A computer-implemented method can comprise determining, by a device comprising a processor, wear state information representative of a wear state of a tire of a vehicle based on an output from a sensor of the vehicle, and in response to the wear state of the tire being determined to exceed a tire wear threshold, generating, by the device, an alert signal associated with the wear state of the tire.

The tire sensing and analysis system may comprise a measurement device and local application software. The measurement device may make contact with a tire of a vehicle such that the measurement device is positioned at a specific distance and orientation relative to the tire. The measurement device may capture multiple images of the tire using an RGB camera and a pair of infrared cameras. The local application software may analyze the images and may construct a 3D mesh describing the 3-dimensional contours of the tread. The local application software may determine a tread depth and may display status and warning messages on a display unit that is coupled to the measurement device. The measurements may be communicated to remote application software for additional analysis. As non-limiting examples, the remote application software may detect specific tire wear patterns and may transmit a report to share results of the analysis.

A system (1) for the management of data pertaining to a wheel service comprises: a database (2) including, for each tyre of a plurality of tyres, a tyre identification code; at least one tyre measurement parameter representing a physical quantity linked to the tyre or to the use thereof, and a related time mark, which indicates the time the tyre measurement parameter was captured; a knowledge dataset (3) containing reference data; a processor (4) having access to the database (2) and to the knowledge dataset (3) and programmed to process the at least one tyre measurement parameter and the reference data and to generate derived data.

A sensor system for acquiring a perturbation, induced by a contact patch of a tire, in data generated by a sensor system mounted in the tire, comprises at least one sensor adapted for generating the data related to a physical property of the tire, and an acquisition system comprising memory. The sensor system is adapted for triggering the acquisition system to acquire the data and for storing it in a buffer in the memory, until a predefined delay after the perturbation is recognized. The perturbation is recognized by comparing the stored data with at least one characterizing feature of the perturbation.

A tire wear state estimation system includes a tire that supports a vehicle. A sensor unit is mounted on the tire and includes a footprint centerline length measurement sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and electronic memory capacity for storing identification information for the tire. A processor is in electronic communication with the sensor unit and receives the measured centerline length, the measured pressure, the measured temperature and the identification information. A tire construction database stores tire construction data and is in electronic communication with the processor. The identification information is correlated to the tire construction data. An analysis module is stored on the processor and receives the measured centerline length, the measure pressure, the measured temperature, the identification information, and the tire construction data as inputs. The analysis module includes a prediction model that generates an estimated wear state for the tire from the inputs.

A hand-held device for obtaining a three-dimensional topological surface profile of a tire, the device comprising: a base comprising an aperture; a light source arranged in use to generate an elongate pattern of light, and to project said pattern through the aperture onto a rolling surface of the tire; a detector arranged to image a region of the rolling surface of the tire; a plurality of pairs of guide wheels mounted on respective axles mounted on the base, wherein the guide wheels on adjacent axles are linked by gears; and a rotary encoder arranged to generate a signal corresponding to rotation of an axle.

A tread portion of a pneumatic tire includes a columnar wear measurement magnet that has magnetic flux density or magnetic field strength formed thereby decreased due to wear thereof along with wear of tread rubber of the tread portion and a columnar reference magnet provided at a position where the columnar reference magnet is not worn with the wear of the tread rubber. The wear measurement magnet and the reference magnet extend from a tread surface side toward a tire cavity region of the pneumatic tire, and an end of the reference magnet on the tread surface side is located farther from a tread surface where the tread portion contacts the ground than an end of the wear measurement magnet on the tread surface side.

A robot management system executes, for a plurality of transport robots, an estimation process for estimating load applied to the transport robots based on a current value during traveling and a traveling distance or a traveling time of the transport robots. The robot management system determines a transport robot to be used from among the transport robots based on an estimation result in the estimation process.

This invention relates to tire tread wear monitoring. A sacrificial magnet portion is arranged in a tread of the tire so that it undergoes wear along with the tread and generates a useful magnetic field signal indicative of remaining tread thickness. With a magnetic field sensor arranged on or in the tire, an overall magnetic field signal is measured, which includes the useful magnetic field signal, and a superimposed interfering magnetic field signal generated by magnetizable material contained in the tire. A non-sacrificial magnet portion is used to saturate the magnetizable material at least locally so as to make the interfering magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor substantially independent of the useful magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor. Further aspects of the invention relate to tires, e.g., vehicle tires, featuring a tire tread wear monitoring system.

A tire replacement forecasting system includes a tire supporting a vehicle. A sensor unit is mounted on the tire and includes a footprint centerline length measurement sensor and a pressure sensor. A processor is in electronic communication with the sensor unit and receives the measured centerline length and the measured pressure. An electronic vehicle network transmits selected vehicle parameters to the processor. A wear state predictor is stored on the processor and receives the measured centerline length, the measured pressure, and the selected vehicle parameters to generate an estimated wear state of the tire. A forecasting model is stored on the processor and receives multiple estimated wear states of the tire, and predicts future wear states of the tire. A forecast tire replacement date is generated by the forecasting model when the predicted future wear states of the tire are estimated to pass a predetermined wear threshold.