Slow leak detection system and method

Abstract

The present disclosure provides "slow leak detection systems and methods". A system communicatively coupled with a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include a detection unit configured to measure sound near a tire of a vehicle and a processor communicatively coupled with the detection unit. The processor may be configured to obtain an input from the detection unit and identify a slow leak in the vehicle tire based on the input. The processor may also be configured to output a notification in response to the slow leak identification. The system may be part of a vehicle, or may be part of a user device communicatively coupled to the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicles, and more particularly to systems and methods for detecting slow leaks in vehicle components. Background Art

[0002] Many modern vehicles have built-in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to help operators monitor tire conditions. Specifically, in some instances, TPMS uses tire / wheel sensors to measure tire air pressure. When the air pressure in the vehicle's tires is less than or greater than a predefined threshold or when there is a certain threshold change in air pressure, the TPMS outputs a notification to the vehicle operator. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present disclosure describes a system and method for detecting a slow leak in a vehicle component, such as a tire of a vehicle. The system may include a detection unit that may be configured to measure a sound associated with the slow leak emanating from the vehicle tire. The detection unit may include an ultrasonic sensor that may be configured to measure sounds within an ultrasonic frequency range. The system may also include a processor that may be configured to obtain an input from the detection unit, determine the slow leak based on the input, and output a notification to a user interface to indicate the slow leak in the vehicle tire.

[0004] In some aspects, the system may be part of a vehicle. In other aspects, the system may be part of a user device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart watch, another vehicle, etc.) that may be communicatively coupled to the vehicle. For example, the system may be part of a user device that may act as a phone-and-key for the vehicle. When the system may be part of a vehicle, the detection unit may include an ultrasonic sensor that may be built into the vehicle. On the other hand, when the system may be part of a user device, the detection unit may include an ultrasonic sensor that may be built into the user device.

[0005] In further aspects, the system may be configured to determine or identify tire locations in a vehicle (e.g., locations of tires where leaks may exist). For example, when the system is part of a vehicle, the system processor may obtain input from different ultrasonic sensors built into the vehicle and may determine / identify the location of the ultrasonic sensor that may have detected a slow leak. In response to such determination / identification, the system processor may identify the tire location based on the identified ultrasonic sensor location. When the system is part of a user device, the system processor may obtain a user device location near the vehicle, where an ultrasonic sensor associated with the user device may have detected a slow leak, and may identify the tire location based on the obtained user device location. In response to obtaining the tire location, the system may notify the user interface of the tire location.

[0006] In further aspects, the system processor may be configured to activate the detection unit when a predetermined condition may be met. For example, when the detection unit may be part of a user device, the system processor may activate the detection unit when the user device may be close to a vehicle. In another example, when the detection unit may be part of a vehicle, the system processor may activate the detection unit when the pressure in a vehicle tire (obtained from a vehicle tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)) may be less than a first threshold or when the difference between pressures of different tires may be greater than a second threshold.

[0007] The present disclosure discloses a system and method that facilitates the detection of slow leaks in vehicle tires. The system can utilize existing ultrasonic sensors in the vehicle and / or user devices to detect slow leaks in vehicle tires. Therefore, the system may not require additional or dedicated components to detect slow leaks. The system can also promptly notify the vehicle operator of the slow leak and tire location so that the vehicle operator can take remedial measures.

[0008] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0010] Figure 1 An exemplary environment is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0011] Figure 2A block diagram of a leak detection system according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0012] Figure 3 Depicted are exemplary representations of user notifications from a leak detection system in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 4 A first exemplary graph of frequency and decibel level of output sound according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0014] Figure 5 A second exemplary graph of frequency and decibel level of output sound according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0015] Figure 6 A flow chart is depicted of an exemplary method for detecting slow leaks in a vehicle tire according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0017] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. Environment 100 may include a vehicle 102. Vehicle 102 may take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as, for example, an automobile, a work vehicle, a crossover vehicle, a van, a minivan, a truck, a taxi, a bus, etc. In addition, vehicle 102 may be a manually driven vehicle, and / or be configured to operate in a fully autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode and / or a partially autonomous mode, and may include any powertrain, such as, for example, a gasoline engine, one or more electric actuation motors, a hybrid powertrain, etc. Although Figure 1 A four-wheeled vehicle is depicted, but the present disclosure may also be applied to two-wheeled vehicles, such as electric bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, etc.

[0018] The vehicle 102 may include four tires T1 , T2 , T3 , T4 , where T1 may be a left front tire, T2 may be a right front tire, T3 may be a left rear tire, and T4 may be a right rear tire.

[0019] In some aspects, the vehicle 102 may include one or more sensors mounted in or on the tires T1-T4, attached to the tires, embedded in the tires, or otherwise coupled to the tires. For example, the tires T1-T4 may include tire pressure monitoring systems 1-4 (TPMS1-4) that may be configured to detect / monitor tire pressure and / or other characteristics of the tires T1-T4.

[0020] In some aspects, the vehicle 102 may include a vehicle control unit (VCU) 104, which may include multiple electronic control units (ECUs) 106, and a vehicle perception system (VPS) 108, which has connectivity with and / or controls one or more vehicle sensing systems 110. The vehicle sensing system 110 may include multiple ultrasonic sensors S1-S12. The ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 may be built into the vehicle 102. The ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 may be configured to measure sounds near the vehicle tires T1-T4 in an ultrasonic frequency range (e.g., above 20 kHz), monitor the vehicle's surroundings, measure distances to external objects, etc. In some aspects, the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 may be positioned around the vehicle 102, such as Figure 1 As depicted in . For example, six ultrasonic sensors may be positioned in the front of the vehicle and six ultrasonic sensors may be positioned in the rear of the vehicle. In some aspects, the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 may be disposed on the vehicle glass and / or the vehicle rigid structure. The ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 may be any type of ultrasonic sensor, which may include a short-range ultrasonic sensor and a long-range ultrasonic sensor.

[0021] Although the above description describes aspects in which the vehicle 102 includes twelve ultrasonic sensors, the present disclosure is not limited to the described aspects. The vehicle 102 may include a greater or lesser count of ultrasonic sensors without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in addition to the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12, the vehicle sensing system 110 may also include other sensors. For example, the vehicle sensing system 110 may include a steering wheel sensor, an interior and / or exterior vehicle camera, a seating area sensor, a weight sensor, an ambient light sensor, a rain sensor, and the like.

[0022] ECU 106 can be communicatively coupled with TPMS1-4 and / or ultrasonic sensors S1-S12. In some aspects, ECU 106 can include one or more modules / units, such as body control module (BCM) 112, engine control module (ECM) 114, transmission control module (TCM) 116, telematics control unit (TCU) 118, driver assistance technology (DAT) controller 120, etc. In some aspects, ECU 106 can use these units and control one or more vehicle operations by receiving input from a human driver, an autonomous vehicle controller, TPMS1-4, and / or via wireless signal input received from other connected devices (such as a mobile device 122 (with a user interface) associated with a vehicle operator 124, etc.) through a wireless connection.

[0023] In one or more aspects, the BCM 112 may include integration of one or more vehicle sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and varactors associated with vehicle systems. In addition, the BCM 112 may include processor-based power distribution circuits that may control functions associated with the vehicle body, such as tires T1-T4, lights, windows, security devices, door locks, entry controls, and various comfort controls. The BCM 112 may also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 1 (not shown) to interact.

[0024] In some aspects, the DAT controller 120 can provide Level 1 to Level 3 autonomous driving and driver assistance functionality, which may include features such as active parking assist, trailer back-up assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and / or driver state monitoring. The DAT controller 120 can obtain input information via the vehicle sensing system 110, which may include sensors disposed on an interior portion and / or exterior portion of the vehicle. Specifically, the DAT controller 120 can receive information associated with tire conditions from TPMS1-4, ultrasonic sensors S1-S12, vehicle occupancy, driver functions, vehicle functions, environmental inputs, and other similar information from the vehicle sensing system 110.

[0025] In some aspects, the TCU 118 can be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and off the vehicle 102. The TCU 118 can include a computer program product for receiving and processing signals from a global positioning system (GPS) ( Figure 1 a navigation (NAV) receiver 126 for receiving a GPS signal (not shown); module (BLEM) 128 or BUN (BLE, UWB, NFC module), Wi-Fi transceiver, ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver and / or other wireless transceivers (configurable for wireless communication between the vehicle 102 and other systems, computers and modules (including TPMS 1-4 and ultrasonic sensors S1-S12) Figure 1 1 ). The TCU 118 may be configured to communicate with the ECU 106 via a bus 130 .

[0026] In some aspects, the vehicle 102 may include a vehicle computer 132, which may be mounted in the engine compartment of the vehicle 102 (or elsewhere in the vehicle 102). The vehicle computer 132 may be configured to communicate with the VCU 104, the mobile device 122, and one or more servers 134. Specifically, the vehicle computer 132 may share a wired or wireless communication bus with the VCU 104 and may be configured and / or programmed to exchange vehicle data with the VCU 104.

[0027] In one or more aspects, the vehicle computer 132 can communicate with a server 134, which can be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure. Specifically, the server 134 can be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that provides services to the vehicle 102 and other vehicles that may be part of a fleet ( Figure 1 ) provides digital data services.

[0028] In some aspects, the vehicle computer 132 may use wired and / or wireless communication protocols and transceivers to connect with a mobile device 122 associated with the vehicle operator 124. Specifically, the mobile device 122 may be communicatively coupled to the vehicle computer 132 via one or more networks 136. The networks 136 illustrate exemplary communication infrastructures in which connected devices discussed in various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate.

[0029] The network 136 may be and / or may include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi, UWB based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.

[0030] In some aspects, the vehicle computer 132 can be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 138 and memory 140. The one or more processors 138 can be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 140 and / or Figure 1 The one or more processors 138 may utilize the memory 140 to store programs and / or store data in code form to perform various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0031] The memory 140 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing a code for monitoring the tire condition of the vehicle. The memory 140 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0032] In some aspects, the VCU 104 may control aspects of vehicle operation using one or more instruction sets stored in the memory 140 .

[0033] In some aspects, the vehicle computer 132 can be connected to a vehicle infotainment system 142, which can provide an interface for navigation and GPS receivers. The vehicle infotainment system 142 can include a touch screen interface portion (e.g., a user interface) and can include a voice recognition feature, a biometric recognition capability that can recognize a user based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric recognition means. In additional aspects, the vehicle infotainment system 142 can display messages or notifications on the touch screen interface, such as notifications associated with tire conditions associated with tires T1-T4.

[0034] According to the present disclosure, environment 100 may also include a leak detection system (in Figure 2 200). The leak detection system ("system") may be configured to determine slow leaks in tires T1-T4 (or any other vehicle component, such as an engine hose), and may notify a vehicle user (e.g., vehicle operator 124) when a slow leak may occur in tires T1-T4.

[0035] In some aspects, the system can be part of the vehicle 102. In other aspects, the system can be part of a mobile device 122 associated with a vehicle operator 124. As described above, the mobile device 122 can be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 102. For example, the mobile device 122 can be configured as a phone-as-a-key for the vehicle 102. In exemplary aspects, the mobile device 122 can be a mobile phone or a smartwatch.

[0036] When the system may be part of a vehicle 102 , the system may be communicatively coupled with a vehicle computer 132 , a VCU 104 , a vehicle infotainment system 142 , etc. In this case, the system may be part of the vehicle computer 132 or the VCU 104 .

[0037] In operation, when the system is part of a vehicle 102, the system can obtain input from ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 built into the vehicle 102. As described above, the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 can be configured to measure sounds (such as airborne sounds, conducted vibrations, structure-borne vibrations) near the tires T1-T4 in the ultrasonic frequency range. In response to obtaining input from the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12, the system can identify slow leaks in the tires T1-T4 based on the input. The system can output a notification to the vehicle operator 124 in response to the slow leak identification. For example, when the system identifies / determines a slow leak, the system can output a notification on the vehicle infotainment system 142, the mobile device 122, etc. The notification can indicate to the vehicle operator 124 that there may be a leak in one or more of the vehicle tires T1-T4.

[0038] On the other hand, when the system is part of the mobile device 122, the system can obtain input from an ultrasonic sensor (not shown) built into the mobile device 122. For example, when the mobile device 122 may be close to the vehicle 102 (e.g., when the vehicle operator 124 may be moving close to the vehicle 102 or sitting inside the vehicle 102), the ultrasonic sensor associated with the mobile device 122 can measure the sound associated with the tires T1-T4 in the ultrasonic frequency range. In response to obtaining input from the ultrasonic sensor (associated with the mobile device 122), the system can identify a slow leak in the tires T1-T4 based on the input. The system can output a notification to the vehicle operator 124 in response to the slow leak identification. In this case, the system can output a notification indicating that there may be a leak in one or more tires T1-T4 on the mobile device display. In some aspects, when the system is part of the mobile device 122, when the mobile device 122 can be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 102 and the mobile device 122 can be set near the vehicle 102, the system can detect slow leaks in the tires T1-T4.

[0039] In some aspects, the system may also be configured to detect leaks in other vehicles (different from vehicle 102) in the vicinity of the system, and may output notifications based on the detections. For example, the system may detect slow leaks in tires of neighboring vehicles, trailers, buses, large trucks, motorcycles, etc. in the vicinity of the system / vehicle 102. In some aspects, vehicle 102 may be configured to transmit notifications to another vehicle via server 134. In other aspects, vehicle 102 may employ any other method to transmit notifications to another vehicle.

[0040] Although the present disclosure describes detecting slow leaks in tires T1-T4, the leak detection system may detect leaks in other vehicle components (such as engine hoses, trailers associated with the vehicle 102, etc.) by using the same methods and systems as described herein in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In further aspects, the leak detection system may be configured to obtain input from an ultrasonic sensor associated with an electronic device (such as a camera with a built-in ultrasonic sensor) installed in a parking facility, and may be configured to determine a slow leak based on the input obtained from the ultrasonic sensor associated with such an electronic device.

[0041] In some aspects, the vehicle 102, the vehicle operator 124, the mobile device 122, and the leak detection system implement and / or perform operations as described herein in the present disclosure according to the owner's manual and safety guide. In addition, any action taken by the user of the vehicle in response to one or more leak detection system prompts or notifications disclosed herein should comply with all rules and regulations specific to the location (e.g., federal, state, country, city, etc.) and operation of the vehicle. More importantly, any leak detection system notification disclosed herein is for illustrative purposes only. Depending on the context, situation, and applicable rules and regulations, some of any leak detection system notifications may be modified and / or omitted. In addition, regardless of any leak detection system notification, the user should use good judgment and common sense when operating the vehicle.

[0042] Figure 2 A block diagram of a leak detection system 200 (hereinafter referred to as system 200) according to the present disclosure is depicted. As described above, system 200 may be part of vehicle 102 or mobile device 122 (which may be communicatively coupled to vehicle 102). Figure 2 When Figure 3 . Figure 3 Depicted is an exemplary representation of user notifications from system 200 in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0043] The system 200 may include a plurality of units including, but not limited to, a detection unit 202, a system transceiver 204, a system processor 206, and a system memory 208 that may be communicatively coupled to one another. The detection unit 202 may include an ultrasonic sensor configured to measure sounds near the tires T1-T4 (e.g., in the ultrasonic frequency range, i.e., above 20 kHz). When the system 200 is part of the vehicle 102, the detection unit 202 may include ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 built into the vehicle 102. When the system 200 is part of the mobile device 122, the detection unit 202 may include an ultrasonic sensor built into the mobile device 122.

[0044] The system transceiver 204 can be configured to receive input from the detection unit 202 and can transmit the input to the system processor 206. The system transceiver 204 can also be configured to transmit the input to the system memory 208 for storage purposes. In further aspects, the system transceiver 204 can be configured to transmit and / or receive information to / from vehicle components (e.g., TPMS 1-4) or any other components / devices.

[0045] The system processor 206 may utilize the system memory 208 to store programs and / or store data in code form to perform various system operations according to the present disclosure. The system memory 208 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores the leakage detection program code. The system memory 208 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0046] In operation, the system processor 206 may be configured to obtain input from the detection unit 202, for example, via the system transceiver 204 or the system memory 208. In response to obtaining the input, the system processor 206 may be configured to identify a slow leak in one or more tires T1-T4 based on the input obtained from the detection unit 202 (i.e., based on the sound measured by the ultrasonic sensor).

[0047] In some aspects, in the case of a slow leak, the tires T1-T4 may emit a leak sound within a predefined frequency range within the ultrasonic frequency range, and the emitted sound may have a decibel level greater than a predefined threshold. In response to obtaining input from the detection unit 202, the system processor 206 may determine whether the decibel level of the sound (obtained within the predefined frequency range) is greater than the predefined threshold. In response to determining that the decibel level is greater than the predefined threshold, the system processor 206 may determine that a slow leak may exist in one or more of the tires T1-T4. In some aspects, the system processor 206 may be configured to calibrate external noise to identify sounds associated with a slow leak.

[0048] In response to the slow leak determination / identification, the system processor 206 may output a notification to the vehicle operator 124 (e.g., via the mobile device 122 and / or the vehicle infotainment system 142) to provide a notification indicating a slow leak from one or more tires T1-T4. In some aspects, the system processor 206 may be further configured to determine the location of the tires (i.e., identify the vehicle tires that may have a slow leak) based on the input obtained from the detection unit 202, and may output a notification indicating the location of the tires. In such cases, the notification may include information associated with the vehicle tires, such as the tire location. For example, the notification may indicate that there may be a leak in the rear tire T4, such as Figure 3 As described in Figure 3 As depicted, system processor 206 may highlight tire T4 in the notification to indicate the tire location.

[0049] In an exemplary aspect, when the system 200 is part of a vehicle 102, the system processor 206 can obtain input from ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 built into the vehicle 102, and can use the input obtained from the ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 to determine a slow leak. In some aspects, the system processor 206 can determine a slow leak when the vehicle 102 may be stationary. In other aspects, the system processor 206 can determine a slow leak when the vehicle 102 may be moving, for example, by calibrating for external noise. In response to the slow leak determination, the system processor 206 can output a notification to the vehicle operator 124 via the vehicle infotainment system 142 (or vehicle human-machine interface (HMI)) and / or the mobile device 122 (e.g., to indicate a slow leak).

[0050] In some aspects, the system processor 206 can obtain input from all ultrasonic sensors S1-S12 and can determine the location of an ultrasonic sensor that may have captured sounds indicative of a slow leak. In response to this determination, the system processor 206 can determine the location of a vehicle tire that may be leaking and notify the tire location via the vehicle infotainment system 142 and / or the mobile device 122, such as Figure 3 Described in.

[0051] In further aspects, the system processor 206 may be configured to obtain input from the TPMS 1-4 and may determine the pressure of all vehicle tires T1-T4 based on the input obtained from the TPMS 1-4. The system processor 206 may also be configured to compare the pressure of each vehicle tire T1-T4 with a first threshold value and may activate the detection unit 202 when the pressure of one or more tires T1-T4 may be less than the first threshold value. In other words, the detection unit 202 may remain off in a default state and may be activated (to measure sound) by the system processor 206 when the pressure in any tire may be less than the first threshold value. In some aspects, in response to the detection unit 202 being activated, the detection unit 202 may periodically measure the sound pressure level.

[0052] In further aspects, the system processor 206 can be configured to calculate the pressure difference associated with the tires T1-T4, and can activate the detection unit 202 when the difference may be greater than a second threshold. In other words, the system processor 206 can activate the detection unit 202 when one or more tires may have an associated pressure that is significantly greater than (or lower than) the pressure of the other tires. In further aspects, the system processor 206 can obtain input from the detection unit 202 when the detection unit 202 may be activated to perform other operations in the vehicle 102 (e.g., obstacle detection).

[0053] According to the present disclosure, when the system 200 may be part of a mobile device 122 (which may be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 102), the system processor 206 may obtain input from an ultrasonic sensor built into the mobile device 122 and may use the input obtained from the ultrasonic sensor to determine a slow leak. In this case, the system processor 206 may first determine that the system 200 may be close to the vehicle 102 (which may be communicatively coupled to the system 200), and may activate the detection unit 202 in response to determining that the system 200 may be close to the vehicle 102. In other words, when the system 200 (e.g., the mobile device 122) may be close to the vehicle 102 that may be communicatively coupled to the system 200, the system processor 206 may obtain input from the detection unit 202.

[0054] In some aspects, the system processor 206 can obtain input from the detection unit 202 when the vehicle 102 may be stationary. In response to obtaining input from an ultrasonic sensor built into the mobile device 122, the system processor 206 can determine a slow leak and can output a notification to the vehicle operator 124 (e.g., via the mobile device 122), as described above.

[0055] In additional aspects, in this case, the system processor 206 can be configured to determine the location of the tires T1-T4 that may be leaking and notify the tire locations via the mobile device 122, such as Figure 3 Specifically, in this case, the system processor 206 can be configured to determine the mobile device location around the vehicle 102, and can determine the tire location based on the input from the ultrasonic sensor and the mobile device location. For example, when the mobile device 122 may be close to the tire T4, when the system processor 206 identifies a slow leak (based on the input obtained from the detection unit 202), the system processor 206 can determine that the sound associated with the slow leak may be emitted from the tire T4, and therefore the tire T4 may be leaking.

[0056] Figure 4 A first exemplary graph 400 of frequency and decibel level of output sound according to the present disclosure is depicted. Figure 4 Will combine Figure 5 Provide explanation. Figure 5 A second exemplary graph 500 depicts frequency versus decibel level of output sound according to the present disclosure.

[0057] The first graph 400 and the second graph 500 indicate the airborne sound pressure level measured for the tires T1-T4 by a detection unit (e.g., any ultrasonic sensor located in the vehicle 102 or the mobile device 122). Each of the first graph 400 and the second graph 500 includes an X-axis representing frequency (e.g., audible and ultrasonic frequency ranges in kHz) and a Y-axis representing the airborne sound pressure level in decibels (dB).

[0058] In some aspects, the first graph 400 and the second graph 500 depict airborne sound pressure levels measured in three different tire leak configurations of a tire, Figure 4 and Figure 5 400 and 500 are shown as graph lines A, B and C. Tire leak configurations may include a pinhole leak in the tire inner wall / sidewall (shown as line "B"), a pinhole leak in the top tread (shown as line "A"), and a valve stem open (shown as line "C"). In addition, the first graph 400 and the second graph 500 depict the airborne sound pressure level measured for ambient background noise (e.g., shown as line "D").

[0059] As depicted in the first graph 400 and the second graph 500, the airborne sound pressure level of the ambient background noise (line "D") is less than the airborne sound pressure levels of the three tire leak configurations described above (i.e., lines "A", "B", and "C") in both the audible and ultrasonic frequency ranges. However, the signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) of the tire sounds (i.e., lines "A", "B", and "C") relative to the ambient background noise (line "D") is generally greater in the ultrasonic frequency band than in the audible frequency band. Therefore, using an ultrasonic sensor disposed in the vehicle 102 or mobile device 122 can more effectively detect sounds associated with slow leaks from tires T1-T4 to identify the tires than using a sensor that is only capable of measuring audible sounds. In some aspects, the system processor 206 can be configured to compare the airborne sound pressure level detected by the ultrasonic sensor with the airborne sound pressure level of the ambient background noise to determine the type of slow leak. For example, by comparing the detected sound pressure level with the sound pressure level of the ambient background noise, the system processor 206 can determine whether the tire may have an inner wall pinhole leak, a top tread pinhole leak, or an open valve stem. In response to this determination, the system processor 206 can output the type of slow leak to the vehicle infotainment system 142 and / or the mobile device 122.

[0060] Figure 6 A flow chart depicts an exemplary method 600 for detecting a slow leak in a vehicle tire according to the present disclosure. Figure 6 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0061] refer to Figure 6 , at step 602, the method 600 may begin. At step 604, the method 600 may include obtaining, by the system processor 206, an input from the detection unit 202. As described above, the detection unit 202 may include a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the vehicle 102 or a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the mobile device 122 (e.g., a mobile phone or a smart watch).

[0062] At step 606 , method 600 may include identifying, by system processor 206 , a slow leak in a vehicle tire based on input obtained from detection unit 202 (eg, based on sounds generated due to the slow air leak).

[0063] At step 608, the method 600 may include outputting, by the system processor 206, a notification to the vehicle operator 124 (e.g., via the vehicle infotainment system 142 or the mobile device 122) in response to the slow leak identification. The notification may include a tire leak indication. In some aspects, the system processor 206 may also identify the tire location and may include information associated with the tire location in the notification. At step 610, the method 600 may end.

[0064] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure can be practiced. It should be understood that other implementations can be utilized and structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "one embodiment", "embodiment", "example embodiment" and the like in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when features, structures or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0065] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0066] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the specific example described.

[0067] Computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0068] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0069] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and change.

[0070] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary in this article, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless the claims state an explicit limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the indicated elements. Unless otherwise specifically stated or understood in other ways within the context when used, conditional language such as, in particular, "can", "may", "may" or "can" is generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element and / or step in any way.

[0071] In one aspect of the invention, the system is part of a vehicle.

[0072] In one aspect of the present invention, the detection unit comprises a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the vehicle.

[0073] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: obtaining input from a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS); determining the pressure of the vehicle tire based on the input; comparing the pressure with a first threshold; and activating the detection unit when the pressure is less than the first threshold.

[0074] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises: determining the pressures of all vehicle tires based on the input; calculating the pressure differences between all vehicle tires; and activating the detection unit when the difference is greater than a second threshold.

[0075] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a distributed computing system is provided, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain input from a detection unit of the system, wherein the detection unit is configured to measure sound near a tire of a vehicle, and wherein the system is communicatively coupled to the vehicle; identify a slow leak in a tire of the vehicle based on the input; and output a notification in response to the slow leak identification.

Claims

1. A system communicatively coupled to a vehicle, the system comprising: a detection unit configured to measure sound near a tire of the vehicle; and a processor communicatively coupled to the detection unit, wherein the processor is configured to: obtaining input from the detection unit; identifying a slow leak in a tire of the vehicle based on the input; and A notification is output in response to the slow leak identification.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining a vehicle tire position in response to the slow leak identification; and The notification is output in response to the vehicle tire position, wherein the notification includes information associated with the vehicle tire position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is part of at least one of a mobile device or a smart watch.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the detection unit comprises a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the mobile device or the smart watch.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining that the system communicatively coupled to the vehicle is in proximity to the vehicle; and The detection unit is activated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is part of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the detection unit comprises a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), wherein the processor is further configured to: obtaining input from the TPMS; determining a pressure of a tire of the vehicle based on the input; comparing the pressure to a first threshold; and When the pressure is less than the first threshold, the detection unit is activated.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining pressures of all vehicle tires based on the input; calculating the pressure difference between all of said vehicle tires; and When the difference is greater than a second threshold, the detection unit is activated.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to output the notification on a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) or a mobile device HMI.

11. A method for detecting a slow leak in a vehicle tire, the method comprising: obtaining, by a processor of the system, input from a detection unit of the system, wherein the detection unit is configured to measure sounds in the vicinity of a tire of the vehicle, and wherein the system is communicatively coupled to the vehicle; identifying, by the processor, a slow leak in a tire of the vehicle based on the input; as well as A notification is output by the processor in response to the slow leak identification.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining a vehicle tire position in response to said slow leak identification; as well as The notification is output in response to the determination of the vehicle tire position, wherein the notification includes information associated with the vehicle tire position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the system is part of at least one of a mobile device or a smart watch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the detection unit comprises a built-in ultrasonic sensor in the mobile device or the smart watch.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining that the system communicatively coupled to the vehicle is in proximity to the vehicle; as well as The detection unit is activated in response to the determination.

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