Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Mechanical measurement system
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-22
2004-03-23
Bui, Bryan (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Mechanical measurement system
C702S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06711505
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting abnormalities of a tire and a program for detecting abnormalities of a tire. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for detecting abnormalities of a tire and a program for detecting abnormalities of a tire capable of predicting dangers of abnormalities occurring to a tire and thus enabling safe driving.
Methods or apparatuses for detecting decrease in internal pressure of a tire have been conventionaly suggested as methods for preventing troubles from occurring to tires of a running vehicle. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 305011/1988 discloses a method for detecting a decrease in internal pressure on the basis of differences between two diagonal sums of rotational velocities of front wheel tires and rear wheel tires. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 158923/2000 further discloses an apparatus for directly measuring internal pressures of tires through sensors and accordingly issuing alarm when it is determined that some abnormal condition is present.
However, it is impossible to acquire information during driving other than a decrease in internal pressure of a tire, for example, that an urgent abnormality has occurred to a tire or is likely to occur to a tire. The driver needs to be immediately informed in case a danger exists that a tire might burst owing to sudden damages or overload.
Detecting abnormalities of tires at an early stage is not a sufficient measure of safety in view of prevention and safety, while it might be provided satisfactory prevention and safety in case it would be possible to detect that the running condition might lead to occurrences of abnormalities of tires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and it is an object thereof to provide a method and apparatus for detecting abnormalities of a tire and a program for detecting abnormalities of a tire capable of predicting dangers of abnormalities occurring to a tire and thus enabling safe driving.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting abnormalities of a tire which detects abnormalities of a tire on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to wheels of a vehicle, including the steps of: detecting rotational pulses of wheels of the tires, calculating and storing rotational information of the tires on the basis of the rotational pulses, calculating and processing fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information, and storing data during driving which have been processed for each single rotation and performing prediction of abnormalities of a tire on the basis of changes in the data.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting abnormalities of a tires which detects abnormalities of a tire on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to wheels of a vehicle, including: a rotational information detecting means for detecting rotational pulses of wheels of the tires; a calculating and storing means for calculating and storing rotational information of the tires on the basis of the rotational pulses; a processing means for calculating and processing fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information; and an abnormality detecting means for storing data during driving which have been processed for each single rotation and performing predictions of abnormalities of a tire on the basis of changes in the data.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for detecting abnormalities of a tire, which makes a computer function, for predicting abnormal conditions of a tire, as a calculating and storing means for calculating and storing rotational information of tires on the basis of the rotational pulses, a processing means for calculating and processing fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information, and an abnormality detecting means for storing data during driving which have been processed for each single rotation and performing predictions of abnormalities of a tire on the basis of changes in the data.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting abnormalities of a tire which detects abnormalities of a tire on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to wheels of a vehicle, including the steps of: detecting rotational pulses of wheels of the respective tires; calculating and storing rotational information of the tires on the basis of the rotational pulses; comparing whether a running speed of the vehicle is not more than a reference speed or not; calculating and processing an amount of fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information; comparing, in case the running speed of the vehicle is not more than the reference speed, the processed data with a specified reference value to determine whether the data fall within a preliminarily set range for the data; and predicting, on the basis of the determination of the comparison, that a danger exists that abnormalities are likely to occur to a tire during high speed running and accordingly issuing an alarm.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting abnormalities of a tire which detects abnormalities of a tire on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to wheels of a vehicle, including the steps of: detecting rotational pulses of wheels of the respective tires; calculating and storing rotational information of the tires on the basis of the rotational pulses; comparing whether a running speed of the vehicle is not more than a reference speed or not; calculating and processing an amount of fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information; storing data during driving that have been processed for each single rotation; comparing a compared value, which has been obtained by comparing fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires at the time the vehicle performs low speed running with the stored data, with a threshold for indicating a load condition of the tire, in case the running speed of the vehicle is not more than the reference speed; and predicting, on the basis of the determination of the comparison, that a danger exists that abnormalities are likely to occur to a tire during high speed running and accordingly issuing an alarm.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting abnormalities of a tire which detects abnormalities of a tire on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to wheels of a vehicle, including: a detecting means for detecting rotational pulses of wheels of the respective tires; a calculating and storing means for calculating and storing rotational information of the tires on the basis of the rotational pulses; a speed comparing means for comparing whether a running speed of the vehicle is not more than a reference speed or not; a fluctuation processing means for calculating and processing an amount of fluctuations in rotational pulse intervals in a single rotation of the tires on the basis of the rotational information; a reference value comparing means for comparing the processed data with a specified reference value for determining, in case the running speed of the vehicle is not more than the reference speed, whether the data fall within a preliminarily set range for the data; an abnormality predicting means for predicting, on the basis of the determination of the comparison, that a danger exists that abnormalities are likely to oc
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Bui Bryan
Sumitmo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
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