System and method for vehicle control based on wheel type, space-saving wheel, vehicle and computer program

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system (100) for an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) (300) of a vehicle. The control system includes one or more controllers (110). The control system is configured to: receive a space-saving wheel signal (206), where the space-saving wheel signal indicates that the space-saving wheel (202) is operably fitted to the vehicle; determining an operating parameter range of the vehicle from the space-saving wheel signal; and outputting an operating parameter range signal (208) to the ADAS to cause the ADAS to control operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range. The invention also relates to a space-saving wheel, a system, a vehicle, a method, computer software, and a computer-readable storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to control systems for vehicles, such as control systems for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for vehicles. Example control systems consider the type of wheels used on the vehicle. Aspects relate to control systems for ADAS for vehicles, space-saving wheels, systems, vehicles, methods, computer software, and computer-readable storage media as claimed in the appended claims. Background Art

[0002] Wheeled vehicles such as automobiles may include a spare wheel such that in the event of a tire failure, the failed wheel can be replaced with the spare wheel, and thus the driver can drive the vehicle using the spare wheel, e.g., to enable the vehicle to be driven to a garage to fit a replacement tire.

[0003] Some vehicles are equipped with so-called space-saving wheels or "narrow spare wheels" that can be stored in the trunk space or similar space of the vehicle without taking up as much space as a full-size wheel. However, since space-saving wheels are designed for occasional or emergency use and are smaller than conventional wheels, space-saving wheels generally cannot be used in the same way as conventional wheels. For example, driving using a space-saving wheel may be recommended to be performed below a certain speed limit, which is lower than the speed limits reached on some roads.

[0004] In addition, conventional wheels may be equipped with means capable of transmitting data about the wheel to a controller on the vehicle. For example, an identifier or pressure reading of the wheel can be transmitted from a wheel-based transmitter to a vehicle computer. However, space-saving wheels do not have the ability to transmit any data and thus cannot report data about the space-saving wheels.

[0005] Even if a wheel is an occasionally used wheel such as a space-saving wheel, it may be advantageous to be able to obtain data about all the wheels fitted to the vehicle. The object of the present disclosure is to solve one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one aspect, there is provided a control system for an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for a vehicle, the control system including one or more controllers, the control system being configured to: receive a space-saving wheel signal, wherein the space-saving wheel signal indicates that a space-saving wheel is operably fitted to the vehicle; determine an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal; and output an operating parameter range signal to the ADAS to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range.

[0007] Advantageously, the vehicle can be automatically controlled according to the specifications of the space-saving wheel, which can, for example, involve reducing the maximum vehicle speed. By actively receiving a space-saving wheel signal from a transmitter of the space-saving wheel, vehicle control can adjust usage according to the capabilities of the space-saving tire shortly after the transmission of the signal from the space-saving wheel transmitter, rather than waiting for a timeout signal due to non-receipt of the transmission of the space-saving wheel.

[0008] The space-saving wheel signal can indicate an operating parameter range of the vehicle. Advantageously, the space-saving wheel can provide an indication of the operating parameter range of the vehicle that needs to be followed according to the specifications of the space-saving wheel. This can include, for example, reducing the maximum vehicle speed to within the recommended operating speed of the space-saving wheel. The indication can be, for example, an alphabetic code indicating the maximum speed, and the control system can use this alphabetic code to retrieve the corresponding operating parameter range from a lookup table or a similar table.

[0009] The operating parameter range can indicate the recommended following items:

[0010] The operating speed range of the vehicle when equipped with space-saving wheels;

[0011] The linear acceleration range of the vehicle when equipped with space-saving wheels;

[0012] The lateral acceleration range of the vehicle when equipped with space-saving wheels;

[0013] The linear speed range of the vehicle when equipped with space-saving wheels; or

[0014] The lateral speed range of the vehicle when equipped with space-saving wheels.

[0015] The control system can also be configured to receive a rotation signal from a transmitter of the space-saving wheel. The rotation signal can indicate that the space-saving wheel is operably assembled to a moving vehicle. Advantageously, the space-saving wheel signal can be sent to the control system when the vehicle is in use, rather than when the vehicle is stationary, thus helping to save power. Therefore, the rotation signal can enable the control system to be indicated that the space-saving wheel is assembled and in use for moving the vehicle.

[0016] The space-saving wheel signal can indicate a predetermined speed limit within which the vehicle is to operate according to the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel. In this way, the ADAS can be controlled not to exceed the maximum speed of the space-saving wheel triggered by receiving the signal.

[0017] The control system can also be configured to disable the autonomous driving function of the ADAS in response to determining that the current vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed limit based on the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel.

[0018] The control system can also be configured to cause the ADAS to control the speed of the vehicle within a predetermined speed limit.

[0019] Thus, advantageously, the vehicle can be automatically controlled by the ADAS according to the specifications of the space-saving wheel.

[0020] The control system can also be configured to: receive a space-saving wheel tire pressure signal from a transmitter of the space-saving wheel indicating the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel; determine whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is within a predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range; and output an indication of whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is within or outside the space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range. Thus, the space-saving wheel signal can indicate whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is outside the preferred operating range, which is advantageous because typically, the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is not regularly checked since the space-saving wheel is retracted, and thus the tire pressure is more likely to be outside the preferred operating range. The control system can also be configured to disable the autonomous driving function of the ADAS based on the determination that the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is outside the predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range. Thus, advantageously, the vehicle can be prevented from being automatically controlled by the ADAS based on the pressure of the space-saving wheel being outside the preferred operating range.

[0021] The control system can be configured to receive a tire pressure monitoring system TPMS signal from the vehicle wheels, and the space-saving wheel signal can be received from a TPMS valve stem assembled in the space-saving wheel.

[0022] In one aspect, a space-saving wheel is provided that includes a transmitter configured to transmit a space-saving wheel signal for receipt by a control system of a vehicle, wherein the space-saving wheel signal indicates that the vehicle is operably equipped with the space-saving wheel.

[0023] In this way, a vehicle equipped with a space-saving wheel can thus operate within an operating parameter range that depends on the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel. The space-saving wheel signal can indicate the operating parameter range of the vehicle. The transmission of the space-saving wheel of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is included in a tire pressure monitoring system TPMS valve stem assembled in the space-saving wheel.

[0024] In one aspect, a system is provided that includes: a control system as described herein; and one or more of the following: an ADAS; and a space-saving wheel including a transmitter.

[0025] In one aspect, a vehicle is provided that includes any control system disclosed herein, or any space-saving wheel disclosed herein, or any system disclosed herein.

[0026] In one aspect, a method is provided that includes:

[0027] Receiving a space-saving wheel signal from a transmitter of a space-saving wheel, wherein the space-saving wheel signal indicates that the space-saving wheel is operably assembled to a vehicle;

[0028] Determining a range of operating parameters of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal; and

[0029] Outputting a range-of-operating-parameters signal to an ADAS of the vehicle to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the range of operating parameters.

[0030] In one aspect, a computer software is provided that, when executed on a processor of any control system disclosed herein, is arranged to perform any method disclosed herein.

[0031] In one aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more electronic processors of any control system disclosed herein, cause the one or more electronic processors to perform any method disclosed herein.

[0032] In one aspect, a control system for an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) of a vehicle is provided. The control system includes one or more controllers and is configured to: receive a wheel type signal, wherein the wheel type signal indicates the type of wheel operably assembled to the vehicle, and the wheel type is associated with one or more predetermined ranges of vehicle operating parameters; determine one or more predetermined ranges of vehicle operating parameters based on the wheel type signal; and output a range-of-operating-parameters signal to the ADAS to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the one or more predetermined ranges of vehicle operating parameters.

[0033] In one aspect, a control system for an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for a vehicle is provided. The control system includes one or more controllers and is configured to: receive a wheel replacement signal, where the wheel replacement signal indicates a second wheel type of a wheel operably assembled to the vehicle, and the second wheel type is different from a first wheel type of a previously assembled wheel; determine an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the wheel replacement signal; and output an operating parameter range signal to the ADAS to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range.

[0034] In some examples, the second wheel type can be a non-standard wheel type compared to the first wheel type of the wheel. The first wheel type can be a conventional or everyday wheel type, such as a summer tire wheel or an all-season tire wheel. The second wheel type can be, for example, a winter tire wheel type, a space-saving wheel type, a run-flat wheel type, or a high-performance tire type.

[0035] Within the scope of the present application, it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples, and alternatives, and in particular the various features thereof, set forth in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims, and / or in the following description and drawings, can be adopted independently or in any combination. That is, the features of all embodiments and / or any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or to file any new claim accordingly, including the right to modify any originally filed claim to be dependent on any other claim and / or to incorporate any feature of any other claim, even though originally not claimed in such a manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] One or more examples will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0037] Figure 1 A control system according to an example disclosed herein is shown;

[0038] Figure 2 A system including a control system, a space-saving wheel, and an ADAS according to an example disclosed herein is shown;

[0039] Figure 3 An example transmission signal from a space-saving wheel transmitter according to an example disclosed herein is shown;

[0040] Figure 4 An example of ADAS control according to an example disclosed herein is shown;

[0041] Figure 5Shows an example of a pressure report from a space-saving wheel according to an example disclosed herein;

[0042] Figure 6 Shows an example of the operation of a control system that takes into account the movement of a space-saving wheel and the monitoring of the tire pressure of a space-saving wheel according to an example disclosed herein;

[0043] Figure 7 Shows an example vehicle according to an example disclosed herein; and

[0044] Figure 8 Shows an example method according to an example disclosed herein. Detailed Description

[0045] A wheeled vehicle such as an automobile can be equipped with a spare wheel so that in the event of a tire failure such as a flat tire or a puncture, the failed wheel can be replaced with the spare wheel, and thus the driver can drive the vehicle using the spare wheel. The spare wheel is typically designed for emergency use only or occasional use, for example, so that the vehicle can be driven to a garage to install a replacement tire after the spare wheel is installed.

[0046] Some vehicles are equipped with so-called space-saving wheels or "narrow spare wheels" that can be stored in the trunk space or similar space of the vehicle without taking up as much space as a full-size wheel. However, since space-saving wheels are designed for occasional or emergency use and are different from conventional wheels (e.g., smaller than conventional wheels), space-saving wheels generally cannot be used in the same way as conventional wheels. For example, driving with a space-saving wheel can be recommended to be below a certain speed limit, which is lower than the speed limits reached on some roads. As an example, driving with a space-saving wheel can be recommended to be up to but not exceeding 50 miles per hour (mph) or 80 kilometers per hour (kph), even though some roads may have a legal speed limit higher than this.

[0047] Space-saving wheels can be considered wheels suitable for temporary driving, such as from the location where the space-saving wheel is installed on the vehicle to a tire repair shop or a garage, so that the space-saving wheel can be replaced with a conventional wheel as soon as possible. Compared with space-saving wheels, "conventional wheels" (which can also be referred to as "standard wheels") can be considered non-temporary wheels that are suitable for daily use or for regular driving without the need for replacement, unless there is a failure such as a flat tire, a puncture, or the tire tread becomes shallow due to long-term wear.

[0048] Conventional wheels can be equipped with the following device: the device can be in the tire valve, and the device can transmit data about the wheel to a controller on the vehicle. For example, conventional tires can be equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) wheel unit. Such a TPMS wheel unit can be located in the valve of the wheel or elsewhere within the wheel and tire. TPMS wheel units can each have a different identifier, similar to a MAC address, which can be used to determine which corner of the automotive wheel the TPMS wheel unit is located in. This can enable reporting of data about the wheel, such as the tire pressure of the wheel, to provide low-pressure warning detection.

[0049] However, space-saving wheels are typically equipped with rubber valve stems or other simple mechanical plugs to prevent air from escaping from the tire. Space-saving wheels in the prior art do not have the ability to transmit any data, and thus, cannot report data about the space-saving wheels to an on-vehicle computer in the same way as conventional wheels equipped with a TPMS or similar device.

[0050] The examples disclosed herein are intended to address the disadvantages in the prior art by attaching a radio transmitter to a space-saving wheel, which can send a signal that is configured to at least indicate that the space-saving wheel is attached to the vehicle. Based on this signal, the vehicle control system can determine that a space-saving wheel is installed and can adjust the operation of the vehicle accordingly. For example, the use of a space-saving wheel can be associated with a range of operating parameters of the vehicle related to the use of the space-saving wheel. Control signals can be provided to control the vehicle based on the range of operating parameters. For example, a signal can be sent to the vehicle's ADAS to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the range of operating parameters (e.g., reducing the maximum speed at which the vehicle can travel according to the operating specifications of the space-saving wheel when a space-saving wheel is installed).

[0051] Figure 1 A control system 100 for an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) of a vehicle is shown. The vehicle can be a wheeled vehicle such as an automobile, or it can be another type of vehicle. The control system 100 includes one controller 110, but in other examples, there can be multiple controllers 110. The controller 110 includes a processing device 120 and a memory device 130. The processing device 120 can be one or more electronic processing devices 120 that are operable to execute computer-readable instructions. The memory device 130 can be one or more memory devices 130. The memory device 130 is electrically coupled to the processing device 120. The memory device 130 is configured to store instructions, and the processing device 120 is configured to access the memory device 130 and execute the instructions stored on the memory device 130.

[0052] The controller 110 includes an input device 140 and an output device 150. The input device 140 may include an electrical input 165 of the controller 110. The output device 150 may include an electrical output 155 of the controller 110. The input 140 is arranged to receive one or more input signals from an external computing device 160 via the electrical input 165, for example.

[0053] The control system 100 is configured to receive a space-saving wheel signal. The space-saving wheel signal indicates that a space-saving wheel is operatively assembled to the vehicle. That is, the space-saving wheel is assembled to a vehicle axle of the vehicle for driving rather than being located in the trunk space or otherwise stored.

[0054] The control system 100 is configured to determine an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal. For example, the control system 100 may receive a space-saving wheel signal indicating that a space-saving wheel is assembled, and then the control system may determine how to adjust the operation of the vehicle based on, for example, looking up speed limits or other driving parameters within the recommended operating range of the space-saving wheel. As another example, the control system 100 may receive a space-saving wheel signal indicating one or more operating parameter ranges of the space-saving wheel, and then the control system may determine how to adjust the operation of the vehicle based on the received operating parameter ranges.

[0055] The control system 100 is configured to output an operating parameter range signal to the ADAS to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range. For example, the maximum speed, maximum linear acceleration, maximum lateral acceleration, and / or other operating parameters of the vehicle may be adjusted to take into account the use of the space-saving wheel.

[0056] Advantageously, the vehicle can be automatically controlled based on the specifications of the space-saving wheel. By actively receiving a space-saving wheel signal from a transmitter of the space-saving wheel, vehicle control can adjust usage based on the capabilities of the space-saving tire shortly after transmission of the signal from the space-saving wheel transmitter, rather than waiting for a timeout signal due to non-receipt of a transmission from the space-saving wheel. In some examples, the space-saving wheel signal can be transmitted from a TPMS assembled to the space-saving wheel. The control system can be configured to operate with the TPMS wheel-mounted transmitter and can receive the space-saving wheel signal within a short time (e.g., 16 seconds) while the vehicle is moving above a predetermined trigger speed (e.g., 15 mph / 24 kph). After receiving the space-saving wheel signal, the control system can then locate the space-saving wheel on the vehicle (e.g., left or right side, front or rear axle) and send a signal to the ADAS to control the ADAS based on the operating parameters of the space-saving wheel, such as not exceeding 50 mph / 80 kph, appropriately performing anti-lock braking system (ABS) braking on a vehicle equipped with space-saving wheels, appropriately performing stability control of ADAS control on a vehicle equipped with space-saving wheels, or other automatically controlled driving behaviors.

[0057] In the absence of any intentional signaling from the space-saving wheel to the control system to indicate that the space-saving wheel is assembled for use on the vehicle, such as when the space-saving wheel is assembled with a basic rubber valve stem and no signal transmission device, the control system on the vehicle may take longer to determine that the vehicle is equipped with a space-saving wheel (or at least, a wheel that cannot send any signal for indicating the attributes of the wheel). For example, if the event indicating that the assembled wheel may be a space-saving wheel to the control system is the non-detection of any wheel identification signal, a certain period of time (e.g., 10 minutes or longer) may elapse during vehicle movement until a determination is made that the wheel has not sent any signaling, and thus the wheel may be a space-saving wheel that does not have any transmission capabilities.

[0058] In some examples, a transmitter of a space-saving wheel can provide an identifier to a control system to indicate that a space-saving wheel is installed. In some examples, the identifier can be unique to the particular space-saving device to which it is installed. In some examples, the identifier can be a general "space-saving device" identifier indicating that any space-saving wheel is installed. In some examples, the transmitter of the space-saving wheel can be a TPMS transmitter that can operate as part of a TPMS configured to determine tire pressure. If a tire is not at the recommended tire pressure (e.g., over-inflation or under-inflation that may be caused by a flat tire), the TPMS can send a signal to the control system on the vehicle and provide an indication to the driver, such as an illuminated light on a dashboard display.

[0059] The TPMS can operate as an indirect TPMS or a direct TPMS. The indirect TPMS can use wheel speed sensors that are also used by the anti-lock braking system to measure the rotational speed of the wheels. The rotational speed of each wheel can be compared and used to make a determination about the installed wheels. In some examples, using the rotational speed, the tire size can be determined. In some examples, the rotational speed of each wheel compared to the other wheels can be used to determine whether the tire of that wheel is inflated differently from the tires of the other wheels. For example, if a wheel is rotating faster than expected, this can indicate under-inflation. Thus, the indirect TPMS indirectly determines tire pressure by sensing wheel rotation. The direct TPMS monitors a specific pressure level using a pressure monitoring sensor inside each tire. In some examples, the direct TPMS sensor can sense tire temperature or other information. The sensed data can be transmitted to the on-vehicle control system for interpretation. Each direct TPMS sensor can have a unique serial number and thus can be distinguished for each specific wheel.

[0060] Figure 2 System 200 is shown, which includes: a control system 100, a space-saving wheel 202 including a transmitter 204, and an ADAS 300. The transmitter 204 is configured to send a space-saving wheel signal for reception by the control system 100 of a vehicle (i.e., the vehicle to which the space-saving wheel is installed for use). The space-saving wheel signal indicates that the vehicle is operably installed with a space-saving wheel. Through the transmission from the space-saving wheel 202 to the control system 100 of the vehicle, the vehicle can operate within an operating parameter range that depends on the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel. The space-saving wheel signal can indicate the operating parameter range of the vehicle, such as ranges of lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, lateral speed, longitudinal speed, speed, or other vehicle parameters. In some examples, the transmitter can be included in a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) valve stem installed in the space-saving wheel 202.

[0061] As described above, the control system 100 is configured to: receive a space-saving wheel signal 206, where the space-saving wheel signal 206 indicates that the space-saving wheel 202 is operably assembled to the vehicle; determine an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal 206; and output an operating parameter range signal 208 to the ADAS 300 to cause the ADAS 300 to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range. In other examples, more generally, an ADAS control signal 208 may be provided to the ADAS based on a determination by the control system that the ADAS should be controlled according to the assembled wheel 202. The space-saving wheel signal 206 may be transmitted from a transmitter 204 of the space-saving wheel 202, such as a TPMS transmitter.

[0062] The space-saving wheel signal 206 may at least indicate that the space-saving wheel is assembled to the vehicle. The space-saving wheel signal 206 may indicate an operating parameter range of the vehicle. Advantageously, the space-saving wheel 202 may provide an indication of the operating parameter range of the vehicle that needs to be followed according to the specifications of the space-saving wheel 202. The control system may use a code transmitted as the signal 206 from the transmitter 204 to retrieve the operating parameter range corresponding to the alphanumeric code from a look-up table or a similar table.

[0063] The control system 100 may also be configured to receive a rotation signal from the transmitter 204 of the space-saving wheel 202. The rotation signal may indicate that the space-saving wheel 202 is operably assembled to a moving vehicle. Advantageously, the space-saving wheel signal 206 may be transmitted to the control system 100 when the vehicle is in use, rather than when the vehicle is stationary, thus helping to save power. Therefore, the rotation signal may enable the control system 100 to be indicated that the space-saving wheel 202 is assembled and in use for moving the vehicle. The operation of a sensor system for detecting wheel rotation is known to those skilled in the art.

[0064] Figure 3 A schematic example of the content of the transmitted space-saving wheel signal 206 that may be transmitted from the space-saving wheel transmitter 204 is shown. For example, the space-saving wheel signal 206 includes an indication 210 that the space-saving wheel 202 is assembled to the vehicle. The space-saving wheel signal 206 may include one or more additional indications 212, 214, 216, 218 indicating some parameters of the space-saving wheel 202. For example, the space-saving wheel signal 206 may include an indication 212 of a predetermined speed limit within which the vehicle is to operate as discussed with respect to Figure 4 discussed. For example, the space-saving wheel signal 206 may include an indication as discussed with respect to Figure 5Indication 214 of the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 being discussed. For example, the space-saving wheel signal 206 can include an indication 216 of the rotational speed of the space-saving wheel 202. For example, the space-saving wheel signal 206 can include an indication 218 of the acceleration of the rotation of the space-saving wheel 202. Other indications are possible.

[0065] Figure 4 An example of the ADAS 300 control performed by the control system 100 as disclosed herein is shown. In this example, the transmitter 204 of the space-saving wheel 202 communicates with the control system 100 (the communication can be one-way communication from the transmitter 204 to the control system 100). The space-saving wheel signal 402 can indicate a predetermined speed limit within which the vehicle is to operate based on the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel 202. In this way, the ADAS can be controlled not to exceed the maximum speed of the space-saving wheel triggered by the reception of the signal.

[0066] The control system 100 can be configured to determine 404 that the current vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed limit based on the operating capabilities of the space-saving wheel. The control system 100 can be configured to: in response to determining that the current vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed limit, disable the autonomous driving function of the ADAS 300, for example, by sending an ADAS disable function control signal 406 to the ADAS 200. The control system 100 can be configured to: control the speed of the vehicle within the predetermined speed limit by the ADAS, for example, by sending an ADAS vehicle speed control signal 408 to the ADAS 200. Of course, in other examples, the control system 100 can make different determinations (such as limiting the vehicle speed at an upcoming corner or limiting the acceleration), and send corresponding control signals to the ADAS to control the ADAS operation.

[0067] In the absence of any intentional signaling from the space-saving wheel 202 to the control system 100 indicating that the space-saving wheel 202 is assembled for use on a vehicle, the control system 100 on the vehicle may take longer to determine that the vehicle is equipped with space-saving wheels (or at least, wheels that cannot send any signals for indicating the attributes of the wheels). For example, if the event indicating that the assembled wheels may be space-saving wheels to the control system 100 is the absence of any wheel identification signal detected, a certain period of time (e.g., 10 minutes) may elapse during vehicle movement until it is determined that the wheels are not sending any signals, and thus the wheels may be space-saving wheels without any transmission capabilities. This would mean that for a certain period of time, the ADAS can operate as if all conventional wheels were assembled, without any adjustments for any limitations or capabilities of the space-saving wheels. During this period, the vehicle may reach a high speed exceeding the rating of the space-saving wheels, or the vehicle may handle in a maneuver such as turning in a manner where the ADAS operates based on use with all conventional wheels but does not adapt to the capabilities of the space-saving wheels. Therefore, the examples disclosed herein enable the control system and thus the ADAS to more quickly identify the assembly of space-saving wheels, and the ADAS can then be controlled accordingly.

[0068] Figure 5Shows an example of a pressure report from the space-saving wheel 202. In this example, the transmitter 204 of the space-saving wheel 202 communicates with the control system 100 (which can be a one-way communication from the transmitter 204 to the receiving control system 100). The space-saving wheel signal 502 can indicate the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel. In some examples, the control system can be configured to receive TPMS signals from the tire pressure monitoring system of the vehicle wheels, and the space-saving wheel signal can be received from the TPMS valve installed in the space-saving wheel. The control system 100 is configured to receive the space-saving wheel tire pressure signal 502 from the transmitter 204 of the space-saving wheel, indicating the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202. The control system 100 can be configured to determine whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 is within a predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range. The control system 100 can output an indication 504 whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 is within the predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range or outside the predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range. Thus, the space-saving wheel signal 502 can indicate whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 is outside the preferred operating range. This is advantageous because typically, the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 may not be regularly checked because the space-saving wheel 202 is usually stowed, and thus the tire pressure is more likely to be outside the preferred operating range.

[0069] The control system 100 can also be configured to disable the autonomous driving function of the ADAS (e.g., by sending a tire pressure control signal 504 to the ADAS 300) based on the determination that the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 is outside the predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range. The pressure control signal 504 can cause the ADAS 300 to stop or limit the control of the vehicle according to the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel 202. Thus, advantageously, according to the pressure of the space-saving wheel 202 being outside the preferred operating range, the vehicle can be prevented from being automatically controlled by the ADAS 300 (that is, the control of the ADAS 300 can be restricted).

[0070] Figure 6An example of the operation 600 of a control system that takes into account space-saving wheel movement and space-saving wheel tire pressure monitoring is shown. The process starts at 602, and in step 604, a determination is made as to whether the space-saving wheel moves in accordance with wheel rotation since the wheel is operatively assembled to the vehicle for use, i.e., assembled to the vehicle axle. This can be performed by a motion sensor attached to the space-saving wheel, for example as part of a TPMS. If no movement is sensed, the system determines in step 606 whether there is a pressure change for the wheel tire compared to the last measured pressure of the wheel tire. The pressure can be determined periodically, for example, using a pressure sensor 608 (such as a direct or indirect TPMS). In some examples, the pressure can be measured, for example, once every 1 second.

[0071] If there is no pressure change (within a predetermined tolerance), the process returns to step 604 and the determination of whether the wheel is rotating is redone. If there is a pressure change, and / or if it is determined from the previous step 604 that the wheel is rotating, the process measures in step 610 one or more parameters of the space-saving wheel. The measurement can be one or more of the following: tire pressure, tire temperature, battery condition of the pressure and / or temperature sensor (such as a TPMS sensor or other sensor), wheel speed, wheel acceleration, or other wheel parameters.

[0072] Then in step 614, the measured parameters are reported as a radio signal, for example, via wireless transmission from the wheel sensor to the control system. In step 612, an identifier that the wheel is a space-saving wheel is also reported to the control system, so that the control system can correlate the sensor readings with the relevant wheel. Thus, the control system can decode the received signal and determine whether the parameters are all within the approved range for the space-saving wheel (the approved range of parameters may be different for space-saving wheels compared to conventional wheels).

[0073] In this way, the performance of the space-saving wheel can be monitored, and the driver can be alerted if there is a problem, such as under-inflation of the space-saving wheel tire. Additionally, the fact that a space-saving wheel is installed and possibly one or more parameters of the space-saving wheel can be fed into the vehicle's ADAS so that vehicle control via the ADAS is performed according to the capabilities of the space-saving wheel being assembled - for example, limiting the maximum speed. The intentional reporting that a space-saving wheel is assembled enables the ADAS to more quickly determine that the operation may need to be adjusted to accommodate the capabilities of the space-saving wheel rather than relying on the absence of any report from the wheel (in the case where the space-saving wheel does not have any transmission capabilities).

[0074] Figure 7An example vehicle 700 is shown. The example vehicle 700 includes, for example, one or more of the control systems 100, 200, or the space-saving wheel 202 as disclosed herein. The vehicle 700 in this embodiment is an automobile, such as a wheeled vehicle, but it will be understood that the control systems 100 and 200 can be used in other types of suitable vehicles 700.

[0075] Figure 8 An example method 800 is shown. The method 800 includes: receiving 802 a space-saving wheel signal from a transmitter of a space-saving wheel, where the space-saving wheel signal indicates that the space-saving wheel is operably assembled to the vehicle. The method 800 includes determining 804 an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal. The method 800 includes outputting 806 an operating parameter range signal to an ADAS of the vehicle to cause the ADAS to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range. Computer software can be configured to perform the method 800 or any method disclosed herein when executed on a processor of any of the control systems disclosed herein. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions can cause one or more electronic processors of any of the control systems disclosed herein to perform the method 800 or any method disclosed herein when executed by the one or more electronic processors.

[0076] Although the examples disclosed herein are described with reference to space-saving tires, it will be understood that such examples can be adapted to other types of wheels or tires, such as run-flat tires, winter tires, high-performance tires, or other tire types that may affect the operation of the ADAS of the vehicle to which the wheel is assembled.

[0077] As used herein, "connected" means "mechanically connected" or "electrically connected" directly or indirectly. The connection is not necessarily electrical. In the case of a control system, the connected devices are operably coupled to the extent of sending and receiving messages via appropriate communication means. The term "control system" can be understood to encompass a controller, a control module, or a control element, and is not necessarily a multi-component or distributed system (although it may be in some examples).

[0078] It will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made to the examples of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims. Although the foregoing specification has focused on those features considered to be particularly important, it should be understood that the applicant claims protection for any patentable feature or combination of features mentioned above and / or shown in the drawings, whether or not such features are specifically emphasized.

Claims

1. A control system for an advanced driver assistance system of a vehicle, the control system including one or more controllers, the control system being configured to: Receive a space-saving wheel signal, wherein, the space-saving wheel signal indicates that a space-saving wheel is operably assembled to the vehicle; Determine an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal; and Output an operating parameter range signal to the advanced driver assistance system to cause the advanced driver assistance system to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein, the space-saving wheel signal indicates the operating parameter range of the vehicle when the space-saving wheel is assembled.

3. The control system according to any one of the preceding claims, further configured to receive a rotation signal from a transmitter of the space-saving wheel, wherein, the rotation signal indicates that the space-saving wheel is operably assembled to the moving vehicle.

4. The control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the space-saving wheel signal indicates a predetermined speed limit at which the vehicle is to be operated according to the operating ability of the space-saving wheel.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein, the control system is further configured to: Disable the autonomous driving function of the advanced driver assistance system in response to determining that the current vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed limit according to the operating ability of the space-saving wheel.

6. The control system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, the control system is further configured to: Cause the advanced driver assistance system to control the speed of the vehicle within the predetermined speed limit.

7. The control system according to any one of the preceding claims, further configured to: Receive a space-saving wheel tire pressure signal from the transmitter of the space-saving wheel indicating the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel; Determine whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is within a predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range; and Output an indication of whether the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is within or outside the space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range.

8. The control system according to claim 7, further configured to: Disable the autonomous driving function of the advanced driver assistance system based on the determination that the tire pressure of the space-saving wheel is outside the predetermined space-saving wheel tire pressure operating range.

9. The control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the control system is configured to receive a tire pressure monitoring system signal from a vehicle wheel, and the space-saving wheel signal is received from a tire pressure monitoring system valve installed in the space-saving wheel.

10. A space-saving wheel, which includes a transmitter, the transmitter being configured to: Transmit a space-saving wheel signal for reception by a control system of a vehicle, wherein, The space-saving wheel signals that the vehicle is operably equipped with the space-saving wheel.

11. A system, which comprises: The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and one or more of the following: The advanced driver assistance system; and The space-saving wheel including the transmitter.

12. A vehicle comprising the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or the space-saving wheel according to claim 10, or the system according to claim 11.

13. A method, which comprises: Receiving a space-saving wheel signal from a transmitter of a space-saving wheel, wherein the space-saving wheel signal indicates that the space-saving wheel is operably assembled to a vehicle; Determining an operating parameter range of the vehicle based on the space-saving wheel signal; and Outputting an operating parameter range signal to an advanced driver assistance system of the vehicle to cause the advanced driver assistance system to control the operation of the vehicle within the operating parameter range.

14. A computer software which, when executed on a processor of the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, is configured to perform the method according to claim 13.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more electronic processors of the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, cause the one or more electronic processors to perform the method according to claim 13.

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