Wireless Tire Heatmap Sensing for Fleet Wear Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fleet vehicles experience wear and tear issues, particularly with tires, due to misalignment, uneven inflation, and cargo weight, leading to costly repairs and maintenance challenges in tracking and timely intervention across a large number of vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A wireless sensing system comprising tape nodes with sensors that measure surface temperature and height, generating heatmaps to detect abnormal wear and anomalous events, and a gateway node that communicates with onboard systems to identify discrepancies and notify users of potential issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection and tracking methods are used for fleet vehicles, then implementation cost and complexity are low, but the ability to detect tire wear and anomalies in a timely manner deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual inspection methods with wireless sensing devices that use infrared sensors to detect thermal patterns on tires. This substitution of mechanical/manual systems with automated sensing technology enables timely detection of tire anomalies without requiring complex centralized monitoring infrastructure, resolving the contradiction between reliable detection and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless sensing devices are self-contained units that autonomously monitor tire conditions and transmit data without requiring external intervention or complex centralized processing. Each device independently performs sensing, data processing, and communication functions, enabling reliable anomaly detection while maintaining simplicity in system deployment and management.
2Reliability
If frequent maintenance inspections are performed on fleet vehicles, then tire wear and anomalies are detected earlier, but time loss and productivity reduction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless sensing devices enable continuous monitoring of tire conditions during normal vehicle operation, eliminating the need for periodic maintenance stops. The system continuously collects thermal data and detects anomalies in real-time, ensuring early detection of tire issues while maintaining uninterrupted vehicle productivity and operational efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If detailed manual tracking of each vehicle is implemented, then monitoring precision is improved, but labor requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces labor-intensive manual tracking with automated wireless sensing devices that precisely measure tire thermal patterns. The infrared sensors detect subtle temperature variations indicating wear or anomalies with high precision, while automated data transmission and processing eliminate the need for manual inspection efforts, thereby improving measurement precision while enhancing ease of operation through reduced labor requirements.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If comprehensive sensor arrays are deployed on each vehicle, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs infrared sensors strategically positioned to monitor specific high-wear zones on tires rather than deploying comprehensive sensor arrays across entire vehicles. This localized sensing approach detects abnormal wear patterns and thermal anomalies with high capability while maintaining simplicity in system design and reducing overall device complexity and cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively monitors tire conditions, reducing the risk of catastrophic failures by identifying abnormal wear and maintenance needs, thereby enhancing vehicle performance and reducing repair costs through timely interventions.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor may be one or more of: an infrared camera, a temperature sensor, a temperature probe
Implementation Method 2
the sensor may be one or more of: a time-of-flight sensor, a light sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor
Implementation Method 3
the sensor may be one or more of: a time-of-flight sensor, a light sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless sensing system comprises a plurality of tape nodes and a gateway node associated with a vehicle of the wireless sensing system. Each of the plurality of tape nodes is adhered to a respective position on the vehicle, e.g., at corners of the undercarriage, and comprises one or more sensors configured to capture data describing the vehicle during operation. For example, the one or more sensors capture data describing a heatmap of tires of the vehicle and/or height of the vehicle. The plurality of tape nodes transmit the sensor data to the gateway node of the wireless sensing system. The gateway node detects anomalous events, such as misalignment of tires, flat tires, or sagging in the undercarriage, based at least in part on the tape nodes. Responsive to detecting an anomalous event, the gateway node transmits a notification to a user of the wireless sensing system.