Tire Wear Estimation Using Pressure and Driving Dynamics Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tire wear estimation methods, including visual inspection and camera-assisted techniques, are time-consuming and laborious, while existing sensor-based systems primarily focus on tire pressure monitoring, lacking efficient and comprehensive tire wear estimation.

Innovation Solution

A sensor-based tire monitoring method that combines tire parameters, such as pressure and temperature, with driving dynamics parameters, including braking, steering, and acceleration, to estimate tire wear, optionally considering environmental conditions, using existing vehicle sensors and systems for automated, near-real-time monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If visual inspection or camera-assisted inspection methods are used for tire wear estimation, then tire wear can be assessed, but the process becomes time-consuming and laborious, reducing vehicle operational availability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire wear estimation accuracyVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and camera-based image processing with a sensor-based electronic monitoring system. Tire pressure sensors, temperature sensors, and driving dynamics sensors continuously collect data, and a control unit processes this information to estimate tire wear automatically, eliminating the need for manual inspection while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The tire monitoring system enables the vehicle to self-monitor its own tire wear condition through integrated sensors and onboard processing. The system automatically detects tire parameters, processes driving dynamics data, and generates wear estimates without requiring external inspection personnel or equipment, thereby reducing inspection time and improving operational availability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If sensor-based tire pressure monitoring systems are used, then tire pressure can be monitored for driving safety, but the systems are limited and do not provide comprehensive tire wear estimation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving safety monitoringVSAvoidtire wear estimation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the functionality of traditional tire pressure monitoring systems by integrating multiple sensor types (pressure, temperature, acceleration, steering angle) and processing algorithms that enable both safety monitoring and comprehensive tire wear estimation. The control unit processes data from these diverse sensors to derive multiple parameters including tire wear, making the system versatile for both safety and maintenance applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines tire pressure monitoring, temperature monitoring, and driving dynamics monitoring into a single integrated system. By merging these previously separate functions and processing them together in one control unit, the system achieves both reliable safety monitoring and comprehensive tire wear estimation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4640448A1Tire monitoring method, control unit, vehicle and computer program product
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 ZF CV SYST EURO BV
  • EP4640448A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4640448A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4640448A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a tire monitoring method (100) for estimating tire wear (11) of a tire (10) of a vehicle (50), the vehicle (50) comprising a control unit (30) and the tire monitoring method (100) comprising the steps of receiving (110), at the control unit (30), a tire parameter (12a) provided by a tire sensor (12) associated with the tire (10), receiving (120), at the control unit (30), a driving dynamics parameter (13a) provided by a driving dynamics sensor (13) of the vehicle (50) and estimating (130), by means of the control unit (30), tire wear (11) of the tire (10) based on the tire parameter (12a) and the driving dynamics parameter (13a). Furthermore, the invention relates to a control unit (30) configured to carry out the tire monitoring method (100) and to a vehicle (50), in particular a commercial vehicle (50a), comprising a tire (10), a tire sensor (12), a driving dynamics sensor (13) and such a control unit (30).