A wear-condition-sensing device includes an element configured to generate voltage based on deformation of a tread portion during tire rotation, a voltage detection unit configured to detect the voltage generated by the element, a storage area configured to store waveform data over time of the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate an index value of voltage change based on the waveform data stored in the storage area, and a determination unit configured to determine a progress condition of wear of the tread portion by comparing the index value calculated by the calculation unit with reference information.

A tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending from a respective bead area to a tread. The tread is formed with a plurality of tread elements and a radially outer surface. A sensor unit is mounted to the tire and includes a pair of electrical contacts. The tread wear sensor plug includes a cylindrical projection extending through an opening formed in one of the tread elements, a flange, and a wire including proximal ends disposed in the flange and a distal end near a radially outer surface of the projection. An electrical circuit is formed by each proximal end of the wire electrically contacting a respective one of the sensor unit electrical contacts. When the tread element and the cylindrical projection wear down to the distal end of the wire, the wire and the circuit break. A notice is transmitted by the sensor unit when the circuit breaks.

Determining tread depth using data from a tire mounted sensor (TMS), including: determining, based on data collected by the tire mounted sensor, a tire deformation for a tire; determining, based on the tire deformation, an effective rolling radius of the tire; and determining, based at least on the effective rolling radius of the tire, an estimated tread depth for the tire.

This application relates to a tire monitoring system. In one aspect, the system includes a sensor module installed in a tire provided in a vehicle to obtain tire data and a communication module. The communication module may include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive the tire data, and an output unit configured to output one of a caution signal and a warning signal. The communication module may also include a controller configured to determine whether a state of the tire is abnormal based on the tire data and control the output unit to output one of the caution signal and the warning signal based on the determination result.

Systems for detection of tire strain in a vehicle are disclosed. In some implementations, the system may include an antennae disposed on one or more of the vehicle or a vehicle component and may output an electromagnetic ping. The system may include a tire with a body formed of one or more tire plies. Any one or more of the tire plies may include split-ring resonators (SRRs). Each SRR may have a natural resonance frequency that may proportionately shift in response to a change in an elastomeric property of a respective one or more tire plies, the elastomeric property including one or more of a reversible deformation, stress, or strain. The SRRs may include split-ring resonator (SRR) with carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to an electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the carbon particles within the SRR.

A device for measuring and/or monitoring tire-related variables of a vehicle, having a sensor unit for transmitting, receiving and processing signals, wherein a transmission signal is emitted by an antenna unit of the sensor unit in the direction of an object being measured and wherein a reflection signal reflected by the object being measured is received and analysed, the sensor unit having a transceiver device, via by means of which a reflection factor, formed as the quotient from the reflection signal reflected by the object being measured and the transmission signal, is measured and via which a resonance frequency and/or a phase difference between the transmission signal and the reflection signal is determined, wherein the transceiver unit comprises a vector network analyser and an analysis unit, so that a distance to the object being measured is established by detecting the phase difference between the transmission signal and the reflection signal.

Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, systems for enhanced tracking of tire tread wear are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a tire monitoring sensor (TMS) detects a tread wear reporting event, generates tread wear data including at least a rotational time period, and transmits the tread wear data to a vehicle control system (VCS). The rotational time period may be a measure of time the tire takes to complete a particular number of revolutions. The VCS receives, from the TMS, the tread wear data including at least the rotational time period, determines a current circumference of the tire based on at least the rotational time period, and determines a tread wear value based on at least the current circumference.

A tire wear estimator includes a tire measurement system adapted to be mounted in or on an inner surface of the tire. The tire measurement system comprises a sensor adapted for sensing a physical property of the tire, and an acquisition system adapted for sampling a signal of the sensor into memory, to acquire a perturbation in the sampled data induced by a contact patch of the tire when the sensor is mounted in or on an inner surface of the tire. A sample rate of the acquisition system is high enough so at least one oscillation, which indicates a tread depth of the tire, becomes detectable in the sampled data in and/or around the perturbation.

A tire or tire tread features a helical, metallic RFID tag antenna, configured to provide an operable frequency response between 900 and 930 MHz upon receiving 100 electromagnetic waves having a power between 12 and 24 dBm. The helical, metallic RFID tag antenna is disposed within the at least one tread feature and has a wear rate commensurate with a wear rate of the at least one tread feature. The response(s) from the helical, metallic RFID tag antenna are used to track tread wear.

A radar-based-sensing system for a tire includes a plurality of sensors disposed circumferentially around a tire annulus. Each sensor in the plurality of sensors is permanently disposed within the tire annulus. Each sensor in the plurality of sensors is further disposed radially above any metal structures within the tire annulus. Each sensor in the plurality of sensors emits waves and senses reflected waves when rotating.