Vehicle Tire Position Identification System and Method Using Tires and / or Wheel Sensors and Directional Antennas

Abstract

A system for identifying vehicle wheel positions includes sensors mounted on each tire of a vehicle. Each axle of the vehicle is associated with a first directional antenna configured to capture wireless output signals from each tire on one side and a second directional antenna configured to capture wireless output signals from each tire on the other side. A data processing unit (e.g., an in-vehicle controller, a remote server) receives output signals from each sensor via at least respective directional antennas and automatically identifies each wheel position on the vehicle based on the mapped relative positions for each of the directional antennas and further based on the detected relative output signal strengths for any tire and / or wheel sensor associated with an axle having a plurality of tires on each side of the vehicle. A switching device may optionally enable selection between each directional antenna for implementation of respective output signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the automatic location of tires and / or wheel sensors on a wheeled vehicle. More specifically, the systems, methods, and related algorithms disclosed herein can use tire and / or wheel sensors, directional antennas, and in some embodiments a relative signal strength indicator (RSSI) for tire location, which can be used for fleet management, cost prediction, and improved tire wear prediction of wheeled vehicles including, but not limited to, motorcycles, consumer vehicles (e.g., passenger cars and light trucks), commercial vehicles, and off-road (OTR) vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Knowing the relative position of tire and / or wheel sensors, such as tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors, vehicle-mounted sensors, or tire mounted sensors (TMS), is an important feature regardless of whether the vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle. In commercial vehicles, which often have 18 tires and where tire positions can change during maintenance, the importance can be heightened. However, most fleet management systems are unable to adequately track or otherwise document such information, which can pose difficulties for a number of important fleet management tasks, such as generating maintenance alerts, predicting the amount of remaining wear life, predicting which (and when) tires need to be replaced, and cost prediction.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The techniques disclosed herein can accurately and reliably track a given tire for a given vehicle, as well as the tire and / or wheel sensors, or their output signals.

[0004] A first exemplary embodiment of the system disclosed herein for vehicle wheel position determination includes at least one tire and / or wheel sensor respectively associated with each of a plurality of tires mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a plurality of axles each having at least one tire on each of a first side and a second side of the vehicle. For each of the axles, a first directional antenna is configured to capture wireless output signals from each of the respective at least one tire associated with the axle on the first side, and a second directional antenna is configured to capture wireless output signals from each of the respective at least one tire associated with the axle on the second side. A data processing unit is configured to receive output signals from each of the tire and / or wheel sensors via at least the respective directional antennas, and is further configured to automatically identify the respective wheel positions on the vehicle for each of the tire and / or wheel sensors based on the mapped relative positions for each of the directional antennas.

[0005] In a second embodiment, an exemplary further aspect according to the first embodiment referred to above can include the vehicle comprising at least one axle having a single tire on each of a first side and a second side, and at least one axle having a plurality of tires on each of a first side and a second side, and the data processing unit being further configured to automatically identify the respective wheel positions on the vehicle for each of the tire and / or wheel sensors based on the mapped relative positions for each of the directional antennas and further based on the detected relative output signal strengths for at least the tire and / or wheel sensors associated with the plurality of axles having a plurality of tires on each of a first side and a second side.

[0006] In the third embodiment, an exemplary further aspect according to the first or second embodiment referred to above can include that the wireless output signal from each tire includes data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics.

[0007] An exemplary further aspect according to the third embodiment referred to above can include that the wireless output signal from a single tire and / or wheel sensor for at least one tire includes an identifier unique to each tire and data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics.

[0008] Alternatively, the wireless output signal from at least one tire can include a radio frequency identification (RF) signal unique to each tire via an RFID tag as the first tire and / or wheel sensor, and data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics from a second tire and / or wheel sensor.

[0009] An exemplary further aspect according to the third embodiment referred to above can include that the data processing unit is configured to associate at least one of one or more measured tire characteristics in the data storage with each of the identified tire and / or wheel sensor and the wheel position on the vehicle.

[0010] An exemplary further aspect according to the third embodiment referred to above can include that the data processing unit detects a change in the position of the identified tire and / or wheel sensor and the corresponding tire from a first wheel position to a second wheel position on the vehicle, and aggregates at least one of one or more measured tire characteristics received from the identified tire and / or wheel sensor at each of the first wheel position and the second wheel position in the data storage.

[0011] In the fourth embodiment, an exemplary further aspect according to one of the first to third embodiments referred to above can include an RF receiver composed of a plurality of channels respectively corresponding to one of the directional antennas associated with the vehicle in order to implement each output signal simultaneously.

[0012] Alternatively, the system can include an RF switching device configured to enable selection between each of the directional antennas associated with the vehicle in order to implement each output signal.

[0013] An exemplary further aspect according to one of the first to fourth embodiments referred to above can include that at least one tire and / or wheel sensor includes at least a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor and / or a tire-mounted sensor (TMS).

[0014] In the fifth embodiment, an exemplary further aspect according to one of the first to fourth embodiments referred to above can include that the data processing unit accumulates historical information regarding the tire wear of each tire in the data storage, and is further configured to estimate the current tire wear state of each tire based on at least the identified wheel position and the stored historical information regarding the tire wear.

[0015] An exemplary further aspect according to the fifth embodiment referred to above can include that the data processing unit predicts one or more tire traction characteristics of each tire based on at least the estimated tire wear state, provides the one or more predicted tire traction characteristics to the vehicle control unit, and is further configured to automatically correct one or more vehicle operation settings based on at least the one or more predicted tire traction characteristics via the vehicle control unit.

[0016] An exemplary further aspect according to the fifth embodiment referred to above can include that the data processing unit is further configured to predict the replacement time for each tire by comparing with one or more tire wear thresholds based on one or more of the current tire wear state and the predicted tire wear state.

[0017] An exemplary further aspect according to the fifth embodiment referred to above can include that each tire wear threshold for a given tire corresponds to an identified wheel position associated with the tire.

[0018] An exemplary further aspect according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments referred to above can include an in-vehicle vehicle control unit including a data processing unit.

[0019] Alternatively, the system may include a server-based network or a mobile computing device including a data processing unit.

[0020] Alternatively, the data processing unit may be composed of distributed and functionally interacting modules associated with any one or more of an in-vehicle control unit, a server-based network, and / or a mobile computing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Generally, with reference to FIGS. 1-3, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be described in detail herein. When various figures may describe embodiments that share various common elements and features with other embodiments, the same elements and features may be given the same reference numbers, and their duplicate descriptions may be omitted hereinafter.

[0023] Referring first to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the system 100 disclosed herein can generally be applied to both commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles, and includes at least one tire and / or wheel sensor 114 provided for each of a plurality of tires 112 mounted on the vehicle. The tire and / or wheel sensor 114 may include any of various tire-mounted sensors, and in some embodiments, may include, for example, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor such as is currently often included in certain large trucks. Examples of conventional TPMS include a sensor transmitter that is functionally linked to a TPMS receiver, which itself is further linked to a data processing unit. The TPMS sensor transmitter may be provided, for example, within the internal air cavity of the tire 112, either on the tire wheel or on the inner surface of the tire. The transmitter detects the internal pressure of the tire at predetermined time intervals and wirelessly transmits an output signal corresponding to the internal pressure value of the tire to the receiver, along with a unique identifier associated with the tire. The transmitter may be mounted on the wheel rim, for example, so as to be integrated with the tire valve. Alternatively, the transmitter may be attached to the inner surface of the tire. The receiver further relays the signal from the transmitter to the data processing unit via a communication means such as Bluetooth.

[0024] Other examples of tire and / or wheel sensors 114 within the scope of the present disclosure can include sensors mounted to the valve stem of the tire 112, and further can include sensors mounted to the outer surface of the tire 112.

[0025] In certain embodiments, a single tire and / or wheel sensor 114 may be configured to transmit an output signal that includes an identifier along with other data corresponding to the measured tire characteristics, for example, as part of a data string. In other embodiments, one or more tire and / or wheel sensors 114 on a given tire may be configured to generate an output signal corresponding to the measured tire characteristics, while another tire and / or wheel sensor 114 on the same tire may be configured to generate identification data, for example, via an RFID tag separate from the first set of one or more tire and / or wheel sensors 114. In such embodiments, the output signals from each of the tire and / or wheel sensors 114 may be generated continuously, or the output signal from the RFID tag may be selectively generated or otherwise triggered, for example, based on the initialization of the output signal when the vehicle starts operating, via a command from an external source or from other tire and / or wheel sensors from the first set of one or more tire and / or wheel sensors.

[0026] The embodiment of system 100 shown in FIG. 1 further includes a pair of directional antennas 120 mounted on the vehicle in relation to each vehicle axle 104 of the vehicle, and each of the directional antennas 120 is directed outwardly from an inner position, for example, with respect to the tire 112 of the corresponding vehicle axle 104. In the case of a single-tire axle 104, a directional antenna 120 is assigned to each tire 112x. However, in the case of a dual-tire axle 104 as shown in FIG. 2, for example, a single directional antenna 120 is assigned to two tires 112x1, 112x2, and the antenna 120 is focused on one of those tires. Thus, the antenna 120 is more sensitive to the signals of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 attached to the tire 112 in proximity to the antenna 120 and less sensitive to the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 of the tire 112 that is further away from the antenna 120 on the same axle side. This sensitivity can be converted into a relative signal strength indicator (RSSI), and the RSSI of the signals from the adjacent tire and / or wheel sensor 114 is higher than the RSSI of the signals coming from the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 that is further away from the antenna.

[0027] For example, referring to FIG. 2, a single-tire axle 104a has a directional antenna 120a for a single tire 112a provided on one side of the axle / vehicle, and a directional antenna 120b for a single tire 112b provided on the other side of the axle / vehicle. In this situation, RSSI is not required as an element for identifying each tire 112. The illustrated positions of the directional antennas 120a, 120b do not limit the scope of the embodiment, and it should be noted that the location of the directional antenna can vary at least partially based on the design needs of a given vehicle, axle, antenna, etc., as long as the field of the directional antenna is configured and arranged to reliably capture the output signals from the associated tire and / or wheel sensor. Although the illustrated embodiment and the description herein may state that a given directional antenna 120 is provided or directed to one or more corresponding tires 112, it should be further noted that the directional antenna 120 is further provided or directed to one or more corresponding tires and / or wheel sensors 114 associated with these tires 112.

[0028] In the case of the first dual-tire axle 104b as shown in FIG. 2, the directional antenna 120c on the first side of the axle / vehicle is directed to tires 112c1 and 112c2, and the directional antenna 120d on the second side of the axle / vehicle is directed to tires 112d1 and 112d2. In this example, the RSSI of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114c2 associated with tire 112c2 is higher than the RSSI of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114c1 associated with tire 112c1 based on the received signal strength of antenna 120c, and the RSSI of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114d2 associated with tire 112d2 is higher than the RSSI of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114d1 associated with tire 112d1 based on the received signal strength of antenna 120c. Similar configurations and exemplary RSSI comparisons will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art for each of the remaining dual-tire axles 104b in FIG. 2.

[0029] The ten directional antennas 120 on the commercial vehicle shown in FIG. 2 can be connected to the data processing unit 140 via the RF switch 130, whereby the output signals of each directional antenna 120 can be selectively received and analyzed separately. In an alternative embodiment, the directional antennas 120 can be communicatively coupled or functionally linked to the data processing unit 140 via a multi-channel receiver in order to simultaneously implement the respective output signals from each of the tire and / or wheel sensors 114. In yet another alternative embodiment, the directional antennas 120 may be connected to the data processing unit 140 via respective independent receivers (i.e., ten receivers in the case of an embodiment including ten directional antennas).

[0030] The data processing unit 140 can take any of various forms within the scope of the present disclosure, including, for example, a computing device configured to be mounted on a fleet management device or server, a third-party server network, a vehicle, at least acquire data, transmit the data to a remote server, and / or perform related calculations as disclosed herein. The in-vehicle computing device as the data processing unit 140, its components, or the medium between the directional antenna 120 and the data processing unit 140 may be portable or otherwise modular as part of a distributed vehicle data collection and control system, or alternatively, may be provided integrally with a central vehicle data collection and control system including, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU) 160. The data processing unit 140 may include, for example, a display unit 142, a processor 148, a memory / computer-readable medium 144 in which program logic resides, and a data storage 146 including, for example, the mapped positions of each directional antenna 120, tire data and / or vehicle operation data (regardless of whether directly or indirectly measured and stored), models derived therefrom over time, etc., or may be functionally linked thereto. The data processing unit 140 may further include a communication unit 150 for wired or wireless connection to various vehicle components, control units, server networks, etc.

[0031] Accordingly, system 100 as disclosed herein may implement a number of components distributed across one or more vehicles, but, for example, not necessarily associated with a fleet management entity, and further may implement a central server or server network that communicates functionally with each of the vehicles via a communication network. The vehicle components typically include, for example, body accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs), global positioning system (GPS) transponders, ambient temperature sensors, engine sensors, etc., which are linked, for example, to a controller area network (CAN) bus network, thereby providing signals to the data processing unit 140 or other local processing units, and in addition to the tire and / or wheel sensors 114 and associated in-vehicle components described above, may include one or more sensors 116.

[0032] In view of the following considerations, other sensors for collecting and transmitting vehicle data related to speed, acceleration, braking characteristics, etc. will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and will not be further considered herein. Various bus interfaces, protocols, and related networks are well known in the art for communication of vehicle dynamics data, etc. between respective data sources and local computing devices, and those skilled in the art will recognize a wide range of such tools and implementation means for implementing them.

[0033] System 100 may include a data processing unit 140 that is not essentially discrete even in the example of an in-vehicle computing device. For example, additional distributed program logic resident on a fleet management server or other user computing device 140, or a user interface of a device (not shown) resident on or associated with the vehicle for real-time notifications (e.g., via visual and / or audio indicators). The fleet management device is functionally linked to the in-vehicle device via a communication network in some embodiments. System programming information can be provided, for example, by a driver or installed by a fleet manager.

[0034] Referring next to FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment of a method 300 according to the present disclosure can include a first step (step 310) of mapping a plurality of directional antennas 120 to respective wheel positions on a vehicle. As described above, by using the directional antennas 120, it is possible to separate and easily identify output signals from tire and / or wheel sensors 114 within a related field with respect to the mapped wheel positions.

[0035] In one embodiment, the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 can further comprise a unique identifier transmitted via the directional antenna 120 and the receiver / RF switch 130. Thus, the method 300 can further include a step (step 320) of mapping the tire and / or wheel sensor identifier to each of the corresponding tire sets. In particular, when the output signal from the tire and / or wheel sensor in use contains such an identifier, for example, using radio frequency identification (RFID), the data processing unit 140 can distinguish the signals provided from each sensor 114 on the same vehicle. Further, for example, in a fleet management scenario, the signals provided from the tires 112 and the associated tires and / or wheel sensors 114 across multiple vehicles can be distinguished. In other words, the sensor output values may be associated with a particular tire, a particular vehicle, and / or a particular tire-vehicle system for the purpose of in-vehicle or remote / downstream data storage and implementation disclosed herein. Thus, a tire 112 relocated from a first wheel on a vehicle can be readily identifiable as having been moved from the first wheel to another wheel on the same or a different vehicle since the output signal is then transmitted to the respective data processing unit 140. In various embodiments, for example, the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 is located inside the tire or otherwise attached to the tire so as to be substantially fixed. However, in an alternative case where the first tire and / or wheel sensor is predictably removable from the initial tire and replaceable with another (e.g., second) tire and / or wheel sensor, the system 100 can, for example, map the duration associated with the first tire and / or wheel sensor attached to a given tire to the duration associated with the second tire and / or wheel sensor attached to the same tire for the purpose of monitoring the tire state over time.

[0036] The exemplary method 300 further includes receiving, at the directional antenna 120 corresponding during vehicle operation, the output signal of the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 (step 330), and routing the output signal to the data processing unit 140, for example, via the RF switch or the multi-channel receiver 130 described above.

[0037] Signals received from a particular tire and / or wheel sensor 114 may be selectively retrieved as needed to model, calculate, or display alerts according to the methods disclosed herein, and stored in an in-vehicle device memory or an equivalent data storage unit functionally linked to the in-vehicle device processor. In some embodiments, raw data signals from various tire and / or wheel sensors 114 may be communicated from the vehicle to a remote server substantially in real time. Alternatively, considering the inherent inefficiencies in continuous data transmission, especially of high-frequency data, the data may be compiled, encoded, and / or summarized for more efficient (e.g., periodic time-based or alternatively defined event-based) transmission from the vehicle to the remote server via a suitable communication network.

[0038] In step 350, for each output signal received via a respective directional antenna 120, the wheel position for each tire and / or wheel sensor 114 that generates the output signal can be further confirmed using the mapped positions in the data storage for each of the relative directional antennas 120. For example, referring again to FIG. 2, the directional antenna 120k may be digitally mapped in relation to two known wheel positions along one side of a particular dual tire axle 104b. The output signal received via the directional antenna 120k is distinguishable considering at least the respective identifiers associated with the tire and / or wheel sensors 114 of the tires 112k1 and 112k2 and / or their relative signal strength (RSSI). Thus, the data processing unit 140 or other relevant part of the system 100 can store, and optionally aggregate, tire data and / or vehicle tire data related to one or more of the tire and / or wheel sensors 114 (and thus the tires 112k1 and 112k2 to which the sensors are attached or otherwise associated), wheel positions on the vehicle, axles, vehicles, drivers, etc.

[0039] Following this example, the tire 112k1 can later be moved to another location on the vehicle for the purpose of replacing the tire 112d2 as described with reference to FIG. 2. During subsequent operation of the vehicle, the data processing unit 140 (via the directional antenna 120d) receives the output signal from the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 associated with the tire 112k1 and the output signal from the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 associated with the tire 112d1, and based on the identifier associated with the tire and / or wheel sensor and considering the relative signal strength (RSSI), confirms that the tire and / or wheel sensor 114 associated with the tire 112k1 is at a new wheel position. The data processing unit 140 or other relevant part of the system 100 can then accordingly continue to store, and optionally aggregate, the tire data and / or vehicle tire data associated with the tire 112k1 considering the new wheel position.

[0040] As described above, for example, the output signal from a tire and / or wheel sensor 114 such as a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor may include real-time measurements regarding values such as tire air pressure, contained air temperature, acceleration, etc., or alternatively may correspond thereto. Such measurements may be directly or indirectly verified in a data processing unit 140 or other downstream computing devices such as a remote server or a fleet management network, and based on the tire characteristics (e.g., based on low tire inflation pressure), it may be used to determine whether an alert should be generated for a given wheel position, for a given vehicle-tire combination, for a driver, etc. (step 360). Such alerts may take the form of visual displays or visual-auditory alerts generated, for example, on an in-vehicle user interface / display unit or on a separate display unit such as on a mobile computing device associated with the vehicle operator (step 365).

[0041] In one embodiment, when tire data and / or vehicle-tire data is transmitted via a communication network to a remote server or a fleet management network, it may be stored, for example, in a database associated therewith. The server / device / network may include or be associated with a tire wear model and / or a tire traction model in order to selectively acquire and process tire vehicle data and / or tire data as appropriate inputs (step 370). The model may be selectively implemented manually or automatically based on an identified trigger activity or measurement, or alternatively may be implemented periodically, for example, on a time basis, and further enables the acquisition of vehicle data data and / or tire data and enables electronic communication for any additional relevant data or algorithm inputs from databases, look-up tables, etc. stored in relation to the server.

[0042] Various tire wear values may be estimated, for example, based on a "digital twin" virtual representation of various physical parts, processes, or systems, where digital and physical data are paired and combined with a learning system such as a neural network. For example, real data from a vehicle and associated location / route information may be provided to generate a digital representation of a vehicle tire for estimating tire wear, and a subsequent comparison of the estimated tire wear with the determined actual tire wear may be performed as feedback to a machine learning algorithm. The wear model may be implemented in a vehicle for processing via an on-board system, or tire data and / or vehicle data may be processed to provide representative data to a host server for remote wear estimation.

[0043] The tire wear condition (e.g., tread depth) may be provided, for example, as an input to a traction model along with specific vehicle data, and the traction model may be configured to provide an estimated traction state or one or more traction characteristics for each tire. Similar to the wear model described above, the traction model may include a "digital twin" virtual representation of a physical part, process, or system, where digital and physical data are paired and combined with a learning system such as an artificial neural network. Real vehicle data and / or tire data from a specific tire, vehicle, or tire-vehicle system may be provided throughout the life cycle of each asset to generate a virtual representation of the vehicle tire for the estimation of tire traction, and a subsequent comparison of the estimated tire traction with the corresponding measured or determined actual tire traction may, for example, result in an alert corresponding to an identified active safety issue (step 380), the alert being generated substantially in real time to notify an operator on an associated display unit (step 365), and / or implemented as feedback to a machine learning algorithm executed at a remote server and / or fleet management device / network level.

[0044] In various embodiments, the traction model may utilize results from pre-tests, such as stopping distance test results, tire traction test results, etc., collected for a number of tire-vehicle systems and associated combinations of values of input parameters (e.g., tire tread, inflation pressure, road surface characteristics, vehicle speed and acceleration, slip ratio and angle, vertical force, braking pressure, and load), and the tire traction output may be effectively predicted for a given set of current vehicle data and tire data inputs.

[0045] In one embodiment, the output from this traction model may be provided to a vehicle control unit (step 390), for example, to be incorporated into an active safety system. As used herein, the term "active safety system" preferably includes, but is not limited to, systems generally known to those skilled in the art, such as collision avoidance systems, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), anti-lock braking systems (ABS), etc., which may be configured to utilize traction model output information to achieve optimal performance. For example, a collision avoidance system is typically configured to take avoidance actions, such as automatically engaging the brakes of the host vehicle, to avoid or mitigate a potential collision with a target vehicle, and extended information regarding the traction capabilities of the tires, i.e., the braking capabilities of the tire-vehicle system, is highly desirable.

[0046] In another embodiment, a rideshare autonomous fleet may use the output data from the traction model to disable, or otherwise selectively remove, vehicles with low tread depth during inclement weather, or potentially limit their maximum speed.

[0047] In various embodiments, the method may further include comparing the current wear value to a threshold value to determine whether (or when) the tire needs to be replaced. The method may alternatively or additionally include predicting the wear value at one or more future time points, and such predicted values may be compared to respective threshold values. A feedback signal corresponding to the predicted tire wear state (e.g., the predicted tread depth at a given distance, time, etc.) may be integrated via an interface into an in-vehicle display unit associated with the vehicle itself (step 365) that is configured to provide, for example, an alert or notification / recommendation that the tire should be replaced or will soon need to be replaced, or to a mobile device associated with the user.

[0048] As another example, an autonomous vehicle fleet may include a number of vehicles having various minimum tread state values, and the vehicle fleet management system may be configured to disable the deployment of vehicles that fall below a minimum threshold value. The fleet management system may further implement various minimum tread state values corresponding to wheel positions. This system may thus be configured to act on the minimum tire tread value for each of the plurality of tires associated with the vehicle, or in one embodiment, may calculate the aggregated tread state of the plurality of tires for comparison to the minimum threshold value.

[0049] In various embodiments, the method may further include data streaming even when a threshold violation is not detected, and the estimated and / or predicted wear values may be displayed in real time on a local user interface and / or a remote display (e.g., associated with a fleet management server), and the data to be further displayed may include, for example, the contained air temperature.

[0050] Throughout this specification and the claims, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms are to be taken to have at least the meanings explicitly associated with them in this specification. The meanings identified below are not necessarily intended to limit the terms, but merely to provide illustrative examples of the terms. The meanings of "a", "an", and "the" may include plural references, and the meaning of "in" may include "in" and "on". As used herein, the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but may.

[0051] Various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, and steps are generally described above in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. The described functionality can be implemented in various ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0052] The various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or executed by a machine, such as a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any other processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine, or combinations thereof. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0053] The steps of the methods, processes, or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in hardware, in software modules executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. The software modules can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of computer-readable medium known in the art. An exemplary computer-readable medium can be coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the memory / storage medium. Alternatively, the medium can be integral to the processor. The processor and the medium can reside in an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and the medium can reside as discrete components within the user terminal.

[0054] As used herein, conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "might," "may," "e.g.," etc., unless specifically stated otherwise or otherwise understood within the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and / or states. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that features, elements, and / or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and / or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0055] Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention may typically be described herein with respect to fleet management systems, and more particularly, tire wear estimation for autonomous vehicle fleets or commercial truck applications, but the present invention is not at all expressly limited thereto. As used herein, the term "vehicle" refers to an automobile, truck, or any equivalent thereof that may include one or more tires, whether self-propelled or not, unless otherwise stated, and thus may require an accurate estimation or prediction of tire wear and, for example, potential invalidation, replacement, or intervention in the form of direct vehicle control adjustment.

[0056] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "user" may refer to a driver, passenger, mechanic, technician, fleet management staff, or any other person or entity that may be associated with a device having a user interface for providing the features and steps disclosed herein.

[0057] The foregoing detailed description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. Accordingly, while particular embodiments of a novel and useful invention have been described, such reference is not intended to be construed as a limitation to the scope of the invention except as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A system (100) for determining vehicle wheel positions, comprising: At least one tire and / or wheel sensor (114) respectively associated with each of a plurality of tires (112) mounted on a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of axles (104) having at least one tire on each of a first side and a second side of the vehicle; at least one tire and / or wheel sensor (114); For each of the axles, a first directional antenna (120) configured and arranged to capture a wireless output signal from each of the at least one tire associated with the axle on a first side, and a second directional antenna (120) configured and arranged to capture a wireless output signal from each of the at least one tire associated with the axle on a second side; A data processing unit (140) configured to receive (330) the output signals from each of the tire and / or wheel sensors via at least the respective directional antennas, and further configured to automatically identify the respective wheel positions on the vehicle for each of the tire and / or wheel sensors based on the mapped relative positions (350) for each of the directional antennas. A system (100) for determining vehicle wheel positions.

2. The vehicle comprises at least one axle having a single tire on each of the first side and the second side, and at least one axle having a plurality of tires on each of the first side and the second side, The data processing unit is further configured to automatically identify the respective wheel positions on the vehicle for each of the tires based on the mapped relative positions for each of the directional antennas and further based on the detected relative output signal strengths for at least the tire and / or wheel sensors associated with the plurality of axles having a plurality of tires on each of the first side and the second side. The system according to claim 1.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless output signal from each tire includes data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics. **Claim 4** The system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless output signal from at least one single tire and / or wheel sensor for each tire includes an identifier unique to each tire and the data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics. **Claim 5** The system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless output signal from at least one tire includes a radio frequency identification (RF) signal unique to each tire via an RFID tag as the first tire and / or wheel sensor, and the data corresponding to one or more measured tire characteristics from the second tire and / or wheel sensor. **Claim 6** The system according to claim 3, wherein the data processing unit is configured to associate at least one of the one or more measured tire characteristics in the data storage with each of the respectively identified tire and / or wheel sensor and the wheel position on the vehicle. **Claim 7** The system according to claim 6, wherein the data processing unit detects a change in the identified tire and / or wheel sensor and the corresponding tire position from a first wheel position to a second wheel position on the vehicle, and aggregates at least one of the one or more measured tire characteristics received from the identified tire and / or wheel sensor at each of the first wheel position and the second wheel position in a data storage. **Claim 8** The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a wireless signal receiver configured with a plurality of channels respectively corresponding to one of the directional antennas associated with the vehicle for simultaneously implementing each output signal. **Claim 9** The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a switching device configured to enable selection between each of the directional antennas through each of the directional antennas associated with the vehicle to implement respective output signals.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one tire and / or wheel sensor includes at least a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor.

11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one tire and / or wheel sensor includes at least a tire-mounted sensor (TMS).

12. The data processing unit, accumulates historical information regarding tire wear of each tire in a data storage, and is further configured to estimate a current tire wear state of each tire based on at least the stored historical information regarding the wheel position and tire wear respectively identified for each. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

13. The data processing unit, predicts one or more tire traction characteristics of each tire based on at least the estimated tire wear state, provides the one or more predicted tire traction characteristics to a vehicle control unit associated with the vehicle, and is further configured to automatically correct one or more vehicle operation settings based on at least the predicted one or more tire traction characteristics via the vehicle control unit. The system according to claim 12.

14. The data processing unit, The system according to claim 12, further configured to predict a replacement time for each tire by comparing with one or more tire wear thresholds based on one or more of the current tire wear state and the predicted tire wear state.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein each tire wear threshold for a given tire corresponds to an identified wheel position associated with the tire.

16. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an in-vehicle control unit including the data processing unit.

17. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a server-based network including the data processing unit.

18. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a mobile computing device including the data processing unit.

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