Tire Wear Estimation Using Single Acceleration Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for estimating uneven tire wear require multiple acceleration sensors, leading to increased costs, data processing complexity, and reliability issues, while also being affected by changes in vehicle speed.
Innovation Solution
A method using a single acceleration sensor to calculate a vibration level in a specific frequency range (800-1200 Hz) for the uneven wear measured band and a reference frequency range (2000-2400 Hz) to determine an uneven wear index, which is compared to a threshold value to assess tire wear, reducing the impact of vehicle speed changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple acceleration sensors are used to estimate uneven tire wear, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tire tread monitoring into two functional zones: a single acceleration sensor positioned at the axial center, and separate uneven wear detection zones at the shoulder portions. By strategically placing the sensor at the axial center and using signal processing to infer shoulder wear conditions, the system achieves wear detection without requiring sensors at every critical location, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces signal processing algorithms as an intermediary between the single acceleration sensor and the uneven wear detection. The processing unit analyzes acceleration waveform characteristics, extracts features, and determines uneven wear conditions based on processed signals rather than direct multi-point measurements. This intermediary processing layer enables accurate wear detection with fewer physical sensors.
2Measurement precision
If multiple acceleration sensors are deployed, then measurement precision improves, but reliability deteriorates due to increased maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The single acceleration sensor at the axial center serves multiple functions: it monitors overall tire conditions, provides data for uneven wear detection at shoulder portions, and enables comprehensive tire health assessment. This multi-functional use of a single sensor reduces the number of components that can fail, thereby improving system reliability while maintaining detection accuracy through sophisticated signal processing.
3Measurement precision
If acceleration sensors are used to detect uneven wear, then measurement precision is improved, but the system becomes sensitive to vehicle speed changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the acceleration signal from the time domain to the frequency domain through spectral analysis. By converting the acceleration waveform into frequency components, the system identifies characteristic frequency ranges associated with uneven wear that are independent of vehicle speed. This parameter transformation enables the detection algorithm to focus on wear-related frequency signatures rather than speed-dependent time-domain characteristics, thereby reducing sensitivity to speed variations.
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
This approach allows for accurate estimation of uneven tire wear with fewer sensors and minimizes the effect of vehicle speed variations, enhancing accuracy and reducing maintenance complexities.
Implementation Method 1
output signals of an acceleration sensor disposed on an inner surface side of the tire tread
Implementation Method 2
a frequency analysis unit that separates the acceleration waveform into a plurality of frequency bands
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for estimating uneven wear in the tire shoulder with high accuracy using a fewer number of sensors are provided. An uneven tire wear estimating apparatus includes an acceleration sensor (11) disposed on an inner surface of a tire tread for measuring radial acceleration, an acceleration waveform extracting means (12) for extracting an acceleration waveform in a post-trailing-end domain from output signals of the acceleration sensor, means for calculating a vibration level α of an uneven wear measured band and a vibration level β of a reference band from the extracted acceleration waveform, an uneven wear determination index calculating means (16) for calculating an uneven wear determination index γ, which is an index for determining au uneven wear, from the vibration level α and the vibration level β, and a determining means (18) for determining whether an uneven wear is occurring in an edge of the tire shoulder from the value of the uneven wear determination index γ.