Tire state management device, program, and tire state management method

Abstract

A tire state management device (10) comprises: an acquisition unit (131) that acquires information regarding the internal pressure of a tire and the position of the tire detected by a detection device (70) mounted on a vehicle; a calculation unit (132) that calculates, on the basis of the tire internal pressure information, the rate of reduction in the internal pressure of a tire in which an abnormality has occurred; and a determination unit (133) that determines a tire abnormality category including at least a burst and a rapid leak on the basis of the calculated rate of reduction in the internal pressure, and determines the content of a notification on the basis of a combination of the tire abnormality category and a front wheel or rear wheel category of the tire in which the abnormality occurred.

Description

Tire Condition Management Device, Program, and Tire Condition Management Method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tire condition management device, a program, and a tire condition management method.

[0002] Conventionally, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring System) mounted on a vehicle to detect and warn of an undesirable pressure drop inside a tire is known. Also, so-called autonomous driving, which automatically drives a vehicle without requiring active operation by a driver, has been in the spotlight. For example, the autonomous driving system of Patent Document 1 acquires tire information including the tire pressure of each wheel of a vehicle and searches for a route from the current position to a predetermined guidance point according to the degree of decrease in tire pressure.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-094815

[0004] Here, in the autonomous driving system of Patent Document 1, guidance is provided to a location where parking is possible or a facility that can handle a decrease in tire pressure only based on the result of comparing the tire pressure with a threshold value. However, particularly in autonomous driving, whether to prioritize avoiding a collision accident or avoiding an in-vehicle accident differs depending on the combination of the type and position of a tire puncture.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure made in view of such circumstances is to provide a tire condition management device, a program, and a tire condition management method that enable appropriate control of a vehicle according to an abnormality of a tire in autonomous driving.

[0006] (1) A tire condition management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a tire condition management device that outputs a notification regarding the operation of a vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle to an automatic driving processing unit that provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having dual rear wheels, and comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires information on the internal pressure of the tire and the position of the tire detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; a calculation unit that calculates the rate of internal pressure decrease of a tire in which an abnormality has occurred based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire; and a determination unit that determines a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate, and determines the content of the notification based on a combination of the tire abnormality category and the category of the front wheel or rear wheel of the tire in which the abnormality has occurred.

[0007] (2) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1), the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality category is burst and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a rear wheel, the notification should contain instructions to stop the vehicle in a nearby safe place using the normal brakes.

[0008] (3) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1) or (2), the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality classification is the fast leak and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a front wheel, the notification should contain instructions to stop the vehicle in a nearby safe place using the normal brakes.

[0009] (4) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (3), the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality classification is the fast leak and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a rear wheel, and the internal pressure of the tire in which the abnormality occurred is less than a first threshold, the notification will cause the vehicle to be stopped immediately.

[0010] (5) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (4), the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality classification is the fast leak and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a rear wheel, and the internal pressure of the tire in which the abnormality occurred is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold, the notification will be to slow down with the normal brakes and stop the vehicle at the next predetermined stopping location.

[0011] (6) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (5), the determination unit does not determine the tire abnormality category and the content of the notification if the tire abnormality category is the burst and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is the front wheel.

[0012] (7) A program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure causes an automatic driving processing unit that provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having two rear wheels to cause a tire condition management device that outputs a notification regarding the operation of the vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle to perform the following: acquire information on the internal pressure of the tire and the position of the tire detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; calculate the rate of internal pressure decrease of the tire in which an abnormality has occurred based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire; determine a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate, and determine the content of the notification based on the combination of the tire abnormality category and the category of the front wheel or rear wheel of the tire in which the abnormality has occurred.

[0013] (8) A tire condition management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a tire condition management method executed by a tire condition management device that outputs a notification regarding the operation of a vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle to an automatic driving processing unit that provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having dual rear wheels, and includes: acquiring information on the internal pressure of the tire and the position of the tire detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; calculating the rate of internal pressure decrease of a tire that has an abnormality based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire; determining a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate, and determining the content of the notification based on a combination of the tire abnormality category and the category of the front wheel or rear wheel of the tire that has an abnormality.

[0014] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a tire condition management device, program, and tire condition management method that enable appropriate vehicle control in response to tire abnormalities during autonomous driving.

[0015] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of an automated driving system including a tire condition management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating processing according to a combination of tire abnormality classification and tire position classification. Figure 3 is an example flowchart showing the processing of a tire condition management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Hereinafter, a tire condition management device 10 (see Figure 1), a program, and a tire condition management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of an autonomous driving system. The autonomous driving system includes at least a tire condition management device 10 and an autonomous driving processing unit 113. Figure 1 is a block diagram including an example of the internal configuration of the tire condition management device 10 and the autonomous driving processing unit 113.

[0018] The tire condition management device 10 outputs a notification to the automatic driving processing unit 113, which provides the vehicle's automatic driving function, regarding the operation of the vehicle according to the condition of the tires 30 mounted on the vehicle. The condition of the tires 30 includes at least abnormalities due to air leaks in the tires 30. For example, if the air leak of the tires 30 is sudden and steering is impossible, emergency braking may be necessary to avoid a collision. Also, for example, if the air leak of the tires 30 is large but steering is possible, it may be preferable to prioritize avoiding an in-vehicle accident while decelerating with the normal brakes. Here, an in-vehicle accident is when a passenger or occupant is injured inside the vehicle. Conventional technology, for example, only guides the vehicle to a place where it can be stopped or repaired by comparing the internal pressure of the tires 30 with a threshold, and does not output a notification regarding the operation of the vehicle according to the condition of the tires 30. The tire condition management device 10 according to this embodiment enables appropriate vehicle control in response to abnormalities in the tires 30 during automatic driving by providing appropriate notifications to the automatic driving processing unit 113, as described below.

[0019] Here, the automatic driving processing unit 113 provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle whose rear wheels are dual wheels (double tires). The vehicle may be, for example, a bus, a truck, or a construction vehicle, and is not limited to a specific type of moving object as long as the front wheels are single wheels and the rear wheels are dual wheels. In this embodiment, the vehicle is described as a bus that performs automatic driving and moves with passengers.

[0020] The tire condition management device 10 comprises a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 comprises an acquisition unit 131, a calculation unit 132, a determination unit 133, and an output unit 134. The tire condition management device 10 may be a computer as a hardware configuration. The tire condition management device 10 may be a small computer (dedicated device) that is a single in-vehicle device. As another example, a processor and memory that perform calculation processing for a tire pressure monitoring system may also function as the tire condition management device 10. In other words, a device already installed in a vehicle may also function as the tire condition management device 10. Details of the components of the tire condition management device 10 will be described later. In this embodiment, the tire condition management device 10 is described as a dedicated device.

[0021] In this embodiment, the autonomous driving system includes a detection device 70. The detection device 70 is a device or in-vehicle system equipped with sensors that generates information regarding the state of the tires 30. In this embodiment, the detection device 70 is configured to include a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The tire pressure monitoring system monitors the pressure (internal pressure) and temperature (internal tire temperature) of the tires 30 mounted on the vehicle. The tire pressure monitoring system may be configured to include, for example, a sensor installed inside the tire 30, a processor that calculates and outputs the pressure of the tire 30 based on the sensor's detected values, and a memory that stores the sensor's detected values. The sensor may include a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0022] The vehicle also includes an engine 102, a power transmission device 103, a steering device 104, a braking device 105, tires 30, a battery 112, and an automatic driving processing unit 113. The automatic driving processing unit 113 includes a vehicle communication unit 108, an on-board sensor 109, a vehicle control unit 110, and a vehicle storage unit 111. The automatic driving processing unit 113 provides the automatic driving function of the vehicle. Here, the automatic driving processing unit 113 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1, and may have various configurations to provide the automatic driving function of the vehicle.

[0023] The engine 102 is the power source for driving the vehicle. The engine 102 is started by electricity supplied from the battery 112. The vehicle may be equipped with a motor instead of the engine 102 as a power source. Alternatively, the vehicle may be equipped with both the engine 102 and a motor as power sources.

[0024] The power transmission device 103 transmits power generated from the engine 102 to the tires 30. The power transmission device 103 includes a transmission and the like.

[0025] The steering device 104 is a steering wheel that controls the steering angle of the tires 30.

[0026] The braking device 105 applies braking force to the tires 30. The braking device 105 includes brakes and the like.

[0027] The battery 112 is a secondary battery, such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery. The battery 112 supplies power to a power source such as the vehicle's engine 102. The battery 112 may also supply power to various electronic devices mounted on the vehicle, including the automatic driving processing unit 113.

[0028] The vehicle communication unit 108 includes a communication module capable of wireless communication. The vehicle communication unit 108 may include a communication module that supports mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) and 5G (5th Generation). The vehicle communication unit 108 may communicate with fixed-point sensors installed around the roadway to detect information about the roadway. Information about the roadway may include information about the roadway conditions (such as the presence or absence of other vehicles or obstacles). The fixed-point sensors may include LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors that emit electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays and millimeter waves, and detect reflected waves from surrounding objects to detect surrounding objects and the distance to those objects. The vehicle communication unit 108 may output the received information about the roadway to the vehicle control unit 110.

[0029] Furthermore, the vehicle communication unit 108 includes a communication module capable of communicating with external devices, including the tire condition management device 10. The vehicle communication unit 108 may communicate wirelessly with external devices, including the tire condition management device 10, or it may communicate via wired connection, for example, if the external devices are mounted on the vehicle.

[0030] The on-board sensor 109 detects information related to the vehicle. The information detected by the on-board sensor 109 may include the vehicle's position, speed, and acceleration. The information detected by the on-board sensor 109 may also include information related to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. Furthermore, the on-board sensor 109 may include a GPS sensor that detects the vehicle's position using a positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System). Furthermore, the on-board sensor 109 may include a camera that takes images of the area around the vehicle, such as a monochrome camera or a stereo camera. The on-board sensor 109 outputs the detected information related to the vehicle to the vehicle control unit 110.

[0031] The vehicle control unit 110 is one or more processors. The processors are, for example, general-purpose processors or dedicated processors specialized for specific processing, but are not limited to these and can be any processor.

[0032] The vehicle control unit 110 controls the vehicle's behavior in an automated driving manner by controlling the engine 102, power transmission unit 103, steering unit 104, and braking unit 105. The level of automated driving may be, for example, levels 3-5 as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE).

[0033] The vehicle control unit 110 acquires detection results from all or some of the on-board sensors 109 and fixed-point sensors, and based on the acquired detection results, it detects the vehicle's position and obstacles around the vehicle. Based on the detection results of the vehicle's position and obstacles around the vehicle, the vehicle control unit 110 controls the vehicle's movement.

[0034] In this embodiment, the vehicle control unit 110 performs emergency braking or normal braking, or drives the vehicle to stop at a specific stopping location, depending on the content of the notification from the tire condition management device 10, which is obtained via the vehicle communication unit 108 (described later). Here, emergency braking is braking to avoid a collision. Normal braking is braking for deceleration other than emergency braking. The vehicle control unit 110 may also output a notification to the tire condition management device 10 via the vehicle communication unit 108 indicating that the steering wheel is not operational. Here, notifications between the automatic driving processing unit 113 and the tire condition management device 10 may be transmitted and received as different signals depending on the content. The signals may be instruction signals or control signals that give instructions to the receiving device. The vehicle control unit 110 may also output the vehicle's position obtained from the GPS sensor to the tire condition management device 10 via the vehicle communication unit 108.

[0035] The vehicle memory unit 111 is one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories, but are not limited to these and can be any type of memory. The vehicle memory unit 111 is, for example, built into the vehicle control unit 110, but it is also possible to configure it to be accessed from the outside by the vehicle control unit 110 via any interface.

[0036] The components of the tire condition management device 10 are described below in detail. The communication unit 11 is composed of one or more communication modules connected to the network 40. The communication unit 11 may include a communication module that corresponds to a mobile communication standard such as 4G or 5G. The communication unit 11 may include a communication module that corresponds to a wired or wireless LAN standard.

[0037] The storage unit 12 is one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories, but are not limited to these and can be any type of memory. The storage unit 12 is, for example, built into the tire condition management device 10, but it can also be configured to be accessed externally by the tire condition management device 10 via any interface.

[0038] The storage unit 12 stores various data used in various calculations performed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 12 may also store the results and intermediate data of various calculations performed by the control unit 13.

[0039] The storage unit 12 may store various information from the detection device 70 acquired via the communication unit 11. The detected values ​​from the detection device 70 may be linked to the time of detection and stored in the storage unit 12 as time-series data. The storage unit 12 may also store map information, including information such as safe locations when the vehicle is stopped. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 also stores information on the mounting position (front wheel or rear wheel) of the tire 30 on the vehicle, whose internal pressure has been detected by the tire pressure monitoring system. For example, if the internal pressure information of the tire 30 includes the unique identification information of the tire 30, the storage unit 12 may obtain the position information of the tire 30 by storing a table that links the position on the vehicle (front wheel or rear wheel) with the unique identification information of the tire 30.

[0040] The control unit 13 is one or more processors. The processors are, for example, general-purpose processors or dedicated processors specialized for specific processing, but are not limited to these and can be any processor. The control unit 13 controls the overall operation of the tire condition management device 10.

[0041] Here, the tire condition management device 10 may have the following software configuration. One or more programs used to control the operation of the tire condition management device 10 are stored in the storage unit 12. When the programs stored in the storage unit 12 are read by the processor of the control unit 13, the control unit 13 is made to function as an acquisition unit 131, a calculation unit 132, a determination unit 133, and an output unit 134.

[0042] The acquisition unit 131 acquires information on the internal pressure of the tire 30 and the position of the tire 30, which are detected by the detection device 70 mounted on the vehicle.

[0043] The calculation unit 132 calculates the rate of decrease in the internal pressure of the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire 30. Here, the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred is a tire 30 whose air pressure is decreasing at a speed exceeding natural pressure reduction. In the present embodiment, the calculation unit 132 calculates the rate of decrease in the internal pressure using a known method such as linear prediction based on the time-series data of the internal pressure of the tire 30 stored in the storage unit 12. The calculation unit 132 may calculate the rate of decrease in the internal pressure precisely, or may perform rough calculations such as becoming approximately 0 [kPa] within 1 minute, becoming approximately 0 [kPa] within several hours, or decreasing by approximately 50 [kPa] per month.

[0044] The determination unit 133 determines a tire abnormality classification including at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated rate of decrease in the internal pressure. Then, the determination unit 133 determines the content of the notification to the automatic driving processing unit 113 based on the combination of the tire abnormality classification and the classification of the front or rear wheel of the tire 30 in which the abnormality has occurred (tire position classification). The notification is related to the operation of the vehicle determined according to the state of the tire 30 in which the abnormality has occurred, and as will be described later, may be a content requesting a stop at a safe place or a content requesting the vehicle to stop promptly. By the determination unit 133 determining the appropriate content of the notification based on the information from the detection device 70 such as the tire air pressure monitoring system, it becomes possible to enhance the safety against the occurrence of an abnormality in the tire 30 during automatic driving. That is, it becomes possible to utilize the detection value of the state of the tire 30 from the tire air pressure monitoring system or the like for appropriate operation during automatic driving.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows the processing according to the combination of the tire abnormality classification and the tire position classification. For example, the table shown in FIG. 2 is stored in the storage unit 12, and the determination unit 133 may read out and use the table from the storage unit 12 when determining the content of the notification.

[0046] Tire abnormality classification is the classification of the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred, based on the type of air leakage in the tire 30. First, the air leakage in the tire 30 is roughly classified into a puncture and a slow leak. A slow leak is an air leakage in the tire 30 where the air does not escape as rapidly as in a puncture, but the air pressure decreases at a rate exceeding natural decompression. For example, when the determination unit 133 calculates that the internal pressure drop rate exceeds natural decompression but the drop amount in one month does not exceed 50 [kPa], the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred may be classified as a slow leak.

[0047] Also, a puncture can be divided into a burst and a fast leak. A burst is a rapid air leakage in the tire 30 that exhibits an internal pressure drop rate that becomes almost 0 [kPa] within one minute. In the present embodiment, a burst is an air leakage in the tire 30 in a state where the steering wheel cannot be operated (a state where the control of the vehicle's traveling direction cannot be performed). For example, although the determination unit 133 can also determine from the internal pressure drop rate, when the determination unit 133 receives a notification indicating that the steering wheel cannot be operated from the automatic driving processing unit 113, the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred may be classified as a burst.

[0048] Also, a fast leak is an air leakage in the tire 30 that exhibits an internal pressure drop rate that becomes almost 0 [kPa] within several hours. For example, although the determination unit 133 can also determine from the internal pressure drop rate, when the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred is not classified as either a burst or a slow leak, it may be classified as a fast leak. Also, for example, when the determination unit 133 calculates that it is 10 seconds or more and less than 1 hour until the vehicle becomes unable to travel (as an example, until the internal pressure becomes less than 200 [kPa]), the tire 30 in which an abnormality has occurred may be classified as a fast leak.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the determination unit 133 executes the first process, the second process, the third process, or the fourth process according to the combination of the tire abnormality classification and the tire position classification.

[0050] The determination unit 133 executes the first process if the tire abnormality category is burst and the abnormal tire 30 is a rear wheel. Here, since the rear wheels are dual wheels, even if a burst occurs in one rear tire, it is still possible to drive using the remaining rear tires. The determination unit 133 also executes the first process if the tire abnormality category is rapid leak and the abnormal tire 30 is a front wheel. Here, even if a rapid leak occurs in a front tire, the vehicle can still be driven for a while. As the first process, the determination unit 133 decides that the notification should instruct the vehicle to stop at a nearby safe location using the normal brakes. That is, the determination unit 133 indirectly controls the vehicle to stop at a nearby safe location while decelerating with the normal brakes by notifying the automatic driving processing unit 113. Here, the nearby safe location may be selected based on map information stored in the memory unit 12 and the vehicle's position obtained from the GPS sensor. The first process allows for a quick stop while prioritizing the avoidance of accidents inside the vehicle.

[0051] The determination unit 133 executes a second process if the tire abnormality classification is a rapid leak and the abnormal tire 30 is a rear wheel. The second process modifies the content of the notification according to the internal pressure of the abnormal tire 30. If the internal pressure of the abnormal tire 30 is below a first threshold, the determination unit 133 determines that the notification should promptly stop the vehicle. That is, the determination unit 133 indirectly controls the vehicle to stop promptly by notifying the automatic driving processing unit 113. Here, when the normal internal pressure of the tire 30 is 600 [kPa], the first threshold is, for example, 100 [kPa]. If the vehicle is driven with low internal pressure in the rear wheel tire, the internal components of the rear wheel tire may be damaged (for example, the bead may come off). Therefore, the vehicle can be stopped promptly to prioritize avoiding damage to the tire 30. Furthermore, if the internal pressure of the abnormal tire 30 is above a first threshold and below a second threshold, the determination unit 133 determines that the notification should instruct the vehicle to decelerate using the normal brakes and stop at the next predetermined stopping point. In other words, the determination unit 133 indirectly controls the vehicle to decelerate using the normal brakes and stop at the next predetermined stopping point by notifying the automatic driving processing unit 113. Here, when the normal internal pressure of the tire 30 is 600 [kPa], the second threshold is, for example, 300 [kPa]. The stopping point may be, for example, a bus stop or a terminal such as a depot. In this case, priority can be given to continuing the immediate operation while enabling a quick stop.

[0052] The determination unit 133 executes a third process regardless of the tire position classification if the tire abnormality classification is slow leak. The third process is to notify the vehicle manager of the occurrence of a slow leak, for example, by using the notification function of the detection device 70. The vehicle manager can then take action, such as changing the driving plan for the following day or later. The third process allows for prioritizing the continuation of immediate operations while prompting action. Here, the determination unit 133 may omit slow leak from the tire abnormality classification.

[0053] The determination unit 133 executes a fourth process if the tire abnormality category is a burst and the abnormal tire 30 is a front wheel. The fourth process is to not determine the tire abnormality category or the content of the notification. When a front wheel tire bursts, it is necessary to stop the vehicle immediately by applying sudden brakes to avoid a collision. If the automatic driving processing unit 113 waits for notification from the determination unit 133, the brake control will be delayed, so it is preferable to execute the fourth process as an exception. The fourth process allows priority to be given to avoiding a collision.

[0054] The output unit 134 outputs the notification determined by the determination unit 133 to the automatic driving processing unit 113. The output unit 134 may also output the notification content to a detection device 70 having a notification function or display function if it is necessary to notify the vehicle manager. Furthermore, the output unit 134 may output the notification content determined by the determination unit 133 to a communication terminal device used by the vehicle manager, for example, via the vehicle communication unit 108. In this case, the vehicle manager can understand the status of the automatically driving vehicle and use this information for operational management. The vehicle manager may also plan or execute tire replacement, etc., based on the content of the notification displayed on the communication terminal device.

[0055] Figure 3 is an example flowchart showing the processing of the tire condition management method executed by the tire condition management device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0056] The acquisition unit 131 acquires information on the internal pressure of the tire 30 and the position of the tire 30, which are detected by the detection device 70 mounted on the vehicle (step S1).

[0057] The calculation unit 132 calculates the rate at which the internal pressure of the tire 30 decreases when an abnormality occurs, based on the information about the internal pressure of the tire 30 (step S2).

[0058] The determination unit 133 determines a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate (step S3).

[0059] The determination unit 133 determines the content of the notification to the automatic driving processing unit 113 based on the combination of the tire abnormality classification and the classification of whether the abnormal tire 30 is a front wheel or a rear wheel (tire position classification) (step S4).

[0060] The output unit 134 outputs the notification determined by the determination unit 133 to the automatic driving processing unit 113 or the like (step S5).

[0061] As described above, the tire condition management device 10, program, and tire condition management method according to this embodiment enable appropriate vehicle control in response to abnormalities in the tires 30 during the automated driving of a vehicle with dual rear wheels. The method disclosed herein makes it possible to appropriately determine whether to prioritize avoiding collision accidents or avoiding accidents inside the vehicle, depending on the combination of the type and location of the tire puncture.

[0062] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art will find it easy to make various modifications or alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications or alterations are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided. Embodiments relating to this disclosure can also be realized as storage media recording programs executed by a processor in the device. It should be understood that these are also included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0063] 10 Tire condition management device 11 Communication unit 12 Memory unit 13 Control unit 30 Tire 70 Detection device 102 Engine 103 Power transmission device 104 Steering device 105 Braking device 108 Vehicle communication unit 109 On-board sensor 110 Vehicle control unit 111 Vehicle memory unit 112 Battery 113 Automatic driving processing unit 131 Acquisition unit 132 Calculation unit 133 Judgment unit 134 Output unit

Claims

1. A tire condition management device that outputs a notification regarding the operation of a vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle to an automatic driving processing unit that provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having dual rear wheels, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information on the internal pressure and position of the tire detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; a calculation unit that calculates the rate of internal pressure decrease of a tire that has an abnormality based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire; and a determination unit that determines a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate, and determines the content of the notification based on a combination of the tire abnormality category and the category of the front wheel or rear wheel of the tire that has an abnormality.

2. The tire condition management device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality category is burst and the abnormal tire is a rear wheel, the notification should instruct the vehicle to stop at a nearby safe location using the normal brakes.

3. The tire condition management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality category is the rapid leak and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a front wheel, the notification should be to stop the vehicle in a nearby safe place using the normal brakes.

4. The tire condition management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality category is the rapid leak and the abnormal tire is a rear wheel, and the internal pressure of the abnormal tire is below a first threshold, the notification should be such that the vehicle should be stopped immediately.

5. The tire condition management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the determination unit determines that if the tire abnormality classification is the rapid leak and the abnormal tire is a rear wheel, and the internal pressure of the abnormal tire is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold, the notification should be to decelerate using the normal brakes and stop the vehicle at the next predetermined stopping location.

6. The tire condition management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination unit does not determine the tire abnormality category and the content of the notification when the tire abnormality category is burst and the tire in which the abnormality occurred is a front wheel.

7. A program that causes an automatic driving processing unit, which provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having dual rear wheels, to output a notification regarding the operation of the vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle, to perform the following actions: acquire information on the internal pressure and position of the tires detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; calculate the rate of internal pressure decrease of the abnormal tire based on the internal pressure information of the tire; determine a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated internal pressure decrease rate; and determine the content of the notification based on the combination of the tire abnormality category and whether the abnormal tire is a front wheel or rear wheel.

8. A tire condition management method performed by a tire condition management device that outputs a notification regarding the operation of a vehicle according to the condition of the tires mounted on the vehicle to an automatic driving processing unit that provides an automatic driving function for a vehicle having dual rear wheels, the method comprising: acquiring information on the internal pressure and position of the tire detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle; calculating the rate of internal pressure decrease of a tire that has an abnormality based on the information on the internal pressure of the tire; determining a tire abnormality category that includes at least burst and rapid leak based on the calculated rate of internal pressure decrease; and determining the content of the notification based on a combination of the tire abnormality category and the category of the front wheel or rear wheel of the tire that has an abnormality.

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