Method, control unit and system for determining the tread depth of a tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025313044-A1
Application number	US-202318864716-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2023
Priority date	May 13, 2022
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and control system for determining the tread depth of a tire tread, in which the current dynamic rolling radius of the tire is continually determined in usage phases of the tire by ascertaining a current angular velocity of the tire from data determined by a first sensor and ascertaining a current velocity of the vehicle from data determined by a second sensor and determining the current dynamic rolling radius on the basis of the determined current angular velocity and the current velocity of the vehicle. A starting value of the dynamic rolling radius is recorded at the beginning of a first usage phase and a current tread depth of the tire is determined from deviations of the current dynamic rolling radius from the starting value, and wherein a current movement status of the tire is ascertained from data determined by a third sensor, by determining a usage phase as the movement status if data determined above a predefined limit value exist and determining a non-usage phase as the movement status if data determined below a predefined limit value over a predefined time period exist. In the event of a change in the movement status from a non-usage phase to a subsequent usage phase, a new starting value of the dynamic rolling radius is recorded and the subsequently determined current dynamic rolling radii are compared with said new starting value instead of with the previous starting value in order to continually determine the current tread depth.

First claim

1 . A method for determining the profile depth of a profile of a tire fitted on a wheel rim on a vehicle, in which method the current dynamic rolling radius of the tire is continually determined in phases of use thereof, in that a current rotational speed of the tire is determined from data determined by a first sensor and a current speed of the vehicle is determined from data determined by a second sensor and the current dynamic rolling radius is determined on the basis of the determined current rotational speed and the current speed of the vehicle, a starting value of the dynamic rolling radius being recorded at the beginning of a first phase of use and a current profile depth of the tire being determined from deviations of the current dynamic rolling radius from the starting value, wherein a current movement status of the tire is determined from data determined by a third sensor, in that when there are data determined above a specified limit value a phase of use is determined as the movement status and when there are data determined below a specified limit value over a predetermined time period a phase of non-use is determined as the movement status, and when there is a change in the movement status from a phase of non-use to a subsequent phase of use the recording of a new starting value of the dynamic rolling radius is instigated and, instead of the previous starting value, is compared with the subsequently determined current dynamic rolling radii for the continued determination of the current profile depth.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third sensor determines the radial acceleration of the tire or the tangential acceleration of the tire or changes in the acceleration of the tire.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third sensor takes the form of a sensor of a tire pressure monitoring system that is assigned to the tire.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a signal value is generated in the determination of a phase of non-use.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a counter of which the value is incrementally increased each time a signal value is generated is provided for the signal value.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is designed as a rotational-speed sensor.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is selected from the group comprising a satellite-assisted sensor, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasound sensor and an optical camera.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein correction factors, comprising the tire size, the tire pressure, the tire type, the temperature, the tire load and/or the tire age, are taken into account in the determination of the current profile depth.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determination of a phase of non-use of the tire also causes the horizontal or vertical orientation of the tire to be determined and to be used for forming a correction factor which is taken into account in the determination of the current profile depth.

10 . A control device for a vehicle for determining the profile depth of a profile of a tire fitted on a wheel rim on a vehicle, comprising at least one receiving device for receiving a current rotational speed of the tire and a current speed of the vehicle, a determining device for determining a dynamic rolling radius of the tire on the basis of the current rotational speed of the tire and the current speed of the vehicle in comparison with a starting value that can be fixed for determining the profile depth, the receiving device being designed for receiving a movement status comprising phases of use and phases of non-use and, when there is a change in the movement status from a phase of non-use to a subsequent phase of use, the determining device being activatable by the receiving device in such a way that a new starting value of the dynamic rolling radius can be fixed and can be used instead of the starting value for determining the profile depth.

11 . A system for a vehicle for determining the profile depth of a profile of a tire fitted on a wheel rim on a vehicle, having a control device as claimed in claim 10 , it being possible for the movement status to be generated by a sensor of a tire pressure monitoring system assigned to the tire.

Assignees

• Continental Reifen Deutschland Gmbh
• Continental Automotive Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Kurz Martin
• Guinart Nicolas
• Dharamshi Parthiv

Classifications

• B60C11/246 Primary

  Tread wear monitoring systems · CPC title