A vehicle tire deformation device for determining the size of a deformed contact patch of a tire which contacts the ground, said device comprising a movement detector connected to an attachment body by means of a moveable indicator element wherein both the movement detector and the attachment body are attachable to an inside surface of the tire, and wherein the size of the deformed contact patch of the tire is determined by the detector sensing a change in angle of the moveable indicator element indicating the border between the deformed contact patch of the tire and a non deformed part of the tire which is not in contact with the ground.

A vehicle tire deformation device for determining the size of a deformed contact patch of a tire which contacts the ground, said device comprising a movement detector connected to an attachment body by means of a moveable indicator element wherein both the movement detector and the attachment body are attachable to an inside surface of the tire, and wherein the size of the deformed contact patch of the tire is determined by the detector sensing a change in angle of the moveable indicator element indicating the border between the deformed contact patch of the tire and a non deformed part of the tire which is not in contact with the ground.

In an embodiment, a system for wear monitoring, includes a wear surface, a metallic reflector embedded in the wear surface, a radio-wave transmitter, and a radio-wave receiver. The metallic reflector reflects radio waves transmitted by the radio-wave transmitter for detection by the radio wave receiver. Attenuation of the radio waves between transmission by the radio-wave transmitter and detection by the radio-wave receiver indicates a degree of wear of the wear surface.

In an embodiment, a system for wear monitoring, includes a wear surface, a metallic reflector embedded in the wear surface, a radio-wave transmitter, and a radio-wave receiver. The metallic reflector reflects radio waves transmitted by the radio-wave transmitter for detection by the radio wave receiver. Attenuation of the radio waves between transmission by the radio-wave transmitter and detection by the radio-wave receiver indicates a degree of wear of the wear surface.

A tire device includes a vibration power generating element, a signal processing unit, and a transmitter. The vibration power generating element is arranged inside a tire and outputs a voltage corresponding to a time variation of a vibration generated in a tread of the tire. The signal processing unit is disposed inside the tire and performs signal processing on the voltage outputted from the vibration power generating element. The transmitter is arranged inside the tire and sends data subjected to the signal processing in the signal processing unit to a device provided outside the tire. The signal processing unit and the transmitter are driven by power generated in the vibration power generating element.

A system for determining a tire contact area parameter includes a sensor module on the tire. The sensor module has a sensor that receives a sensor signal which is dependent on a mechanical tire load at a predetermined measuring point on the tire. A first evaluation device evaluates the sensor signal and provides data based on the sensor signal. The data contain a data element which indicates a time point in the sensor signal. The time point characterizes a passage of the measuring point through the tire contact area. A second evaluation device calculates the tire contact area parameter by evaluating the data provided by the first evaluation device. The first evaluation device analyses the sensor signal based on a predetermined evaluation criterion with respect to the signal quality of the sensor signal to provide signal quality information of the sensor signal.

A method for estimating an effective radius of a tire of a vehicle, the method may include (i) obtaining sensed information that reflects (a) a distance passed by the vehicle during one or more driving sessions, (b) a rotational speed of at least a wheel that comprises the tire during the one or more driving sessions, (c) values of tire radius affecting parameters during the one or more driving sessions, wherein the tire radius affecting parameters comprise a vehicle speed and at least some other tire radius affecting parameters; (ii) selecting at least one portion of the one or more driving sessions; and (iii) determining the effective radius of the tire of the vehicle based on (a) sensed information gained during the at least one portion, the sensed information comprises values of the tire radius affecting parameters during the at least one portion, and (b) one or more relationships between the effective radius of the tire and tire radius affecting parameters.

Provided are an in-vehicle reporting apparatus and a reporting system configured to prevent errors in reporting. The in-vehicle reporting apparatus stores a mounting position of each tire in association with identification information identifying the tire, a vehicle height acquisition unit acquires a vehicle height of the vehicle, a vehicle height determination unit determines whether the vehicle height is greater than or equal to a predetermined height, and a reporting unit reports information that depends on the mounting position of a tire stored in the storage unit in association with acquired identification information and on acquired air pressure information of the tire when the acquired vehicle height is not greater than or equal to the predetermined height, and does not report information that depends on the mounting position of the tire, when the acquired vehicle height is greater than or equal to the predetermined height.

Provided are an in-vehicle reporting apparatus and a reporting system configured to prevent errors in reporting. The in-vehicle reporting apparatus stores a mounting position of each tire in association with identification information identifying the tire, a vehicle height acquisition unit acquires a vehicle height of the vehicle, a vehicle height determination unit determines whether the vehicle height is greater than or equal to a predetermined height, and a reporting unit reports information that depends on the mounting position of a tire stored in the storage unit in association with acquired identification information and on acquired air pressure information of the tire when the acquired vehicle height is not greater than or equal to the predetermined height, and does not report information that depends on the mounting position of the tire, when the acquired vehicle height is greater than or equal to the predetermined height.

Disclosed is a method for remotely loading digital data to an electronics unit for measuring operating parameters of a wheel of a motor vehicle, the remote loading being carried out by a remote loading tool external to the wheel. The method includes the positioning of the external remote loading tool in the proximity of the wheel at least, emission of at least one frame of mechanical waves by the external remote loading tool toward the electronics unit, the waves being representative of the data to be remotely loaded, reception of at least the frame of mechanical waves by the electronics unit via the mechanical parameter measurement sensor, and the conversion of the mechanical waves into electrical signals and then into digital signals containing the remotely loaded data in digital form, and the storage of the remotely loaded data in the electronics unit.