Aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method

Abstract

To provide an aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method which can enhance calculation accuracy of tire condition of an aircraft tire.SOLUTION: An aircraft tire condition calculation device comprises a data acquisition part which acquires movement data of an aircraft having a tire mounted thereon, an external force calculation part which calculates external force data applying on the tire by determining ground condition of the tire on the basis of the movement data and a tire condition calculation part which calculates tire condition of the tire on the basis of the external force data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for calculating the condition of tires mounted on a vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tire case life prediction system that predicts the remaining life of a tire case using tire measurement information or vehicle driving information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-046879 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, there has been a demand for further improvement in the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires. However, tires mounted on aircraft may be subjected to external forces that are not anticipated in tires mounted on general vehicles when the aircraft takes off, lands, or taxis on the ground. Therefore, when applying conventional techniques to calculating the tire condition of tires mounted on aircraft, there is still room for further improvement in the calculation accuracy.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method that can improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [1] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a data acquisition unit that acquires movement data of an aircraft equipped with tires, an external force calculation unit that determines the ground contact condition of the tires based on the movement data and calculates external force data acting on the tires, and a tire condition calculation unit that calculates the tire condition of the tires based on the external force data. According to an aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires.

[0007] [2] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [1] above, wherein the external force calculation unit preferably calculates external force data acting on the tire based on the movement data during a period in which the tire is determined to be in the contact state. An aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration can improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on an aircraft tire while suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing.

[0008] [3] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [1] or [2] above, wherein the movement data preferably includes a pitch angle of the aircraft, and the external force calculation unit preferably uses the pitch angle as an input in determining the ground contact state of the tires. An aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration can improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on aircraft tires while suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing.

[0009] [4] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [3] above, wherein the movement data preferably includes a speed of the aircraft, and the external force calculation unit preferably uses the pitch angle and the speed as inputs in determining the ground contact state of the tires. An aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration can further improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on aircraft tires.

[0010] [5] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [3] or [4] above, wherein the movement data preferably includes a roll angle of the aircraft, and the external force calculation unit preferably uses at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle as an input in calculating the external force data acting on the tires. An aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration can appropriately reflect external forces input to tires that are not expected in tires mounted on general vehicles when an aircraft takes off, lands, taxis, etc., and can further improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on aircraft tires.

[0011] [6] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the data acquisition unit acquires mounting positions of the tires on the aircraft, and the external force calculation unit preferably determines the contact state of the tires for each mounting position of the tires based on the movement data and the mounting positions of the tires. An aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration can further improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on aircraft tires.

[0012] [7] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the tire condition calculation unit preferably includes a computational model constructed by machine learning, and the computational model preferably receives the external force data as an input and outputs the tire condition. With an aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration, the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires can be further improved by machine learning of the computational model.

[0013] [8] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [1] above, wherein the tire condition calculation unit preferably calculates the tire wear state based on the external force data. With an aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration, calculating the tire wear state as the tire condition makes it easier to understand the tire condition.

[0014] [9] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is the aircraft tire condition calculation device described in [1] above, wherein the tire condition calculation unit preferably calculates the remaining durability of the tire based on the external force data. With an aircraft tire condition calculation device having such a configuration, the remaining durability of the tire can be calculated as the tire condition, making it easier to understand the tire condition.

[0015]

[10] An aircraft tire condition calculation method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a method executed by one or more computers, and includes acquiring movement data of an aircraft equipped with a tire, determining the ground contact state of the tire based on the movement data, calculating external force data acting on the tire, and calculating the tire condition of the tire based on the external force data. According to the aircraft tire condition calculation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method that can improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an aircraft tire condition calculation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the server shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing external forces acting on a tire mounted on an aircraft. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the server shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An aircraft tire condition calculation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of identical or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0019] (Configuration of Aircraft Tire Condition Calculation System) First, an overview of an aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 includes a server 10, a measuring device 20, and a terminal device 30. In the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1, the server 10, the measuring device 20, and the terminal device 30 are communicably connected to each other via a network 40. Note that Fig. 1 shows one server 10, one measuring device 20, and one terminal device 30. However, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 may include any number of servers 10, measuring devices 20, and terminal devices 30.

[0020] The server 10 is configured with one or more computers. In this embodiment, the server 10 is described as being configured with one computer. However, the server 10 may be configured with multiple computers, such as a cloud computing system. In this disclosure, the server 10 is also referred to as an "aircraft tire condition calculation device."

[0021] The measurement device 20 is configured with one or more computers, such as an aircraft flight control system, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), a flight recorder, a digital tachograph, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), etc. The measurement device 20 generates at least one of movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 or measurement data of the tire 3, and transmits the data to the server 10 as time-series data. For this purpose, the measurement device 20 may be installed on the aircraft 2 or the tire 3.

[0022] The movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3 includes time-series data indicating the movement state of the aircraft 2. The movement state of the aircraft 2 includes, for example, flight, landing, takeoff, taxiing, running other than taxiing, and stopping. The movement data of the aircraft 2 is also referred to as flight data. The movement data of the aircraft 2 may include, for example, time-series data of the aircraft 2, such as the speed, acceleration (forward / backward, left / right, up / down), pitch angle, roll angle, nose steer angle, nose direction angle, aircraft weight, position information (latitude, longitude), altitude, brake pressure, brake temperature, tire 3 rotation count, and rotation speed. However, the movement data of the aircraft 2 is not limited to the exemplified data, and may include any data indicating the movement state of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3.

[0023] The measurement data of the tire 3 includes, for example, time-series data such as the internal pressure (air pressure) or temperature of the tire 3. For example, the measurement data of the tire 3 may be generated by a TPMS. However, the measurement data of the tire 3 is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and may include any time-series data related to the tire 3.

[0024] The aircraft 2 is, for example, an airplane. However, the aircraft 2 is not limited to an airplane and may be any mobile body capable of moving both by flight and by running on the ground using tires 3, such as a drone, a helicopter, or a spacecraft.

[0025] The terminal device 30 is a computer such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer.

[0026] The network 40 is any communication network that allows mutual communication among the server 10, the measuring device 20, and the terminal device 30. The network 40 in this embodiment may be, for example, the Internet, a mobile communication network, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a combination of these.

[0027] The aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 is used to calculate the tire condition of tires 3 mounted on an aircraft 2. In the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1, a server 10 acquires movement data of the aircraft 2 mounted with the tires 3, for example, from a measurement device 20, determines the ground contact state of the tires 3 based on the movement data, and calculates external force data acting on the tires 3 in the ground contact state. The external force data acting on the tires 3 is time-series data representing forces applied to the tires 3. The server 10 calculates the tire condition of the tires 3 based on the external force data. The calculated tire condition of the tires 3 may be transmitted from the server 10 to a terminal device 30, for example, and displayed by the terminal device 30. In this way, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can accurately calculate, based on the movement data of the aircraft 2, the external forces acting on the tires 3 mounted on the aircraft 2, which have characteristics different from external forces acting on tires 3 mounted on general vehicles. Furthermore, by calculating the external force data acting on the tires 3 as intermediate data rather than directly calculating the tire condition of the tires 3 from the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3, it becomes possible to appropriately capture the characteristics of the external forces acting on the tires 3 that are specific to the aircraft 2. Therefore, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires.

[0028] The "tire condition" of the tire 3 is information representing the condition of the tire 3 that changes as the tire 3 is used. The tire condition of the tire 3 includes, for example, the remaining durability of the tire 3. The "remaining durability" of the tire 3 is an index that decreases as the tire 3 is used, and is an index representing the remaining period until the tire 3 in use reaches a predetermined limit state. The remaining durability is also referred to as the remaining lifespan. For example, the remaining durability of the tire 3 can be expressed as a numerical value from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the value in the initial state of the tire 3 and 0 representing the value in the limit state of the tire 3. The tire condition of the tire 3 may also include the degree of fatigue of the tire 3. The "fatigue degree" of the tire 3 is an index that increases as the tire 3 is used, and is an index representing the amount of fatigue accumulated in the tire 3 in use. For example, the fatigue degree of the tire 3 can be expressed as a numerical value from 0 to 100, with 0 representing the value in the initial state of the tire 3 and 100 representing the value in the limit state of the tire 3.

[0029] The tire condition of the tire 3 may include the wear state of the tire 3. The "wear state" of the tire 3 is an index representing the amount of wear of the tire 3 resulting from use of the tire 3. In the present disclosure, the amount of wear of the tire 3 is the amount of wear of the tread surface of the tire 3.

[0030] The amount of wear on the tread surface of the tire 3 can be calculated based on the wear energy acting on the tread surface of the tire 3. The "wear energy" of the tire 3 is expressed as the product of the amount of slip of the tread surface (particularly the block land portion) against the road surface and the shear force acting on the tread surface. Equation (1) below shows the wear energy acting on one point on the tread surface of the tire 3 during one rotation of the tire 3.

number

[0031] The wear state of the tire 3 may be expressed by the remaining groove depth on the tread surface of the tire 3. The remaining groove depth on the tread surface of the tire 3 is calculated by subtracting the wear depth from the initial value of the remaining groove depth on the tread surface of the tire 3. The remaining groove depth can be evaluated, for example, by the groove depth at a predetermined location on the tread surface of the tire 3, or the average value of the groove depths at multiple locations. However, the wear state of the tire 3 may also be expressed by the wear depth other than on the tread surface of the tire 3, or any index other than the remaining groove depth and the wear depth may also be used.

[0032] Next, the server 10, which is an aircraft tire condition calculation device, will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the server 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the server 10 includes a communication unit 11, an output unit 12, an input unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a control unit 15. In the server 10, the communication unit 11, the output unit 12, the input unit 13, the storage unit 14, and the control unit 15 are connected to each other via wire or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0033] The communication unit 11 includes a communication module for connecting to the network 40. The communication module is a communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication module may be a communication module compatible with standards such as wired LAN or wireless LAN. The communication module may be a communication module compatible with short-range wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or infrared communication. In this embodiment, the server 10 is connected to the network 40 via the communication unit 11. This allows the server 10 to communicate with the measurement device 20, the terminal device 30, other computers, etc.

[0034] The output unit 12 includes one or more output devices. The output devices included in the output unit 12 are, for example, a display, a speaker, a lamp, etc. As a result, the output unit 12 outputs an image, sound, light, etc.

[0035] The input unit 13 includes one or more input devices. The input devices included in the input unit 13 are, for example, a touch panel, a camera, a microphone, etc. The input unit 13 receives an input operation by a user of the server 10, for example.

[0036] The storage unit 14 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like. The storage unit 14 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 14 stores any information used in the operation of the server 10. For example, the storage unit 14 stores a system program, an application program, embedded software, a database, or the like. The information stored in the storage unit 14 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 40 via the communication unit 11, for example.

[0037] For example, the storage unit 14 may store tire identification information of the tire 3 that is the measurement target of the measurement device 20. The tire identification information of the tire 3 is information that can uniquely identify the tire 3. The tire identification information is, for example, an ID (Identifier) ​​of the tire 3 that is uniquely assigned by the server 10, but is not limited to this and may be the manufacturing number of the tire 3, etc.

[0038] The control unit 15 includes one or more processors. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. The control unit 15 is not limited to a processor and may include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits may be, for example, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The control unit 15 controls each component of the server 10 to realize the functions of the components, such as the communication unit 11, the output unit 12, the input unit 13, and the memory unit 14. As will be described in detail later, in the present disclosure, the control unit 15 controls the components of the server 10 to operate as a data acquisition unit 151, an external force calculation unit 152, a tire condition calculation unit 153, and a model construction unit 154.

[0039] (Operation of Aircraft Tire Condition Calculation Device) The operation of the server 10, which is an aircraft tire condition calculation device, will be described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the server 10. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing external forces acting on a tire 3 mounted on an aircraft 2. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the server 10. The flowcharts shown in Figures 3 and 5 show the operation of the server 10. Therefore, the description of this operation is a description of an aircraft tire condition calculation device, and also corresponds to an aircraft tire condition calculation method executed by the server 10 as a computer.

[0040] First, the operation of the server 10 to calculate the tire condition of the tire 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0041] In describing this operation, it is assumed that the server 10 has stored in advance in the storage unit 14 the tire identification information of the tire 3 and information related to the tire 3 that is associated with the tire identification information of the tire 3.

[0042] In step S101, the control unit 15 of the server 10 functions as the data acquisition unit 151 to acquire data such as movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3.

[0043] For example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 acquires movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 from the measurement device 20 via the communication unit 11. The control unit 15 may store the acquired movement data in the memory unit 14 in association with the tire identification information of the tire 3.

[0044] In step S101, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may function as the data acquisition unit 151 to acquire data other than the movement data of the aircraft 2.

[0045] For example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may acquire the measurement data of the tire 3 as time-series data from the measurement device 20 via the communication unit 11.

[0046] Furthermore, for example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may acquire information about the tire 3 from the measurement device 20 or the terminal device 30 via the communication unit 11. The information about the tire 3 includes, for example, at least one of the configuration of the tire 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, or the mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2.

[0047] The configuration of the tire 3 is, for example, the type, model number, material properties, belt angle, size, weight, vertical spring value, or cornering power of the tire 3. The configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted is, for example, the type, model number, overall length, weight, engine displacement, takeoff decision speed, rotation speed, safe takeoff speed, number of mounted tires, or number of shafts of the aircraft 2. The mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2 is information for specifying the position at which the tire 3 is mounted on the aircraft 2. The mounting position of the tire 3 may be specified, for example, by the landing gear (nose landing gear, right main landing gear, or left main landing gear) to which the tire 3 is mounted and the position on the landing gear.

[0048] Furthermore, for example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may acquire environmental data from the measuring device 20, the terminal device 30, or a weather information service via the communication unit 11. The environmental data is, for example, data on the weather, temperature, humidity, air density, wind direction, wind volume, precipitation, etc. at the location where the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3 is located.

[0049] Alternatively, the control unit 15 may acquire an initial value of the tire condition of the tire 3 from the measurement device 20 or the terminal device 30 via the communication unit 11. The initial value of the tire condition of the tire 3 may be, for example, the tire condition of the tire 3 in an unused state at the time of shipment from the factory, or the tire condition of the tire 3 at a certain point in time during use, measured during regular maintenance, pre-flight inspection, or the like. The initial value of the tire condition of the tire 3 may be an actual measurement value at a certain point in the past, or the tire condition of the tire 3 calculated as a result of this operation at a certain point in the past. The control unit 15 may store the acquired data in the memory unit 14 in association with the tire identification information of the tire 3.

[0050] In step S102, the control unit 15 of the server 10, as the external force calculation unit 152, determines the ground contact state of the tire 3 based on the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3, and calculates external force data acting on the tire 3.

[0051] In this embodiment, step S102 includes two steps S102A and S102B.

[0052] Specifically, in step S102A, the control unit 15 of the server 10, functioning as the external force calculation unit 152, determines the ground contact state of the tire 3 based on the movement data of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted.

[0053] The ground contact state of the tire 3 is a state in which the tire 3 is in contact with the ground. When the tire 3 is in a ground contact state, the tire state changes due to external forces applied from the ground. The ground contact state of the tire 3 may include a moving state of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 other than flying. The ground contact state of the tire 3 may include, for example, any of the moving states of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3, such as takeoff, landing, taxiing, traveling other than taxiing, and stopping.

[0054] Any method can be employed to determine the ground contact state of the tire 3. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 with the ground contact state of the tire 3. The control unit 15 can use the association algorithm to determine the ground contact state of the tire 3 based on the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may determine, as the ground contact state of the tire 3, whether the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 is in any of the following states: takeoff, landing, taxiing, traveling other than taxiing, and stopped. However, the control unit 15 may also determine, as the ground contact state of the tire 3, only whether the tire 3 is in a ground contact state based on the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3.

[0055] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the external force data acting on the tire 3 includes one or more computational models constructed by machine learning. Machine learning is a technology in which a computer learns rules or patterns based on a huge amount of data. Examples of machine learning include support vector machines, decision trees, random forests, neural networks, and deep learning. When there are multiple computational models, an appropriate computational model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on information about the tire 3. The computational model receives as input movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 during a predetermined period and determines the ground contact state of the tire 3 during that period. In this way, by using the computational model, the control unit 15 can further improve the accuracy of determining the ground contact state of the tire 3 through training of the computational model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method in addition to or instead of the computational model. The control unit 15 may associate the calculated external force data acting on the tire 3 with the tire identification information of the tire 3 and store it in the storage unit 14.

[0056] As an example, the pitch angle included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 may be used as an input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3. Specifically, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may determine that the tires 3 are in a ground contact state if the pitch angle satisfies a predetermined numerical condition. For example, the control unit 15 may determine that the aircraft 2 has taken off when the pitch angle changes from 0 degrees to a predetermined angle. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may determine that the aircraft 2 has landed when the pitch angle changes from a predetermined angle to 0 degrees. This allows the control unit 15 to identify, from the movement data of the aircraft 2, movement data other than that for the period from takeoff to landing as movement data of the aircraft 2 during the period when the tires 3 are in a ground contact state. In this way, by determining the ground contact state of the tires 3 using only the pitch angle, it is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of external force data acting on the aircraft tires while suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing.

[0057] As another example, the pitch angle and speed included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 may be used as inputs to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3. Specifically, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may determine that the tires 3 are in the ground contact state when the pitch angle and speed satisfy predetermined numerical conditions. For example, the control unit 15 can determine whether the aircraft 2 is in flight or not from the relationship between the lift applied to the aircraft 2 and the weight of the aircraft 2, based on the pitch angle and speed of the aircraft 2. This allows the control unit 15 to identify, from the movement data of the aircraft 2, movement data other than that for periods when the aircraft 2 is in flight as movement data of the aircraft 2 for periods when the tires 3 are in the ground contact state.

[0058] However, the movement data used to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3 is not limited to the pitch angle and speed. For example, the altitude included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 may be used as an input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3. Specifically, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may determine that the tires 3 are in a ground contact state if the altitude satisfies a predetermined numerical condition. For example, if the altitude of the aircraft 2 is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the control unit 15 can determine that the aircraft 2 is not flying and that the tires 3 are in a ground contact state. In this way, any data included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 or a combination thereof may be used as an input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3.

[0059] Furthermore, in step S102A, in order to determine the ground contact state of the tire 3, in addition to the movement data of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, information other than the movement data may be used as input.

[0060] For example, as information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2, the mounting positions of the tires 3 may be used as input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3. As a result, the control unit 15 of the server 10, as the external force calculation unit 152, determines the ground contact state of the tires 3 for each mounting position of the tires 3 based on the movement data and the mounting positions of the tires 3. For example, even if multiple tires 3 are mounted on the same aircraft 2, the timing at which the tires 3 contact the ground during landing and the timing at which they leave the ground during takeoff differ depending on whether the mounting positions of the tires 3 are on the nose landing gear or the main landing gear. In this way, by using the mounting positions of the tires 3 as input, the ground contact state of the tires 3 can be determined with higher accuracy. The control unit 15 may determine the ground contact state of the tires 3 by changing the calculation algorithm used for the determination or the input used for the determination depending on the mounting positions of the tires 3. For example, when the mounting positions of the tires 3 are on the nose landing gear, only the pitch angle may be used as input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3. On the other hand, when the mounting positions of the tires 3 are on the main landing gear, the pitch angle and speed may be used as input to determine the ground contact state of the tires 3.

[0061] However, the information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2 used to determine the ground contact state of the tire 3 is not limited to the above-mentioned examples. Any data or combinations of data such as information about the tire 3, such as the configuration of the tire 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, and the mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2, measurement data of the tire 3, or environmental data may be used as input.

[0062] The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in the storage unit 14 the period during which the tires 3 are in a ground contact state in association with movement data of the aircraft 2. Furthermore, the control unit 15 may store the period during which the tires 3 are in a ground contact state in association with the movement state of the aircraft 2, such as landing, takeoff, and taxiing. In particular, when the aircraft 2 is landing, taking off, or taxiing, the external force input to the tires 3 attached to the aircraft 2 is large, and this is effective in improving the accuracy of calculating the tire state.

[0063] In step S102B, the control unit 15 of the server 10 functions as the external force calculation unit 152 to calculate external force data acting on the tires 3 based on movement data of the aircraft 2. The control unit 15 may calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 based on movement data of the aircraft 2 during the period in which it was determined in step S102A that the tires 3 were in a ground contact state. In this way, by limiting the movement data to be processed, it is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of the external force data acting on the aircraft tires while suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing.

[0064] The external force data acting on the tire 3 is time-series data representing the force applied to the tire 3. The external force data may be composed of one or more external force components. In this operation example, as shown in FIG. 4, the external force data is composed of three mutually perpendicular external force components Fx, Fy, and Fz. The external force component Fx is an external force component in the longitudinal direction (nose direction) of the aircraft 2 when the tire 3 is mounted on the aircraft 2. The external force component Fy is an external force component in the lateral direction (rotational axis direction of the tire 3) of the aircraft 2 when the tire 3 is mounted on the aircraft 2. The external force component Fz is an external force component in the vertical direction of the aircraft 2 when the tire 3 is mounted on the aircraft 2. In this way, the external force data on the tire 3 can represent the magnitude and direction of the force applied to the tire 3. However, the number of components making up the external force data on the tire 3 is not limited to three. In this way, instead of calculating the tire condition of tire 3 directly from the data obtained from the measuring device 20, the external force data acting on tire 3 is calculated as intermediate data, and the tire condition of tire 3 is calculated in stages, thereby improving the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of tire 3.

[0065] Any method can be used to calculate the external force data acting on the tire 3. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 with the external force data acting on the tire 3. The control unit 15 can use the association algorithm to calculate the external force data acting on the tire 3 based on the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3.

[0066] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 includes one or more computational models constructed by machine learning. When there are multiple computational models, an appropriate computational model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on information about the tire 3. In addition, for example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on the movement state of the aircraft 2 while the tire 3 is in a ground contact state. In particular, when the aircraft 2 is landing, taking off, and taxiing, the external force input to the tires 3 mounted on the aircraft 2 increases, so the calculation accuracy of the external force data acting on the tires 3 can be further improved.

[0067] The computational model receives as input movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3 for a predetermined period of time, and outputs external force data acting on the tire 3 for that period of time. By using the computational model in this way, the control unit 15 can further improve the calculation accuracy of the external force data acting on the tire 3 through training of the computational model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method, in addition to or instead of the computational model. Note that the control unit 15 may store the calculated external force data acting on the tire 3 in the storage unit 14 in association with the tire identification information of the tire 3.

[0068] To calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3, any data included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 or a combination of such data can be used as an input.

[0069] As an example, at least one of the pitch angle and roll angle included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 may be used as an input to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3. Specifically, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 by evaluating the tilt of the aircraft 2 in the longitudinal or lateral direction based on at least one of the pitch angle and roll angle. This makes it possible to appropriately reflect the input of external forces to the tires 3 that are not expected for tires 3 mounted on general vehicles when the aircraft 2 takes off, lands, or taxis, and as a result, it is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of the external force data acting on the aircraft tires. It is more preferable to use both the pitch angle and roll angle included in the movement data of the aircraft 2 as input to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3.

[0070] Furthermore, in step S102B, in order to calculate the external force data acting on the tire 3, in addition to the movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tire 3, information other than the movement data may be used as input.

[0071] For example, the mounting positions of the tires 3 may be used as input for calculating the external force data acting on the tires 3 as information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2. As a result, the control unit 15 of the server 10, as the external force calculation unit 152, determines the external force data acting on the tires 3 for each mounting position of the tires 3 based on the movement data and the mounting positions of the tires 3. For example, even for multiple tires 3 mounted on the same aircraft 2, the magnitude and direction of the external force data acting on the tires 3 differ depending on whether the mounting position of the tires 3 is on the nose landing gear or the main landing gear. In this way, by using the mounting positions of the tires 3 as input, the external force data acting on the tires 3 can be calculated with higher accuracy. The control unit 15 may calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 by changing the calculation algorithm or the input used for the calculation depending on the mounting position of the tires 3.

[0072] Furthermore, for example, environmental data may be used as input to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 as information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2. For example, the tilt of the aircraft 2 due to wind direction and wind volume causes the external forces acting on the tires 3 during takeoff, landing, and taxiing of the aircraft 2 to change significantly. Therefore, by using environmental data, it is possible to improve the accuracy of calculating the external force data acting on the tires 3 mounted on an aircraft 2, which is more susceptible to the influence of weather than the running of a typical vehicle.

[0073] As information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2, the configuration of the tires 3 may be used as an input to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3. For example, the external force acting on the tires 3 varies greatly depending on the vertical spring value and cornering power of the tires 3. Therefore, by using the configuration of the tires 3, it is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of the external force data acting on the tires 3 mounted on the aircraft 2, which receives larger external forces during takeoff, landing, and taxiing compared to the running of a general vehicle.

[0074] However, information other than the movement data of the aircraft 2 used to calculate the external force data acting on the tires 3 is not limited to the above examples. Any data or combinations of data such as information about the tires 3, such as the configuration of the tires 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tires 3 are mounted, and the mounting position of the tires 3 on the aircraft 2, measurement data of the tires 3, or environmental data may be used as input.

[0075] Referring back to FIG. 3, in step S103, control unit 15 of server 10 functions as tire condition calculation unit 153 to calculate the tire condition of tire 3 based on the external force data acting on tire 3.

[0076] In this embodiment, step S103 includes step S103A for calculating the wear state of tire 3 and step S103B for calculating the remaining durability of tire 3. That is, in step S103, the control unit 15 of the server 10 calculates the wear state and remaining durability of tire 3 as the tire condition of tire 3. However, in step S103, the control unit 15 may calculate information other than the wear state and remaining durability of tire 3 as the tire condition of tire 3.

[0077] In step S103A, the control unit 15 of the server 10 functions as the tire condition calculation unit 153 to calculate the wear state of the tire 3 based on the external force data acting on the tire 3.

[0078] In this embodiment, step S103A includes two steps S103A-1 and S103A-1.

[0079] In step S103A-1, the control unit 15 of the server 10 receives as input the external force data on the tire 3 calculated by the processing of step S102, and outputs time-series data related to the wear energy of the tire 3. That is, the control unit 15 of the server 10, as the tire condition calculation unit 153, calculates time-series data related to the wear energy of the tire 3 based on the external force data on the tire 3. Hereinafter, the time-series data related to the wear energy of the tire 3 will also be referred to as wear energy data of the tire 3.

[0080] The wear energy data of the tire 3 may include time-series data of wear energy acting on a predetermined location on the tread surface of the tire 3. However, in addition to / instead of the time-series data of wear energy, the wear energy data of the tire 3 may also include time-series data of slippage and shear force acting on a predetermined location on the tread surface of the tire 3. In such a case, as described above using equation (1), the wear energy acting on the tire 3 at a certain point in time can be calculated by multiplying the slippage and shear force at that point in time.

[0081] Any method can be used to calculate the wear energy data of the tire 3. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating the external force data acting on the tire 3 with the wear energy data of the tire 3. The control unit 15 can use the association algorithm to calculate the wear energy data of the tire 3 for a predetermined period based on the external force data acting on the tire 3 for that period.

[0082] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the wear energy data of the tire 3 includes one or more calculation models constructed by machine learning. When there are multiple calculation models, an appropriate calculation model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one calculation model from the multiple calculation models based on information about the tire 3. The calculation model receives external force data acting on the tire 3 over a predetermined period as input and outputs wear energy data of the tire 3 over that period. In this way, by using the calculation model, the control unit 15 can further improve the calculation accuracy of the wear energy data of the tire 3 through training of the calculation model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method in addition to or instead of the calculation model. The control unit 15 may associate the calculated wear energy data of the tire 3 with the tire identification information of the tire 3 and store it in the memory unit 14.

[0083] As described above, the wear energy of the tire 3 is expressed as the product of the amount of slip on the tread surface and the shear force acting on the tread surface. Therefore, the calculation model used in this association algorithm may be composed of one calculation model for outputting wear energy. Alternatively, the calculation model used in this association algorithm may be composed of multiple calculation models, each for outputting the amount of slip or the shear force. In such a case, the multiple calculation models may be constructed using different machine learning methods depending on the wear energy data to be output.

[0084] In step S103A-2, the control unit 15 of the server 10 receives as input the wear energy data of the tire 3 calculated in step S103A-1, and outputs the wear state of the tire 3. That is, the control unit 15 of the server 10, functioning as the tire state calculation unit 153, calculates the wear state of the tire 3 based on the wear energy data of the tire 3.

[0085] Any method can be used to calculate the wear state of the tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating the wear energy data of the tire 3 with the wear state of the tire 3. Using the association algorithm, the control unit 15 can calculate the wear state of the tire 3 after a predetermined period has elapsed based on the total wear energy data of the tire 3 for the predetermined period.

[0086] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the wear state of the tire 3 includes one or more computational models constructed by machine learning. When there are multiple computational models, an appropriate computational model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on information about the tire 3. The computational model receives external force data acting on the tire 3 for a predetermined period as input and outputs the amount of wear on the tread surface of the tire 3 for that period. The calculated amount of wear on the tread surface of the tire 3 is subtracted from the initial value of the remaining groove depth of the tread surface of the tire 3 to calculate the current remaining groove depth of the tread surface of the tire 3 as the wear state of the tire 3. In this way, by using the computational model, the control unit 15 can further improve the calculation accuracy of the wear state of the tire 3 through training of the computational model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method in addition to or instead of the computational model. The control unit 15 may associate the calculated wear state of the tire 3 with the tire identification information of the tire 3 and store it in the storage unit 14.

[0087] Furthermore, in the process of step S103A, in order to calculate the wear state of the tire 3 from the external force data acting on the tire 3, in addition to the external force data acting on the tire 3, information other than the external force data may be used as an input.

[0088] For example, information related to the tires 3 may be used as input to calculate the wear state of the tires 3 as information other than external force data. The information related to the tires 3 includes at least one of the configuration of the tires 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tires 3 are mounted, and the mounting position of the tires 3 on the aircraft 2. Even if the wear energy acting on the tires 3 is the same, the amount of wear on the tires 3 may differ depending on the configuration of the tires 3, such as the material properties of the rubber, or manufacturing data specific to the tires 3. Furthermore, even if the movement data is the same, the wear energy acting on the tires 3 may differ depending on the type (roughness) of the road surface on which the aircraft 2 mainly travels, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tires 3 are mounted, or the mounting position of the tires 3 on the aircraft 2. Therefore, by taking these factors into consideration, the accuracy of the wear state of the tires 3 calculated by this process can be improved.

[0089] However, the information other than the external force data acting on the tire 3 used in the processing of step S103A is not limited to the above-mentioned examples. Any data or combinations of data such as information about the tire 3, such as the configuration of the tire 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, and the mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2, measurement data of the tire 3, or environmental data may be used as input.

[0090] Referring back to FIG. 3, in step S103B, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may function as the tire condition calculation unit 153 to calculate the remaining durability of the tire 3 based on the external force data acting on the tire 3.

[0091] In this embodiment, step S103B includes two steps S103B-1 and S103B-1.

[0092] In step S103B-1, the control unit 15 of the server 10 calculates the deterioration history data of the tire 3 based on the external force data acting on the tire 3 calculated by the process of step S102.

[0093] Here, the deterioration history data of the tire 3 may be deterioration history data for at least a portion of the tire 3. The at least a portion of the tire 3 may be a portion of the casing portion of the tire 3. The casing portion of the tire 3 is a portion other than the tread rubber of the tire 3. The casing portion of the tire 3 includes a belt, a carcass, a bead core, a side rubber, etc. The casing portion of the tire 3 is a portion that can continue to be used without being removed when the tire 3 is retreaded. In this way, by calculating the deterioration history data for a portion of the casing portion of the tire 3, the remaining durability calculated by this operation can continue to be used as an evaluation index for the durability of the tire 3 even if the tire 3 is retreaded.

[0094] The deterioration history data is time-series data of indicators related to the deterioration of the tire 3. The deterioration history data may include at least one of temperature history data, strain history data, or oxygen concentration history data. The temperature history data is time-series data of the temperature in at least a portion of the tire 3. The strain history data is time-series data of the strain occurring in at least a portion of the tire 3. The oxygen concentration history data is time-series data of the concentration of oxygen contained in rubber constituting at least a portion of the tire 3. The deterioration history data preferably includes at least two of the temperature history data, strain history data, and oxygen concentration history data, and more preferably includes all of the temperature history data, strain history data, and oxygen concentration history data.

[0095] Any method can be employed to calculate the degradation history data of the tire 3. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating the external force data acting on the tire 3 with the degradation history data of the tire 3. The control unit 15 can use the association algorithm to calculate the degradation history data of the tire 3 for a predetermined period based on the external force data acting on the tire 3 for that period.

[0096] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the degradation history data of the tire 3 includes one or more computational models constructed by machine learning. When there are multiple computational models, an appropriate computational model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on information about the tire 3. The computational model receives external force data acting on the tire 3 for a predetermined period as input and outputs degradation history data of the tire 3 for that period. In this way, by using the computational model, the control unit 15 can further improve the calculation accuracy of the degradation history data of the tire 3 through training of the computational model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method in addition to or instead of the computational model. The control unit 15 may associate the calculated degradation history data of the tire 3 with the tire identification information of the tire 3 and store it in the memory unit 14.

[0097] The computational model used in this association algorithm may be composed of multiple computational models, each for outputting temperature history data, strain history data, or oxygen concentration history data. The multiple computational models may be constructed using different machine learning methods depending on the degradation history data to be output. For example, the computational model that outputs temperature history data is preferably a recursive computational model that uses past outputs as inputs in addition to external force data acting on the tire 3. Examples of recursive computational models include a recurrent neural network or a long short term memory (LSTM). Because temperature history data is time-series data that is highly correlated with previous and subsequent data, using past outputs as inputs can improve the calculation accuracy. Furthermore, for example, a computational model that calculates strain history data receives external force data acting on the tire 3 as input and outputs data related to the principal strain of the tire 3 as strain history data. This can improve the calculation accuracy of strain history data, which periodically changes in strength as the tire 3 rotates during ground travel of the aircraft 2.

[0098] Furthermore, in the process of step S103B-1, in order to calculate the degradation history data of the tire 3, in addition to the external force data acting on the tire 3, information other than the external force data may be used as an input.

[0099] For example, measurement data of the tire 3 may be used as input to calculate the deterioration history data of the tire 3 as information other than external force data. The measurement data of the tire 3 is, for example, time-series data such as the internal pressure (air pressure) or temperature of the tire 3. Also, for example, environmental data may be used as input to calculate the deterioration history data of the tire 3 as information other than external force data. For example, by taking into account the influence of the internal temperature of the tire 3, the outside air temperature, etc., the calculation accuracy of the temperature history data can be improved.

[0100] However, the information other than the external force data acting on the tire 3 used in the processing of step S103B-1 is not limited to the above-mentioned examples. Any data or combinations of data such as information about the tire 3, such as the configuration of the tire 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, and the mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2, measurement data of the tire 3, or environmental data may be used as input.

[0101] Furthermore, when the movement data of the aircraft 2 satisfies a predetermined condition, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may calculate the temperature history data based on the environmental data, without using the external force data acting on the tires 3. The predetermined condition is, for example, a condition indicating that the aircraft 2 is stopped. It is known that when the aircraft 2 is stopped, the temperature of the tires 3 will be the same as or close to the value of the environmental data. Therefore, the temperature history data can be calculated based on the environmental data without using the external force data. This makes it possible to stop the calculation of the external force data during this period without reducing the calculation accuracy of the temperature history data, thereby suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing in the control unit 15.

[0102] As another example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may calculate the deterioration history data using the wear state of the tire 3 calculated in step S103A. That is, the control unit 15 may calculate the deterioration history data based on the external force data acting on the tire 3 and the wear state of the tire 3. Even for the same type of tire 3, the external force acting on the tire 3 may differ depending on the wear state of the tire 3. In this way, by taking the wear state of the tire 3 into consideration, the calculation accuracy of the deterioration history data of the tire 3 can be improved.

[0103] In step S103B-2, the control unit 15 of the server 10 calculates the remaining durability of the tire 3 based on the degradation history data of the tire 3 calculated in the process of step S103B-1.

[0104] Any method can be used to calculate the remaining durability of the tire 3. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may store in advance in the storage unit 14 an algorithm for associating the degradation history data of the tire 3 with the remaining durability of the tire 3. The control unit 15 can use the association algorithm to calculate the remaining durability of the tire 3 after a predetermined period has elapsed based on the sum of the degradation history data of the tire 3 for that period. Specifically, the control unit 15 may calculate the current remaining durability of the tire 3 (e.g., 0 to 100) by setting the remaining durability of the tire 3 in an unused state at the time of shipment from the factory as an initial value (e.g., 100) and subtracting the amount of decrease in durability due to use of the tire 3 calculated from the degradation history data of the tire 3. Note that when calculating the remaining durability of the tire 3, the control unit 15 may correct the initial value of the remaining durability of the tire 3 using information about the tire 3, such as manufacturing data specific to the tire 3. The manufacturing data specific to the tire 3 includes the length of the turned-up portion of the carcass (ply) or the belt width. For example, the longer the turned-up portion of the carcass, the higher the initial value of the remaining durability of the tire 3. Also, for example, the narrower the belt width, the higher the initial value of the remaining durability of the tire 3. By taking into account the manufacturing variations of the tire 3 in this way, the calculation accuracy of the remaining durability of the tire 3 can be further improved.

[0105] In this embodiment, the association algorithm used to calculate the remaining durability of the tire 3 includes one or more computational models constructed by machine learning. When there are multiple computational models, an appropriate computational model may be used depending on the target tire 3. For example, the control unit 15 may select one computational model from the multiple computational models based on information about the tire 3. The computational model receives external force data acting on the tire 3 over a predetermined period as input and outputs the amount of decrease in durability of the tire 3 over that period. The current remaining durability of the tire 3 is calculated by subtracting the calculated amount of decrease in durability of the tire 3 from the initial value of the remaining durability of the tire 3. In this way, by using the computational model, the control unit 15 can further improve the calculation accuracy of the remaining durability of the tire 3 through training of the computational model. However, the association algorithm may include a predetermined relational expression that does not rely on a statistical method in addition to or instead of the computational model. The control unit 15 may associate the calculated remaining durability of the tire 3 with the tire identification information of the tire 3 and store it in the storage unit 14.

[0106] When calculating the remaining durability of the tire 3 in step S103B-2, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may acquire as input the remaining durability of the tire 3 at a specific time point in addition to the degradation history data calculated in step S102. Specifically, the control unit 15 may output the remaining durability of the tire 3 based on the remaining durability of the tire 3 at the specific time point and the degradation history data from the specific time point. For example, if the control unit 15 has previously calculated the remaining durability of the tire 3 at a specific time point, the control unit 15 may use the calculated remaining durability as an initial value and calculate the current remaining durability of the tire 3 by subtracting from the initial value the amount of decrease in durability of the tire 3 calculated from the degradation history data of the tire 3 from that time point onwards. This makes it possible to omit calculating the amount of decrease in durability of the tire 3 from the time of factory shipment to the specific time point, thereby suppressing an increase in the amount of calculation processing in the server 10.

[0107] Furthermore, in the processing of step S103B-2, in addition to the degradation history data of the tire 3, information other than the degradation history data may be used as input to calculate the remaining durability of the tire 3. For example, as information other than the degradation history data of the tire 3, information about the tire 3 such as the configuration of the tire 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 on which the tire 3 is mounted, and the mounting position of the tire 3 on the aircraft 2, measurement data of the tire 3, or any data such as environmental data, or a combination of these, may be used as input.

[0108] Referring again to FIG. 3, in step S104, the control unit 15 of the server 10 can output the tire condition of the tire 3 calculated in step S103 by any method.

[0109] For example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may display the tire condition of the tire 3 via the output unit 12, such as a display. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may transmit a request to display the tire condition of the tire 3 to the terminal device 30 via the communication unit 11. In such a case, the terminal device 30 can display the tire condition of the tire 3 via a display or the like based on the request received from the server 10. As a result, a user of the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can view the visualized or digitized tire condition of the tire 3. In this way, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can improve the usability of the technology for calculating the tire condition of the tire 3. Furthermore, the control unit 15 may output intermediate data in the tire condition calculation, such as external force data acting on the tire 3, in addition to the tire condition of the tire 3. By presenting the user with intermediate data in the tire condition calculation in addition to the tire condition of the tire 3, the reliability of the tire condition calculated using machine learning or the like can be improved.

[0110] In step S105, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may output an alert when the tire condition of the tire 3 falls outside a predetermined threshold range.

[0111] The predetermined threshold range may be associated with at least one of replacement, retreading, or rotation of the tire 3. For example, if the predetermined threshold range is associated with replacement of the tire 3, an alert can be output to prompt replacement of the tire 3 when the tire condition of the tire 3 falls outside the predetermined threshold range.

[0112] Any method can be used to output the alert. The control unit 15 of the server 10 may display information or output sound or light via the output unit 12. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may send a request to output an alert to the terminal device 30 via the communication unit 11. In such a case, the terminal device 30 can output the alert via a display or the like based on the request received from the server 10. As a result, the user of the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can be prompted to take action such as replacing, retreading, or rotating the tires 3.

[0113] Next, the operation of the server 10 to construct a computational model will be described with reference to Fig. 5. As described above, computational models may be used in the external force calculation unit 152 and the tire condition calculation unit 153. These computational models may be constructed by the model construction unit 154.

[0114] In step S201, the control unit 15 of the server 10 functions as the model construction unit 154 to generate training data for constructing each computation model.

[0115] Any method can be used to generate the training data. For example, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may generate training data using past actual measurement values ​​corresponding to the inputs and outputs of each computational model as explanatory variables and response variables. The past actual measurement values ​​are, for example, time-series data such as aircraft 2 movement data or experimental data such as tire tread observations. This allows the accumulation of training data to improve the accuracy of the output from the computational model. Furthermore, the control unit 15 of the server 10 may generate training data using virtual time-series data generated by simulation as explanatory variables and response variables, in addition to or instead of the past actual measurement values. For example, the virtual time-series data is preferably generated by using a known stochastic process method or a mode decomposition method such as principal component analysis (PCA) based on actual aircraft movement data, etc., to generate virtual data that retains summary statistics (e.g., mean, variance). This allows for efficient construction of a highly accurate computational model even in the early stages when little measurement data has been accumulated. Note that an aircraft movement simulator, a three-dimensional tire rolling simulator, etc. may be used to generate the virtual time-series data through simulation. In a three-dimensional tire rolling simulator, for example, FEM (Finite Element Method) or the like is used.

[0116] In step S202, the control unit 15 of the server 10, functioning as the model construction unit 154, executes machine learning based on the training data to construct each computation model.

[0117] Note that, in steps S201 to S202, in constructing the computational model, any information may be used in addition to time-series data such as movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3 and measurement data of the tires 3. For example, in addition to time-series data such as movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3 and measurement data of the tires 3, information related to the tires 3, such as the configuration of the tires 3, the configuration of the aircraft 2 equipped with the tires 3, or the mounting position of the tires 3 on the aircraft 2, or environmental data may be used. This can improve the accuracy of the output of the computational model constructed by machine learning.

[0118] As described above, in this embodiment, the server 10, which is an aircraft tire condition calculation device, includes a data acquisition unit 151 that acquires movement data of the aircraft 2 equipped with tires 3, an external force calculation unit 152 that determines the ground contact state of the tires 3 based on the movement data and calculates external force data acting on the tires 3, and a tire condition calculation unit 153 that calculates the tire condition of the tires 3 based on the external force data.

[0119] With this configuration, the server 10 can accurately calculate the external forces acting on the tires 3 mounted on the aircraft 2, which have characteristics different from those of external forces acting on tires 3 mounted on general vehicles, based on the movement data of the aircraft 2. Furthermore, by calculating the external force data acting on the tires 3 as intermediate data rather than directly calculating the tire condition of the tires 3 from the movement data of the aircraft 2 on which the tires 3 are mounted, it becomes possible to appropriately capture the characteristics of the external forces acting on the tires 3 that are specific to the aircraft 2. Therefore, the aircraft tire condition calculation system 1 can improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires.

[0120] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the configurations or functions included in each embodiment can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies. Furthermore, the configurations or functions included in each embodiment can be used in combination with other embodiments, and multiple configurations or functions can be combined, divided, or partially omitted.

[0121] For example, in the above embodiment, the control unit 15 of one server 10 has been described as operating as the data acquisition unit 151, the external force calculation unit 152, the tire condition calculation unit 153, and the model construction unit 154, but this is not limited to this. A plurality of servers 10 or a plurality of control units 15 specialized for each operation may be provided.

[0122] Also, for example, an embodiment is possible in which a general-purpose computer functions as the server 10 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the server 10 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executable by a processor or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the program. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, and a semiconductor memory.

[0123] Furthermore, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the tire condition of tire 3 has been described as including the wear state of tire 3, but in addition to / instead of the wear state, an index other than the wear state may be included. For example, the tire condition of tire 3 may include the uneven wear state of tire 3. The "uneven wear state" of tire 3 is an index that represents the uneven amount of wear of tire 3 due to use of tire 3.

[0124] For example, the uneven wear state of tire 3 may be expressed using the difference between the amount of wear (remaining groove depth) of grooves located in the center portion of the tread surface of tire 3 and the amount of wear (remaining groove depth) of grooves located in the shoulder portions. The tread surface of tire 3 has one center portion and two shoulder portions, each located outside the center portion in the tire width direction. That is, in the tread surface of tire 3, the center portion is sandwiched between the two shoulder portions in the tire width direction. The sizes of the center portion and the shoulder portions in the tread surface of tire 3 may be determined arbitrarily.

[0125] Alternatively, the uneven wear state of the tire 3 may be expressed using the difference between the wear energy in the center portion and the wear energy in the shoulder portion of the tread surface of the tire 3. Specifically, virtual time series data is generated using a simulation such as FEM based on external force data consisting of one or more external force components acting on the tire 3, and the distribution of slippage and shear force in the tread surface of the tire 3 (slippage and shear force in the center portion, slippage and shear force in the shoulder portion) is calculated, thereby making it possible to calculate the distribution of wear energy in the tread surface of the tire 3 (wear energy in the center portion, wear energy in the shoulder portion). The greater the difference between the wear energy in the center portion and the wear energy in the shoulder portion, the greater the uneven wear state of the tire 3. [Industrial Applicability]

[0126] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an aircraft tire condition calculation device and calculation method that can improve the accuracy of calculating the tire condition of aircraft tires.

[0127] [Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)] The SDGs have been proposed to realize a sustainable society. One embodiment of the present invention is believed to be a technology that can contribute to goals such as "No. 12: Responsible Consumption and Production" and "No. 13: Take concrete measures to combat climate change." [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 1: Aircraft tire condition calculation system, 2: Aircraft, 3: Tire, 10: Server (aircraft tire condition calculation device), 11: Communication unit, 12: Output unit, 13: Input unit, 14: Memory unit, 15: Control unit, 151: Data acquisition unit, 152: External force calculation unit, 153: Tire condition calculation unit, 154: Model construction unit, 20: Measuring device, 30: Terminal device, 40: Network, Fx, Fy, Fz: External force components

Claims

1. a data acquisition unit that acquires movement data of the aircraft equipped with the tires; an external force calculation unit that determines a ground contact state of the tire based on the movement data and calculates external force data acting on the tire; a tire condition calculation unit that calculates a tire condition of the tire based on the external force data; An aircraft tire condition calculation device comprising:

2. 2. The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the external force calculation unit calculates the external force data acting on the tire based on the movement data during a period in which the tire is determined to be in the contact state.

3. the movement data includes a pitch angle of the aircraft; The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the external force calculation unit uses the pitch angle as an input in determining the ground contact condition of the tire.

4. the movement data includes a speed of the aircraft; The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 3 , wherein the external force calculation unit uses the pitch angle and the velocity as inputs in determining the ground contact condition of the tire.

5. the movement data includes a roll angle of the aircraft; 4. The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 3, wherein the external force calculation unit uses at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle as an input in the calculation of the external force data acting on the tire.

6. the data acquisition unit acquires mounting positions of the tires on the aircraft, 2 . The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the external force calculation unit determines the ground contact condition of the tire for each of the mounting positions of the tire based on the movement data and the mounting positions of the tire.

7. the tire condition calculation unit includes a calculation model constructed by machine learning, The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation model receives the external force data as an input and outputs the tire condition.

8. The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the tire condition calculation unit calculates the wear state of the tire based on the external force data.

9. The aircraft tire condition calculation device according to claim 1 , wherein the tire condition calculation unit calculates a remaining durability of the tire based on the external force data.

10. 1. A method for aircraft tire condition calculation executed by one or more computers, comprising: obtaining movement data for an aircraft equipped with tires; determining a ground contact state of the tire based on the movement data and calculating external force data acting on the tire; Calculating a tire condition of the tire based on the external force data; An aircraft tire condition calculation method, comprising:

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