MEASURING DEVICE, DEVICE, SYSTEM, VEHICLE AND METHOD

Abstract

A measuring device for a deformable vehicle tire having a sensor unit, a first data processing unit, and a first radio unit, where the sensor unit is designed to be fastenable to the inside of the vehicle tire such that a radial acceleration acting in a radial direction on a tread of the vehicle tire can be detected by means of the sensor unit, where the first data processing unit is configured to determine a result value, relevant for a tire mileage of the vehicle tire, at least on the basis of the radial acceleration and at least one predetermined tire parameter of the vehicle tire, where each tire parameter characterizes a property of the vehicle tire, and where the first radio unit is designed to transmit a radio signal which represents the determined result value.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A measuring device for a deformable vehicle tire comprising: a sensor unit, a first data processing unit, and a first radio unit (10); wherein the sensor unit is designed to be fastenable to the inside of the vehicle tire such that a radial acceleration acting in a radial direction (R) on a tread of the vehicle tire can be detected by means of the sensor unit; wherein the first data processing unit is configured to determine a result value, relevant for a tire mileage of the vehicle tire, at least on the basis of the radial acceleration and at least one predetermined tire parameter of the vehicle tire; wherein each tire parameter characterizes a property of the vehicle tire; and, wherein the first radio unit is designed to transmit a radio signal which represents the determined result value.

17. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one predetermined tire parameter is selected from the group consisting of dynamic rolling radius of the vehicle tire, standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire, radial distance (D) of the sensor unit from a rotational axis of the vehicle tire, standardized radial distance (D) of the sensor unit from the rotational axis of the vehicle tire, sampling rate of the sensor unit, period length of the sensor unit, predetermined correction factor for the vehicle tire, or any combination thereof.

18. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor unit is designed to detect the radial acceleration with a sampling rate of at maximum ⅛ Hz, 1/16 Hz, 1/32 Hz, 1/64 Hz or 1/128 Hz.

19. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the result value is a tire angle speed of the vehicle tire, and wherein the at least one predetermined tire parameter is formed by the standardized radial distance of the sensor unit from the rotational axis of the vehicle tire.

20. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the result value is a translatory tire speed of the vehicle tire, wherein the at least one predetermined tire parameter is formed at least by the standardized radial distance of the sensor unit from the rotational axis of the vehicle tire and by the standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire.

21. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the result value is a measuring distance of the vehicle tire, and wherein the at least one predetermined tire parameter is formed at least by the standardized radial distance of the sensor unit from the rotational axis of the vehicle tire and by the standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire.

22. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the result value is a tire mileage of the vehicle tire, and wherein the at least one predetermined tire parameter is formed at least by the standardized radial distance of the sensor unit from the rotational axis of the vehicle tire, the standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire and a predefined correction factor based on a predefined deviation of the detected radial acceleration from the sensor unit.

23. The measuring device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the detected radial acceleration refers to an average acceleration acting in the radial direction (R) on the tread, and the correction factor is based on the random deviation of the detected radial acceleration from an actual average acceleration acting in the radial direction (R) on the tread (12), and wherein the deviation occurs if during the detection of the radial acceleration the sensor unit (6) is on the inside with respect to a contact face section (20) of the vehicle tire (4).

24. The measuring device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the correction factor is predetermined as a function of the radius of the vehicle tire and/or a radial distance (D) of the sensor unit from a rotational axis of the vehicle tire.

25. The measuring device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the correction factor is predetermined as a function of a or the sampling rate of the sensor unit.

26. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16 further comprising: a second radio unit, and a second data processing unit; wherein the second radio unit is designed to receive a radio signal of the first radio unit of a measuring device which has a sensor unit which can be fastened to the inside of the deformable vehicle tire and is designed to detect a radial acceleration acting in the radial direction (R) on a tread of the vehicle tire; wherein the radio signal represents a signal value determined by means of the radial acceleration or by means of a result value determined by the measuring device on the basis of at least the radial acceleration; wherein the second data processing unit is configured to determine a tire mileage of the vehicle tire at least on the basis of the signal value and a correction factor; and, wherein the correction factor is based on a predetermined deviation of the radial acceleration detected by the sensor unit.

27. The measuring device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the second data processing unit is configured to determine the correction factor on the basis of the sampling rate of the sensor unit of the period length of the sensor unit and/or a radius of the vehicle tire.

28. The measuring device as claimed in claim 26, which is part of a system for determining a tire mileage, wherein the first radio unit of the measuring device is designed to transmit the radio signal to the second radio unit of the device, and wherein the second radio unit is designed to receive this radio signal.

29. The measuring device as claimed in claim 28, which is part of a vehicle having a plurality of deformable vehicle tires and a system, wherein the sensor unit of the measuring device is arranged on the inside of one of the vehicle tires in such a way that a radial acceleration acting in the radial direction (R) on a tread can be detected by means of the sensor unit.

30. A method for determining a tire mileage comprising: a) detecting a radial acceleration acting in the radial direction (R) on a tread of a deformable vehicle tire by means of a sensor unit which is arranged on the inside of the deformable vehicle tire; and, b) determining a tire mileage of the deformable vehicle tire at least on the basis of the radial acceleration and a correction factor by means of a data processing unit, wherein the correction factor is based on a predetermined deviation of the radial acceleration which is detected by the sensor unit.

Description

[0034] Further features, advantages and possible applications of the present invention emerge from the following description of the exemplary embodiments and the figures. Here, all of the features described and/or illustrated in the figures form the subject matter of the invention individually and in any desired combination, even independently of the composition thereof in the individual claims, or the back-references thereof. In the figures, it is furthermore the case that the same reference designations are used for identical or similar objects.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an advantageous refinement of the measuring device in a schematic illustration,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an advantageous refinement of the device in a schematic illustration,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an advantageous refinement of a vehicle in a schematic illustration,

[0038] FIG. 4 shows an advantageous refinement of a system in a schematic illustration, and

[0039] FIG. 5 shows an advantageous refinement of the method in a schematic illustration.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an advantageous refinement of a measuring device 2. The measuring device 2 serves as a measuring device 2 for a deformable vehicle tire 4. In this context, reference is made to figure in which an advantageous refinement of a vehicle 14 is illustrated schematically. The vehicle 14 has a plurality of deformable vehicle tires 4.

[0041] The measuring device 2 has a sensor unit 6, the first data processing unit 8 and the first radio unit 10. The sensor unit 6 is designed to be fastenable at the inside to the vehicle tire 4 such that a radial acceleration acting in a radial direction R on a tread 12 of the vehicle tire 4 can be detected by means of the sensor unit 6. In FIG. 3, such a measuring device 2 is provided for each vehicle tire 4 and illustrated schematically. The measuring device 2 is preferably arranged and/or fastened on the inside of the vehicle tire 4 so that the sensor unit 6 of the measuring device 2 is fastened on the inside of the vehicle tire 4 in such a way as to detect the radial acceleration acting in the radial direction R on the associated tread 12 of the respective vehicle tire 4.

[0042] As is apparent by way of example from FIG. 1, the measuring device 2 can have a housing 16, wherein the first data processing unit 8 is arranged inside the housing 16. Furthermore there is preferably provision that the sensor unit 6 is completely or at least partially arranged in the housing 16. The first radio unit 10 is arranged present or at least partially inside the housing 16. The measuring device 2 can therefore be embodied as a handheld measuring device 2. The measuring device 2 can be fastened to the inside of the vehicle tire 4 by means of the housing 16.

[0043] The first data processing unit 8 is configured to determine a result value, relevant for a tire mileage of the vehicle tire 4, at least on the basis of the radial acceleration and at least one predetermined tire parameter of the vehicle tire 4. The tire mileage is preferably the distance travelled by the vehicle tire 4 by rolling on an underlying surface.

[0044] The result value is determined by means of the first data processing unit 8 on the basis of the radial acceleration and at least one predetermined tire parameter. One of the following parameters of the vehicle tire can be used as a predetermined tire parameter: dynamic rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4, standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4, radial distance D of the sensor unit 6 from a rotational axis 18 of the vehicle tire 4, standardized radial distance of the sensor unit 6 from the rotational axis 18 of the vehicle tire 4, sampling rate of the sensor unit 6, period length of the sensor unit 6 and predetermined correction factor for the vehicle tire 4. Each of the above-mentioned parameters can characterize a property of the vehicle tire 4. Each of the above-mentioned parameters can therefore form a tire parameter of the vehicle tire 4. Such tire parameters can also be predetermined. This can be done by means of measurements and/or by means of statistical measuring methods. The dynamic rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4 preferably corresponds to the effective rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4. The standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4 can correspond here to the dynamic rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4 which is standardized to the radial distance of the sensor unit 6 from the rotational axis 18. Instead of the above-mentioned radial distance of the sensor unit 6, it is also possible to use another value of the vehicle tire 4 for standardization. For example the average radius of the vehicle tire 4 or for example, the diameter of the vehicle tire 4 are possible for this. The period length of the sensor unit 6 is preferably inversely proportional to the sampling rate of the sensor unit 6. When the measuring device 2 is being used, the associated sensor unit 6 may not detect the actual average acceleration in the radial direction R it is acting on the tread 12 of the vehicle tire 4. In particular, during the detection of the radial acceleration the sensor unit 6 may be on the inside of the vehicle tire 4, opposite the contact face section 20. The radial acceleration detected in this state is approximately zero. However, during a rotation of the vehicle tire 4 the rest of the tread 12 experiences a radial acceleration which deviates from this. The detected radial acceleration therefore deviates from the average radial acceleration acting on the tread 12. However, such detection of a “falsified” radial acceleration influences the calculation of a tire mileage for the vehicle tires 4.

[0045] It has therefore proven advantageous if the first data processing unit 8 is configured to determine the result value at least on the basis of the actually detected radial acceleration and at least one predetermined tire parameter of the vehicle tire 4. For example the dynamic or standardized rolling radius of the vehicle tire 4 and/or the radial distance D of the sensor unit 6 from the rotational axis 18 of the vehicle tire 4 can be taken into account here. The result value which is determined in this way can then characterize a property of the vehicle tire 4 and be transmitted by the first radio unit 10 by means of a radio signal which represents this determined result value.

[0046] Depending on the tire parameters which are taken into account during the determination of the result value alongside the radial acceleration, it is possible that the result value is, for example, the tire angle speed of the vehicle tire 4, the translatory tire speed of the vehicle tire 4 or a measuring distance of the vehicle tire 4. If the radio signal which represents the corresponding result value is transmitted by means of the first radio unit 10, this radio signal can be received by a device 22 such as is illustrated by way of example and schematically in FIG. 2. The device 22 has a second radio unit 24 and a second data processing unit 26. The second radio unit 24 is designed to receive the or a radio signal. The radio signal here can be the radio signal of the measuring device 2 such as has been explained above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 3. In this case, the radio signal represents a result value determined by the first data processing unit 8 of the measuring device 2. The latter is also referred to as a signal value if the radio signal is received by the second radio unit 24 of the device 22. This is because it is also possible that a radio signal received by the second radio unit 24 which does not originate from a measuring device 2, as is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1, but rather by another measuring device 2 which determines the result value exclusively on the basis of the radial acceleration, and the radio signal therefore represents, for example, exclusively the radial acceleration. It is therefore possible that the radio signal which is received by the second radio unit 24 of the device 22 represents a signal value which is determined by the radial acceleration acting on a vehicle tire.

[0047] The second data processing unit 26 of the device 22 is configured to determine a tire mileage of the vehicle tire 4 at least on the basis of the signal value which is represented by the radio signal, and a correction factor, wherein the correction factor is based on a predetermined deviation of the radial acceleration detected by the sensor unit 6. The sensor unit 6 can be here the sensor unit 6 of the measuring device 2 such as has been explained, for example, in conjunction with FIG. 1. However, it is possible that the sensor unit 6 is one for detecting a radial acceleration of another measuring device 2, wherein this measuring device 2 has a radio unit which is designed to transmit a radio signal which represents the detected radial acceleration.

[0048] By taking into account the correction factor in the determination of the tire mileage it is possible to ensure that the influence of a deviation of the detected radial acceleration of the vehicle tire 4 from the actual average acceleration acting in the radial direction R on the tread 12 of the vehicle tire 4 can be compensated. The correction factor can be based here on a random deviation of the detected regional acceleration from an actual average acceleration acting in the radial direction R on the tread 12. The correction factor can therefore be determined by means of statistical evaluation of the detected deviation of the detected radial acceleration during preceding test investigations.

[0049] In practice it has been found that the deviations can also depend on the sampling rate or on the period length of the sensor unit 6. A particularly high sampling rate can ensure that the radial acceleration which actually acts on the tread 12 of the vehicle tire 4 can be detected precisely. However, this requires a large amount of power, which is something to avoid. There is therefore preferably provision that the sensor unit 6 is designed to detect the radial acceleration with a sampling rate of at maximum ⅛ Hz, 1/16 Hz, 1/32 Hz, 1/64 Hz or 1/128 Hz. This ensures that the radial acceleration is not sampled too frequently, and the power consumption of the measuring device 2 is therefore advantageously limited by the sampling of the radial acceleration. This can, however, result in an error during the detection of the average radial acceleration or a deviation during the actually detected radial acceleration by means of the sensor unit 6 in comparison with the average radial acceleration which is actually present at the vehicle tire 4. However, in practice it has been determined through statistical investigations that this error in the above-mentioned sampling rate can be at least essentially compensated again by a correction factor. This is therefore also taken into account during the detection of the tire mileage. It has therefore also proven advantageous if the correction factor is predetermined as a function of the radius of the vehicle tire 4 and/or as a function of a radial distance D of the sensor unit 6 of the measuring device 2 from a rotational axis 18 of the vehicle tire 4. Furthermore, it has proven advantageous if the correction factor is predetermined as a function of a or the sampling rate of the sensor unit 6.

[0050] In practice it has proven advantageous if the device 22 is embodied as a stationary device 22 or as a mobile device 22. The device 22 can therefore be embodied, for example, as a device which is installing a stationary fashion. However it is also possible for the device 22 to be embodied by a mobile handheld computer such as, for example, a cell phone or a tablet computer. The second radio unit 24 can be embodied, for example, as a Bluetooth radio unit. Thus in this case the second radio unit 24 can communicate with the first radio unit 10 of the measuring device 2 in order to exchange the radio signal, it has also proven advantageous if the first radio unit 10 is also embodied as a Bluetooth radio unit. However, is basically also possible to use other transmission standards and/or proprietary radio methods for transmitting the radio signal.

[0051] A further advantageous arrangement of the device 22 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 3. In this context, the device 22 is assigned to the bodywork 28 of the motor vehicle 14. The second data processing unit 26 can be coupled here to a control unit (not illustrated) of the vehicle 14 in order to transmit the determined tire mileage to the control unit of the motor vehicle 14.

[0052] A further advantageous refinement of a combination of the measuring device 2 and the device 22 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 4. The measuring device 2 and the device 22 form a system 30 in this case. Furthermore, the transmission of the radio signal is indicated schematically by the dashed line between the first radio unit 10 and the second radio unit 24.

[0053] The method 32 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 5. The method 30 has a first method step a) and a second method step b). The method step b) follows the method step a). However, it is basically possible for further intermediate steps to be executed between the first method step a) and the second method step b). Moreover, method step b) can also be followed by further method steps.

[0054] In step a) a radial acceleration acting in the radial direction R on a tread 12 of the vehicle tire 4 is detected by means of a sensor unit 6 which is arranged on the inside of a deformable vehicle tire 4. In step b) a tire mileage of the vehicle tire 4 is determined at least on the basis of the radial acceleration and a correction factor by means of a data processing unit, wherein the correction factor is based on a predetermined deviation of the radial acceleration which is detected by the sensor unit 6. The data processing unit is preferably the second data processing unit 26 of a device 22. The sensor unit 6 is preferably the sensor unit 6 of a measuring device 2. For the method, reference is made at least in an analogous fashion to the preceding explanations, preferred features, effects and/or advantages such as have been explained in conjunction with the measuring device 2, the device 22, the vehicle 14 and/or the system 30.

[0055] In addition it is to be noted that “having” does not exclude any other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. In addition it is to be noted that features which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference designations in the claims are not to be considered to be limiting.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0056] R Radial direction [0057] D Distance [0058] 2 Measuring device [0059] 4 Vehicle tire [0060] 6 Sensor unit [0061] 8 First data processing unit [0062] 10 First radio unit [0063] 12 Tread [0064] 14 Vehicle [0065] 16 Housing [0066] 18 Rotational axis [0067] 20 Contact face section [0068] 22 Device [0069] 24 Second radio unit [0070] 26 Second data processing unit [0071] 28 Vehicle body [0072] 30 System [0073] 32 Method: