nominal tire pressure, if there is a difference between the determined nominal tire pressure and the existing tire pressure, by using a tire pressure adjustment device, which is connectable to the pressure attachment and which is connectable to the determination device, to transmit the determined nominal tire pressure.