Dual tire pressure monitor and wheel torque sensor for vehicles
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsSamuel Steele, Kevin M. Danford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dual tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and wheel torque sensor system generates a single wireless signal containing both tire pressure data and wheel strain data. The wheel strain data is functionally related to wheel torque. The dual sensor has a transceiver that generates the wireless signal for a remote controller. A body of the dual sensor is positioned on the interior of the wheel under the tire, near the valve stem. The wheel torque is used to control braking, propulsion or steering of a Highly Automated Driving (HAD) vehicle, and to improve vehicle stability control and vehicle diagnostics.
Claims19
A combined tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and wheel torque sensor system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a wheel configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
- a dual sensor, including
- a body interconnected with the wheel;
- a strain sensor interconnected with the body, the strain sensor configured to output strain data related to wheel strain;
- a tire pressure sensor interconnected with body, the tire pressure sensor configured to output pressure data related to the fluid pressure in the tire;
- an electronic control unit, interconnected with the body, the electronic control unit configured to receive the strain data and the pressure data and to output processed strain data and processed pressure data;
- a wireless transceiver interconnected with the body and in communication with the electronic control unit, the wireless transceiver configured to generate a wireless signal that includes the processed strain data and the processed pressure data;
- and
- a controller, disposed remote from the wheel, configured to receive the wireless signal from the wireless transceiver.
A dual sensor that senses tire pressure and wheel torque of a vehicle wheel, the wheel having an axis of rotation, the dual sensor comprising:
- a body configured to be interconnected with the wheel;
- a strain sensor interconnected with the body, the strain sensor configured to output strain data related to wheel strain;
- a tire pressure sensor interconnected with body, the tire pressure sensor configured to output pressure data;
- an electronic control unit interconnected with the body, the electronic control unit configured to receive the strain data and the pressure data and to output processed strain data and processed pressure data;
- and
- a wireless transceiver interconnected with the body and in communication with the electronic control unit, the wireless transceiver configured to generate a wireless signal that includes the processed strain data and the processed pressure data.
A method of monitoring the tire pressure of a vehicle tire disposed on a vehicle wheel and sensing a wheel torque of the wheel, comprising:
- affixing a body of a dual sensor to the wheel;
- generating strain data from a strain sensor interconnected with the body of the dual sensor;
- generating pressure data from a tire pressure sensor interconnected with the body of the dual sensor;
- processing the strain data and the pressure data using an electronic control unit that is interconnected with the body;
- and
- wirelessly transmitting a wireless signal to a remote controller using a transceiver interconnected with the dual sensor body, the wireless signal including both the processed strain data and the processed pressure data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.