Real-Time Tire Wear Monitoring for Fleet Maintenance Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tire wear monitoring systems do not provide real-time monitoring and fail to aggregate tire wear information for multiple vehicles, particularly for fleet and autonomous vehicles, leading to neglect in tire maintenance which can compromise safety and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a processor, memory, and sensors, including a brake force sensor, that determines tire wear state information and generates alerts when wear exceeds a threshold, with features for calibration, communication, and scheduling to manage tire replacement, utilizing machine learning for tire wear modeling and optimal repair facility selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual tire wear checking methods (calipers, tread depth gauge, or coin) are used, then measurement precision is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to tedious manual measurement processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetread depth measurement precisionVSAvoidease of tire wear monitoring
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement tools (calipers, tread depth gauges, coins) with an automated sensor-based system that uses machine learning algorithms to estimate tire wear. The system substitutes human-operated mechanical measurement with automated electronic sensing and computational analysis, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining measurement accuracy.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service monitoring by automatically collecting sensor data, processing it through machine learning models, and generating wear estimates without requiring user intervention. The automated nature of the system allows it to monitor tire wear continuously and independently, freeing users from the burden of manual checking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If existing sensor-based tire wear estimation solutions are implemented, then ease of operation improves through automated sensing, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of real-time monitoring capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomated tire wear monitoringVSAvoidreal-time monitoring reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous real-time monitoring by continuously collecting sensor data and updating wear estimates without interruption. The system maintains an ongoing monitoring process that provides up-to-date tire wear information, ensuring reliability through continuous data collection and analysis rather than periodic or intermittent checking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where sensor data is continuously fed into machine learning models that adjust and refine wear estimates in real-time. The feedback loop ensures that the monitoring system adapts to changing conditions and maintains accuracy, enhancing reliability through dynamic adjustment based on incoming data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If individual vehicle tire monitoring is implemented, then reliability of single vehicle safety improves, but productivity deteriorates due to inability to aggregate data across fleet vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesingle vehicle safety reliabilityVSAvoidfleet-wide tire management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal system that serves multiple functions: it monitors individual vehicle tire wear for safety purposes while simultaneously aggregating data across the entire fleet for centralized management. The system's multi-functionality allows it to operate at both the individual vehicle level and the fleet level, providing both localized safety monitoring and global productivity optimization.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges individual vehicle monitoring data into a centralized fleet-wide database, combining multiple data sources to provide comprehensive tire management insights. By merging individual monitoring capabilities with aggregate fleet analysis, the system achieves both high reliability for individual vehicles and high productivity for fleet operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4116110B1Real-time tire monitoring system
Publication Date: 2024.05.29 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP4116110B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4116110B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4116110B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method can comprise determining, by a device comprising a processor, wear state information representative of a wear state of a tire of a vehicle based on an output from a sensor of the vehicle, and in response to the wear state of the tire being determined to exceed a tire wear threshold, generating, by the device, an alert signal associated with the wear state of the tire.