Method and device for continuously determining wheel state variables of a wheel

• US 9,061,662 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Haas, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US13/146,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 702 97- 98, 340/442
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/04 Tire deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1725 Using tyre sensors, e.g. Sidewall Torsion sensors [SWT] for tyre pressure and temperature detection B60C23/00

Abstract

In order to more accurately determine wheel state variables of a wheel, physical variables of the wheels are continuously measured and evaluated on the vehicle side. In addition, physical variables of the wheel are intermittently measured on the wheel side. The variables measured on the wheel side or the evaluated measurement results thereof are used to correct the variables measured on the vehicle side and/or the determined wheel state variables.

Claims

1. A device for continuously determining wheel state variables of a tire of a vehicle, the device comprising:

Wheel-side measuring devices each disposed in a respective wheel and configured for intermittently measuring physical variables of the wheel to provide measured values, the physical variables including a tire pressure and a length of a tire contact area;

Vehicle-side measuring devices each mounted to the vehicle in a vicinity of a respective wheel and configured for continuously measuring physical variables of the wheel to provide measured values, the physical variables including the tire pressure and the length of the tire contact area; and

A control and evaluation unit connected to receive the measured values from said wheel-side measuring devices and from said vehicle-side measuring devices;

Said control and evaluation unit configured to perform a comparison by comparing the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices with the measured values provided by said wheel-side measuring devices or by comparing wheel state variables calculated from the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices with wheel state variables calculated from the measured values provided by said wheel-side measuring devices; and

Said control and evaluation unit configured to correct the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices, or wheel state variables determined therefrom based on the comparison.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said wheel-side measuring devices are devices for measuring tire pressure or deformation.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle-side measuring devices are parts of control devices used in the vehicle for controlling vehicle functions in terms of vehicle movement dynamics.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the wheels are wheels of a passenger car, truck, motor cycle, utility vehicle, or aircraft.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein an unbalance mass is present on the wheel side and mounted on the wheel.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control and evaluation unit is configured to determine that the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices need to be corrected by comparing the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices with the measured values provided by said wheel-side measuring devices.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control and evaluation unit is configured to correct the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices, or wheel state variables determined therefrom by overwriting the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices, or wheel state variables determined therefrom with the measured values provided by said wheel-side measuring devices, or wheel state variables determined therefrom.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control and evaluation unit is configured to form correction factors to correct the measured values provided by said vehicle-side measuring devices, or wheel state variables determined therefrom.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the measured values from said wheel-side measuring devices and from said vehicle-side measuring devices are encoded.