Patent ID: 7320246
Filing Date: 2008-01-22
Classification: B60C,B60T

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring a vehicle tire, including: storing, in a computer-readable medium, a vehicle- and/or tire-specific diagnostic model capable of calculating a value of at least one tire deterioration parameter from a value of at least one operating parameter pertaining to operational demands on the vehicle tire, wherein the diagnostic model includes at least one vehicle adjustment parameter selected from wheel camber and wheel toe and the at least one tire deterioration parameter comprises a temperature prevailing in a tire material proximal to a junction between a sidewall and a tread of the vehicle tire; storing, in a computer-readable medium, a tire deterioration model capable of ascertaining a tire deterioration characterizing value from a time progression of the value of the at least one tire deterioration parameter, wherein the tire deterioration model contains an integral over time of the temperature prevailing in the tire material proximal to the junction between the sidewall and the tread of the vehicle tire; determining a value of the at least one vehicle adjustment parameter, detecting the value of the at least one operating parameter; determining the value of the at least one tire deterioration parameter using the stored diagnostic model based upon at least the determined value of the at least one vehicle adjustment parameter and the detected value of the at least one operating parameter; detecting the time progression of the value of the at least one tire deterioration parameter value; determining the tire deterioration characterizing value based upon the stored tire deterioration model and at least the integral over time of the detected value of the at least one tire deterioration parameter value; generating a prognosis representing the condition of the tire based upon the tire deterioration characterizing value; and outputting the prognosis.