Vehicle Tire Tread Depth Estimation Using Orientation Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for estimating tire tread depth are prone to errors due to mechanical stresses during maneuvering maneuvers, such as parking and cornering, and require additional sensors that increase manufacturing costs and are susceptible to malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A method that corrects tread depth information using an orientation sensor to account for changes in vehicle alignment during maneuvering, integrating with existing parameter-based methods to improve estimation accuracy and reduce computational resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional sensors (acceleration sensors, GPS data) are installed in vehicle tires to enable direct measurement of tread depth, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an orientation sensor as an intermediary device to detect vehicle alignment changes during maneuvering maneuvers. This sensor does not directly measure tread depth but provides correction data that improves the accuracy of parameter-based estimation methods, thereby resolving the contradiction by achieving improved measurement precision without adding complex direct measurement sensors to the tires
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical sensing systems (acceleration sensors, GPS) with an orientation-based correction approach. Instead of using complex mechanical sensors in the tires, the system uses orientation data to mathematically correct tread depth estimates, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are built into vehicle tires to enable tread depth estimation, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to susceptibility to malfunctions from mechanical stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the orientation sensing function from the tire environment and places it in the vehicle body, where it is protected from the harsh mechanical conditions inside the tire. This separation allows the sensor to provide reliable data without being exposed to the high-stress tire environment, thereby improving reliability while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation sensor acts as an intermediary that indirectly contributes to tread depth measurement without being exposed to the harsh conditions inside the tire. By measuring vehicle alignment changes and using this data to correct parameter-based estimates, the system achieves reliable operation without placing sensors in the high-stress tire environment
3Device complexity
If parameter-based methods are used to estimate tread depth without additional sensors, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to account for maneuvering maneuver stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces feedback by using orientation sensor data to continuously correct parameter-based tread depth estimates. The system monitors vehicle alignment changes and feeds this information back into the estimation algorithm, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining the simplicity of parameter-based methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used in tread depth estimation by incorporating orientation data into the calculation. Instead of relying solely on basic parameter-based methods, the system adjusts the estimation by accounting for alignment changes detected by the orientation sensor, thereby improving precision without significantly increasing system complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for estimating the tread depth of vehicle tires (10) on a vehicle (12), comprising the method steps: a) moving the vehicle (12) in a time interval, b) detecting the time-dependent orientation of the vehicle (12) with an orientation sensor (14) in the time interval, and c) correcting a tread depth information stored for a vehicle tire (10) of the vehicle (12) on a storage unit (16) of an electronic data processing device (18) as a function of the detected change in the orientation of the vehicle (12) in the time interval.