Device for detecting the condition of a road surface

Abstract

A device for detecting the condition of a road surface is disclosed. The device, installed in a vehicle, for detecting the condition of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, may comprise a first measuring device arranged on a tire of a right wheel of the vehicle; a second measuring device arranged on a tire of a left wheel of the vehicle; and a receiver arranged in the vehicle, wherein the first measuring device includes a first acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel in order to generate initial vibration data.a first measuring instrument control unit for processing the first vibration data to generate first roughness information for the road surface and a communication module of the first measuring instrument for transmitting the first roughness information to the receiver, wherein the second measuring instrument includes a second accelerometer for measuring the vibration of the tire of the left wheel to generate second vibration data; a second measuring instrument control unit for processing the second vibration data to generate second roughness information for the road surface; and a communication module of the second measuring instrument for transmitting the second roughness information to the receiver, and the receiver includes an in-vehicle communication module for receiving the first roughness information and the second roughness information;a receiver control unit for processing the first roughness information and the second roughness information to generate final roughness information; and includes an external communication module for transmitting the final roughness information externally.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0124572, filed on September 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a road surface condition detecting device, and more particularly, to a road surface condition detecting device installed in a vehicle for detecting road surface condition such as roughness of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0003] The invention is the subject of the following project: [Project Identification Number] 2410004191 [Project number] 20024837 [Ministry] Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy [Project Management (Technical) Organization] Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology [Name of research program] Development of automotive technology [Research Project] Development of the technology of smart vehicle tires with built-in 1Hz class complex sensors for future vehicle safety and functional improvement [Name of the project implementation organization] HL KLEMOVE CORPORATION [Research period] January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 2. DISCUSSION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

[0004] The condition of the road surface is an important factor for driving safety. Road management bodies, such as public authorities and local authorities, continuously monitor the condition of road surfaces and carry out maintenance work.

[0005] Road surface condition monitoring can be done by measuring the degree of longitudinal road surface irregularities, the International Roughness Index (IRI), an index used to evaluate plastic deformation, and by detecting potholes and cracks, which can cause damage to the vehicle due to dents and cracks on the road.

[0006] IRI measurement requires expensive measuring equipment and professional personnel, resulting in a very long update cycle for the same road section, which poses the problem of difficulty in verifying road conditions in real time. Furthermore, the detection of potholes and cracks has its limitations, as maintenance relies primarily on complaints and reports from motorists, necessitating the implementation of a systematic management system. DEMOLITION

[0007] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a road surface condition detecting apparatus that can efficiently detect the condition of a road surface on which a vehicle is traveling by using sensors installed in the vehicle.

[0008] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a road surface condition detecting apparatus that can accurately and efficiently detect potholes on the road.

[0009] The objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the objects described above, and other objects not mentioned will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the following description.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle-installed device for detecting the condition of a road surface of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, comprising a first measuring device arranged on a tire of a right wheel of the vehicle; a second measuring device arranged on a tire of a left wheel of the vehicle; and a receiver arranged in the vehicle, wherein the first measuring device includes a first acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel to generate first vibration data; a first measuring device control unit for processing the first vibration data to generate first roughness information for the road surface;and a first measuring device communication module for transmitting the first roughness information to the receiver, and wherein the second measuring device includes a second acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the left wheel to generate second vibration data; a second measuring device control unit for processing the second vibration data to generate second roughness information for the road surface; and a second measuring device communication module for transmitting the second roughness information to the receiver, and the receiver includes an in-vehicle communication module for receiving the first roughness information and the second roughness information; a receiver control unit for processing the first roughness information and the second roughness information to generate final roughness information; and an external communication module for transmitting the final roughness information to the outside.

[0011] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver may further include a position sensor for measuring the position of the vehicle to generate position information, and the external communication module may transmit the position information together with the final roughness information to the outside.

[0012] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the on-board communication module may communicate with the first meter communication module and the second meter communication module in a short-range wireless communication method.

[0013] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the external communication module may perform communication in a wireless communication method.

[0014] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first roughness information may include a first IRI (International Roughness Index) calculated from the first vibration data, and the second roughness information may include a second IRI calculated from the second vibration data.

[0015] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may calculate an average IRI from the first IRI and the second IRI and normalize the average IRI by using at least one factor from a speed of the vehicle, an air pressure of the tire of the right wheel, and an air pressure of the tire of the left wheel, and the final roughness information may include the normalized IRI.

[0016] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first measuring device may further include a first geomagnetic sensor for generating first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled by the tire of the right wheel, and the second measuring device may further include a second geomagnetic sensor for generating second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled by the tire of the left wheel.

[0017] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first gauge control unit may determine that a first impact has occurred when the first vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the first geomagnetic data at the time the first impact occurs is within a geomagnetic reference range, and the second gauge control unit may determine that a second impact has occurred when the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the second geomagnetic data at the time the second impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range.

[0018] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the first geomagnetic data at the time the first impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range, the first gauge control unit may determine the impact as a pothole and generate first pothole information; the first gauge communication module may transmit the first pothole information to the in-vehicle communication module; and the in-vehicle communication module may receive the first pothole information; and when the second geomagnetic data at the time the second impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range, the second gauge control unit may determine the impact as a pothole and generate second pothole information;the second measuring device communication module can transmit the second pothole information to the on-vehicle communication module; and the on-vehicle communication module can receive the second pothole information.

[0019] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the second pothole information is not received within a predetermined time range after receiving the first pothole information or when the first pothole information is not received within the predetermined time range after receiving the second pothole information, the receiver control unit may determine that a pothole exists and generate pothole detection information.

[0020] In the road surface condition detecting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit may generate pothole size information by calculating a size of the pothole using a speed of the vehicle, a right wheel tire pressure, and / or a left wheel tire pressure as a factor.

[0021] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit may determine that no pothole exists on the road surface.

[0022] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit may determine that at least one bump or a joint is present on the road surface.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for detecting the condition of a road surface of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, comprising a first measuring device disposed on a tire of a right wheel of the vehicle; a second measuring device disposed on a tire of a left wheel of the vehicle; and a receiver disposed in the vehicle, wherein the first measuring device comprises a first acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel to generate first vibration data; wherein the first measuring device comprises a first acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel to generate first vibration data;and a first measurement device communication module for transmitting the first vibration data to the receiver, wherein the second measurement device comprises a second acceleration sensor for measuring the vibration of the tire of the left wheel to generate second vibration data; and a second measurement device communication module for transmitting the second vibration data to the receiver, and wherein the receiver comprises an in-vehicle communication module for receiving the first vibration data and the second vibration data; a receiver control unit for processing the first vibration data and the second vibration data to generate final roughness information; and an external communication module for transmitting the final roughness information to the outside.

[0024] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may calculate a primary IRI (International Roughness Index) from the first vibration data and the second vibration data.

[0025] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may normalize the primary IRI by using at least one of the vehicle speed, the right wheel tire air pressure, and the left wheel tire air pressure, and the final roughness information may include the normalized IRI.

[0026] In the road surface condition detecting device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the first measuring device may further include a first geomagnetic sensor for generating first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled by the tire of the right wheel, and the communication module of the first measuring device may transmit the first geomagnetic data to the in-vehicle communication module, and the second measuring device may further include a second geomagnetic sensor for generating second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled by the tire of the left wheel, and the communication module of the second measuring device may transmit the second geomagnetic data to the in-vehicle communication module.

[0027] In the road surface condition detecting device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may determine that a first impact has occurred when the first vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the first geomagnetic data at the time the first impact occurs is within a geomagnetic reference range, and the receiver control unit may determine that a second impact has occurred when the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the second geomagnetic data at the time the second impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range.

[0028] In the road surface condition detecting device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may generate pothole detection information when the second impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of the first impact and the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact is within the geomagnetic reference range, or when the first impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of the second impact and the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is within the geomagnetic reference range.

[0029] In the road surface condition detecting device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, when generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit may generate pothole size information by calculating a size of the pothole using a speed of the vehicle, a right wheel tire pressure, and / or a left wheel tire pressure as a factor.

[0030] In the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit may determine that there is no pothole on the road surface when the time of the first impact and the time of the second impact are within a predetermined time range.

[0031] In the road surface condition detecting device according to another aspect of the present disclosure, when the timing of the first impact and the timing of the second impact are within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit may determine that at least one bump or a joint is present on the road surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a vehicle in which a road surface condition detecting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is installed. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of vibration data and geomagnetic data measured by a first measuring device of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 4 is a graph showing the IRI (International Roughness Index) of a road surface as a function of vehicle speed without normalization. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the pothole detection criterion of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of a first meter or a second meter of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a receiver of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0033] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs can easily practice the embodiments. The present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly describe the present disclosure, parts unrelated to the description are omitted from the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the description.

[0034] The words and terms used in the specification and claims are not to be construed as having their ordinary or dictionary meanings and should be construed as having meanings and concepts consistent with the technical spirit of the present disclosure, following the principle that inventors may define terms and concepts to best describe their invention.

[0035] It should be noted that in the description, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, a respective number, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof described in the description, but are not intended to exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, a respective different number, one or more other steps, operations or components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0036] Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a vehicle in which a road surface condition detecting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is installed. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] The road surface condition detecting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in a vehicle V and can detect the condition of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. Specifically, the road surface condition detecting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can measure the roughness of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. Furthermore, the road surface condition detecting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can detect potholes present on a road on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0038] The information obtained or calculated by the road surface condition sensing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be transmitted to an external management server 100. The management server 100 may calculate the road surface condition, including road roughness, the location and size of potholes, etc., based on information received from one or more road condition sensing devices.

[0039] With reference to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the road surface condition detecting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a device that is installed in a vehicle and detects the condition of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and may include a first measuring device 10a, a second measuring device 10b, and a receiver 20.

[0040] The first measuring device 10a can be mounted on a tire of the right wheel of the vehicle. For example, the first measuring device 10a can be mounted on a tire (TFR) of the right front wheel of the vehicle.

[0041] The first measuring device 10a may include a first acceleration sensor 11a, a first geomagnetic sensor 12a, a first temperature sensor 13a, a first pressure sensor 14a, a first measuring device control unit 15a, and a first measuring device communication module 16a. In this case, the first measuring device 10a may be configured as a vehicle tire-mounted sensor (TMS).

[0042] The first acceleration sensor 11a generates first vibration data by measuring the vibration of a tire of the right wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first acceleration sensor 11a may be mounted on the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle to generate first vibration data by measuring the vibrations occurring at the right front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0043] The initial vibration data refers to the roughness of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. The higher the initial vibration data, the lower the roughness of the road surface may be.

[0044] The first geomagnetic sensor 12a generates first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground through which the tire of the right wheel travels. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first geomagnetic sensor 12a may be installed on the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure the geomagnetism of a road surface in contact with the right front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0045] The initial geomagnetic data allows the vehicle to detect a metal object on the road surface the vehicle is traveling on. If a metal object (e.g., a manhole cover) is on the roadway, the initial geomagnetic data appears relatively large.

[0046] The first temperature sensor 13a generates first temperature data by measuring the internal temperature of a tire of the right wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first temperature sensor 13a may be installed on the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0047] The first pressure sensor 14a generates first pressure data by measuring the internal pressure of a tire of the right wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pressure sensor 14a may be installed on the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure a pressure in the tire TFR of the right front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0048] The first measuring device control unit 15a can generate first roughness information about the road surface by processing the first vibration data. The first measuring device control unit 15a can be configured as an MCU (microcontroller unit) that processes one or more algorithms that detect the pavement condition of a road surface.

[0049] The first roughness information may include an initial IRI (International Roughness Index) calculated from the initial vibration data. The IRI is a widely used index that relates to the overall condition of a road surface and indicates the roughness that causes vehicle vibrations.

[0050] The first measuring device control unit 15a can determine that a first impact has occurred when the first vibration data is outside a reference vibration range, and determine whether the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact is within a geomagnetic reference range. In this case, the reference vibration range can be set to be within a vibration range that can be achieved when the roughness of a road surface is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value.

[0051] If the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact is within a geomagnetic reference range, the first measuring device control unit 15a can determine the impact as a pothole and generate first pothole information. The geomagnetic reference range can be set to a geomagnetic range that can be measured on a general road surface and not on a metal material.

[0052] If the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact are outside the geomagnetic reference range, the first measuring device control unit 15a can determine that the impact was caused by a manhole or the like and not by a pothole. Since the manhole cover is made of a metallic material such as iron, the first geomagnetic data at the time of driving over the manhole may be outside the geomagnetic reference range.

[0053] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of vibration data and geomagnetic data measured by a first measuring device of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3, all horizontal axes represent time, the vertical axis of the vibration data represents amplitude, and the vertical axis of the geomagnetic data represents geomagnetic strength (in Fig. 3 units and numerical numbers are omitted).

[0054] With reference to Fig. 3, a case in which the first measuring device 10a generates the first roughness information or the first pothole information is described in more detail.

[0055] If the first vibration data is within the reference vibration range (section C1 in Fig. 3), the first measuring device control unit 15a may process the first vibration data to generate first roughness information about the road surface. As described above, the first roughness information may include a first IRI calculated from the first vibration data.

[0056] If the first vibration data are outside the reference vibration range and the first geomagnetic data are within the geomagnetic reference range (section C2 in Fig. 3), the first measuring device control unit 15a can determine the impact as a pothole and generate first pothole information.

[0057] Finally, if the first vibration data are outside the reference vibration range and the first geomagnetic data are outside the geomagnetic reference range (section C3 in Fig. 3), the first meter control unit 15a may determine that the impact was caused by a gully and not a pothole. In this case, the first meter control unit 15a does not generate the first pothole information.

[0058] The communication module 16a of the first measuring device can transmit the first roughness information to the receiver 20. When the first pothole information is generated, the communication module 16a of the first measuring device can send the first pothole information to the receiver 20. Furthermore, the first measuring device communication module 16a can transmit the first temperature data and the first pressure data to the receiver 20.

[0059] The first measuring device communication module 16a can communicate with the receiver 20 using a wireless short-range communication method. For example, the first measuring device communication module 16a can communicate with the receiver 20 using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) method.

[0060] The second measuring device 10b can be mounted on a tire of the left wheel of the vehicle. The second measuring device 10b can be mounted, for example, on a tire (DRL) of the left front wheel of the vehicle.

[0061] The second measuring device 10b may include a second acceleration sensor 11b, a second geomagnetic sensor 12b, a second temperature sensor 13b, a second pressure sensor 14b, a second measuring device control unit 15b, and a second measuring device communication module 16b. In this case, the second measuring device 10b may be configured as a tire-mounted sensor (TMS) attached to a vehicle tire.

[0062] The second acceleration sensor 11b generates second vibration data by measuring the vibration of a tire of the left wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second acceleration sensor 11b may be mounted on the tire TFL of the left front wheel of the vehicle to generate second vibration data by measuring the vibrations occurring at the left front wheel of the vehicle during travel.

[0063] The second vibration data refers to the roughness of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. The higher the second vibration data, the lower the roughness of the road surface can be.

[0064] The second geomagnetic sensor 12b generates second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground through which the tire of the left wheel travels. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second geomagnetic sensor 12b may be installed on the tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure the geomagnetism of a road surface in contact with the left front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0065] The second geomagnetic data allows the vehicle to detect a metal object on the road surface it is traveling on. If a metal object (e.g., a manhole cover) is on the roadway, the second geomagnetic data appears relatively large.

[0066] The second temperature sensor 13b generates second temperature data by measuring the internal temperature of a tire of the left wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second temperature sensor 13b may be mounted on the tire TFL of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire TFL of the left front wheel of the vehicle while driving.

[0067] The second pressure sensor 14b generates second pressure data by measuring the internal pressure of a tire of the left wheel. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pressure sensor 14b may be installed on the tire TFL of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure a pressure in the tire TFL of the left front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0068] The second measuring device control unit 15b can generate second roughness information about the road surface by processing the second vibration data. The second measuring device control unit 15b can be configured as an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) that processes one or more algorithms for detecting the pavement condition of a road surface.

[0069] The second roughness information may include a second IRI (International Roughness Index) calculated from the second vibration data. As described above, the IRI is a widely used index that relates to the overall condition of a road surface and indicates the roughness that causes vehicle vibrations.

[0070] The second measuring device control unit 15b can determine that a second impact has occurred if the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range, and determine whether the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is within a geomagnetic reference range. In this case, the reference vibration range can be set to be within a vibration range that can be achieved when the roughness of a road surface is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value.

[0071] If the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is within a geomagnetic reference range, the second measuring device control unit 15b can determine the impact as a pothole and generate second pothole information. The geomagnetic reference range can be set to a geomagnetic range that can be measured on a general road surface and not on a metal material.

[0072] If the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is outside the geomagnetic reference range, the second measuring device control unit 15b can determine that the impact was caused by a manhole and not a pothole. Since the manhole cover is made of a metallic material such as iron, the second geomagnetic data at the time of passing over the manhole may be outside the geomagnetic reference range.

[0073] The information relating to Fig. 3 described contents regarding the information generation of the first measuring device 10a can also be transferred to the second measuring device 10b.

[0074] That is, when the second vibration data is within the reference vibration range, the second meter control unit 15b may process the second vibration data to generate second roughness information about the road surface.

[0075] When the second vibration data is outside the reference vibration range and the second geomagnetic data is within the geomagnetic reference range, the second measuring device control unit 15b may determine the impact as a pothole and generate second pothole information.

[0076] If the second vibration data is outside the reference vibration range and the second geomagnetic data is outside the reference geomagnetic range, the second gauge control unit 15b determines that the impact was caused by a gully and not a pothole, and does not generate second pothole information.

[0077] The second measuring device communication module 16b can communicate with the receiver 20 using a short-range wireless communication method. The short-range wireless communication method is, for example, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) method.

[0078] The receiver 20 is located in the vehicle. For example, the receiver 20 can be mounted on the vehicle body rather than on the tires. The receiver 20 can be configured as an independent electronic control unit (ECU). Alternatively, the receiver 20 can be integrated into the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0079] As in Fig. 2, the receiver 20 may include an in-vehicle communication module 21, a receiver control unit 22, a position sensor 23, and an external communication module 24.

[0080] The on-board or in-vehicle communication module 21 receives the first roughness information and the second roughness information. The on-board communication module 21 can communicate with the first measuring device communication module 16a and the second measuring device communication module 16b, receive the first roughness information from the first measuring device communication module 16a and the second roughness information from the second measuring device communication module 16b.

[0081] The on-board communication module 21 may receive the first pothole information from the first gauge communication module 16a. Furthermore, the on-board communication module 21 may also receive the first temperature data and the first pressure data from the first gauge communication module 16a.

[0082] The on-board communication module 21 may receive the second pothole information from the second gauge communication module 16b. Furthermore, the on-board communication module 21 may also receive the second temperature data and the second pressure data from the second gauge communication module 16b.

[0083] The on-board communication module 21 can communicate with the first meter communication module 16a and the second meter communication module 16b using a short-range wireless communication method. The short-range wireless communication method can be, for example, a BLE method.

[0084] The receiver control unit 22 can generate the final roughness information by processing the first roughness information and the second roughness information. The receiver control unit 22 can be configured, for example, as an MCU (microcontroller unit) that processes one or more algorithms.

[0085] Fig. Figure 4 is a graph showing the IRI (International Roughness Index) of a road surface as a function of vehicle speed without normalization.

[0086] In Fig. 4, the horizontal axis represents the vehicle speed and the vertical axis represents the IRI. The unit of vehicle speed can be km / h.

[0087] In Fig. Figure 4 shows a first straight line L1, which shows the IRI on a first road surface with relatively high roughness, and a second straight line L2, which shows the IRI on a second road surface with relatively low roughness. This shows that the IRI is largely calculated with increasing vehicle speed, even with the same road surface.

[0088] However, the IRI for the same road surface must be determined independently of the vehicle speed. This means that the receiver control unit 22 must calculate the normalized IRI by eliminating factors such as the vehicle speed. In other words, the final roughness information must include the normalized IRI.

[0089] The receiver control unit 22 may calculate an average IRI from the first IRI and the second IRI and normalize the average IRI by using at least one factor from the vehicle speed, the right wheel tire air pressure, and the left wheel tire air pressure.

[0090] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined via the position sensor 23 described later. Furthermore, the vehicle speed can be derived from the vehicle's CAN. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the right-wheel tire can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the left-wheel tire can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22 can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors in normalizing the average IRI.

[0091] Position sensor 23 generates position information by measuring the position of the vehicle. The position information generated by position sensor 23 can provide information about the location of the road whose roughness is being measured. Furthermore, the vehicle's speed can be calculated based on the position data measured by position sensor 23. Position sensor 23 can be a GPS, for example.

[0092] The external communication module 24 transmits the final roughness information to the outside. The external communication module 24 can transmit the position information together with the final roughness information. The external communication module 24 can transmit the final roughness information and the position information to the external management server 100.

[0093] The external communication module 24 can communicate using a wireless communication method. The external communication module 24 can communicate with the external management server 100, for example, via LTE, 5G, or the like.

[0094] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit 22 may use the first pothole information or the second pothole information in addition to the final roughness information to determine whether the pothole actually exists on the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and generate pothole detection information when it is determined that the pothole exists.

[0095] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the pothole detection criterion of a road surface condition detecting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In Fig. 5 the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the size of the pothole.

[0096] Hereinafter, a method for generating the pothole detection information by the receiver control unit 22 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 described.

[0097] If the second pothole information is not received within a predetermined time range after receiving the first pothole information, or if the first pothole information is not received within the predetermined time range after receiving the second pothole information, the receiver control unit 22 may determine that a pothole exists and generate pothole detection information. In this case, the predetermined time range may be set as a time range in which the first impact and the second impact can be considered to occur simultaneously.

[0098] If the second pothole information is not received within a predetermined time range after receiving the first pothole information, or if the first pothole information is not received within the predetermined time range after receiving the second pothole information, this indicates a situation where only the first impact or the second impact occurs within the predetermined time range. It can be assumed that either the right or left wheel of the vehicle has passed through a pothole formed on the road surface. Accordingly, the receiver control unit 22 can determine that a pothole exists on the road surface and generate pothole detection information.

[0099] If both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined period of time, the receiver control unit 22 can determine that no pothole is present on the road surface. If the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within the predetermined time range, the first impact and the second impact can be considered to have occurred simultaneously. This means that the right and left wheels of the vehicle are affected simultaneously.

[0100] In this way, a situation may arise in which an impact acts simultaneously on the right and left wheels of the vehicle when the vehicle passes a speed bump or a joint in the roadway. Therefore, if both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit 22 can determine that at least one speed bump or joint is present on the road surface.

[0101] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit 22 may generate pothole size information by calculating the size of the pothole using the speed of the vehicle, the tire pressure of the right wheel, and / or the tire pressure of the left wheel as a factor.

[0102] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined using the position information generated by the position sensor 23, as described above. Furthermore, the vehicle speed can be derived from the vehicle's CAN. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the right-wheel tire can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the left-wheel tire can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22 can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors in generating the pothole size information.

[0103] When the receiver control unit 22 generates the pothole detection information and the pothole size information, the external communication module 24 can transmit the pothole detection information and the pothole size information to the outside. In this case, the external communication module 24 can transmit the position information detected as a pothole together with the pothole detection information and the pothole size information. In this case, the position information can be determined by the position sensor 23.

[0104] As described above, the configuration of the road surface condition detecting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail. A detailed operation of the first measuring device 10a, the second measuring device 10b, and the receiver 20 of the road surface condition detecting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0105] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of a first measuring device or a second measuring device of a road surface condition detecting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Fig. 6, the operation sequence S10 of the first measuring device 10a or the second measuring device 10b can be carried out as follows.

[0106] First, the first acceleration sensor 11a of the first measuring device 10a generates first vibration data. Alternatively, the second acceleration sensor 11b of the second measuring device 10b generates second vibration data (S11). The first vibration data and the second vibration data are indicators of the roughness of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0107] Subsequently, the first measuring device control unit 15a of the first measuring device 10a determines whether the first vibration data exceeds the reference vibration. Alternatively, the second measuring device control unit 15b of the second measuring device 10b determines whether the second vibration data exceeds the reference vibration (S12). In this case, the reference vibration can be set to a predetermined vibration intensity.

[0108] If the first vibration data exceeds the reference vibration, the first measuring device control unit 15a determines whether the first geomagnetic data generated by the first geomagnetic sensor 12a is lower than the reference geomagnetism. Alternatively, if the second vibration data exceeds the reference vibration, the second measuring device control unit 15b determines whether the second geomagnetic data generated by the second geomagnetic sensor 12b is lower than the reference geomagnetism (S13). The reference geomagnetism can be set to a predetermined geomagnetic intensity.

[0109] If the first vibration data exceeds the reference vibration and the first geomagnetic data is smaller than the reference geomagnetism, the first measuring device control unit 15a generates first pothole information. If the second vibration data exceeds the reference vibration and the second geomagnetic data is smaller than the reference magnetism, the second measuring device control unit 15b generates second pothole information (S14).

[0110] Subsequently, the first measuring device communication module 16a transmits the first pothole information to the on-board communication module 21 of the receiver 20. Alternatively, the second measuring device communication module 16b sends the second pothole information to the on-board communication module 21 of the receiver 20 (S15).

[0111] If the first vibration data is less than or equal to the reference vibration, or if the first vibration data exceeds the reference vibration and the first geomagnetic data exceeds the reference geomagnetism, the first measuring device control unit 15a generates first roughness information. If the second vibration data is less than or equal to the reference vibration, or if the second vibration data exceeds the reference vibration and the second geomagnetic data exceeds the reference geomagnetism, the second measuring device control unit 15b generates second roughness information (S16).

[0112] As described above, the first roughness information may include a first IRI. Furthermore, the second roughness information may include a second IRI.

[0113] Finally, the first measuring device communication module 16a transmits the first roughness information to the on-board communication module 21 of the receiver 20. Alternatively, the second measuring device communication module 16b transmits the second roughness information to the in-vehicle communication module 21 of the receiver 20 (S17).

[0114] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a receiver of a road surface condition detecting device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Fig. 7, the workflow S20 of the receiver 20 can be carried out as follows.

[0115] First, the on-board communication module 21 of the receiver 20 receives the first roughness information and the second roughness information (S21).

[0116] Next, the receiver control unit 22 determines whether the first pothole information or the second pothole information is received (S22).

[0117] The first pothole information and the second pothole information can be received by the on-board communication module 21 of the receiver 20.

[0118] When the first pothole information or the second pothole information is received, the receiver control unit 22 determines whether a pothole detection criterion is met (S23). The pothole detection criterion may be set to a case where the second pothole information is not received within a predetermined time range after receiving the first pothole information, or to a case where the first pothole information is not received within the predetermined time range after receiving the second pothole information. In this case, the predetermined time range may be set as a time range in which the first impact and the second impact can be considered to have occurred simultaneously.

[0119] If the pothole detection criterion is met, this means a situation in which only the first impact or the second impact occurs within a specified period of time. It can be assumed that either the right or left wheel of the vehicle has passed through a pothole formed in the road surface.

[0120] If the pothole detection criterion is met, the receiver control unit 22 then generates pothole detection information (S24). If the pothole detection criterion is met, the receiver control unit 22 can determine that the pothole exists on the road surface of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and generate pothole detection information.

[0121] Next, the receiver control unit 22 generates pothole size information (S25). For example, the receiver control unit 22 may generate the pothole size information by calculating the pothole size using the vehicle speed, the right-wheel tire pressure, and / or the left-wheel tire pressure as factors.

[0122] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined based on the position information generated by the position sensor 23. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the right-wheel tire can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the left-wheel tire can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22 can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors in generating the pothole size information.

[0123] Subsequently, the external communication module 24 of the receiver 20 transmits the final pothole information to the outside (S26). In this case, the final pothole information may include position information, which, together with the pothole detection information and the pothole size information, is recognized as the existing pothole. The position data may be determined by the position sensor 23.

[0124] Meanwhile, if the first pothole information and the second pothole information are not received, or if the first pothole information or the second pothole information is received but does not meet the pothole detection criteria, the receiver control unit 22 generates final roughness information (S27). The receiver control unit 22 can generate the final roughness information by processing the first roughness information and the second roughness information.

[0125] In this case, the receiver control unit 22 may calculate the normalized IRI by eliminating factors such as vehicle speed. In other words, the final roughness information must include the normalized IRI. More specifically, the receiver control unit 22 may calculate an average IRI from the first IRI and the second IRI and normalize the average IRI by using the vehicle speed, the right-wheel tire pressure, and / or the left-wheel tire pressure as factors.

[0126] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined via the position sensor 23. Furthermore, the vehicle speed can be derived from the vehicle's CAN. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the tire of the right wheel can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the tire of the left wheel can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22 can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors in normalizing the average IRI.

[0127] Finally, the external communication module 24 of the receiver 20 transmits the final roughness information to the outside (S28). In this case, the external communication module 24 may transmit the position information together with the final roughness information. More specifically, the external communication module 24 may transmit the final roughness and position information to the external management server 100.

[0128] In the above, the structure and operation of the road surface condition detecting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure have been described in detail. A road surface condition detecting device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0129] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a road surface condition detecting apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0130] According to Fig. 8, the road surface condition detecting device 1' according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is a device installed in a vehicle that detects the condition of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and may include a first measuring device 10'a, a second measuring device 10'b, and a receiver 20'.

[0131] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first measuring device 10'a may be mounted on a tire of the right wheel of the vehicle. For example, the first measuring device 10'a may be mounted on a tire of the right front wheel of the vehicle.

[0132] The first measuring device 10'a may include a first acceleration sensor 11'a, a first geomagnetic sensor 12'a, a first temperature sensor 13'a, a first pressure sensor 14'a, and a first measuring device communication module 16'a. In this case, the first measuring device 10a may be configured as a vehicle tire-mounted sensor (TMS).

[0133] The first acceleration sensor 11'a generates first vibration data by measuring the vibration of a tire of the right vehicle wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first acceleration sensor 11'a may be mounted on the tire of the right front wheel of the vehicle to generate first vibration data by measuring the vibrations occurring during driving.

[0134] The first geomagnetic sensor 12'a generates first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground through which the tire of the right wheel travels. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first geomagnetic sensor 12'a may be mounted on the tire of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure the geomagnetism of a road surface in contact with the right front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0135] The first temperature sensor 13'a generates first temperature data by measuring the internal temperature of a tire of the right wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first temperature sensor 13'a may be mounted on the tire of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire.

[0136] Furthermore, the first pressure sensor 14'a generates first pressure data by measuring the internal pressure of a tire of the right wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pressure sensor 14'a may be mounted on the tire of the right front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire.

[0137] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication module 16'a of the first measuring device transmits the first vibration data to the receiver 20'. Furthermore, the first measuring device communication module 16'a may transmit the first geomagnetic data, the first temperature data, and the first pressure data to the receiver 20'.

[0138] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second measuring device 10'b may be mounted on a tire of the left wheel of the vehicle. For example, the second measuring device 10'b may be mounted on a tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle.

[0139] The second measuring device 10'b may include a second acceleration sensor 11'b, a second geomagnetic sensor 12'b, a second temperature sensor 13'b, a second pressure sensor 14'b, and a second measuring device communication module 16'b. In this case, the second measuring device 10'b may be configured as a tire-mounted sensor (TMS) attached to a vehicle tire.

[0140] The second acceleration sensor 11'b generates second vibration data by measuring the vibration of a tire of a left vehicle wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second acceleration sensor 11'b may be mounted on the tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle to generate second vibration data by measuring the vibrations occurring during travel.

[0141] The second geomagnetic sensor 12'b generates second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground through which the tire of the left wheel travels. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second geomagnetic sensor 12'b may be mounted on the tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure the geomagnetism of a road surface in contact with the left front wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0142] The second temperature sensor 13'b generates second temperature data by measuring the internal temperature of a tire of the left wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second temperature sensor 13'b may be mounted on the tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire.

[0143] Furthermore, the second pressure sensor 14'b generates second pressure data by measuring the internal pressure of a tire of the left wheel. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pressure sensor 14'b may be mounted on the tire of the left front wheel of the vehicle to measure an internal temperature of the tire.

[0144] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second measuring device communication module 16' transmits the second vibration data to the receiver 20'. Furthermore, the second measuring device communication module 16'b transmits the second geomagnetic data, the second temperature data, and the second pressure data to the receiver 20'.

[0145] The receiver 20' is located in the vehicle. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiver 20' may be mounted on the body of the vehicle rather than on the tires. The receiver 20' may be configured as an independent electronic control unit (ECU). Alternatively, the receiver 20' may be located in the infotainment system of a vehicle.

[0146] As in Fig.8, the receiver 20' may include an in-vehicle communication module 21', a receiver control unit 22', a position sensor 23', and an external communication module 24'.

[0147] The on-board or in-vehicle communication module 21' receives the first vibration data and the second vibration data. The on-board communication module 21' may also receive the first temperature data and the first pressure data from the first gauge communication module 16'a. Furthermore, the on-board communication module 21' may also receive the second temperature data and the second pressure data from the second gauge communication module 16'b.

[0148] The on-board communication module 21' can communicate with the first measuring device communication module 16'a and the second measuring device communication module 16'b using a short-range wireless communication method. The short-range wireless communication method is, for example, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) method.

[0149] The receiver control unit 22' generates the final roughness information by processing the first and second vibration data. The receiver control unit 22' can be configured, for example, as an MCU (microcontroller unit) that processes one or more algorithms.

[0150] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit 22' may calculate a primary IRI (International Roughness Index) from the first vibration data and the second vibration data. For example, the primary IRI may be determined by averaging the first IRI from the first vibration data and the second IRI from the second vibration data.

[0151] Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22' may normalize the primary IRI using at least one of the factors vehicle speed, right wheel tire pressure, and left wheel tire pressure. In other words, the final roughness information may include the normalized IRI.

[0152] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined via the position sensor 23' of the receiver 20'. Furthermore, the vehicle speed can be derived from the vehicle's CAN. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the tire of the right wheel can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the tire of the left wheel can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22' can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors when normalizing the average IRI.

[0153] The position sensor 23' generates position information by measuring the position of the vehicle. The position information generated by the position sensor 23' can provide information about the location of the road whose roughness is being measured. Furthermore, the vehicle's speed can be calculated based on the position data measured by the position sensor 23'. The position sensor 23' can be a GPS, for example.

[0154] The external communication module 24' transmits the final roughness information to the outside. The external communication module 24' can transmit the position information together with the final roughness information to the outside. The external communication module 24' can transmit the final roughness information and the position information to the external management server 100.

[0155] The external communication module 24' can communicate via a wireless communication method. For example, the external communication module 24' can communicate with the external server 100 via LTE, 5G, or the like.

[0156] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit 22' may also generate pothole detection information as follows.

[0157] The receiver control unit 22' can determine that a first impact has occurred if the first vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact is within a geomagnetic reference range. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22' can also determine that a second impact has occurred if the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range and determine whether the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is within the geomagnetic reference range.

[0158] The receiver control unit 22' can generate pothole detection information if the second impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of the first impact and the first geomagnetic data at the time of the first impact is within the geomagnetic reference range, or if the first impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of the second impact and the second geomagnetic data at the time of the second impact is within the geomagnetic reference range. In this case, the predetermined time range can be set as a time range in which the first impact and the second impact can be considered to occur simultaneously.

[0159] When generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit 22' may further generate pothole size information by calculating the size of the pothole using at least one of the vehicle speed, right wheel tire pressure, and left wheel tire pressure.

[0160] In this case, the vehicle speed can be determined based on the position information generated by the position sensor 23'. Furthermore, the vehicle speed can be derived from the vehicle's CAN. Meanwhile, the air pressure of the right-wheel tire can be the first pressure data, and the air pressure of the left-wheel tire can be the second pressure data. Furthermore, the receiver control unit 22 can consider the first temperature data and the second temperature data as factors in generating the pothole size information.

[0161] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiver control unit 22' may determine that no pothole is present on the road surface when the time of the first impact and the time of the second impact are within a predetermined time range. For example, the receiver control unit 22' may determine that at least one bump or a joint is present on the road surface when the time of the first impact and the time of the second impact are within a predetermined time range.

[0162] If the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within the predetermined time range, the first impact and the second impact can be considered to have occurred simultaneously. This means that the right and left wheels of the vehicle are affected simultaneously. Thus, a situation may arise in which an impact acts simultaneously on the right and left wheels of the vehicle when the vehicle passes a speed bump or a joint in the roadway. Therefore, if the time of the first impact and the time of the second impact are within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit 22' can determine that at least one speed bump or a joint is present on the road surface.

[0163] When the receiver control unit 22' generates the pothole detection information and the pothole size information, the external communication module 24' can transmit the pothole detection information and the pothole size information to the outside. In this case, the external communication module 24' can transmit the position information detected as a pothole, along with the pothole detection information and the pothole size information, to the outside. In this case, the position information can be determined by the position sensor 23'.

[0164] The road surface condition detecting device 1' according to another embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the road surface condition detecting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure in that the first measuring device 10'a and the second measuring device 10'b do not have a measuring device control unit that generates roughness information or pothole information. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first measuring device 10'a and the second measuring device 10'b do not generate roughness information or pothole information, and the receiver control unit 22' of the receiver 20' generates final roughness information or pothole detection information, so that the road surface condition detection can be performed more efficiently.

[0165] The road surface condition detecting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the road surface condition detecting device 1' according to another embodiment of the present disclosure in that the first measuring device 10a and the second measuring device 10b generate roughness information or pothole information. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the in-vehicle transmission / reception data can be reduced, and high efficiency in terms of energy management of the first measuring device 10a and the second measuring device 10b can be ensured.

[0166] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to measure the road surface condition based on a measuring device formed by a TMS already installed on the vehicle, without the need for equipment such as a dedicated road profiler used in the past. This minimizes the cost and time required for road condition monitoring.

[0167] Furthermore, as demonstrated by the present disclosure, the time difference between the time the pavement condition is measured and the time a maintenance plan is created can be reduced by monitoring the pavement condition of the entire road in real time. This allows the impact of road maintenance to be maximized within a limited budget.

[0168] Furthermore, the present disclosure enables rapid maintenance through real-time detection of potholes that rapidly enlarge after a rainy season or heavy snowfall and prevents accidents caused by the road surface.

[0169] Furthermore, the present disclosure enables predictive maintenance that detects and responds to road obstacles such as potholes at the onset or before they occur through real-time monitoring of the road surface condition.

[0170] Furthermore, the present disclosure can determine the optimal route for an autonomous vehicle to its destination by sharing the road condition in real time among autonomous vehicles, optimize driving according to the road condition, prevent accidents, and improve driving comfort.

[0171] According to the above configuration, the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure can efficiently calculate the roughness of a road surface on which a vehicle is traveling based on vibration data obtained from a measuring device attached to a tire of the vehicle.

[0172] Furthermore, the road surface condition detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure can effectively detect a pothole on a road surface on which a vehicle is traveling based on vibration data and geomagnetic data obtained from a measuring device attached to a tire of the vehicle.

[0173] It should be understood that the effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and include all effects that can be derived from a configuration of the invention described in detailed descriptions or claims of the present disclosure.

[0174] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments set forth in the description. A person skilled in the art who understands the spirit of the present disclosure can easily propose other embodiments by supplementing, changing, removing, or adding components within the scope of this spirit, but these embodiments are also within the spirit of the present disclosure. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] KR 10-2023-0124572

[0001]

Claims

[1] A device (1) installed in a vehicle (V) for detecting the condition of a road surface of a road on which the vehicle (V) travels, comprising: a first measuring device (10a) attached to a tire of a right wheel of the vehicle (V); a second measuring device (10b) attached to a tire of a left wheel of the vehicle (V); and a receiver (20) arranged in the vehicle (V), wherein the first measuring device (10a) comprises: a first acceleration sensor (11a) for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel to generate first vibration data; a first measuring device control unit (15a) for processing the first vibration data to generate first roughness information for the road surface; and a communication module (16a) of the first measuring device for transmitting the first roughness information to the receiver (20), wherein the second measuring device (10b) comprises: a second acceleration sensor (11b) for measuring the vibration of the tire of the left wheel to generate second vibration data; a second measuring device control unit (15b) for processing the second vibration data to generate second roughness information for the road surface; and a communication module (16b) of the second measuring device for transmitting the second roughness information to the receiver (20), and wherein the receiver (20) comprises: an in-vehicle communication module (21) for receiving the first roughness information and the second roughness information; a receiver control unit (22) for processing the first roughness information and the second roughness information to generate a final roughness information; and an external communication module (24) for transmitting the final roughness information to the outside. [2] The road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receiver (20) further comprises a position sensor (23) for measuring a position of the vehicle (V) to generate position information, and the external communication module (24) transmits the position information together with the final roughness information to the outside. [3] The road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the in-vehicle communication module (21) communicates with the communication module (16a) of the first measuring device and the communication module (16b) of the second measuring device using a short-range wireless communication method. [4] The road surface condition detecting device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the external communication module (24) performs the communication using a wireless communication method. [5] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first roughness information comprises a first IRI (International Roughness Index) calculated from the first vibration data, and the second roughness information comprises a second IRI calculated from the second vibration data. [6] The road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the receiver control unit (22) calculates an average IRI from the first IRI and the second IRI and normalizes the average IRI by using a speed of the vehicle (V), an air pressure of the tire of the right wheel and / or an air pressure of the tire of the left wheel as a factor, and the final roughness information includes the normalized IRI. [7] Device (1) for detecting the condition of a road surface according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first measuring device (10a) further comprises a first geomagnetic sensor (12a) for generating first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled on by the tire of the right wheel, and wherein the second measuring device (10b) further comprises a second geomagnetic sensor (12b) for generating second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled on by the tire of the left wheel. [8] Device (1) for detecting the condition of the road surface according to claim 7, wherein the first measuring device control unit (15a) determines that a first impact has occurred when the first vibration data is outside a reference vibration range, and determines whether the first geomagnetic data at the time the first impact occurs is within a geomagnetic reference range, and wherein the second measuring device control unit (15b) determines that a second impact has occurred when the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range, and determines whether the second geomagnetic data is within the geomagnetic reference range at the time the second impact occurs. [9] Device (1) for detecting the condition of a road surface according to claim 8, wherein, if the first geomagnetic data at the time the first impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range, the first measuring device control unit (15a) determines the impact as a pothole and generates first pothole information; the communication module (16a) of the first measuring device sends the first pothole information to the in-vehicle communication module (21); and the in-vehicle communication module (21) receives the first pothole information, and wherein, if the second geomagnetic data at the time the second impact occurs is within the geomagnetic reference range, the second measuring device control unit (15b) determines the impact as a pothole and generates second pothole information; the communication module (16b) of the second measuring device transmits the second pothole information to the in-vehicle communication module (21); and the in-vehicle communication module (21) receives the second pothole information. [10] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 9, wherein, when the second pothole information is not received within a predetermined time range after receiving the first pothole information or when the first pothole information is not received within the predetermined time range after receiving the second pothole information, the receiver control unit (22) determines that a pothole exists and generates pothole detection information. [11] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 10, wherein, when generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit (22) generates pothole size information by calculating a size of the pothole using a speed of the vehicle (V), a right wheel tire pressure, and / or a left wheel tire pressure as a factor. [12] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 9, wherein, when both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit (22) determines that no pothole exists on the road surface. [13] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 9, wherein, when both the first pothole information and the second pothole information are received within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit (22) determines that a bump and / or a joint is present on the road surface. [14] A device (1) installed in a vehicle (V) for detecting the condition of a road surface of a road on which the vehicle (V) travels, comprising: a first measuring device (10a) attached to a tire of a right wheel of the vehicle (V); a second measuring device (10b) attached to a tire of a left wheel of the vehicle (V); and a receiver (20) arranged in the vehicle (V), wherein the first measuring device (10a) comprises: a first acceleration sensor (11a) for measuring the vibration of the tire of the right wheel to generate first vibration data; and a communication module (16a) of the first measuring device for transmitting the first vibration data to the receiver (20), wherein the second measuring device (10b) comprises: a second acceleration sensor (11b) for measuring the vibration of the tire of the left wheel to generate second vibration data; and a communication module (16b) of the second measuring device for transmitting the second vibration data to the receiver (20), and wherein the receiver (20) comprises: an in-vehicle communication module (21) for receiving the first vibration data and the second vibration data; a receiver control unit (22) for processing the first vibration data and the second vibration data to generate final roughness information; and an external communication module (24) for transmitting the final roughness information to the outside. [15] Device (1) for detecting the condition of a road surface according to claim 14, wherein the first measuring device (10a) further comprises a first geomagnetic sensor (12a) for generating first geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled on by the tire of the right wheel, and the communication module (16a) of the first measuring device transmits the first geomagnetic data to the in-vehicle communication module (21), and wherein the second measuring device (10b) further comprises a second geomagnetic sensor (12b) for generating second geomagnetic data by measuring the geomagnetism of the ground traveled by the tire of the left wheel, and the communication module (16b) of the second measuring device transmits the second geomagnetic data to the in-vehicle communication module (21). [16] Device (1) for detecting the condition of a road surface according to claim 15, wherein the receiver control unit (22) determines that a first impact has occurred if the first vibration data are outside a reference vibration range, and determines whether the first geomagnetic data are within a geomagnetic reference range at the time the first impact occurs, and wherein the receiver control unit (22) determines that a second impact has occurred when the second vibration data is outside a reference vibration range, and determines whether the second geomagnetic data is within the geomagnetic reference range at the time the second impact occurs. [17] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the receiver control unit (22) generates pothole detection information when the second impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of occurrence of the first impact and the first geomagnetic data at the time of occurrence of the first impact is within the geomagnetic reference range, or when the first impact does not occur within a predetermined time range from the time of occurrence of the second impact and the second geomagnetic data at the time of occurrence of the second impact is within the geomagnetic reference range. [18] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to claim 17, wherein, when generating the pothole detection information, the receiver control unit (22) generates pothole size information by calculating a size of the pothole using a speed of the vehicle (V), a right wheel tire pressure, and / or a left wheel tire pressure as a factor. [19] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the receiver control unit (22) determines that there is no pothole in the road surface when the time of the first impact and the time of the second impact are within a predetermined time range. [20] A road surface condition detecting device (1) according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, when the time of occurrence of the first impact and the time of occurrence of the second impact are within a predetermined time range, the receiver control unit (22) determines that a bump and / or a joint is present on the road surface.

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