Method, and related system, of identification of a tyre

Abstract

A method, and a corresponding system, of identifying a tyre is provided. The method comprises: providing a radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) configured to transmit a radio beacon signal (520) containing a radio beacon tag identification code (525) univocally associated with the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d); providing a tyre (105); providing a tyre identification code (605) univocally associated with the tyre (105); applying (705) the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) radially internally to the tyre (105); receiving (710), at a receiver device (610), the radio beacon signal (520) transmitted by the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) and extracting the radio beacon tag identification code (525) contained in the received radio beacon signal (520); acquiring (715) the tyre identification code (605) of the tyre (105) to which the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) is applied; pairing the acquired tyre identification code (605) to the radio beacon tag identification code (525) extracted from the received radio beacon signal (520), and storing (720), in a database (630), an association (640) between the radio beacon tag identification code (525) and the tyre identification code (605) associated with it.

Description

[0001] METHOD, AND RELATED SYSTEM, OF IDENTIFICATION OF A TYRE

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Aground of the invention

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for identifying vehicle tyres.

[0006] In particular, the present invention relates to a method, and related system, for identifying a tyre by associating an electronic tag consisting of a radio beacon tag with a tyre identification code (so-called "tyre ID"), univocally associated with the tyre.

[0007] Specifically, the present invention proposes a method and system of identification of a tyre that provides for the association of the tyre identification code, or tyre ID, univocally associated with a tyre, with a radio beacon tag, particularly (though not limited to) a radio beacon tag based on Bluetooth® technology (hereinafter, "Bluetooth radio beacon tag"), particularly a BLE radio beacon tag based on Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE, or BLE) technology, therefore, with low consumption.

[0008] For the purposes of the present invention, by radio beacon tag it is meant an active electronic device, powered by its own electrical energy source (for example a battery) which operates as a radio signal transmitter by broadcasting (with a range of action which may be limited or relatively limited) a radio signal (radio beacon signal or also, briefly, beacon signal) unidirectionally and in a certain frequency range, of small dimensions, so as to be applicable, in addition to tyres for motor vehicles, also to tyres for "light" vehicles such as motorcycles, light motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, motor tricycles, quadricycles and light motor quadricycles, bicycles, including bicycles for carrying loads ("cargo bicycles").

[0009] Overview of the related state of the art

[0010] The importance of identifying vehicle tyres is well known.

[0011] Each tyre produced by a specific tyre manufacturer is univocally identified by a respective identification code (tyre ID) univocally associated with the tyre. The tyre identification code, or tyre ID, typically includes information such as: data adapted to identify the tyre manufacturer; data adapted to identify the tyre type; data adapted to identify certain characteristics of the tyre (e.g., tyre size: width, height / width ratio, rim diameter, etc.); and a sequential number adapted to univocally identify the tyre among other tyres of the same type.

[0012] Nowadays, vehicle tyres identification is mostly based on the use of RFID tags. The RFID (“Radio Frequency IDentification”) technology is based on the storage of data in specific passive electronic devices (i.e., without their own power source, for example without a battery), capable of responding to proximity calls from specific active devices, both fixed and portable, called RFID tag readers. of the invention

[0013] The Applicant noted that the use of RFID tags for tyre identification has some disadvantages.

[0014] For example, RFID technology, in itself, is not compatible with the well-known electronic vehicle control systems (so-called “Vehicle Control Units” or “VCUs”, also known as “Electronic Control Units” - “ECUs” - or “Electronic Control Modules” - “ECMs”), which have already been equipped with some vehicles for some time and which, predictably, will be used more and more. Such vehicle control systems are configured to adjust vehicle control parameters based on, among others, parameters relating to the tyres mounted on the vehicles, which may be provided and / or estimated by tyre monitoring units applied to the tyres (including, for example, tyre pressure sensors - “Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sensors” or “TPMS” - and / or tyre temperature sensors and / or radial and / or lateral acceleration sensors) and with which the vehicle control systems may communicate (for example, to obtain real-time or near-real-time information on the inflation pressure of the various tyres of a vehicle, on the temperature of the tyres and / or on the deformations that the tyres undergo when the vehicle is in motion).

[0015] The communication technology of the known RFID tyre identification tags is not compatible with the communication technologies between the vehicle control systems and the tyre monitoring units; in other words, the vehicle control systems cannot "read" the RFID tags attached to tyres. Consequently, the tyre identification data stored in the RFID tags cannot be made available to the vehicle control systems: the vehicle control systems are therefore unaware of the specific type of tyres mounted on the vehicles and whose identification data is stored in the RFID tags.

[0016] The communication technology used for RFID tyre identification tags is also not compatible with the communication interfaces commonly found on user devices such as smartphones or tablets: these user devices cannot "read" the RFID tags attached to the tyres. Consequently, the tyre identification data stored in the RFID tags attached to the tyres is not accessible to the vehicle owner or driver, but remains accessible only to technical personnel equipped with the necessary RFID tag readers.

[0017] The Applicant noted that this substantially limits the use of tyre identification data, which is otherwise a valuable source of information.

[0018] The Applicant has set itself the goal of devising a solution for the identification of vehicle tyres that does not present the disadvantages of the known RFID tags, and in particular that involves the use of an electronic label or tag:

[0019] - by means of which tag it is possible to univocally identify a tyre through its tyre identification code, or tyre ID, which is univocally associated with the tyre itself,

[0020] - that can be attached to the tyre without the possibility of removal therefrom,

[0021] - that can be made small enough to be attachable not only to car tyres but also to tyres for "light" vehicles such as motorcycles, light motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, motor tricycles, quadricycles, and light motor quadricycles, as well as bicycles, including cargo bicycles,

[0022] - that it is of the active type, i.e., equipped with its own power source, such as a battery, and therefore does not require power from active devices, whether fixed or portable, such as the readers used to read the RFID tags,

[0023] - and that can communicate wirelessly with the known electronic vehicle control systems that equip many vehicles in circulation and in production, and with the communication interfaces commonly found on user devices such as smartphones or tablets. The Applicant has found that a radio beacon tag, particularly (but not limited to) a Bluetooth radio beacon tag, even more particularly (but not limited to) a BLE radio beacon tag, satisfies such requirements.

[0024] For the purposes of the present invention, by radio beacon tag it is intended an electronic device:

[0025] - of small dimensions, for example, on the order of tens of mm or a few tens of mm (the specific dimensions depend on the specific application of the radio beacon tag);

[0026] - that is active because it is powered by its own electrical power source;

[0027] - having limited computational resources (processing unit, memory);

[0028] - which, in terms of communication capabilities, operates exclusively as a wireless transmitter (being equipped with a wireless transmission interface, but not a wireless reception interface and therefore not having receiver functionality);

[0029] - that is not provided with capabilities of measuring dynamic tyre parameters, such as radial and / or lateral accelerations, and can at most perform temperature measurements;

[0030] - that is capable of broadcasting, at predefined time intervals (e.g., periodically) and with a limited or relatively limited range, a unidirectional radio beacon signal in a predefined frequency range, such as the Bluetooth technology frequency range, the radio beacon signal carrying a predefined data stream containing a radio beacon tag identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag (at most, possibly together with data indicative of the measured temperature);

[0031] - whose transmission interface is configured to transmit said radio beacon signal in accordance with a communication technology / protocol compatible with one of the communication interface technologies / protocols that are equipped with known electronic vehicle control systems that equip many vehicles in circulation and in production, and with the communication interfaces commonly equipped with user devices such as smartphones or tablets; for example (but not limited to) the radio beacon tag is based on Bluetooth technology, and preferably is based on Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE, or BLE) technology, which guarantees extremely low power consumption.

[0032] In particular, within such object, the Applicant has addressed the problem of how to associate a radio beacon tag intended for application to a tyre with a tyre identification code (tyre ID) univocally associated with the tyre, for subsequent tyre identification.

[0033] According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of identification of a tyre is provided.

[0034] The method comprises providing a radio beacon tag configured to transmit a radio beacon signal containing a radio beacon tag identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag.

[0035] The method comprises providing a tyre.

[0036] The method comprises providing a tyre identification code univocally associated with the tyre.

[0037] The method comprises applying the radio beacon tag radially internally to the tyre.

[0038] The method comprises receiving, at a receiver device, the radio beacon signal transmitted by the radio beacon tag and extracting the radio beacon tag identification code contained in the received radio beacon signal.

[0039] The method comprises acquiring the tyre identification code of the tyre to which the radio beacon tag is applied.

[0040] The method comprises pairing the acquired tyre identification code with the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the received radio beacon signal.

[0041] The method comprises storing, in a database, an association between the radio beacon tag identification code and the tyre identification code paired therewith.

[0042] In particular, the radio beacon tag is configured to transmit said radio beacon signal, containing the radio beacon tag identification code, in broadcast mode.

[0043] The tyre identification code comprises, for example, a graphic symbol attached to the tyre.

[0044] Said graphic sign may, for example, comprise or consist of at least one of: a numeric or alphanumeric sequence; a geometric graphic sign, particularly a onedimensional barcode and / or a two-dimensional code, such as a QR code.

[0045] The method may, for example, comprise placing said graphic sign onto a sidewall of said tyre during a production phase of said tyre.

[0046] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, placing said graphic sign onto a sidewall of said tyre may comprise one or more of: laser writing; manual or automatized writing; applying a tag containing the graphic sign onto the sidewall of said tyre prior to a curing phase of the tyre; or applying a tag containing the graphic sign onto the sidewall of said tyre following a curing phase of the tyre.

[0047] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, said acquiring said tyre identification code of the tyre may comprise acquiring said tyre identification code of the tyre from said graphic sign.

[0048] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned steps of:

[0049] - applying the radio beacon tag radially internally to the tyre;

[0050] - receiving, at the receiver device, the radio beacon signal transmitted by the radio beacon tag and extracting the radio beacon tag identification code contained in the received radio beacon signal;

[0051] - acquiring the tyre identification code of the tyre to which the radio beacon tag is applied; and

[0052] - pairing the acquired tyre identification code with the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the received radio beacon signal are preferably performed during a stage of production of said tyre.

[0053] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, said database is preferably located at a remote server accessible via a telecommunications network.

[0054] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the radio beacon tag is preferably of the Bluetooth type, particularly Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE.

[0055] A Bluetooth particularly BLE, radio beacon tag ensures very low power consumption, and the radiated radio beacon signal can be picked up and interpreted by a multitude of receiving devices, including user devices such as smartphones.

[0056] Preferably, said radio beacon tag is configured to transmit the radio beacon signal periodically, automatically turning on to transmit the radio beacon signal and automatically turning off after the radio beacon signal has been transmitted.

[0057] This feature further reduces the power consumption of the radio beacon tag.

[0058] In embodiments of the present invention, the method may further comprise:

[0059] - receiving, at the receiver device or a further receiver device, the radio beacon signal transmitted by the radio beacon tag;

[0060] - extracting from the radio beacon signal the radio beacon tag identification code, univocally associated with the radio beacon tag, contained in the received radio beacon signal;

[0061] - accessing the database;

[0062] - identifying in said database the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the received radio beacon signal; and

[0063] - obtaining from said database the tyre identification code, associated with the identified radio beacon tag identification code.

[0064] The tyre can be identified based on the tyre identification code obtained from the database.

[0065] According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided comprising:

[0066] - a tyre;

[0067] - a tyre identification code univocally associated with the tyre;

[0068] - a radio beacon tag, applied radially internally to the tyre, configured to transmit a radio beacon signal comprising a radio beacon tag identification code univocally associated with said radio beacon tag.

[0069] The system comprises a receiver device configured to receive the radio beacon signal and extract the corresponding radio beacon tag identification code contained in the received radio beacon signal.

[0070] The system comprises an acquisition device configured to acquire the tyre identification code of the tyre. The system comprises a database, for example, located at a remote server accessible via a telecommunications network, configured to store an association between the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the radio beacon signal received by the receiver device and the acquired tyre identification code.

[0071] In particular, the radio beacon tag is configured to transmit said radio beacon signal, containing the radio beacon tag identification code, in broadcast mode.

[0072] In embodiments of the present invention, the system may further comprise a communications interface configured for accessing the database through a telecommunications network, for identifying in said database the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the radio beacon signal received by the receiver device or a further receiver device, and to obtain the tyre identification code that, in said database, is associated with said radio beacon tag identification code.

[0073] In embodiments of the present invention, said receiver device and / or said further receiver device may comprise at least one of: a user device such as a smartphone or a tablet, a receiving unit of a vehicle control system.

[0074] A radio beacon tag in accordance with the present invention, equipped with a transmission interface configured to transmit the radio beacon signal in accordance with a communication technology / protocol compatible with one of the communication interface technologies / protocols available on known electronic vehicle control systems that equip many vehicles in circulation and in production, and with the communication interfaces commonly equipped on user devices such as smartphones or tablets, has the significant advantage of being able to communicate with known vehicle control systems and with user devices such as smartphones and tablets. Considering, for example, a Bluetooth radio beacon tag or a BLE radio beacon tag, the Bluetooth communication technology is already adopted in vehicle control systems and all user devices such as smartphones and tablets are equipped with Bluetooth communication interfaces. Thanks to this, through the method and related system according to the present invention, with a Bluetooth radio beacon tag or a BLE radio beacon tag the data contained in the univocal identification codes of the tyres, or tyre IDs, can be made available to the vehicle control systems and also directly to the users (owner or driver of the vehicle), through their user devices. In particular, the availability of the data contained in the identification codes, or tyre IDs, univocally associated with the tyres, to the vehicle control systems on which the tyres are mounted is of considerable importance.

[0075] For example, the data contained in the identification code univocally associated with a tyre may include data relating to the tyre type, particularly (still by way of example) whether the tyre is of the winter type, the summer type, or the all-season type. The vehicle control system's knowledge of the type of tyres mounted on the vehicle allows to automatically implement differentiated vehicle usage scenarios, for example, automatically limiting speed and / or engine power output if the tyres installed are not suitable for seasonal or weather conditions (for example, if the vehicle control system detects that the vehicle is equipped with summer tyres and the current season is winter).

[0076] Again, by way of example, the data contained in the identification code univocally associated with a tyre may include the tyre's serial number, and in particular, again by way of example, the name of the tyre's manufacturing company (the "brand"), and / or the specific tyre model, and / or the tyre's size, load class and speed rating, and / or the recommended inflation pressure (possibly as a function of the load applied to the tyre). All of this data is extremely useful to the control system of the vehicle on which the tyres are mounted to automatically implement safety and efficiency-related functions. For example, the vehicle control system can automatically configure the vehicle dynamics (suspension, braking system, etc.) based on the identification data of the tyres mounted on the vehicle.

[0077] The use of a radio beacon tag in accordance with the present invention is advantageous because it can be made very small, both in terms of the radio beacon tag electronics and the power source, i.e., the battery to power the electronics.

[0078] As is known, a fundamental aspect for all electronic devices intended to equip vehicle tyres is that the batteries that power them have to last for the entire operating life of the devices themselves, which corresponds to the life of the tyres to which they are applied. This is because, since these devices are normally applied inside the tyres, it is not practical to replace their batteries with new ones once they are discharged. Radio beacon tags, such as Bluetooth or BLE radio beacon tags, require almost exclusively energy for the wireless transmission in broadcast mode, at predefined time intervals (for example, with a certain temporal periodicity), of the related radio beacon signal and consequently have very low energy consumption; furthermore, with appropriate measures regarding the transmission period of the radio beacon signal (for example, by equipping the radio beacon tag with a timer device that periodically turns off the radio beacon signal transmitter and turns it back on for a short period of time when the radio beacon signal needs to be transmitted) it is possible to reduce consumption to a few tens of nano Amperes (nA). It is therefore possible to equip radio beacon tags with batteries of relatively small capacity, and therefore of very small dimensions. For example, the Applicant has found that a 25 mAh CR 1216 button battery is capable of ensuring the operation of a radio beacon tag in accordance with the present invention for periods of the order of 4 - 5 years.

[0079] Thanks to their compact size and extremely low weight, the radio beacon tags are suitable for equipping even small tyres, such as those for "light" vehicles, like motorcycles, light motorcycles, mopeds, motor tricycles, quadricycles, light motor quadricycles, and bicycles.

[0080] In particular, the ability to equip small tyres with radio beacon tags. These very small tags make the data contained in the identification codes univocally associated with the tyres extremely easily accessible. This enables the deployment of fleet monitoring solutions for light vehicle fleets, such as fleets of cargo and transport bicycles, of the type increasingly used in urban areas by delivery companies (for food, groceries, parcels, and documents). Based on the identification data of the tyres fitted to light fleet vehicles, it is possible, for example, to plan preventative maintenance interventions (for example, replacing tyres that have already travelled a certain number of kilometres and are therefore approaching a condition of excessive wear), with a significant increase in safety.

[0081] Furthermore, equipping tyres intended for mounting on vehicles with radio beacon tags opens the possibility of using the radio beacon signals transmitted by such radio beacon tags not only to obtain the data contained in the identification codes univocally associated with the tyres, but also to implement Internet-of-Things functionalities. Indeed, the radio beacon signals transmitted by the radio beacon tags according to the present invention are receivable by a variety of devices that can be distributed across the territory, such as sensor networks, other users' smartphones, and so on. This opens the possibility of implementing geo-localization solutions for tyres, and therefore for the vehicles on which the tyres are mounted.

[0082] Last but not least, radio beacon tags according to the present invention are commercially available at extremely low costs; therefore, the solution according to the present invention is economically viable.

[0083] The features and advantages of the present invention will become even more evident from reading the following detailed description of possible practical embodiments thereof, exemplary and not limitative; for a better understanding, the following description should be read with reference to the attached figures, in which:

[0084] Fig- 1 shows the inside of a portion of a tyre with applied a prototype radio beacon tag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Fig. 2A shows the radio beacon tag of Fig. 1, before its application to the tyre and disassembled, with the radio beacon tag electronic unit removed from its cover element;

[0086] Fig. 2B shows only the cover element of the radio beacon tag of Fig. 2A;

[0087] Fig. 3 is a plan view of the radio beacon tag of Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B;

[0088] Fig. 4 is a plan view of the electronic unit of the radio beacon tag of Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B;

[0089] Fig- 5 is a functional block diagram of the main components of the radio beacon tag electronic unit shown in Fig. 4;

[0090] Fig- 6 shows a pictorial representation of a system for implementing a tyre identification method, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0091] Fig. 7A shows, in flowchart form, the main steps of a procedure for associating a radio beacon tag with a tyre identification code in a tyre identification method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0092] Fig. 7B shows, in flowchart form, the main steps of a tyre identification procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0093] Fig- 8 shows a diagram of a vehicle (e.g., a motor vehicle) comprising a tyre identification system and a vehicle control system interacting with each other, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0094] Fig- 9 shows a diagram of a vehicle control unit of the vehicle control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

[0096] With reference to the figures, Fig. 1 shows a portion of a tyre 105, specifically (although this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention) a tyre for a light vehicle such as a bicycle, for example, a tyre for a pedal-assisted bicycle (electric bicycle or "e-bike"), for example, a bicycle for urban and / or off-road use or a mountain bike, or a cargo and transport bicycle of the type increasingly used in urban areas by delivery companies (for food, groceries, packages, documents).

[0097] More specifically, Fig. 1 shows the tyre 105 viewed from its interior, showing a portion of the radially internal surface 110.

[0098] In this document, the terms "radially internal" and "radially external" are used with reference to the rotation axis of the tyre.

[0099] The term "tread" or "tread surface" refers to the radially outer surface of the tyre, which is intended to contact the tyre's rolling surface (e.g., the road surface); the tread surface is defined on a "tread band" of the tyre.

[0100] A radio beacon tag 115 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre 105, opposite the tread surface. In the remainder of this detailed description, reference will also be made, purely by way of an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, to a Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 (which in particular may be a BLE radio beacon tag 115).

[0101] The Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 may be conveniently attached, in a substantially non-removable manner, to a portion of the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre 105. For example, but not limited to, the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 may be attached to a portion of the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre 105, for example, a portion of the radially internal surface 110 located at the equatorial plane of the tyre 105 (which in Fig. 1 is indicated by line 120 - 120), i.e., the centerline plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tyre. Other positions for attaching the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 to the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre are possible.

[0102] Referring also to Fig. 2A, the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 comprises an electronic unit 205 and a covering and protection element 210 for the electronic unit 205.

[0103] Referring also to Fig. 2B and Fig. 3, the covering element 210 has a generally circular or elliptical shape, with, starting from its periphery and moving towards its center, a flanged perimeter portion 215 intended for coupling with the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre 105, a circumferential strengthening rib 220, and a central dome-shaped portion 225 of a shape and size suitable for housing, underneath it and without excessive play, the electronic unit 205. The shape of the covering element 210, very smooth and without sharp edges, is particularly suitable for the application of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 to tyres with inner tubes (“tube-tyre”), such as tyres intended to be mounted on certain types of bicycles; the geometry of the covering element 210 is such as to prevent possible damage to the inner tube of the tyre once the Bluetooth beacon tag 115 is applied to the portion of the radially internal surface of the tyre.

[0104] The cover element 210 may, for example, be made of a single piece of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[0105] It should be emphasized that the specific shape of the cover element is not limiting for the present invention; in embodiments of the present invention, not shown in the figures, the shape of the cover element may be other than circular or elliptical or, more generally, other types. For example, the electronic unit may be housed in a cover and protection element housed within a container configured to contain it and secure it to the radially internal surface of the tyre when said radio beacon tag is mounted in said tyre.

[0106] In other words, advantageously, in the embodiment in consideration, the covering element is a separate element from the container, which is shaped so as to define therewithin a housing to contain the covering element containing the electronic unit. More specifically, the container, in addition to being configured to have a containing function for the electronic unit, is capable of securing it to the radially internal surface of the tyre, when said radio beacon tag is mounted in said tyre. Preferably, said container, in the part intended for coupling and securing the radio beacon tag to the radially internal surface of the tyre, could have a base of a width prevailing with respect to the remaining parts of the container itself, in which said base could have recesses that give it a "petal" shape.

[0107] In another embodiment, not shown in the figures, the container is a rubber housing body suitable for attachment (for example by gluing) to the radially internal surface of the tyre, said rubber housing body having a seat to accommodate the electronic unit of the radio beacon tag. Preferably, said housing body is a "rubber house".

[0108] As visible in Fig. 4, the electronic unit 205 of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 comprises a printed circuit board assembly (“Printed Circuit Board Assembly” or “PCBA”) comprising a printed circuit board 230 (“Printed Circuit Board” or PCB) on which the electrical and electronic components of the electronic unit 205 are mounted and electrically conductive paths (tracks) for the electrical interconnection between the various electrical and electronic components of the electronic unit 205 are defined. The electronic unit 205 also comprises an electrical power supply device for the electrical power supply of the electrical and electronic components of the electronic unit 205, in particular an electrical power supply battery 235, preferably a button battery, for example a CR 1216 type battery. The battery 235 can be housed in correspondence of one face of the PCB 230, for example the upper face (on which, in the example considered, the electrical and electronic components of the electronic unit 205 are mounted), and the electrical terminals of the battery 235 are preferably soldered to PCB 230 at electrical contact pads provided for this purpose on PCB 230. In embodiments of the present invention, as a replacement for the battery 235, or in addition to it, it is possible to equip (the electronic unit 205 of) the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 with a system for generating electrical energy in accordance, for example, with what is described in EP 2185371 Al and EP 2493706 Al, both in the name of the present Applicant, by means of movable piezoelectric or magnetic elements. The system for generating electrical energy can be used to generate the electrical energy necessary to power the electronic unit 205 of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115, as an alternative to the battery 235, or also to recharge the battery 235 (in the case of using a rechargeable battery 235).

[0109] Referring also to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the electronic unit 205 of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 includes (in addition to the battery 235 and passive components typical of electronic systems such as resistors and capacitors) a radio beacon transmitter 405 (in the non-limiting example considered here, a Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405), an antenna 410, a timing device 415, and a quartz oscillator 420. The oscillator generates and supplies the timing signal or time base (clock signal) to the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405.

[0110] Advantageously, the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio beacon transmitter, and the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 is a BLE radio beacon tag.

[0111] The Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 includes, for example, an integrated SoC (“System-on-a-Chip”) component.

[0112] The Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 is connected to the antenna 410, which is preferably selected to cover a frequency range from approximately 2.350 GHz to approximately 2.550 GHz, within which the beacon radio signal 520 is transmitted, containing the univocal identification code 425 of the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405, which is stored (in an unalterable manner) within the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 itself.

[0113] In embodiments of the present invention in which the radio beacon transmitter is equipped with an integrated antenna, it is not necessary to provide the antenna 410 on the PCB 230. The timing device 415 is configured to time the operation of the Bluetooth beacon radio transmitter 405. In particular, the timing device 415 is preferably configured to periodically (e.g., every 30 s or every 60 s) turn on the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 to allow the transmission of the beacon radio signal 520, then turn off the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 once the beacon radio signal 520 has been transmitted (and turn on the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405 again when the next beacon radio signal is to be transmitted). This further reduces the power consumption of the Bluetooth beacon radio tag 115, extending the life of the associated battery 235.

[0114] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 has very small dimensions; for example, in the prototype realized by the Applicant, shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B and schematized in Fig. 3, the electronic unit 205 of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 has a respective first dimension (or length) dl equal to approximately 19 or 20 mm and a respective second dimension (or width) d2 equal to approximately 13 or 14 mm. As schematically shown in Fig. 4, the covering element 210 has a respective first dimension (or length) d3 (corresponding to the first dimension dl of the electronic unit 205) equal to approximately 38 or 39 or 40 mm, and a respective second dimension (or width) d4 (corresponding to the second dimension dl of the electronic unit 205) equal to approximately 30 - 40 mm, for example approximately 33 or 34 mm. The thickness of the electronic unit 205 of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115, and correspondingly the thickness of the covering element 210, are also very small. For example, the thickness of the printed circuit board 230 of the electronic unit 205 can vary from 1.6 mm to 1 mm; the thickness of the covering element 210 can go down to approximately 1 mm.

[0115] The very small size of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 makes it suitable for use on virtually any type of tyre, from truck tyres to car tyres, to smaller tyres such as those for light vehicles, such as motorcycles and bicycles. In particular, the very small size of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 and the shape of the covering element 210 are particularly suitable for use of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 with tube-type tyres (“tube-tyres”) such as those intended for use on certain types of bicycles.

[0116] The Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 is conveniently applied to the tyre 105 by the tyre manufacturer's designated technical personnel. The Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115 can be applied to the radially internal surface 110 of the tyre 105, after adequate cleaning of the affected area of the radially internal surface 110, through the use of a pressure-sensitive adhesive (“PSA”) or through double-sided adhesive tape.

[0117] According to embodiments of the present invention, the radio beacon tags are Bluetooth beacon tags, such as the Bluetooth radio beacon tag 115, and include radio beacon transmitters, such as the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitter 405, belonging to the family of Bluetooth Low Energy devices (BLE devices), configured and operable to broadcast respective identification codes (or identifiers), univocally associated with the Bluetooth radio beacon tags (in particular, associated with the Bluetooth radio beacon transmitters), by broadcasting radio signals (radio beacon signals) that can be picked up by receiving devices (including, for example, smartphones, tablets, other devices with Bluetooth reception capabilities) that are in their vicinity. The broadcast transmission of the radio beacon signal containing the univocal identifier of a Bluetooth radio beacon tag can, for example, occur on a periodic basis, for example at intervals of a few tens of seconds.

[0118] As is known, BLE technology is a derivative of Bluetooth technology, introduced in 2010 with the release of Bluetooth Version 4.0 by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (BSIG, an organization that oversees the development of Bluetooth standards and the licensing of Bluetooth technologies and trademarks), which focused on reducing power consumption. Specifically, Bluetooth Version 4.0 introduced unidirectional communication (while previous Bluetooth versions supported bidirectional communication). The unidirectional communication feature allows a BLE device to operate only as a transmitter, without the ability to operate as a receiver. Thanks to this feature, Bluetooth radio beacons can radiate radio beacon signals that can be received by other Bluetooth devices without the need to first establish pairing with those other Bluetooth devices. The communication range of Bluetooth radio beacons is comparable to that of any other Bluetooth device and can reach up to a few tens of meters.

[0119] The exclusively one-way, transmit-only communication functionality of Bluetooth radio beacon tags, which requires only the transmission circuitry and not the reception circuitry, makes Bluetooth radio beacon tags very compact and greatly reduces their energy requirements. This allows Bluetooth radio beacon tags to be powered by low-capacity, and therefore smaller, batteries while still ensuring a long operating life.

[0120] It is also possible to provide an energy harvesting system configured to generate electrical energy from the rotational motion of the tyre to power the electronic unit 205 of the radio beacon tag 115.

[0121] Bluetooth radio beacon tags, particularly BLE radio beacon tags, operate in “Advertisement” mode, broadcasting advertisement packets that can be received by any Bluetooth receiver within the range of the radio beacon signal transmitted by the Bluetooth radio beacon tag. Unlike standard Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth radio beacon tags remain in “Advertisement” mode and never switch to “Connected” mode (since they lack the circuitry to receive signals, Bluetooth radio beacon tags cannot operate in “Connection” mode). The advertisement packets broadcast by Bluetooth radio beacon tags can be either cleartext or encrypted. In the cleartext case, any Bluetooth receiver within range of the radio beacon signal can read the content. However, if the advertisement packets are encrypted, only Bluetooth receivers with the necessary decryption keys can decrypt the content of the radio beacon signal.

[0122] In particular, Bluetooth radio beacon tags broadcast data packets containing their univocally associated identification codes. The identification code (or identifier) univocally associated with a Bluetooth radio beacon tag that is transmitted by the Bluetooth radio beacon tag may be a Universally Unique IDentifier (UUID), which is a string of, for example, 128 bits. The universally unique identifier to be assigned to a generic Bluetooth radio beacon tag may be generated by the manufacturer of the Bluetooth radio beacon tag (for example, by the manufacturer of the radio beacon transmitter 405), or by the manufacturer of the electronic system in which the Bluetooth radio beacon tag is inserted (in the example considered, the manufacturer of the electronic unit 205). The generated universally unique identifier is stored, preferably in an unmodifiable manner, in the Bluetooth radio beacon tag, for example in a dedicated "OTP" (One-Time Programmable, i.e., programmable but not reprogrammable) memory location on the Bluetooth radio beacon tag. The length of the bit string used to represent the universally unique identifier ensures that the probability of having two Bluetooth radio beacon tags identified by the same identification code is close to zero. To generate the universally unique identifier, any method known to those skilled in the art can be used.

[0123] The radio beacon signal that is periodically broadcast conforms, for example, to one of the well-known protocols used by BLE technology. By way of a non-limiting example, the radio beacon signal may conform to the advertisement packet defined in the BLE protocol.

[0124] Moving to Fig. 6, a pictorial representation of a system for associating a radio beacon tag (e.g., the radio beacon tag 115) with a tyre identification code (tyre ID) univocally associated with a tyre (e.g., the tyre 105) is shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] Fig. 6 schematically represents the tyre 105 of the previous figures, with the radio beacon tag 115 applied (for example in the manner described above), including the electronic unit 205 with the radio beacon transmitter 405 which, for example periodically, radiates a radio beacon signal 520 containing the identification code (or identifier) 525 univocally associated with the radio transmitter 405 (for example, the UUID), and therefore with the radio beacon tag 115.

[0126] The tyre 105 is identified by a respective tyre identification code (tyre ID) that is univocally associated with the tyre 105 itself. The tyre identification code may, for example, include the tyre's serial number (or “S / N”). The tyre identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105 is generated and assigned to the tyre 105 by the manufacturer of the tyre 105 itself and is, for example, printed, or otherwise imprinted, on a tag 607, for example a paper tag, which is applied to the outer surface of the tyre 105 directly by the manufacturer of the tyre 105. For example, the tyre identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105 is expressed in the form of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode.

[0127] More generally, tyre identification code 605 comprises a graphic symbol applied to tyre 105.

[0128] For example, the graphic symbol applied to tyre 105 may coincide with the tyre identification code (for example, comprising a numeric or alphanumeric sequence representing the tyre serial number), or it may be a geometric graphic symbol from which the tyre identification code can be univocally retrieved. Preferably, said graphic symbol comprises (more preferably consists of) one or more of the following: a numeric sequence, an alphanumeric sequence, a barcode, or a QR code. These forms of the graphic symbol are particularly useful for the purposes of the present invention.

[0129] Preferably, the graphic symbol is applied to a tyre sidewall during a tyre production phase. This makes the process of reading the graphic symbol and acquiring the tyre identification code, described below, operationally advantageous.

[0130] Preferably, applying the graphic symbol to a tyre (for example, to a tyre sidewall) involves one or more of the following techniques: laser engraving, manual or automated engraving, application of a tag prior to a tyre curing phase, or application of a tag after a tyre curing phase. These methods have proven particularly advantageous, for example, in terms of ease of implementation, cost, and / or durability of the applied graphic symbol, etc.

[0131] To acquire the identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105, the graphic symbol affixed to the tyre 105, for example printed on the tag 607 applied to the side of the tyre 105, comprising or coinciding with the identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105, is preferably readable, for example by a portable user terminal 610 equipped with a photo or video camera 615 and programmed to run image recognition software, in particular a barcode reading software. By framing the graphic symbol printed on the tag 607 with the photo or video camera 615 of the portable user terminal 610, the identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105 is read.

[0132] The identification code 525 univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 (in particular, with the radio beacon transmitter 405 of the radio beacon tag 115), contained in the radio beacon signal 520 that is radiated by the latter, can be extracted from the radio beacon signal 520 by means of a signal receiver, for example a Bluetooth receiver, for example incorporated in the same portable user terminal 610 used to acquire the graphic sign placed on the tyre 105. As mentioned above, the Bluetooth signal receiver incorporated in the portable user terminal 610 does not require prior pairing with the radio beacon tag 115 in order to receive the radio beacon signal 520.

[0133] The identification code 525 of the radio beacon tag 115 extracted from the radio beacon signal 520 radiated by the radio beacon tag 115 and the tyre identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105 acquired from the tyre itself are correlated, biunivocally coupled to form a single code pair 617 [identification code 525 univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115; identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105],

[0134] Preferably, the one-to-one correlation between said tyre identification code 605 of the tyre 105 and said identification code 525 univocally associated with said radio beacon tag 405 is performed during a production phase of said tyre 105 which comprises the application of the radio beacon tag 115 to the radially internal surface of the tyre 105. In this way the process is highly rational and controlled, to the advantage of the reliability of the correlation.

[0135] The unique code pair 617 is stored in a database 630 in the cloud 620, for example located at a remote server 625, for example managed by the manufacturer of the tyre 105. The storage of the unique code pair 617 in the database 630 can, for example, be performed by the portable user terminal 610, by accessing the cloud (for example via a telecommunications network - mobile data network, or by connecting the portable user terminal 610 to a local WiFi network with access to the cloud); various alternatives are possible for transmitting the unique code pair 617 to the remote server 625 for storage in the database 630, for example by manually entering or downloading the univocal identification codes read by the terminal 610 to a local data processor 627 connected to the cloud.

[0136] In the cloud database 630, the identification codes [identification code 525 univocally associated with radio beacon tag 115; identification code 605 univocally associated with tyre 105] of the unique code pair 617 may for example be stored, together with other similar unique code pairs relating to other tyres with other tyre identification units applied, in the form of a table 635, wherein the single record 640 of the table 635 contains a respective identification code B ID _#I, B ID

[0137] B ID univocally associated with a radio beacon tag 115 and the associated identification code Pn ID a, Pn ID _b, Pn ID _h, . . . univocally associated with the tyre 105 to which such radio beacon tag 115 is applied. The table 635 stored in the database 630 can be explored using the identification code univocally associated with radio beacon tag 115 as a search key: once the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag searched for in the table 635 has been identified, it is possible to extract the associated identification code univocally associated with the tyre.

[0138] Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B summarize, in flowchart form, the main steps of a tyre identification method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0139] In particular, the flowchart 700a in Fig. 7A summarizes the steps of a procedure for associating or pairing of an identification code univocally associated with a radio beacon tag applied to a tyre, contained in the radio beacon signal radiated by the radio beacon tag itself, with the identification code univocally associated with the tyre, for creating the unique code pair 617 and storing it in the database 630. Flowchart 700b in Fig. 7B summarizes the steps of a procedure for obtaining the identification code univocally associated with the tyre, stored in the database 630.

[0140] Starting with the association procedure of diagram 700a (procedure 700a), a radio beacon tag 115 is attached to a specific tyre (e.g., its radially internal surface), e.g., the tyre 105 (step 705).

[0141] The (radio beacon transmitter 405 of) the radio beacon tag 115 emits (e.g., periodically) a radio beacon signal 520 containing the identification code 525 univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 (e.g., the UUTD code).

[0142] The radio beacon signal 520 radiated by the radio beacon tag 115 is received by the portable user terminal 610, which is configured to identify the identification code 525 univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 in the radio beacon signal 520 and extract it (step 710).

[0143] The identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105 is then acquired (step 715), for example by acquiring (e.g., scanning), via the portable user terminal 610, the graphic symbol, for example in the form of a barcode, printed, for example, on the paper label 607 applied externally to the tyre 105.

[0144] Naturally, nothing prevents steps 710 and 715 from being performed in reverse order or concurrently.

[0145] This creates a unique code pair 607 [identification code 525 univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 405; tyre identification code 605 univocally associated with the tyre 105], which is stored in the cloud database 630 (step 720).

[0146] The association procedure 700a ends. The association procedure 700a is repeated for each individual tyre.

[0147] The procedure for obtaining the tyre identification code univocally associated with a given tyre, summarised in the diagram 700b (procedure for obtaining the tyre ID 700b) involves receiving, for example via a portable user terminal similar to the portable user terminal 610 used in the association procedure 700a, the radio beacon signal 520 which is (for example, periodically) radiated by the radio beacon tag 115 applied to the tyre and extracting from the received radio beacon signal 520 the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 (step 725).

[0148] The cloud database 630 is then accessed and a query is performed using the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 405 extracted from the received radio beacon signal 520 as the search key (step 730).

[0149] Having identified the record 640 in the database 630 containing the identification code univocally associated with the searched radio beacon tag, the tyre identification code 605 of the tyre 105 (tyre ID of the tyre 105) associated, in that stored record 640, with the identification code univocally associated with the identified radio beacon tag (step 735) is retrieved from the database 630.

[0150] The procedure for obtaining the tyre identification code 700b ends. The procedure for obtaining the tyre identification code 700a can be repeated whenever it is desired or necessary to retrieve the information contained in the tyre identification code of a generic tyre.

[0151] As previously discussed, the radio beacon tag according to the present invention has the significant advantage of being able to communicate with known vehicle control systems and user devices such as smartphones and tablets. For example, in the exemplary case of Bluetooth or BLE radio beacon tags, Bluetooth technology is already adopted in vehicle control systems, and all user devices such as smartphones and tablets are equipped with Bluetooth communication interfaces. Thanks to this, tyre identification data can be made available to vehicle control systems and also directly to users (vehicle owner or driver).

[0152] Fig- 8 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle comprising a tyre identification system and a vehicle control system interacting with each other, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle control unit part of the vehicle control system of Fig. 8, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0153] With reference to Fig. 8, a vehicle 800 is schematically shown by way of example and not limitatively, equipped with four tyres 805a - 805d, each of which comprises a radio beacon tag 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d in accordance with the present invention, for example a Bluetooth radio beacon tag. Vehicle 800 may be, for example, a passenger car, however the present invention also applies to other types of vehicles, such as two- or three-wheeled scooters, bicycles (in particular pedal-assisted bicycles, e-bikes), motorcycles, tractors, buses, trucks or light trucks, or to vehicles with two, three, four, six or more wheels distributed on two or more axles. Vehicle 800 may be powered by electricity, or be based on thermal propulsion or may be a hybrid vehicle.

[0154] The radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, and 115d are configured to emit, for example, periodically, radio beacon signals (such as the radio beacon signal 520 described above) containing respective identification codes, each univocally associated with the respective radio beacon tag, such as respective UUIDs; for example, the radio beacon tags may be the radio beacon tag 115 described above.

[0155] A control unit 815 is configured and operable to receive radio signals, particularly Bluetooth signals, and in particular to receive the radio beacon signals emitted by the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, and 115d attached to the tyres 805a-805d mounted on the vehicle 800. The control unit 815 communicates with a vehicle control system 820 configured to adjust vehicle control parameters based on tyre-related parameters. The vehicle control system 820 may be the on-board computer of the vehicle 800, and / or a subsystem configured to adjust at least one of said vehicle control parameters (e.g., a suspension control subsystem, a brake control subsystem, a steering control subsystem). In embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 815 may be a hardware or software module implemented in the vehicle control system 820 of the vehicle 800.

[0156] The control unit 815 is external to the tyres 805a-805d. The control unit 815 may be positioned anywhere on the vehicle that is reachable by the radio beacon signals radiated by the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d attached to the tyres 805a-805d mounted on the vehicle 800.

[0157] For example, the control unit 815 may be attached to the windshield of the vehicle 800. In another embodiment, the control unit 815 may be a personal mobile device of the vehicle driver (e.g., a smartphone or tablet), equipped with a Bluetooth interface and possibly with suitable applications / software modules configured at least to process the beacons received from the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d.

[0158] Fig. 9 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the control unit 815 of Fig. 8. The control unit 815 comprises a receiving section 905, an antenna 910, an interface 915 with the control system 820 of the vehicle 800, a battery 920, and a processing unit 925 with an associated memory.

[0159] The receiving section 905 of the control unit 815 is configured to receive, via the antenna 910, the radio beacon signals 520 radiated by the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. In particular, the receiving section 905 comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module.

[0160] The interface 915 to the vehicle control system 820 may be a CAN BUS interface adapted for bidirectional communication with the vehicle control system 820.

[0161] The battery 920 directly or indirectly supplies electrical power to the various electrical and electronic components of control unit 815. In other embodiments, the control unit 815 may be powered by the vehicle battery 800, for example, via the interface 915.

[0162] The processing unit, CPU, 925 of the control unit 815 is configured, via appropriate software / firmware modules, to receive unique identification codes (e.g., UUIDs) contained in radio beacon signals 520 radiated by radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d. These unique identification codes may, for example, have been extracted from the radio beacon signals received by the receiving section 915.

[0163] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 815 is configured to access the database 630 in the cloud and perform the procedure 700b for obtaining the tyre identification codes (tyre IDs) of the tyres 805a - 805d. To access the database 630, the control unit 815 may be equipped with a communication interface for accessing a mobile telecommunications network (data network), such as an LTE, 5G, 6G data network.

[0164] The control unit 815 may also access the database 630 in the cloud only once, and the control unit 815 may locally store the association between the identification codes of radio beacon tags contained in the radio beacon signals 520 radiated by the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d and the respective tyre identification codes of the tyres 805a - 805d on which said radio beacon tags are applied. Preferably, access by the control unit 815 to the database 630 for obtaining the tyre identification codes of the tyres 805a - 805d and storing them locally can be triggered by the detection by the control unit 815 that one or more of the radio beacon tag identification codes radiated by the radio beacon tags 115a, 115b, 115c, 115d and received by the control unit 815 do not match the locally stored radio beacon tag identification codes, which is indicative of the fact that one or more tyres have been replaced. Alternatively or in addition, access by the control unit 815 to the database 630 for obtaining the tyre identification codes of the tyres 805a - 805d and their local storage can be triggered by a user command, which the user (or the workshop personnel responsible for fitting tyres) can give when replacing one or more tyres.

[0165] The tyre identification codes, retrieved from the cloud database 630, of the tyres 805a-805d mounted on the vehicle 800 are provided by the control unit 815 to the control system 820 of the vehicle 800, which can use the information relating to the characteristics of the tyres mounted on the vehicle for various control functions of the vehicle 800.

[0166] The availability of information derived from the tyre identification codes of the tyres mounted on a vehicle to the control system of the vehicle on which the tyres are mounted is of considerable importance.

[0167] For example, information derived from tyre identification codes may include data relating to tyre type, particularly whether the tyres are winter, summer, or all- season tyres. The vehicle control system's knowledge of the type of tyres mounted on a vehicle allows it to automatically implement differentiated vehicle usage scenarios, for example, automatically limiting speed and / or engine power output if the tyres installed are not suitable for the weather conditions.

[0168] Again for example, information derived from the tyre identification codes may include the name of the tyre manufacturer (the "brand"), and / or the specific tyre model, and / or the tyre size, load class, and speed rating, and / or the recommended inflation pressure (possibly based on the load applied to the tyre). All of this data is extremely useful to the vehicle control system on which the tyres are mounted to automatically implement safety and efficiency-related functions. For example, the vehicle control system can automatically configure the vehicle dynamics (suspension, braking system, etc.) based on the identification data of the tyres identification data installed on the vehicle.

[0169] The control unit 815 can preferably also be configured to receive additional data relating to the tyres 805a - 805d mounted on the vehicle 800, for example coming from tyre monitoring units (not shown in the figure) applied to each tyre 805a - 805d and configured to measure and provide the control unit 815 with characteristic tyre parameters such as tyre inflation pressure, tyre temperature (in particular, the temperature of the air or other tyre inflation gas), the accelerations experienced by the tyres as they roll on the road surface (for example, radial, tangential, lateral accelerations) and the like. Such additional data, made available to the control system 820 of the vehicle 800, are useful for the control functions of the vehicle itself.

[0170] In the embodiment of the present invention described herein, the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 that is radiated in the radio beacon signal 520 does not coincide with the tyre identification code univocally associated with the tyre to which the radio beacon tag 115 is applied. In particular, the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 that is radiated in the radio beacon signal 520 does not have any physical meaning in itself and it is not possible to derive any information regarding the characteristics of the tyre from it: the characteristics of the tyre, contained in the tyre identification code uniquely associated with the tyre, can be derived only by exploiting the (univocal) association between the identification code univocally associated with the radio beacon tag 115 and the tyre identification code of the tyre to which the radio beacon tag 115 is applied.

[0171] However, nothing prevents, in embodiments of the present invention, the univocal identification code of the radio beacon tag which is stored (preferably in an unmodifiable manner) in the radio beacon tag itself, and which is radiated as a radio beacon signal, from comprising information relating to at least some of the specific characteristics of the tyre to which the tyre identification unit is applied.

[0172] For example, in embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to prepare two families of radio beacon tags to be applied to the tyres: a first family intended for application to winter tyres and a second family intended for application to summer tyres. The identification codes generated and stored in the radio beacon tags of the first family may include an indication of the "winter" category of the tyres, and similarly the identification codes generated and stored in the radio beacon tags of the second family may include an indication of the "summer" category of the tyres. Radio beacon tags of the first family (to be applied to "winter" tyres) can be made readily distinguishable from radio beacon tags of the second family (to be applied to "summer" tyres), for example, by applying appropriate tags to the radio beacon tags of the first and second families that are readily identifiable, for example visually. The technical personnel responsible for applying the tyre identification units to the tyres will select the correct radio beacon tag to apply to the tyre based on the tyre class. In this way, simply by reading the radio beacon signal emitted by the radio beacon tags applied to the tyres, it will be possible to derive the information regarding the tyre's class, "winter" or "summer," without the need to query the cloud database. Similarly, it is possible to generate tyre identification codes to be univocally associated with radio beacon tags that include information related to specific tyre characteristics different or additional to the "winter" / "summer" tyre class, possibly the complete tyre identification codes for the different tyres. The more tyre characteristic information contained in the identification codes univocally associated with the radio beacon tags, the more tyre characteristic information can be derived directly from the radio beacon signal radiated by the radio beacon tag attached to it, and the less need there is to query the cloud database to obtain the tyre characteristic information contained in the tyre identification code combined with the identification code univocally associated with the radiated radio beacon tag. However, this requires producing many "custom" versions of radio beacon tags (in terms of the identification code of the respective Bluetooth beacon devices) for different tyres.

[0173] In embodiments of the present invention, information relating to tyre characteristics can be transmitted by radio beacon tags as information content associated with the identification code univocally associated with the generic radio beacon tag, which is radiated as a radio beacon signal by the radio beacon tag.

[0174] In embodiments of the present invention, the electronic unit of the radio beacon tags can also include one or more tyre characteristic parameter sensors, such as temperature sensors. The tyre characteristic parameters detected by these sensors can be broadcast as a radio beacon signal together with the radio beacon tag's univocal identification code.

[0175] § § § § §

Claims

CLAIMS1. Method of identification of a tyre, the method comprising:- providing a radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) configured for transmitting a beacon radio signal (520) containing a radio beacon tag identification code (525) univocally associated with the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d);- providing a tyre (105);- providing a tyre identification code (605) univocally associated with the tyre (105);- applying (705) the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) radially internally to the tyre (105);- receiving (710), at a receiver device (610), the beacon radio signal (520) transmitted by the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) and extracting the radio beacon tag identification code (525) contained in the received radio beacon signal (520);- acquiring (715) the tyre identification code (605) of the tyre (105) to which the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) is applied;- pairing the acquired tyre identification code (605) with the radio beacon tag identification code (525) extracted from the received radio beacon signal (520);- storing (720), in a database (630), an association (640) between the radio beacon tag identification code (525) and the tyre identification code (605) paired therewith.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre identification code (605) comprises a graphic sign, applied to the tyre (105).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said graphic sign comprises or consists in at least one among:- a numeric or alphanumeric sequence;- a geometric graphic sign, particularly a one-dimensional and / or a bi- dimensional bar code, for example a QR code.

4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, comprising placing said graphic sign onto a sidewall of said tyre (105) during a production phase of said tyre.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said placing said graphic sign onto a sidewall of said tyre comprises performing one or more among:- laser writing;- manual or automatized writing;- applying a tag onto the sidewall of said tyre, the tag containing the graphic sign, prior to a curing phase of the tyre;- applying a tag onto the sidewall of said tyre, the tag containing the graphic sign, after a curing phase of the tyre.

6. Method according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein said acquiring said tyre identification code of the tyre (105) comprises acquiring said tyre identification code of the tyre (105) from said graphic sign.

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said steps of:- applying (705) the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) radially internally to the tyre (105);- receiving (710), at the receiver device (610), the radio beacon signal (520) transmitted by the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) and extracting the radio beacon tag identification code (525) contained in the received radio beacon signal (520);- acquiring (715) the tyre identification code (605) of the tyre (105) to which the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) is applied;- pairing the acquired tyre identification code (605) with the radio beacon tag identification code (525) extracted from the received radio beacon signal (520) are performed during a stage of production of said tyre.

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said database (630) is located at a remote server (625) accessible through a telecommunications network (620).

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) is a Bluetooth radio beacon tag, particularly a Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE radio beacon tag.

10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) is configured for transmitting the radio beacon signal (520) periodically, by autonomously activating for the transmission of the radio beacon signal (520) and autonomously deactivating after the transmission of the radio beacon signal (520).

11. Method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising:- receiving (725), at the receiver device (610) or at a further receiver device (815), the radio beacon signal (520) transmitted by the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d);- extracting from the radio beacon signal (520) the radio beacon tag identification code (525), univocally associated with the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d), contained in the received radio beacon signal (520);- accessing (730) the database (630);- identifying in said database (630) the identification code (525) of the radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) extracted from the received radio beacon signal (520);- obtaining (735) from said database (630) the tyre identification code (605) associated with the identified radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d) identification code (525).

12. System comprising:- a tyre (105);- a tyre identification code (605) univocally associated with the tyre (105);- a radio beacon tag (115; 115a - 115d), applied radially internally to the tyre (105), configured for transmitting a radio beacon signal (520) comprising a radio beacon tag identification code (525) univocally associated with said radio beacon tag;- a receiver device (610) configured for receiving the radio beacon signal (520) and for extracting therefrom the respective radio beacon tag identification code (525) contained in the received radio beacon signal (520);- a device (715) configured for acquiring the tyre identification code (605) of the tyre;- a database (630) configured for storing an association between the radio beacon tag identification code (525) extracted from the radio beacon signal (520) received at the receiver device (610) and the acquired tyre identification code.

13. System according to claim 12, comprising:- a communication interface configured for accessing the database (630) through a telecommunications network (620), for identifying in said database the radio beacon tag identification code extracted from the radio beacon signal received at the receiver device (610) or at a further receiver device (815), and for obtaining the tyre identification code that, in said database (630), is associated with said radio beacon tag identification code.

14. System according to claim 13, wherein said receiver device (610) or said further receiver device (815) comprise at least one among: a user device such as a smartphone or a tablet; a receiving unit (905) of a vehicle control system (815, 820).§ § § § §

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