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AssigneeSumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
InventorsHiroaki Kawasaki, Yukio Nakao
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for identifying tires comprising: a rotational speed detecting means; a first calculating means for calculating a vehicle speed; a second calculating means for calculating acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle; a third calculating means for calculating a slip ratio; a fourth calculating means for respectively obtaining moving averages of the acceleration/deceleration and the slip ratios of the vehicle; a fifth calculating means for obtaining linear regression coefficients and correlation coefficients of the moving-averaged acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and the slip ratio; a sixth calculating means for calculating a tire identifying coefficient; and a tire identifying means for identifying tires which is presently mounted based on the tire identifying coefficient. Differences in tread rigidities of the tires can be automatically reflected for controlling the vehicle.
An apparatus for identifying tires comprising:
A method for identifying tires comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for evaluating road surface conditions comprising:
A method for evaluating road surface conditions comprising the steps of:
A program for evaluating road surface conditions which makes a computer for evaluating road surface conditions function as a first calculating means for calculating a vehicle speed based on a measured value obtained by a rotational speed detecting means, a second calculating means for calculating acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, a third calculating means for calculating a slip ratio from the rotational speeds of the four wheels, a fourth calculating means for respectively obtaining moving averages of the acceleration/deceleration and the slip ratios of the vehicle, a fifth calculating means for obtaining linear regression coefficients and correlation coefficients of the moving-averaged acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and the slip ratios, and a threshold setting means for setting a threshold for evaluating road surface conditions based on the linear regression coefficients of which correlation coefficients are not less than a specified value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Signalling devices actuated by deformation of the tyre , e.g. tyre mounted deformation sensors or indirect determination of tyre deformation…
Using electrical or electronic regulation means to control braking: determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations…
Vehicle tyres
Vehicle brake control systems or parts thereof
Term ended 16 Jan 2022 (estimated)
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for identifying tires and to an apparatus and method for evaluating road surface conditions. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and method for identifying tires for identifying a driving stiffness level of tires which is applicable for controlling a vehicle or for improving safety of the vehicle, as well as to an apparatus and method for evaluating road surface conditions for identifying presently mounted tires in case the tires have been exchanged and for suitably setting a threshold for determining a tendency of slip.
Tires are engraved with longitudinal grooves as well as lateral grooves in view of water drainage such that rubber blocks surrounded by these grooves are formed. In case these rubber blocks are large, shear deformation in front and rear, and right and left directions hardly occurs and further exhibits a large rigidity, and tires having tread patterns composed of large blocks are generally referred to as tires of a large pattern rigidity.
Since the degree of pattern rigidity largely affects slip rates in addition to cornering power and cornering force, it is important to know the pattern rigidity of tires for estimating behaviors of a vehicle on the basis of rotational information of the tires in devices aimed to improve performance and safety of the vehicle on the basis of rotational information of the tires such as an ABS (anti-lock braking system), a TCS (traction control system) or an apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure. It is generally the case that summer tires are of large pattern rigidity while winter tires are of small pattern rigidity.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for identifying tires according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating electric arrangements of the apparatus for identifying tires of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for evaluating road surface conditions according to the present invention;
The apparatus and method for identifying tires, the apparatus and method for evaluating road surface conditions, and the program for evaluating road surface conditions according to the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus for identifying tires of the present invention is provided with a wheel speed sensor 1, which is a rotational speed detecting means for periodically detecting rotational speed of tires, attached to tires FL, FR, RL and RR of a four-wheeled vehicle. Output of the wheel speed sensor 1 is supplied to a control unit such as ABS. Numeral 3 denotes an initialization switch 4 capable of being operated by a driver when, for example, tires are changed.
The wheel speed sensor 1 takes the form of, for example, a sensor for measuring a rotational speed from the number of rotation pulses generated by using an electromagnetic pickup or the like.