A tire inflator having an air compressor to inflate a tire to a predetermined pressure threshold. A central OBD module plugged into in a vehicle uses a short-range radio to transmit to the inflator the predetermined pressure threshold fit for a vehicle. An OBD vehicle bus reader can obtain a VIN of an associated vehicle model. A predetermined tire pressure threshold memory contains a predetermined look-up table of tire pressure thresholds for models. A processor uses the VIN to identify the vehicle model in the look-up table to select the one of the predetermined tire pressure thresholds including a spare tire pressure threshold. A short-range radio wirelessly transmits the looked-up tire pressure threshold including a spare tire pressure threshold to each inflator. The tire inflator has an optical moisture sensor on air inlet or air outlet. The air compressor is disabled when moisture is detected.

Sensor and method for determining operating states associated with one or more tires. The operating state of the tire can be determined based on one or more measures environmental conditions of the tire(s). For example, a controller can be configured to determine a change in one or more environmental conditions, including determining, for example, a rate-of-change value, a variance value, a standard deviation, or the like. The rate-of-change, variance, and/or standard deviation values can be compared to one or more threshold values to determine the operating state(s) associated with the tire(s). The environmental condition can include, for example, acceleration of the tire, pressure of the tire, and/or temperature of the tire. The operating state can be, for example, a filling state indicative of the tire being inflating, and/or a drive state indicative of the tire rotating about its axle.

A tire management system is provided for automatically inflating and deflating tires of a vehicle. The system comprises: couplings, for releasably coupling to each of the tires of the vehicle; an inlet, for receiving compressed gas, the inlet selectively couplable to the couplings for inflating the tires of the vehicle; an outlet, selectively couplable to the couplings for deflating the tires of the vehicle; and a controller, configured to receive a desired target pressure for one or more of the tires and automatically couple the inlet or outlet to the one or more tires to achieve the target pressure. The tires are grouped into two or more groups of tires, and wherein the controller is configurable to inflate and/or deflate the tires according to the groups of tires.

A tire data information system includes at least one tire that supports a vehicle and a processor. At least one sensor is mounted on the tire and is in electronic communication with the processor. The sensor measures a temperature and a pressure of the tire. A memory for storing tire identification information is in electronic communication with the processor. A tire wear state estimator generates a wear state of the tire and is in electronic communication with the processor. A tire wear rate estimator generates a wear rate of the tire and is in electronic communication with the processor. An antenna transmits the temperature, pressure, identification information, wear state, and wear rate of the tire to a display device that is accessible to a user of the vehicle. The display device includes indicators for showing the temperature, pressure, identification information, wear state, and wear rate to the user.

A method includes an initial trailer health assessment and real-time trailer health monitoring. The initial trailer health assessment includes autonomous pre-trip maneuvers of the autonomous vehicle during a first time period, and detecting a pre-trip vehicle health condition. A vehicle health score is calculated based on the pre-trip vehicle health condition. If the vehicle health score is at least a threshold value, real-time trailer health monitoring is performed during a trip of the autonomous vehicle during a second time period, by actively monitoring vehicle dynamics data and/or image data associated with the autonomous vehicle, to determine a fault condition of the autonomous vehicle. If the fault condition meets a first criteria, a control parameter and/or a travel plan of the autonomous vehicle is adjusted. If the fault condition meets a second criteria different from the first criteria, a signal is sent to cause the autonomous vehicle to cease movement.

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.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing a sound indicative of a pressure of a tire relative to a target pressure. A target pressure specifier is configured to specify a target pressure for a tire and generate a target pressure signal indicative of the target pressure. A pressure monitor is configured to receive the target pressure signal, a current pressure signal indicative of a current pressure of the tire, and an indicator of a deliberate change in the current pressure and compare the current pressure signal with the target pressure signal responsive to the indicator. A status signal is generated indicative of a status of the current pressure signal relative to the target pressure signal. An audio generator is configured to receive the status signal and to generate a sound audible outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle that is indicative of the status signal.

An inflator disposed within a tubeless tire for inflating the tubeless tire. A rechargeable electric storage disposed within a tubeless for providing electricity. An electric air compressor is mounted on an inside surface of the rim of the tubeless tire within the pressure cavity of the tubeless tire. The electric air compressor and an air pressure sensor disposed within the tubeless tire runs by a controller. The electric air compressor has a compressed air inlet vented to atmosphere in a custom valve stem through a conventional hole of a valve stem in the rim of the tubeless tire. A motion activated power generator recharges the rechargeable electric storage. A short-range radio transmits measured pressure data for each tire to a central OBD module plugged into in the vehicle. The central OBD module connects through a smartphone indirectly or directly to a central server via a networked cellular radio tower.

A self-adaptive method for assisting tire inflation enables control of tire inflation. If the vehicle stops, the central unit of a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) can change in a self-adaptive manner from the reception configuration of the “moving” mode at a high bit rate to a “stationary” mode at a low bit rate. At the same time, if there is a variation in the pressure of a tire, the corresponding wheel unit is set for transmission in “stationary” mode at a low bit rate. The power Pa received at the central unit varies according to a curve (20) which shows, in the illustrated example, two positions of poor reception. By replacing high bit rate transmission with low bit rate transmission, the signal/noise ratio is improved and there is a gain in reception sensitivity of about 5 dB, and the risks of disturbance of the received power are virtually eliminated.

A tire condition telemetrics system. The system includes a vehicle having an onboard computer and one or more wheel assemblies with one or more tires with a tire tread. A prediction as to when said tire tread will fall below a minimum tread depth in performed. The prediction is based on an amount of distance said wheel assemblies experience said wheel slip condition, a distance said wheel assemblies drive over said one or more road materials, a distance said wheel assemblies drive in rain and snow, a distance one or more loads are on said vehicle, an amount of braking force applied by one or more braking systems to said wheel assemblies and a speed of said vehicle when said braking force is applied.