Tire analysis system using tread wear rate

Abstract

A tire analysis system may include processing circuitry and a memory coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory may include instructions stored therein that are executable by the processing circuitry to cause the tire analysis system to perform operations. The operations may include determining (720) a tread wear rate of the tire. The operations may also include determining (730) a maintenance suggestion based on a tread wear rate of the tire. The operations may also include providing (740) an indication of a maintenance suggestion.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 405,625, filed on September 12, 2022, the disclosure and contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle maintenance and, more particularly, to a tire analysis system using tread wear rate. Background Art

[0004] Currently, tire pressure sensors may be provided in vehicle tires. Such sensors may be used to automatically monitor tire pressure and may provide a warning (e.g., a warning light) to the driver when low pressure is detected. However, other aspects of the tire may require manual monitoring, and failure to adequately monitor these aspects may result in issues related to safety and inefficient use of the tire. Furthermore, replacing and / or prematurely rotating tires may be expensive, particularly for operators of vehicle fleets that may include hundreds of vehicles.

[0005] In some examples, problems with the vehicle, the vehicle operator, or the route of travel may result in increased maintenance needs. Identifying these problems or even identifying increased maintenance needs may be difficult. Therefore, it may be desirable to improve the monitoring of vehicle tires. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to some embodiments, a method of operating a tire analysis system is provided. The method includes determining a tread wear rate of a tire. The method includes determining a maintenance recommendation based on the tread wear rate of the tire. The method includes providing an indication of the maintenance recommendation.

[0007] According to other embodiments, a tire analysis system, computer program, computer program product, or drive-over system ("DOS") is provided to perform the above-described method.

[0008] Various embodiments may provide technical advantages.In some embodiments, a tire analysis system may be provided to improve vehicle monitoring, maintenance, and safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of the inventive concept. In the drawings:

[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a drive-through system for providing tire measurements according to some embodiments;

[0011] Figure 2is a graphical display illustrating an example of a plurality of tread depth measurements taken over time for each tire of a vehicle according to some embodiments;

[0012] Figure 3 is a graphical display illustrating an example of a plurality of tread depth measurements taken over time for each vehicle in a fleet of vehicles according to some embodiments;

[0013] Figure 4 is a graph illustrating an example of a remaining tread depth distribution for tires in a fleet of vehicles according to some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 5 is a graph illustrating an example of a plurality of tread depth measurements taken over time for each vehicle of a fleet of vehicles according to some embodiments;

[0015] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a tire analysis system according to some embodiments; and

[0016] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating an example of operations performed by a tire analysis system according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The inventive concept will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of embodiments of the inventive concept are shown. However, the inventive concept can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. It should also be noted that these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be assumed to exist / use in another embodiment by default.

[0018] The following description presents various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. These embodiments are presented as teaching examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosed subject matter. For example, certain details of the described embodiments may be modified, omitted or expanded without departing from the scope of the described subject matter.

[0019] Various embodiments described herein provide tire analysis systems and programs for detecting maintenance issues based on tread wear rates. In some examples, the maintenance issues include issues with a specific tire on a vehicle, a specific vehicle in a fleet of vehicles, a vehicle operator (e.g., a driver) among a plurality of vehicle operators, and / or a specific route among a plurality of routes. In additional or alternative examples, the tread wear rate is associated with a single tire, a single wheel of a vehicle, multiple wheels of a vehicle, and / or wheels on multiple vehicles in a fleet of vehicles.

[0020] In some embodiments, the tire analysis system determines a tread wear rate. In some examples, the tire analysis system includes a sensor or subsystem for measuring one or more characteristics of the tire. In additional or alternative examples, the tire analysis system includes a communication interface for receiving an indication of one or more characteristics of the tire. The one or more characteristics may include a tread wear rate or may be used to determine a tread wear rate.

[0021] In some examples, the characteristic may include two tread depth measurements and an indication of the time or distance traveled on the tire associated with each tread depth measurement. The tread wear rate may be determined based on dividing the difference in the tread depth measurements by the difference in time or distance. In additional or alternative examples, the characteristic may be associated with a tire pressure of the tire, an identifier of the tire, a wheel position of the tire, an identifier of the vehicle on which the tire is positioned (or has been positioned), an identifier of a vehicle operator associated with the vehicle on which the tire is positioned (or has been positioned). These additional characteristics may be used to determine the tread wear rate, or may be used in addition to the tread wear rate to determine a maintenance issue and / or a response to a maintenance issue.

[0022] Figure 1 An example of a DOS 100 is illustrated, which can determine one or more characteristics (e.g., tread depth or tire pressure) of a tire traveling across it. As described above, the tire analysis system may include a measurement system (such as DOS 100) or may be communicatively coupled to a measurement system (such as DOS 100). The DOS 100 may have a housing shaped like a speed bump (although any suitable shape may be used), the housing having a first slope rising to a flat area and a second slope extending downwardly and backwardly from the flat area. The metal plate 130 may be positioned on the flat area to provide a driving surface. The DOS 100 may include a magnetic, optical, or electronic sensor for measuring the tread depth at one or more locations (circumferential, axial, or radial) on the tire. For example, the DOS may include a magnetic sensor system for determining the rubber thickness on the tire outside the steel belt. The thickness may include both the tread rubber and the thin layer of rubber between the bottom of the groove and the steel belt, and the thickness may be used to determine the tread depth (also referred to as tread thickness). The system may be enclosed in a housing that protects the electronics, sensors, and magnets, and the housing may provide a structure for a vehicle to drive over, allowing the sensors to measure the tire's response to the induced magnetic field generated by the magnets in the housing.

[0023] In an additional or alternative example, the DOS may include a magnetic sensor that, when coupled to a magnet (e.g., a permanent magnet or an electromagnet) aligned in a plane orthogonal to the plane in which the sensor is located, provides a measurement of the magnetic field associated with the steel belt in response to the magnet when the tire is directly adjacent to the array. Similarly, an array of sensors with an accompanying array of magnets may be employed to measure the field along the length of the array. A plate of non-magnetic material (e.g., aluminum, Delrin, etc.), also referred to as a non-magnetic layer or non-magnetic plate, may be placed on top of the array of sensors and magnets to protect them from the effects of the tire rolling on the array. The poles of the magnets (e.g., permanent magnets and / or electromagnets) may each be oriented vertically, either with all north poles N facing up and all south poles facing down, or with all south poles S facing up and all north poles N facing down.

[0024] In additional or alternative examples, DOS100 may measure characteristics of the tire, including the load on the tire and the area of ​​the contact patch. DOS100 may include processing circuitry for determining the pressure in the tire (commonly referred to as tire pressure) based on the load and the area of ​​the contact patch. The housing of DOS100 may include a cavity. The linear sensor array may be positioned within the cavity and extend the length of metal plate 130. The linear sensor array may include magnets and / or magnetic sensors that may measure changes in the magnetic field caused by the tire passing over DOS100. In some examples, changes in the magnetic field may be used to determine the area of ​​the contact patch. In additional or alternative examples, different sensors (e.g., pressure sensors, load sensors, strain gauges, or capacitors) are used to determine the load on the tire.

[0025] In additional or alternative examples, DOS 100 may include an RFID tag reader that can read RFID tags associated with vehicles, tires, and / or vehicle operators and associate measurements with the corresponding vehicles, tires, and / or vehicle operators.

[0026] In some embodiments, the tire analysis system can receive an indication of a manual measurement result (e.g., performed using a tire gauge). Manual measurements can typically measure tread depth within (±) 0.5 mm, which on a truck or bus can be equivalent to 5-10k miles on a tire rated for 60k miles or more. To be precise, a technician may have to take multiple measurements, measuring each tread with the gauge and possibly also around the circumference of the tire. Field conditions can make this very difficult and less reliable than automated measurement techniques.

[0027] Optical measurements on tires can be performed using laser scanning, which has very high precision and accuracy, measuring distances to ±0.1 mm. However, optical scanners may require a line-of-sign to operate (e.g., the scanning laser may have to penetrate all the way into the tread grooves to deliver an accurate tread profile). This can affect the dynamic range because full penetration may be difficult to achieve in thick treads, resulting in a loss of fidelity for truck and bus tires, which have deeper treads when they are new.

[0028] Even greater impacts on the accuracy of the optical scanner can include dirt and debris in the tire tread and on any surface between the optical system and the tire (e.g., protective glass windows). Dirt and debris can cause significant inaccuracies in the optical system: a tread filled with dirt or snow will measure like a worn tire; dirt on the optical surface will cause scattering of the optical signal, potentially resulting in random data readings. For this reason, the operator may need to ensure clean tires and regular system maintenance (cleaning) to ensure that the accuracy and precision of the optical scanner is maintained.

[0029] For these reasons, optical tire tread monitoring systems are typically deployed in environmentally controlled service centers, and they are typically deployed to aid in tire inspection during service.

[0030] Compared to its competitors, solid-state sensors can monitor tread thickness from inside or outside the tire. In some examples, DOS includes low-profile speed bumps that electronically sense tread thickness when the tire passes over it. DOS can be easily deployed, cheap, and can operate with low or no maintenance. In some examples, surface-mounted speed bumps can be deployed in a maintenance lane indoors or outdoors in less than three hours, and can start collecting data as soon as a vehicle passes over it. Solid-state measurements are not affected by debris in the tire tread or dust and dirt in the surrounding environment. This means that fleet operations do not need to be changed in any way in order to monitor tire treads with DOS. Whenever a vehicle passes through DOS, tread depth measurements are taken for all tires (including dual tire axles) and associated with a specific vehicle in a database. Regular passing events enable lifelong monitoring of tire health. Tire analysis systems can use a large amount of tread depth data to provide predictive analysis of vehicles, tires, and fleet-related usage and maintenance cycles.

[0031] Currently, there is a wide range of practices when it comes to tire monitoring of vehicle fleets (e.g., city buses). Such practices can range from having no formal tire monitoring system to performing manual inspections every 90-120 days. In some examples, tire monitoring is limited to simple visual inspections or inspections using tire gauges. Furthermore, if records are performed, they are most likely in the form of handwritten notes, and no unified database of tire tread conditions exists.

[0032] With DOS, data can be collected and managed in real time through an online database as the vehicle passes through the DOS, or alternatively, displayed back to the shop or service lane through a simplified interface that alerts the service technician of actionable tire issues as the vehicle enters the service lane. The tire information provided to the shop display by the DOS can be faster and more consistent than manual techniques, and the DOS can record all historical data for each tire.

[0033] In some embodiments, compiling data about multiple tires that are currently on the same vehicle, multiple tires that have been on the same vehicle at different times, and / or multiple tires on different vehicles in a fleet of vehicles can allow for analysis and identification of maintenance issues that are difficult or even impossible for a technician to identify by measuring one tire at a time. For example, a tire analysis system can use tread depth measurements from two rear tires to quickly identify tread mismatch. This condition is actually more difficult for a service technician to pinpoint because it requires careful measurement of all rear tires using a tire gauge, which takes a lot of time and is difficult to do. In addition, if there is uneven wear on the inner rear tire, it may also be difficult to identify without careful inspection. This also assumes that the technician actually has time to complete a detailed inspection.

[0034] There are good reasons why vehicle inspections are not always performed completely. Some inspection locations may see 50-500 vehicles per day, monitoring 300-5000 wheel positions at each location. Inspection locations may be open 24 hours a day, but vehicles tend to congregate in the mornings and evenings. As a result, service technicians may be forced to perform inspections based on an inherent sense of vehicle condition, as opposed to a thorough measurement of each tire. Automated data collection systems (e.g., Figure 1 DOS100 in) and tire analysis systems (e.g. Figure 6The combination of a tire analysis system 600 in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B may make it possible to filter 5,000 tires to 10 or 20 that require closer scrutiny for further action. In addition, the tire analysis system may use tire data to identify, predict, and respond to maintenance issues associated with specific tires as well as maintenance issues with the vehicle (e.g., wheel / axle imbalance), vehicle operator maintenance issues (e.g., poor braking habits), and route maintenance issues (e.g., making too many left turns or poorly finished roads).

[0035] Based on periodic tread measurements, tires can be automatically binned according to their real-time wear condition, allowing fleet operators to focus primarily on worn tires that need attention. However, binning is only the beginning of the system's functionality. Once the data is in the Tire Analysis System, a variety of analytical tools can be employed to improve the efficiency of the fleet, with a direct, positive impact on financial performance and environmental sustainability.

[0036] With DOS in place to perform automatic tread depth measurements, tires within a fleet can be monitored periodically over the life of the tire (e.g., daily or whenever a vehicle passes through a service lane). Additionally, the vehicle's wheel position can be monitored over a long period of time. This is an important distinction because long-term tire performance can be indicative of wheel position performance, vehicle performance, driver performance, and route characteristics.

[0037] Figure 2 An example of a graphical display that may be provided by a tire analysis system based on data associated with the tread depth of tires on a vehicle that is tracked daily and recorded relative to the wheel position on the vehicle is shown. Vehicle identification is managed by an RFID tag system integrated with DOS measurements, and tire position is managed by the DOS itself. Even without detailed statistical analysis, Figure 2 It also provides an excellent example of simple tire comparison, which cannot be achieved using the regular direct tread depth measurement function provided by DOS.

[0038] It should be noted that in Figure 2 The data collected in a tire analysis system is virtually impossible to accomplish manually at that scale. For example, a typical truck tire has four tread grooves. Therefore, to thoroughly inspect the tread on an 18-wheel tractor trailer, at least 72 separate measurements are required. Multiply that by even 10 vehicles per day, and you have 180 tires, requiring 720 measurements for a thorough inspection. This requires approximately one measurement every 40 seconds over an 8-hour shift, and more if the vehicles are not evenly distributed throughout the day. However, in some embodiments, the tire analysis system can still identify and respond to maintenance issues based on the manually collected data.

[0039] In some examples, the tire analysis system may flag the right front (steering) tires of two new EV buses because they are wearing unevenly. This uneven wear may not be identified by inspection, but may be identified by the tire analysis system shortly after the new buses are registered in the system. The problem may be identified early enough to preserve the tire casing and rotate the tire to the rear (drive) tire. If the automatic monitoring does not flag this problem, these tires may be driven to ruin.

[0040] In an additional or alternative example, the fact that both vehicles show very similar degradation on the right front tire can be detected by the tire analysis system, which can suggest a deeper look and eventual diagnosis of misalignment in the two wheel positions. The alignment can be fixed so that uneven wear is not expected on the next set of steering tires on these buses.

[0041] In some embodiments, the tire analysis system can provide an indication of a maintenance problem or a recommendation for addressing the maintenance problem by outputting an audible or visual alarm. In additional or alternative embodiments, the tire analysis system can send the indication of the maintenance problem or the recommendation for addressing the maintenance recommendation to a device associated with a human service technician, an automated service device, a device associated with a vehicle operator, or the vehicle itself.

[0042] The insights gained from the EV bus example really only scratch the surface of what can be done with tire data for a fleet of vehicles. Millions of miles of tire data can be collected, including data sets for bus fleets, less-than-load (“LTL”) truck fleets, last-mile fleets, and a variety of other service and delivery fleets. This data can provide unique insights into how tire data can be deployed to create value for fleets. Tire analytics systems can provide enhancements that leverage tire data as well as new capabilities enabled by tire data.

[0043] In some examples, the first level data deployment for a fleet can enhance the current standard of tire monitoring practices by providing service technicians with on-demand actionable tire information. In this example, maintenance lane inspections become much easier and more targeted, allowing technicians to focus on fully assessing and acting on the most pressing tire issues. "Bad actor" is a term that can be used to define wheel locations within a fleet that may have systemic problems. In this example, not only are direct issues with the tire identified, but historical issues within the vehicle can be tracked, allowing identification of problems that occur across vehicles or even routes.

[0044] Figure 3An example of tread depth measurements taken across time for each tire of a fleet of vehicles is illustrated. In this example, a "bad actor" can be identified in the fleet of 30,000,000 miles of tread wear data. Here, the tire analysis system looks for vehicles with tread wear rates that significantly exceed the norm, identifying a bus with a 2-year average drive tire tread wear rate of 44 mm / year versus the norm of 37 mm / year. Further analysis by the tire analysis system finds that this bus consistently has a high wear rate of 47 mm / year on its right outer tire ( Figure 3 It was also found that the tire at this wheel position was removed earlier and earlier by the service technician ( Figure 3 The white solid line in the figure), where the nearest tire wears at 62 mm / year ( Figure 3 Further investigation revealed that the right inner drive tire - the matching counterpart to the outer tire on this vehicle was also performing very poorly, with a recent wear rate of 70 mm / year; therefore, it appeared that the vehicle had a misalignment in the right rear dual tire, or some other form of mechanical failure.

[0045] It should be noted that this problem on the bus has been going on for quite some time (at least more than a year), as Figure 3 The question might be asked why this apparent mechanical failure was not addressed sooner in service. However, from the service technician's perspective, they are very much like the farmer standing in the middle of their cornfield: it is easy enough to identify and address the fact that a tire needed to be replaced during inspection; however, without the analytical tools provided by the tire analysis system, no historical information is available to the technician, and therefore the root cause of the problem on this bus, which was probably misalignment in the right dual wheel position, is not addressed.

[0046] Clearly, with tire analysis systems, automation and data analytics can change this perspective significantly, and fleets can have the tools to continuously analyze and optimize vehicle performance, minimize costs and maximize sustainability. Interestingly, the concept of fleet tire analysis does not exist in the industry. Therefore, even if service technicians have access to such data, they cannot identify maintenance issues and provide maintenance recommendations that tire analysis systems can make available.

[0047] In some embodiments, tire data can be linked to key performance indicators ("KPIs") to help drive optimization. Vehicle fleets may have tire replacement strategies that support their tire management strategies. The goal of these strategies may be to manage the tradeoffs between using tires as long as possible while also maintaining safety, protecting the casing for retreading, and avoiding tread mismatch to protect the mechanical integrity of the vehicle. But currently there is no feedback loop between these strategies and what actually happens on the shop floor.

[0048] Example tire traction strategy for an LTL truck fleet is Figure 4 In this case, the tow points of the drive and steer tires are well above the U.S. regulatory safety threshold of 4 / 32" (3.2 mm) in order to preserve the tire casings for retreading. The trailer tires, on the other hand, are worn all the way to the regulatory threshold because once they reach those targets, they are considered end-of-life. Tire mismatches are also a concern because they are unsafe and can lead to expensive mechanical failures.

[0049] In some embodiments, the tire analysis system captures daily snapshots of tire tread depth for analysis. An example tread depth snapshot for an LTL fleet is Figure 5 From Figure 5 It is evident in this snapshot that this fleet can optimize tire management in two ways: first, the fleet has some "runaways" (tires not replaced at a specified threshold or tow point), which impacts safety and also impacts fleet costs because the runaways result in damaged casings; second, it can be seen in this snapshot that the fleet is also pulling tires early. Ideally, most tires would be managed all the way to their target tow point to ensure the most efficient use of the tires. In some examples, implementing a tire analysis system can optimize the use of tires in a fleet of vehicles.

[0050] In some embodiments, the shape of the tread depth curve among vehicles in a fleet of vehicles may be important for maximizing the efficiency of tire usage in the fleet. During the innovation of the tire analysis system, it was found that fleet tire management with DOS and a tire analysis system achieved significant efficiency gains, extending average tire usage by 12% without compromising safety, resulting in an estimated annual net savings of $60,000 for a fleet of 60 buses and a 21,000 kg reduction in CO2e emissions. Pulling tires early may be the result of pressure placed on the workshop to save shells. Escapes (unsafe tires) are often the result of insufficient time and resources to perform a complete inspection. By interfacing with the tire analysis system and a feedback loop established to help management monitor performance against fleet strategies through the tire analysis system, service technicians can easily obtain more data, escapes can be reduced, and tires can be more effectively managed to their traction goals.

[0051] Benchmarking is the cornerstone of process improvement and optimization in all established industries. The formal definition of benchmarking is "the continuous process of measuring our products, services, and practices against those of our strongest competitors or companies known as leaders." The key elements of benchmarking include: selecting the benchmark object and defining the process to be improved; identifying key metrics to drive process improvement; identifying partners to compare data; collecting data among all partners and comparing results; establishing process differences; and targeting future performance.

[0052] There is no comprehensive effort to benchmark tire performance within or across fleets. Given the lack of historical records available on tire condition, it is not surprising that benchmarking has not found its way into tire management. The proposed tire analysis system changes this calculus and creates a fundamentally new approach for fleets to optimize tires, reduce downtime, document security, and minimize costs.

[0053] In some embodiments, the tire analysis system allows for a holistic view of the tire management process using key metrics, where the key metrics are: fleet safety, tire performance, tire life, and tire cost. In some examples, sustainability is an indirect result of extended tire life. The tire analysis system can track all tire brands within a fleet. Thus, for the first time, there is enough data available to benchmark tire performance from vehicle to vehicle, tire to tire, brand to brand, and industry to industry.

[0054] Figure 6 An example of a tire analysis system 600 is illustrated. The tire analysis system 600 includes a processing circuit 610 communicatively coupled to a memory 620, a communication interface 630, and an input / output device 640. The processing circuit 610 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, a general purpose processor such as a microprocessor or a digital signal processor (DSP) together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuit 610 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0055] The processing circuit 610 may include a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic that is operable to provide tire analysis system 600 functionality alone or in conjunction with other tire analysis system 600 components (such as memory 620).

[0056] In this example, the input / output interface 640 can be configured to provide one or more interfaces to an input device, an output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of output devices include speakers, sound cards, video cards, displays, monitors, printers, actuators, transmitters, smart cards, another output device, or any combination thereof. Input devices can allow users to capture information into the tire analysis system 600. Examples of input devices include touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive displays, cameras (e.g., digital cameras, digital video cameras, web cameras, etc.), microphones, sensors, mice, trackballs, direction pads, track pads, rollers, smart cards, etc. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. In some examples, the sensor may include a measurement system (e.g., DOS) for measuring tire characteristics (e.g., tread depth measurement results). In additional or alternative examples, the sensor may include an RFID reader for identifying a tire, a vehicle, or a vehicle operator. In additional or alternative examples, the sensor may be, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. Output devices may use the same type of interface port as input devices. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide both input devices and output devices.

[0057] Despite Figure 6 Not shown, the tire analysis system 600 may include a power source configured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources may be used, such as an external power source (e.g., an electrical outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a battery. In additional or alternative examples, the tire analysis system 600 may be distributed across multiple devices via a network, and each device may have its own power source.

[0058] The memory 620 may be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a hard disk, a removable cartridge, a flash drive, etc. In one example, the memory 620 includes one or more application programs 620 (such as an operating system, a web browser application, a widget, a widget engine, or other application) and corresponding data 620. The memory 620 may store any of a variety of operating systems or a combination of operating systems for use by the tire analysis system 600.

[0059] The memory 620 may be configured to include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) optical drive, an internal hard drive, a Blu-ray optical drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical drive, an external mini dual in-line memory module (DIMM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro DIMM SDRAM, a smart card memory (such as a tamper-resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs) (such as USIM and / or ISIM)), other memories, or any combination thereof. The UICC may be, for example, an embedded UICC (eUICC), an integrated UICC (iUICC), or a removable UICC commonly referred to as a "SIM card". The memory 620 may allow the tire analysis system 600 to access instructions, applications, etc. stored on a transient or non-transient memory medium to offload data or upload data. An article of manufacture, such as utilizing a communication system, may be tangibly embodied as or in memory 620, which may be or include a device-readable storage medium. In some examples, memory 620 includes a database of historical data associated with a plurality of tires.

[0060] The processing circuit 610 can be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using a communication interface 630. The communication interface 630 may include one or more communication subsystems and may include an antenna or be communicatively coupled to an antenna. The communication interface 630 may include one or more transceivers for communication, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another tire analysis system, an external measurement system, or a remote database). Each transceiver may include a transmitter and / or a receiver suitable for providing network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocation, etc.). In addition, the transmitter and receiver may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antennas) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functionality of the communication interface 630 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, digital communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication (such as Bluetooth), near field communication, location-based communication (such as using a global positioning system (GPS) to determine location), another similar communication functionality, or any combination thereof. The communication may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, new radio (NR), UMTS, WiMAX, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), QUIC, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.

[0062] Other examples of tire analysis systems may include fewer or more elements. For example, some tire analysis systems do not include input / output device 640. Instead, these tire analysis systems may receive all tire measurements and send all maintenance recommendations via communication interface 630.

[0063] According to some embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to Figure 7 The flowchart of the tire analysis system (e.g., the tire analysis system 600 (using Figure 6 In some examples, the module may be stored in Figure 6 The modules may be stored in the memory 620, and these modules may provide instructions, so that when the instructions of the modules are executed by the corresponding tire analysis system processing circuit 610, the processing circuit 610 performs the corresponding operations of the flowchart.

[0064] Figure 7 Example operations performed by the tire analysis system are illustrated.

[0065] At block 710, processing circuit 610 determines a tread wear rate of a first tire. At block 720, processing circuit 610 determines a tread wear rate of a second tire. In some embodiments, determining a tread wear rate (first or second) of a tire includes determining a plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire. Each tread depth measurement of the plurality of tread depth measurements is made at a different time and / or at a different distance traveled on the tire. The tread wear rate of the tire may be determined by calculating a curve corresponding to the plurality of tread depth measurements associated with the tire.

[0066] In additional or alternative embodiments, the tread wear rate (first or second) of the tire includes a first tread wear rate of a plurality of tread wear rates of the tire, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being associated with a different time window and / or a different distance window of travel on the tire. Determining the tread wear rate of the tire may include determining a plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire. Each tread depth measurement of the plurality of tread depth measurements may be made at a different time and / or at a different distance of travel on the tire. Each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates may be calculated based on consecutive tread depth measurements of the plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire.

[0067] In additional or alternative embodiments, determining a plurality of tread depth measurements includes at least one of: receiving tread depth measurements from a drive-by system; receiving tread depth measurements from a sensor in the tire; and receiving user input indicating tread depth measurements.

[0068] In additional or alternative embodiments, the plurality of tread depth measurements includes at least five tread depth measurements for every 1 mm of tread wear of the tire.

[0069] In additional or alternative embodiments, determining a tread wear rate (first or second) of a tire includes receiving a first message that includes an indication of an identifier of the tire, an indication of a first tread depth measurement of the tire, and at least one of an indication of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or an indication of a time associated with the first tread depth measurement. The tire analysis system may store the indication of the first tread depth measurement and at least one of an indication of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or an indication of a time associated with the first tread depth measurement in a memory. The tire analysis system may also receive a second message that includes an indication of an identifier of the tire, an indication of a second tread depth measurement of the tire, and at least one of an indication of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the second tread depth measurement or an indication of a time associated with the second tread depth measurement. The tire analysis system may retrieve the first tread depth measurement and at least one of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or a time associated with the first tread depth measurement from the memory. The tire analysis system can calculate the tread wear rate of the tire based on dividing the difference between the first tread depth measurement and the second tread depth measurement by the difference between the distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement and the distance traveled on the tire associated with the second tread depth measurement or the difference between the time associated with the first tread depth measurement and the time associated with the second tread depth measurement.

[0070] At block 730, processing circuitry 610 determines a maintenance recommendation based on the tread wear rate of the tires. In some embodiments, determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining the maintenance recommendation based on a difference between the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

[0071] In additional or alternative embodiments, determining a tread wear rate of a tire (a first tire and / or a second tire) includes determining a plurality of tread wear rates for the tire. Each tread wear rate in the plurality of tread wear rates may be associated with a different time window and / or a different distance traveled on the tire. Determining a maintenance recommendation includes determining when to replace the tire based on changes in the plurality of tread wear rates.

[0072] In additional or alternative embodiments, the tire (first and / or second) is associated with a vehicle. Determining a tread wear rate of the tire includes determining a plurality of tread wear rates of the tire, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being taken at a different location (circumferentially and / or axially) on the tire. Determining a maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem with the vehicle based on a difference between tread wear rates of the plurality of tread wear rates of the tire.

[0073] In additional or alternative embodiments, the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with a time that the first tire was on the vehicle. The tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time that the second tire was on the vehicle. In some examples, determining a maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem associated with the vehicle based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire. In additional or alternative examples, determining a maintenance recommendation includes determining when to replace a second tire on the vehicle based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire. In additional or alternative examples, the first tire and the second tire are associated with wheel positions of the vehicle.

[0074] In additional or alternative embodiments, the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with a time the first tire was used by a vehicle operator. The tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time the second tire was used by a vehicle operator. Determining a maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem associated with the vehicle operator based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

[0075] In additional or alternative embodiments, the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with a time the first tire was traveled along the route. The tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time the second tire was traveled along the route. Determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem associated with the route based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

[0076] In additional or alternative embodiments, determining the maintenance recommendation includes using a machine learning program to determine the maintenance recommendation. In some examples, the machine learning program uses data from tread wear rates of multiple tires across multiple vehicles, vehicle operators, routes, and tire brands to predict maintenance issues and provide maintenance recommendations to improve safe and efficient use of tires.

[0077] At block 740, processing circuitry 610 provides an indication of the maintenance recommendation via communication interface 630 or input / output device 640. In some embodiments, providing the indication of the maintenance recommendation includes at least one of: displaying the indication of the maintenance recommendation on a graphical display; sending the indication of the maintenance recommendation to a vehicle associated with the tire; sending the indication of the maintenance recommendation to a device associated with a maintenance provider for the vehicle; activating an alarm associated with a device configured to measure the tread depth of the tire; and sending instructions to perform the maintenance recommendation.

[0078] In the above description of various embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It should also be understood that terms (such as those defined in common dictionaries) should be interpreted as having the same meaning as their context and meaning in the relevant field of this specification, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in this article.

[0079] When an element is referred to as being "connected," "coupled," "responsive," or variations thereof relative to another element, it may be directly connected, coupled, or responsive to another element, or there may be intermediate elements. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected," "directly coupled," "directly responsive," or variations thereof relative to another element, there are no intermediate elements. The same reference numerals always represent the same element. In addition, as used herein, "coupling," "connecting," "responsive," or variations thereof may include wireless coupling, connection, or response. As used herein, the singular forms "one," "an," and "the" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or configurations may not be described in detail. The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0080] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe various elements / operations in this article, these elements / operations should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element / operation from another element / operation. Therefore, without departing from the teaching content of the present invention, the first element / operation in some embodiments can be referred to as the second element / operation in other embodiments. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals or the same reference numerals represent the same or similar elements.

[0081] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "having," or variations thereof are open ended and include one or more stated features, integers, elements, steps, parts, or functions, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, elements, steps, parts, functions, or groups thereof. In addition, as used herein, the commonly used abbreviation "eg," derived from the Latin "exempligratia," may be used to introduce or designate one or more general examples of previously mentioned items, and is not intended to limit such items. The commonly used abbreviation "ie," derived from the Latin "id est," may be used to designate a specific item from a more general narrative.

[0082] For the sake of clarity, the size of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated. In addition, it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on" another element, the element may be directly on the other element, or there may be an intermediate element therebetween. In addition, terms such as "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "above", "below" are used herein to describe the relative position of elements or features as shown in the figures. For example, for convenience, when the upper portion of the accompanying drawings is referred to as the "top" and the lower portion of the accompanying drawings is referred to as the "bottom", in practice, without departing from the teachings of the present invention, the "top" may also be referred to as the "bottom" and the "bottom" may also be the "top" (for example, if the structure is rotated 180 degrees relative to the orientation of the figure).

[0083] This article describes example embodiments with reference to the block diagram and / or flowchart illustration of the method, device (system and / or equipment) and / or computer program product implemented by a computer. It should be understood that the combination of the blocks illustrated in the block diagram and / or flowchart illustration and the blocks illustrated in the block diagram and / or flowchart illustration can be implemented by computer program instructions executed by one or more computer circuits. These computer program instructions can be provided to the processor circuit of a general-purpose computer circuit, a special-purpose computer circuit and / or other programmable data processing circuit to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer and / or other programmable data processing device transform and control transistors, values ​​stored in memory locations and other hardware components in such circuits to implement the function / action specified in one or more boxes of the block diagram and / or flowchart, and thereby create a component (functionality) and / or structure for implementing the function / action specified in the box of the block diagram and / or flowchart.

[0084] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a tangible computer-readable medium, which may direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the block diagram and / or flowchart. Therefore, the embodiments of the present inventive concept may be embodied in hardware and / or software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), which runs on a processor (also referred to as a controller) such as a digital signal processor, which may be collectively referred to as a "circuit", "module" or a variant thereof.

[0085] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the function / action marked in the frame may not occur in the order marked in the flow chart. For example, depending on the functionality / action involved, the two frames shown continuously may actually be performed substantially simultaneously, or the frame may sometimes be performed in the opposite order. In addition, the functionality of a given frame of a flow chart and / or block diagram may be divided into a plurality of frames, and / or the functionality of two or more frames of a flow chart and / or block diagram may be integrated at least in part. Finally, other frames may be added / inserted between the illustrated frames, and / or frames / operations may be omitted without departing from the scope of the inventive concept. In addition, although some figures include arrows on the communication path to illustrate the main direction of communication, it should be understood that communication may occur in the direction opposite to the arrows depicted.

[0086] Without departing substantially from the principles of the inventive concept, many changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the inventive concept. Therefore, the subject matter disclosed above should be considered to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and the examples of the embodiments are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept. Therefore, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the scope of the inventive concept will be determined by the widest permissible interpretation of the present disclosure including the attached claims and their equivalents, and should not be constrained or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tire analysis system, the method comprising: Determine (720) the tread wear rate of the tire determining (730) a maintenance recommendation based on the tread wear rate of the tire; as well as An indication of the maintenance recommendation is provided (740).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tire is associated with a vehicle, wherein determining the tread wear rate of the tire comprises determining a plurality of tread wear rates of the tire, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being associated with a different time window and / or a different distance traveled on the tire, and Wherein determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining when to replace the tire based on changes in the plurality of tread wear rates.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the tire is associated with a vehicle, wherein determining the tread wear rate of the tire comprises determining a plurality of tread wear rates of the tire, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being taken at a different circumferential and / or axial position on the tire, and Wherein determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem with the vehicle based on a difference between tread wear rates among the plurality of tread wear rates of the tires.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tire is a second tire, The method comprises: determining (710) a tread wear rate of a first tire, Wherein determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining the maintenance recommendation based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with the time the first tire is on the vehicle, wherein the tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time that the second tire is on the vehicle, and The maintenance suggestion is determined to include at least one of the following: determining a problem associated with the vehicle based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire; and A determination is made as to when to replace the second tire on the vehicle based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first tire and the second tire are associated with wheel locations of the vehicle.

7. The method of any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with a time that the first tire is used by a vehicle operator, wherein the tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time that the second tire is used by the vehicle operator, and Wherein determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem associated with the vehicle operator based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the tire wear rate of the first tire is associated with the time the first tire has been driven along a route, wherein the tire wear rate of the second tire is associated with a time that the second tire travels along the route, and Wherein determining the maintenance recommendation includes determining a problem associated with the route based on the tread wear rate of the first tire and the tread wear rate of the second tire.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein determining the tread wear rate of the tire comprises: determining a plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire, each tread depth measurement of the plurality of tread depth measurements being taken at a different time and / or a different distance traveled on the tire; and The tread wear rate of the tire is determined by calculating a curve corresponding to the plurality of tread depth measurements associated with the tire.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the tread wear rate comprises a first tread wear rate of a plurality of tread wear rates of the tire, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being associated with a different time window and / or a different distance window of driving on the tire, Wherein determining the tread wear rate of the tire comprises: determining a plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire, each tread depth measurement of the plurality of tread depth measurements being taken at a different time and / or a different distance traveled on the tire; and A plurality of tread wear rates are determined, each tread wear rate of the plurality of tread wear rates being calculated based on consecutive tread depth measurements of the plurality of tread depth measurements of the tire.

11. The method of any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein determining the plurality of tread depth measurements comprises at least one of: receiving tread depth measurements from a drive-by system; receiving a tread depth measurement from a sensor in the tire; and User input is received indicating a tread depth measurement.

12. The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the plurality of tread depth measurements comprises at least five tread depth measurements per 1 mm of tread wear of the tire.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein determining the tread wear rate of the tire comprises: receiving a first message including an indication of an identifier of the tire, an indication of a first tread depth measurement of the tire, and at least one of an indication of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or an indication of a time associated with the first tread depth measurement; storing in a memory an indication of the first tread depth measurement and at least one of the distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or the time associated with the first tread depth measurement; receiving a second message including an indication of an identifier of the tire, an indication of a second tread depth measurement of the tire, and at least one of an indication of a distance traveled on the tire associated with the second tread depth measurement or an indication of a time associated with the second tread depth measurement; retrieving from a memory the first tread depth measurement and at least one of the distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement or the time associated with the first tread depth measurement; The tread wear rate of the tire is calculated based on dividing the difference between the first tread depth measurement and the second tread depth measurement by the difference between the distance traveled on the tire associated with the first tread depth measurement and the distance traveled on the tire associated with the second tread depth measurement or the difference between the time associated with the first tread depth measurement and the time associated with the second tread depth measurement.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the indication of providing the maintenance suggestion comprises at least one of the following: displaying said indication of said maintenance recommendation on a graphical display; transmitting said indication of said maintenance recommendation to a vehicle associated with said tire; sending said indication of said maintenance recommendation to a device associated with a maintenance provider for said vehicle; activating an alarm associated with a device configured to measure tread depth of the tire; and Sending instructions to execute the maintenance suggestion.

15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein determining the maintenance recommendation comprises using a machine learning program to determine the maintenance recommendation.

16. A tire analysis system (600), comprising: Processing circuit (610); and A memory (620) coupled to the processing circuit and having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by the processing circuit to cause the tire analysis system to perform operations including any of the operations of claims 1 to 15.

17. A computer program comprising program code executed by processing circuitry (610) of a tire analysis system (600), whereby execution of the program code causes the tire analysis system to perform operations including any of the operations of claims 1 to 15.

18. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium (620), the non-transitory storage medium comprising program code to be executed by processing circuitry (610) of a tire analysis system (600), whereby execution of the program code causes the tire analysis system to perform operations including any of the operations of claims 1 to 15.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by processing circuitry (610) of a tire analysis system (600) to cause the tire analysis system to perform operations including any of the operations of claims 1 to 15.

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