Tire Footprint Image Generation Using Exterior Tread Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for acquiring a tire footprint image are cumbersome and complex, requiring manual installation of tires on measuring instruments and using multiple pressure sensors.
Innovation Solution
A generating device that utilizes a processor to process an exterior tire image into a planar tread surface image, determine an extraction range, and extract a footprint image based on tire specification data and vehicle weight data, employing projective transformations and neural networks to simplify the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a measuring instrument with pressure sensors is used to acquire a footprint image, then the footprint image can be obtained, but the work process becomes complicated requiring manual tire installation and operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual footprint image by processing an exterior image of the tire through projective transformation and extracting the contact patch region, rather than using physical pressure sensors. This digital copying approach eliminates the need for complex measuring instruments and manual tire installation while maintaining the ability to obtain footprint image data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical measuring instrument system (pressure sensors, tire mounting equipment) with an image processing system that uses computer vision and projective transformation algorithms to determine the contact patch from exterior tire images, significantly simplifying the operation
2Measurement precision
If multiple pressure sensors are deployed to measure pressure distribution, then footprint image data is obtained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple physical pressure sensors to measure pressure distribution, the patent creates a virtual pressure distribution map by processing exterior tire images through projective transformation. This digital model replicates the information that would be obtained from physical sensors without requiring the complex sensor array infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary footprint image data (contact patch region) from exterior tire images through image processing and projective transformation, eliminating the need for complex pressure sensor deployment and data collection systems while obtaining the essential measurement information
Data Source
AI summary
A CPU (processor) executes a processing process, a setting process, and an extraction process. In the processing process, CPU processes the planar tread surface image from the exterior image of the tire including the curved tread surface. In the setting process, CPU obtains an extraction range of the planar tread surface image. In the extraction process, CPU extracts part of the planar tread surface images based on the extraction range. The extracted image is output as a footprint image. In addition, in the setting process, CPU determines the contact patch width and contact patch length of the tire based on the specification data of the tire and the vehicle weight data. Further, in the setting process, CPU determines the extraction range based on the contact patch width and the contact patch length.