SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE TIRE CONDITION OF A VEHICLE TIRE

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for determining the tire condition of a vehicle tire in a vehicle, said system comprising a number of sensors, which detect measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) relevant to the tire condition, and a device for recording data and transmitting data, said device having a signal connection to the sensors on the input side. According to the invention, the signal output of the device has a preferably wireless signal connection to a readout unit, and the device generates actual tire parameters on the basis of the detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) and directs said actual tire parameters to the readout unit.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A system for determining the tire condition of a vehicle tire in a vehicle, having a number of sensors, which detect measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) relevant with respect to the tire condition, and a device for data recording and data transfer, which has a signal connection on the input side to the sensors, wherein the device has a preferably wireless signal connection to a readout unit with its signal output, and the device generates actual tire parameters on the basis of the detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) and directs them to the readout unit.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein with the aid of the sensors, the device detects the current values of at least a subset of the following measurement values, in particular all measurement values, continuously, periodically, on request, or in another manner, as follows rotational angle of the tire temperature of outside air, tire gas, and/or tread absolute or relative tire internal pressure air pressure and/or ambient humidity outside the tire moisture outside the tire, for example by measuring the conductivity of the tread rotational velocity of the tire around transverse axis, that is to say revolutions of the tire per unit of time rotational velocity of the wheel around a vertical axis, that is to say steering movements acceleration of the wheel in the transverse direction during cornering and/or during lateral slipping acceleration of the wheel in the longitudinal direction during acceleration or braking of the vehicle acceleration of the wheel in the vertical direction during retraction or extension of the wheel.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a calculating unit is assigned to the device, by which correlating tire condition variables (z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) are derivable from the sensorially detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3), and by the calculating unit, at least a subset of the following tire condition variables, in particular all tire condition variables, are ascertained: age of the tire total operating time of the tire storage time and storage temperature curve of the tire usage profile, that is to say the tire course of life including storage time periods number of the previous tire retreads maximal values of the measurement values minimal values of the measurement values average values of the measurement values or their distributions; and both the tire condition variables (z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) and also the sensorially detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) form the actual tire parameters.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a data memory is associated with the device, in which the actual tire parameters (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3, z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) can be input and stored, and the data memory has a wireless signal connection on the output side to the readout unit to read out the stored actual tire parameters in the readout unit.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein an evaluation unit is associated with the device, by which a tire condition is ascertainable by a suitable method, and it is ascertainable by the evaluation units whether the tire is roadworthy, not roadworthy, or still suitable for a tire retreading.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein a target value/actual value comparison takes place in the evaluation unit, in which at least one actual tire parameter is compared to a corresponding target value (SW) from a permitted tire specification.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the evaluation unit is a tire wear model unit, by which a current profile depth (t) of the tire is ascertainable on the basis of actual tire parameters without providing a profile depth sensor.

18. The system as system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the device is attached permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily by an adhesive bonding method, on the tire or on the rim of the vehicle tire, and/or in that the device can be supplied with electrical energy via a battery or a rechargeable battery and/or a device located on the vehicle wheel for obtaining energy and/or via a device on the vehicle and/or via another device in contactless transmission via induction.

19. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the calculating unit, the evaluation unit, and the data memory are integrated as program components in the device.

20. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the readout unit is a workshop-side readout device, such as a vehicle-side receiving component having a display or a speech output for the vehicle user, and/or a readout device for a person outside the vehicle in a fleet management, and the display is activatable by the readout unit directly or by an interconnected unit.

21. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein a calculating unit is assigned to the device, by which correlating tire condition variables (z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) are derivable from the sensorially detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3), and the calculating unit, at least a subset of the following tire condition variables, in particular all tire condition variables, are ascertained: age of the tire total operating time of the tire storage time and storage temperature curve of the tire usage profile, that is to say the tire course of life including storage time periods number of the previous tire retreads maximal values of the measurement values minimal values of the measurement values average values of the measurement values or their distributions; and both the tire condition variables (z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) and also the sensorially detected measurement values (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3) form the actual tire parameters.

22. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein a data memory is associated with the device, in which the actual tire parameters (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3, z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) can be input and stored, and the data memory has a wireless signal connection on the output side to the readout unit to read out the stored actual tire parameters in the readout unit.

23. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a data memory is associated with the device, in which the actual tire parameters (m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3, z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3) can be input and stored, and the data memory has a wireless signal connection on the output side to the readout unit to read out the stored actual tire parameters in the readout unit.

24. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein an evaluation unit is associated with the device, by which a tire condition is ascertainable by a suitable method, and it is ascertainable by the evaluation units whether the tire is roadworthy, not roadworthy, or still suitable for a tire retreading.

25. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein an evaluation unit is associated with the device, by which a tire condition is ascertainable by a suitable method, and it is ascertainable by the evaluation units whether the tire is roadworthy, not roadworthy, or still suitable for a tire retreading.

26. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein an evaluation unit is associated with the device, by which a tire condition is ascertainable by a suitable method, and it is ascertainable by the evaluation units whether the tire is roadworthy, not roadworthy, or still suitable for a tire retreading.

27. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the evaluation unit is a tire wear model unit, by which a current profile depth (t) of the tire is ascertainable on the basis of actual tire parameters without providing a profile depth sensor.

28. The system as system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is attached permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily by an adhesive bonding method, on the tire or on the rim of the vehicle tire, and/or in that the device can be supplied with electrical energy via a battery or a rechargeable battery and/or a device located on the vehicle wheel for obtaining energy and/or via a device on the vehicle and/or via another device in contactless transmission via induction.

29. The system as system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the device is attached permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily by an adhesive bonding method, on the tire or on the rim of the vehicle tire, and/or in that the device can be supplied with electrical energy via a battery or a rechargeable battery and/or a device located on the vehicle wheel for obtaining energy and/or via a device on the vehicle and/or via another device in contactless transmission via induction.

30. The system as system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device is attached permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily by an adhesive bonding method, on the tire or on the rim of the vehicle tire, and/or in that the device can be supplied with electrical energy via a battery or a rechargeable battery and/or a device located on the vehicle wheel for obtaining energy and/or via a device on the vehicle and/or via another device in contactless transmission via induction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0044] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter on the basis of the appended figures.

[0045] In the figures:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a vehicle tire having device installed thereon;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a system for determining the tire condition as a block circuit diagram according to a first exemplary embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 3 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 according to a second exemplary embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 4 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 according to a third exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a vehicle wheel having a tire 1, which is embedded in a rim 3. On its radial outer tread, the tire 1 has a profile having a profile depth t. A device 5 is adhesively bonded on a side wall of the tire 1. The device 5 is part of a system described on the basis of FIG. 2 for determining the tire condition of the vehicle tire. Data transfer and data recording take place in this system in the device 5.

[0051] The system for determining the tire condition is described hereinafter on the basis of the block circuit diagram shown in FIG. 2. The block circuit diagram is prepared with regard to simple comprehension of the invention. Therefore, FIG. 2 is merely a rough simplified illustration which does not reflect a realistic software architecture of the system. Thus, in FIG. 2 the device 5 has a data memory 7 and a calculating unit 9 as program components. In FIG. 2, the device 5 has a signal connection on the input side to a plurality of sensors 11, which detect measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3 relevant with respect to the tire condition. The measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3 are input into the data memory 7 and stored therein. The calculating unit 9 derives the tire condition variables z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3, which correlate with the respective measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, and m.sub.3, from the sensorially detected measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3. Both the calculated tire condition variables z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3 and also the sensorially detected measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3 form actual tire parameters in the meaning of the invention, on the basis of which the current tire condition is determinable.

[0052] The tire condition variables z.sub.1, z.sub.2, z.sub.3 ascertained in the calculating unit 9 and the sensorially detected measurement values m.sub.1, m.sub.2, m.sub.3 are stored in the data memory 7 in FIG. 2 and possibly read out therefrom in a readout unit 13. The readout unit 13 has a wireless signal connection 8 in FIG. 1 to the signal output of the data memory 7, for example, via a near field communication (RFID), Bluetooth, WLAN, or via the mobile wireless network. The readout unit 13 can preferably be a workshop-side readout device or a vehicle-side receiving component, such as a vehicle display or a vehicle-side speech output. Alternatively thereto, the readout device can also be positioned in consideration of fleet management, outside the vehicle at a control centre of the fleet management.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows the system for determining the tire condition of the vehicle tire according to a second exemplary embodiment, the fundamental structure and functionality of which correspond to the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition to the first exemplary embodiment, the device 5 has an evaluation unit 15, by means of which a tire condition can be ascertained. In FIG. 3, this takes place, for example, by means of a target value/actual value comparison, in which at least one actual tire parameter m.sub.x, z.sub.x, is read out from the data memory 7 and compared to a corresponding target value SW of a permitted tire specification 10, which is stored in the device 5. On the basis of this comparison, the evaluation unit 15 determines whether the tire is roadworthy, is not roadworthy, or is still suitable for a tire retreading. The tire condition ascertained in the evaluation unit 15 is conducted as a corresponding signal via the wireless signal connection 8 to the readout unit 13.

[0054] Alternatively thereto, a third exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, a tire wear model is stored in the evaluation unit 15. With the aid of the tire wear model stored in the evaluation unit 15, a current profile depth t of the tire 1 is ascertained on the basis of the actual tire parameters m.sub.x, z.sub.x, read out from the data memory 7, and without providing a special profile depth sensor. The current profile depth t ascertained in the evaluation unit 15 is conducted as a corresponding signal via the wireless connection 8 to the readout unit 13.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0055] 1 tire [0056] 3 rim [0057] 5 device [0058] 7 data memory [0059] 9 calculating unit [0060] 10 tire operating specification [0061] 11 sensors [0062] 13 readout unit [0063] 15 evaluation unit [0064] t profile depth [0065] SW target value