Vehicle weight and center of gravity estimation system and method

A load estimation system for estimating a vehicle load comprising:

• at least one tire supporting a vehicle;
• a tire-mounted sensor attached to the tire and comprising a rotation counter for generating a rotation count from rotation of the tire;
• a vehicle-based distance measuring device measuring distance travelled by the vehicle and producing distance travelled input data;
• an effective radius calculator calculating effective radius of the tire from the distance travelled and the rotation count;
• load estimation means for calculating the load carried by the vehicle tire from the effective radius;
• and
• wherein data from the load estimating means is communicated to an operator of the vehicle by a communication device that is operative connected to the vehicle or communicated to a vehicle control device;
• wherein the distance measuring device comprises a global positioning system;
• wherein the effective radius calculator operably calculates effective radius of the tire by dividing a distance measured by the global positioning system by a product of the rotation count times 2π;
• wherein further comprising a rotation time measuring calculator for measuring the time for one rotation from data derived from the tire-mounted sensor;
• and
• a vehicle speed calculating calculator for calculating vehicle speed by dividing the effective radius of the tire times 2π by the time for one rotation pursuant to the formula:
• Vehicle speed=(Effective Radius of Tire*2π)/(Time of one revolution).

A method of determining an estimated vehicle load carried by a tire comprising:

• determining a rotation count from a tire-mounted sensor affixed to the tire;
• measuring the distance travelled by the vehicle from a vehicle-based distance-measuring device;
• calculating an effective radius of the tire from the distance travelled and the rotation count;
• and
• calculating the load carried by the vehicle tire from the effective radius;
• communicating data representing the load calculation to an operator of the vehicle by a communication device that is operative connected to the vehicle or communicated to a vehicle control device;
• wherein the vehicle-based distance measuring device comprises a global positioning system;
• wherein calculating an effective radius of the tire comprises dividing a distance measured by the global positioning system by the rotation count times 2π;
• and
• measuring rotation time for one rotation of the tire from a tire-based sensor;
• and calculating vehicle speed from dividing the product of the effective radius of the tire times 2π by the time for one rotation pursuant to the formula:
• Vehicle speed=(Effective Radius of Tire*2π)/(Time of one revolution).