Control device and electronic wheel unit for a wheel-monitoring system of a vehicle, wheel-monitoring system for a vehicle and method for monitoring wheels in a vehicle

Abstract

A control device is provided for a wheel-monitoring system of a vehicle which is equipped with vehicle wheels. At least one of the vehicle wheels is equipped with an electronic wheel unit, arranged thereon, for detecting at least one wheel operating parameter of the respective vehicle wheel for transmitting wheel operating data to the control device. The control device makes available an abnormality message in the event of an abnormality which is determined on the basis of the transmitted wheel operating data. The control device also takes into account position data relating to a current position of the vehicle for the determination of the abnormality.

Claims

1. A control system for a wheel-monitoring system of a vehicle having vehicle wheels with an electronic wheel unit disposed in or on at least one of the vehicle wheels for detecting at least one wheel operating parameter of a respective vehicle wheel and for transmitting wheel operating data to the control system, the control system comprising: a control device configured to: adapt a threshold value on the basis of position data relating to a current position of the vehicle; compare the at least one wheel operating parameter to a setpoint value to determine a deviation of the at least one wheel operating parameter from the setpoint value; determine whether the deviation indicates an abnormality has occurred, based on a comparison of the deviation with the adapted threshold value; and provide an abnormality message to at least one of a driver of the vehicle or on-board electronics of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality being determined.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device is further configured to take into account weather data relating to weather at the current position of the vehicle for the determination of the abnormality.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device has a program-controlled computer and an assigned memory.

4. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a radio receiver for receiving the wheel operating data which are transmitted as radio signals, said radio receiver being connected to or integrated in said control device.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wheel operating parameter contains a tire pressure of the respective vehicle wheel.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to determine, on a basis of the position data, which of a plurality of predetermined regions the vehicle is located in, and to select a determination criterion which is used for determining the abnormality, on a basis of an acquired region from a multiplicity of predetermined determination criteria.

7. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to adapt the threshold value on a basis of weather data relating to weather at the current position of the vehicle.

8. An electronic wheel unit system for a wheel-monitoring system of a vehicle having vehicle wheels, the electronic wheel unit system comprising: an electronic wheel unit configured to detect, while being disposed on one of the vehicle wheels, at least one wheel operating parameter of a vehicle wheel and to transmit wheel operating data to a control device of the vehicle; and said electronic wheel unit configured to transmit an abnormality message to the control device of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality determined by a control device of the electronic wheel unit, said control device of said electronic wheel unit configured to: adapt a threshold value on the basis of position data relating to a current position of the vehicle; compare the at least one wheel operating parameter to a setpoint value to determine a deviation of the at least one wheel operating parameter from the setpoint value; determine whether the deviation indicates an abnormality has occurred, based on a comparison of the deviation with the adapted threshold value; and provide the abnormality message to the control device of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality being determined.

9. The electronic wheel unit system according to claim 8, wherein said electronic wheel unit is further configured to take into account weather data relating to weather at the current position of the vehicle for the determination of the abnormality.

10. The electronic wheel unit system according to claim 8, wherein said electronic wheel unit having: at least one sensor for detecting the at least one wheel operating parameter; a program-controlled computer connected to said sensor; an assigned memory connected to said program-controlled computer; and a radio transmitter for transmitting the wheel operating data in a form of radio signals, said radio transmitter connected to said program-controlled computer.

11. The electronic wheel unit system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one wheel operating parameter includes a tire pressure of the vehicle wheel.

12. The electronic wheel unit system according to claim 8, wherein said electronic wheel unit is configured to determine, on a basis of the position data, which of a plurality of predetermined regions the vehicle is located in, and to select a determination criterion which is used for determining the abnormality, on a basis of an acquired region from a multiplicity of predetermined determination criteria.

13. The electronic wheel unit system according to claim 8, wherein said electronic wheel unit is further configured to adapt the threshold value on a basis of weather data relating to weather at the current position of the vehicle.

14. A wheel-monitoring system of a vehicle having vehicle wheels, the wheel-monitoring system comprising: a control device; an electronic wheel unit disposed on one of the vehicle wheels and configured to detect at least one wheel operating parameter of a vehicle wheel and to transmit wheel operating data to said control device; said control device configured to: adapt a threshold value on the basis of position data relating to a current position of the vehicle; compare the at least one wheel operating parameter to a setpoint value to determine a deviation of the at least one wheel operating parameter from the setpoint value; determine whether the deviation indicates an abnormality has occurred, based on a comparison of the deviation with the adapted threshold value; and provide an abnormality message to at least one of a driver of the vehicle or on-board electronics of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality being determined.

15. The wheel-monitoring system according to claim 14, further comprising a mobile radio connected to said control device.

16. The wheel-monitoring system according to claim 14, further comprising satellite-based position-determining circuitry connected to said control device.

17. The wheel-monitoring system according to claim 14, further comprising a sensor for determining weather data.

18. A method for monitoring wheels in a vehicle being equipped with vehicle wheels, which comprises the following steps of: detecting at least one wheel operating parameter of at least one of the vehicle wheels; transmitting wheel operating data to a control device of the vehicle by means of an electronic wheel unit disposed on a respective vehicle wheel; adapting a threshold value on the basis of position data relating to a current position of the vehicle; comparing the at least one wheel operating parameter to a setpoint value to determine a deviation of the at least one wheel operating parameter from the setpoint value; determining whether the deviation indicates an abnormality has occurred, based on a comparison of the deviation with the adapted threshold value; and providing an abnormality message to at least one of a driver of the vehicle or on-board electronics of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality being determined.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method for monitoring wheels in a vehicle being equipped with vehicle wheels, which comprises the following steps of: detecting at least one wheel operating parameter of at least one of the vehicle wheels; transmitting wheel operating data to a control device of the vehicle by means of an electronic wheel unit disposed on a respective vehicle wheel; adapting a threshold value on the basis of position data relating to a current position of the vehicle; comparing the at least one wheel operating parameter to a setpoint value to determine a deviation of the at least one wheel operating parameter from the setpoint value; determining whether the deviation indicates an abnormality has occurred, based on a comparison of the deviation with the adapted threshold value; and providing an abnormality message to at least one of a driver of the vehicle or on-board electronics of the vehicle in an event of an abnormality being determined.

Description

(1) The invention is described in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings, of the said figures:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a vehicle according to one exemplary embodiment, which is equipped with a wheel-monitoring system,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a block circuit diagram of an electronic wheel unit used in the wheel-monitoring system in FIG. 1, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for a method for monitoring wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 1, here for example a four-wheel passenger car with vehicle wheels W1-W4.

(6) Each of the vehicle wheels W1-W4 is equipped with an electronic wheel unit 10-1, 10-2, 10-3 or 10-4, arranged thereon, for detecting at least one wheel operating parameter of the respective vehicle wheel W1, W2, W3 or W4 and for transmitting corresponding wheel operating data to a control device 20 of the vehicle 1.

(7) In the illustrated example, a tire pressure-monitoring system (TPMS) of the vehicle 1 is embodied using the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4. Accordingly, the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 detect in each case at least one tire pressure of the respective vehicle wheel of the vehicle wheels W1 to W4, which in this example are each formed by a rim with an air-filled tire mounted thereon, and the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 transmit wheel operating data containing at least one item of information about the tire pressure to the control device 20 of the vehicle 1.

(8) The electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 are of an identical design and can be arranged e.g. on an inner side of a tire tread surface of the respective tire.

(9) Referring to FIG. 2, which shows by way of example the design of the electronic wheel unit 10-1, each of the wheel units has a pressure sensor 12 for measuring the tire pressure and for making available a sensor signal “p” representing the tire pressure and an acceleration sensor 13 for measuring a radial acceleration at the location where the electronic wheel unit is mounted and for making available a sensor signal “a” representing this radial acceleration.

(10) The sensor signals “p” and “a” are, as illustrated, fed for processing to a program-controlled computer unit 14, the operation of which is controlled by a program code stored in an assigned digital memory unit 15.

(11) The computer unit 14 generates the wheel operating data which are to be transmitted and which are emitted from time to time in the form of radio signals R1, also referred to as data telegrams, to the vehicle-side control device 20 shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the electronic wheel unit 10-1 has a radio transmitter 16 for transmitting the wheel operating data in the form of the radio signals, and the control device 20 is for this purpose connected to a radio receiver 30 (shown in FIG. 1) for receiving the radio signals R1 to R4 of all the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4.

(12) The measurement of the radial acceleration and provision of the corresponding sensor signal “a” serves in the illustrated example to acquire, on the basis of an evaluation of the sensor signal profile, values of an instantaneous wheel rotational speed and/or of a wheel rotational position of the respective vehicle wheel and to incorporate corresponding information on this into the wheel operating data.

(13) Returning to FIG. 1, the vehicle-side control device 20 has a program-controlled computer unit 22 for evaluating the wheel operating data contained in the radio signals R1 to R4, wherein the operation of the computer unit 22 is controlled by a program code stored in an assigned digital memory unit 24.

(14) The electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4, in conjunction with the radio receiver 30 and the control device 20, form a wheel-monitoring system which is designed to make available a corresponding abnormality message in the event of an abnormality of the wheel operation being determined, wherein in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, in particular, a wheel pressure-monitoring system is designed to make available as required a tire pressure-warning message in the event of an abnormality of the tire pressure, e.g. when a predetermined tire pressure threshold value is undershot.

(15) Of course, as an alternative to or in addition to the detection of the tire pressure and of the radial acceleration or the wheel rotational speed and/or the wheel rotational position it is also possible to detect other wheel operating parameters by means of corresponding sensors or by means of corresponding sensor signal evaluation of the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 and to transmit said wheel operating parameters in the form of corresponding wheel operating data to the vehicle-side control device 20.

(16) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the abnormality of the tire pressure which undershoots a predefined pressure threshold value is determined by the vehicle-side control device 20 on the basis of the transmitted wheel operating data and used to make available a corresponding abnormality message in the form of a tire pressure warning message.

(17) In addition to making available the abnormality message via a man-machine interface of the vehicle 1 to the driver of the vehicle 1, it is quite generally also alternatively or additionally possible to make said message available to further components (not illustrated) of the on-board electronics of the vehicle 1 or to further functionalities of the vehicle-side control device 20.

(18) Moreover, the abnormality message can alternatively or additionally be transmitted to an external device, such as e.g. to a mobile terminal, operated in a communication network, of the driver or vehicle user, via a communication interface of the vehicle 1, for example a mobile radio device 46 of the vehicle 1.

(19) A particularity of the tire pressure-monitoring system embodied in the vehicle 1 is that said system is designed to take into account position data relating to a current position of the vehicle 1 and/or weather data relating to the weather at the current position of the vehicle 1 for the determination of the abnormality, i.e. a loss of tire pressure in the embodiment shown.

(20) In the illustrated example, for this purpose a satellite-based position-determining device in the form of a GPS device 42, a weather sensor device 44 and the mobile radio device 46 are integrated into the wheel-monitoring system.

(21) The GPS device 42 is designed to determine the position data relating to the current position of the vehicle 1 by receiving and evaluating radio signals from a plurality of satellites S. The GPS device 42 can represent a component of a navigation system which is often provided in any case in modern vehicles, and said GPS device 42 transmits the acquired position data to the control device 20.

(22) The weather sensor device 44 has, preferably, e.g. a rain sensor, such as can e.g. be present in any case in modern vehicles. Data which are representative of the intensity of the rain are supplied to the control device 20.

(23) The mobile radio device 46 serves to permit the vehicle 1 to communicate with external devices. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a radio link to a mobile radio network N is therefore provided, which radio link in turn implements an Internet connection for the control device 20.

(24) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the position data are acquired by means of the GPS device 42 and in addition weather data are acquired on the basis of the data supplied by the weather sensor device 44 and/or of data retrieved from an Internet server by means of the mobile radio device 46. In the latter case, the position data can be transmitted via the same Internet connection to the Internet server which sends back the weather data or portions thereof which are valid for the corresponding vehicle position.

(25) FIG. 3 illustrates method steps according to an embodiment which are carried out within the scope of the wheel monitoring at the vehicle 1.

(26) In a step S1, the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 each acquire wheel operating parameters, here e.g. respective tire pressure values and wheel rotational speeds and wheel operating data which are based thereon and which typically contain e.g. also an identification code identifying the respective electronic wheel unit, are emitted in the form of the radio signals R1 to R4.

(27) In a step S2, the radio signals R1 to R4 are received by the radio receiver 30, and the wheel operating data contained therein are evaluated with assignment to the associated identification code of the respective electronic wheel unit 10-1 to 10-4 by the control device 20, wherein in the step the wheel operating data or portions thereof or data derived therefrom can also be passed on to other parts of the on-board electronics of the vehicle 1.

(28) In a step S3, the control device 20 checks, in a program-controlled fashion by means of the computer unit 22 on the basis of the transmitted wheel operating data, whether an abnormality, that is to say in the specified exemplary embodiment e.g. an excessive loss of pressure in at least one of the tires, is present or not.

(29) For this determination of an abnormality, a determination criterion which is defined by the program code stored in the memory unit 24 and/or a determination criterion which is defined by data stored separately from the program code in this memory unit 24 are/is used, which determination criterion can define in the illustrated exemplary embodiment e.g., preferably, a relative threshold value and/or an absolute threshold value, wherein in the case of undershooting the respective threshold value or values the determination of the abnormality is carried out by means of the tire pressure.

(30) If no abnormality has been detected in step S3, the processing continues to step S1.

(31) If, on the other hand, an abnormality has been detected in step S3, the processing continues to a step S4.

(32) In step S4, the control device 20 makes available an abnormality message corresponding to the abnormality and outputs it in a predefined fashion. The outputting can be carried out e.g. to the driver of the vehicle 1. Alternatively or additionally, the abnormality message which is made available can be output e.g. to other parts of the on-board electronics. The processing then continues to step S1.

(33) A particularity of step S3 is that, for the determination of the abnormality, position data relating to the current position of the vehicle 1 and/or weather data relating to the weather at the current position of the vehicle 1 are taken into account, that is to say, for example by correspondingly adapting the determination criterion to be used.

(34) On the basis of the position data it is possible in this context, in particular, to implement region-specific adaptation of a specific determination criterion, for example adaptation of the threshold value or values, the undershooting of which by the tire pressure is to bring about detection of an abnormality for the respective vehicle wheel of the vehicle wheels W1 to W4.

(35) Moreover, e.g. adaptation of a number, required by the determination criterion, of successively received radio signals which are based on the presence of an abnormality, can be implemented region-specifically, which adaptation is a precondition for the ultimate detection of the abnormality.

(36) Alternatively or additionally, e.g. adaptation of the determination criterion, for example relating to a navigation system of the vehicle 1, can also be implemented as a function of a type of driving underlying surface (e.g. field path, country road, freeway etc.), detected by means of the navigation system.

(37) With respect to the possibly provided taking into account of weather data, it is interesting, in particular in the case of a tire pressure-monitoring system, to take into account the intensity of the rain and/or an ambient temperature at the current position of the vehicle 1.

(38) In summary, with the invention and the described exemplary embodiments, monitoring of wheels in a vehicle is improved with respect to the making available of abnormality messages, in that automatic adaptation of settings or of a determination criterion as a function of the explained ambient conditions, i.e. the position of the vehicle and/or the weather at the position of the vehicle, is provided.

(39) In contrast to the exemplary embodiment described above, in which the determination of the abnormality and the making available of the abnormality message is implemented by the vehicle-side control device 20, according to a further embodiment there can also be provision that these tasks are performed by the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4. A possibility for this is that the position data or weather data which are to be taken into account are transmitted to the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4, and the software running in the respective computer units of the electronic wheel units is embodied correspondingly. The transmission of these relevant data can be brought about e.g. by virtue of the fact that the radio link between the vehicle-side control device 20 and the electronic wheel units 10-1 to 10-4 is embodied bidirectionally, that is to say a radio transceiver device is made available both on the vehicle side and on the wheel side.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

(40) 1 Vehicle

(41) W1 to W4 Vehicle wheels

(42) 10-1 to 10-4 Electronic wheel units

(43) R1 to R4 Radio signals

(44) 12 Pressure sensor

(45) p Sensor signal

(46) 13 Acceleration sensor

(47) a Sensor signal

(48) 14 Computer unit

(49) 15 Memory unit

(50) 16 Radio transmitter

(51) 20 Control device

(52) 22 Computer unit

(53) 24 Memory unit

(54) 30 Radio receiver

(55) S Satellites

(56) 42 GPS device

(57) 44 Weather sensor device

(58) N Mobile radio network

(59) 46 Mobile radio device

(60) S1 Step

(61) S2 Step

(62) S3 Step

(63) S4 Step