Wheel Performance Monitoring and Feedback System For Vehicle Control

A method for monitoring wheel performance of a vehicle, the vehicle including a plurality of wheels, a plurality of tires mounted on the plurality of wheels, and a plurality of sensors on the plurality of wheels, the method comprising:

• receiving, with at least one processor, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, from a sensor of the plurality of sensors on that wheel, a strain measurement associated with that wheel;
• calculating, with the at least one processor, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the strain measurement associated with that wheel, a rate of strain change of that wheel;
• determining, with the at least one processor, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the rate of strain change, a maximum rate of strain change of that wheel and a minimum rate of strain change of that wheel;
• calculating, with the at least one processor, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the maximum rate of strain change and the minimum rate of strain change, a contact fraction of that wheel;
• estimating, with the at least one processor, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the contact fraction of that wheel, a contact area of a tire mounted on that wheel;
• and
• performing, with the at least one processor, at least one of the following:
• (i) controlling a display to display the amount of contact area of at least one tire of the plurality of tires, (ii) controlling a central tire inflation system of the vehicle to inflate or deflate the at least one tire of the plurality of tires based on the contact area of the at least one tire, or any combination thereof.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions for monitoring wheel performance of a vehicle, the vehicle including a plurality of wheels, a plurality of tires mounted on the plurality of wheels, and a plurality of sensors on the plurality of wheels, that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

• receive, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, from a sensor of the plurality of sensors on that wheel, a strain measurement associated with that wheel;
• calculate, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the strain measurement associated with that wheel, a rate of strain change of that wheel;
• determine, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the rate of strain change, a maximum rate of strain change of that wheel and a minimum rate of strain change of that wheel;
• calculate, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the maximum rate of strain change and the minimum rate of strain change, a contact fraction of that wheel;
• estimate, for each wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on the contact fraction of that wheel, a contact area of a tire mounted on that wheel;
• and
• perform at least one of the following:
• (i) control a display to display the amount of contact area of at least one tire of the plurality of tires, (ii) control a central tire inflation system of the vehicle to inflate or deflate the at least one tire of the plurality of tires based on the contact area of the at least one tire, or any combination thereof.