TYRE PRESSURE DETERMINATION

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining tyre pressure in automotive vehicles utilises twin spaced parallel and non-transverse piezoelectric cables which are traversed by a vehicle to produce a voltage pulse having a shapes or profiles characteristic of the tyre pressure. Waveform analysis on the basis of a software algorithm and/or look-up calibration data enables numerical pressure determination. The system is well adapted for remote automotive vehicle tyre pressure sensing under normal conditions of vehicle use.

Description: TYRE PRESSURE DETERMINATION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for tyre pressure determination particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to automotive vehicle tyre pressure determination, notably as applied to automobile and truck tyre pressure determination, but applicable to vehicle tyre pressures generally. Tyre pressure surveys and other available data indicate a considerable need for some more convenient and readily used method for tyre pressure determination than the conventional method of directly measuring the pneumatic pressure in the tyre at the time of inflation and subsequently. If some external sensor system could be provided which did not require any active intervention on the part of the vehicle driver, this would obviously be extremely beneficial and useful. However, although systems for remote sensing of vehicle operating parameters have been proposed including the use of ultrasonic sensors, no system of that kind appears to be readily applicable to tyre pressure determination on a remote basis. Nethertheless , we are aware from our co-pending European patent application EP 96307897.7 (our reference P52835EP) , due to be published 28 May 1997, that sensory determinations through the tyres of a vehicle can be effectively made using piezo electric sensors, notably such in cable and similar format whereby the loading of the cable is effected in such a manner that the load is applied at spaced apart positions on the piezo electric material. We are aware of course that piezo electric cable type materials have been used widely for sensing traffic movements, with the piezo electric material in the format of a road-surface-mounted device which produces an electrical impulse on the passage of a vehicle. Such impulses may have been analysed in various ways in the past, mainly simply on the basis of mere counting of pulses. Possibly proposals may have been made for more sophisticated analysis of such data. The present invention is based upon our discovery that the passage of a vehicle tyre over a piezo electric cable produces a waveform which has characteristics of shape and form which enable the pressure of the tyre to be determined by appropriate analysis of such form and/or shape. It is believed that it has not previously been proposed to analyse the waveform and/or shape of such piezo-electric-cable-produced electronic pulses for this purpose. Moreover, we have discovered that the pulses thus produced are affected in terms of their pulse width and height by the speed of the vehicle and its weight. An important aspect of the present invention relates to the interpretation of the data obtainable from the piezo electric device to take account of these factors, including a method for actually eliminating or offsetting their effects. The present invention takes as the state of the art from which claim 1 commences as the use of signals from piezo electric cable devices mounted on roadway surfaces for numerical traffic monitoring purposes. DISCLOSURE OF PRIOR ART There is disclosure in : EP-A-0 545 641 (Exxon) EP-A-0 656 269 (Exxon) of a system for determining pneumatic tyre pressure and/or velocity in which an two-dimensional array of force sensors in a driveway or the like determine the pattern of force distribution exerted by a tyre in its contact footprint across the width of the tyre and a computer determines tyre pressure and/or velocity from the sensed contact forces. There is disclosed in US 4,630,470 (Brooke) a system for determining tyre pressure of vehicles as they pass an instrumented check point on a roadway. Rigid corrugations on the roadway set the tyres into vibration with a waveform which is a function of tyre pressure. Below the roadway surface directly beneath a metal plate on which the corrugations are formed to provide the road surface there are provided multiple costly transducers which convert the mechanical vibrations caused by the tyres to identical electrical waveforms. The spacing 26 between adjacent ridges of the corrugations or ribs varies with the type of vehicle being checked. It has been found that the ideal spacing for a jeep is 2.0 inches and 3.1 inches for a 5 tonne military truck. In accordance with the invention, the spacing between the ridges is variable within this range. The waveforms produced by the tyres passing over these ribs are subjected to spectral analysis based on the concept of detecting one or more tyres which has a differing spectrum from the others and therefore is at a different pressure. No means is disclosed for actual quantitative numerical determination of the tyre pressure, but only for detecting differences in pressure. To the best of the Applicants' knowledge there has been no prior proposal for the use of a piezoelectric cable sensor/detector device located on a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles to provide a signal which is generated by direct loading of the device by the compressive engagement by the vehicle tyres across the lateral widths of the tyres without any mechanical intervention or intermediary device (such as the ribs of the Brook patent) , and from which signal the tyre pressure is determined quantitatively directly by non-spectral analysis and without the need for comparison with detectors responding to other tyres of the same vehicle. According to the invention there is provided a method and apparatus for tyre pressure and related determinations, as defined in the accompanying claims. In an embodiment described below, there is provided a method and apparatus whereby tyre pressure determination is effected by the simple expedient of causing a vehicle wheel/tyre assembly to pass over an elongated piezo electric cable sensor element for compressive engagement with it across the lateral width of the tyre, the sensor being located on or at the roadway surface or the like. This can be done at relatively low speed, for example during manoeuvres within an automotive servicing facility, or in a garage or petrol station forecourt. As the vehicle tyre in question passes over the cable, so as to compress and load same across the full lateral width of the tyre (ie the tyre's entire surface area at the relevant portion of its circumference) , the cable produces an electromotive force comprising positive and negative-going waveform voltage elements, as shown in Figs 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. These waveforms, we have discovered, possess characteristic shape components which enable pressure determination to be made on the basis of calibrated reference to previously obtained data. The shape of the voltage profiles obtained depend upon the tyre pressure and hence the latter can be readily determined on a look-up reference basis. In the embodiments, account is taken (by means of a software algorithm) of the influence of vehicle weight and speed (though generally low) in order to isolate as far as possible the data available providing a direct measure of tyre pressure. Vehicle weight has a direct relationship to the amplitude of the voltage pulse produced, due to the fact that the voltage produced by a piezo electric device has a direct relationship to the mechanical load applied to the device. Accordingly the weight component of the waveform produced by the device is processed on the basis of calibration data relating vehicle weight to voltage produced, whereby in a given test the output can be standardised by reference to a predetermined and uniform vehicle '..'eight. As regards the effect of vehicle speed, a direct approach to eliminating this effect is available by merely repeating a given test with the vehicle passing successively over spaced sensor elements at a known separation, whereby the speed component of the data can be readily calculated and eliminated or reduced by an adjustment process. Therefore with respect to eliminating or reducing the effect of vehicle speed on the waveform, the following details of the approach can be adopted in a simple and cost-effective manner, namely to adopt the use of twin or paired piezo electric cable sensor elements at a known spacing and position so that the tyre in question passes over each, successively. In this way, there are generated corresponding twin voltage peaks at time intervals corresponding to vehicle speed. By a simple calculation technique the vehicle speed can be determined and the effect of the vehicle's exact speed can be deduced or offset by reference to known data relating to vehicle speed. In this way, there is obtained a waveform or voltage profile for analysis which, as far as can reasonable be achieved, is free of the effect of vehicle speed. A corresponding adjustment can be made as described above, in respect of vehicle weight. By arranging for the piezo electric cables to extend non-transversely with respect to the vehicle travel direction it can be arranged that individual wheel assemblies or axles at opposite sides of the vehicle produce corresponding individual signals v/hich can be very easily related to the corresponding tyres so that remedial pressure-adjustment steps can be corresponding easily taken. In the described embodiment the elongated piezo electric cables are mounted at the roadway surface so as to project at least a small distance above the surface while being partially located within corresponding grooves or channels formed at the roadway surface. Below each piezo electric sensors is a base plate which serves as a stable reference surface to support the sensor while it is being loaded in use. Above each sensor is a flexible protective cover extending lengthwise of the sensor to enable it to be loaded by the vehicle wheels while being resistant to surface wear and abrasion and damage by impact with vehicle tyres. For example, the protective cover may be convex in format and formed from a flexible polymeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber with or without suitable fillers and/or embedded reinforcement materials . Likewise, various plastics sheet materials and metallic sheet materials will have the requisite wear and flexibility characteristics. Considerable variation in the details of mounting the piezo electric cables may be provided, from the simplicity of merely laying a (sheathed or otherwise protected) cable on a hard surface in the path of vehicles, through a variation of this in which the cables 26 and 28 in Fig 2 hereof are simply supported on the roadway surface instead grooves therein, through to a more deeply grooved arrangement in which the cables are mainly below the roadway surface but have a flexible material above them in the groove and projecting from the groove for engagement by the vehicle tyres. We are aware that proposals may have been made for interpretation of data obtainable from road-mounted vehicle sensors by reference to the gradient of the voltage profile at some particular presumably symmetrically located position thereon, and the present application is not concerned with such an approach which is considered to be a somewhat subjective basis for analysis as compared with the approach adopted by the present invention, namely that of pressure determination by reference to the overall shape and profile of the voltage pulses produced. Attention is also drawn to the fact that the embodiments of the present invention produce their corresponding analyzable waveform pulses by the direct compression or loading of the elongated piezo electric cable across the lateral widths of the vehicle tyres as they traverse it. The tyres themselves exert directly on the simply cable sensor (but of course through one or more protective layers whereby the sensor is not unacceptably damaged or worn by each vehicle passage) a loading which varies according to the tyre pressure in a deter inable quantitative manner. There is no need to cause the tyre to actuate a vibration-generating corrugated plate with multiple transducers producing a signal requiring spectral analysis as in the Brooke reference, nor is there any need to analyse the pattern of sensed contact forces in the tyre footprint as in the Exxon references. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example v/ith reference to the accompanying drawings which show apparatus and corresponding voltage waveform data obtained from the apparatus according to the invention, the waveform data illustrating the differences in waveform profiles and shape produced at tyre pressures below and at and above the recommended pressures. In the accompanying drawings: Fig 1 shows a diagram illustrating the positional relationships between a pair of elongated parallel piezo electric cables connected to a data-processing and display system, and a corresponding automotive vehicle travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow and about to traverse the detector elements; Fig 2 shows a section and side elevation view in the viewing direction indicated by arrows II-II in Fig 1 and showing a vehicle wheel about to traverse the spaced piezo electric cables. Fig 3 shows a flow diagram representing the main elements of the data-processing operation involved in analysis of the voltage pulses derived from the piezo electric cables; Fig 4 shows the pulse profile for a forward rolling tyre at 15 psi corresponding to under-inf lation of the tyre; and — — Fig 5 shows a corresponding pulse profile for a forward rolling tyre at 28 psi, corresponding to correct inflation of the tyre; and Fig 6 shows the corresponding waveform profile for an over-inflated tyre at 45 psi. As shown. in Figs 1 and 2, apparatus 10 for analysing data produced by a piezo electric cable device 12 on a roadway 14 traversed by automotive vehicle 16 and which is adapted to enable a determination to be made of the inflation pressure of one or more tyres 18, 20, 22, 24 of said vehicle comprises the following main elements. Firstly, the piezo electric device 12 comprises a pair 26, 28 of piezo electric cables for compressive engagement by tyres 18 to 24 across the full lateral widths of the tyres so as to generate a signal or voltage pulse 30 (see fig 3). Signal analysis means 32 is provided to determine information relating to the tyres 18 to 24 of vehicle 16. As shown in Fig 1 cables 26, 28 are disposed in parallel relationship to each other, and non-transversely with respect to the direction D of normal forward movement of vehicle 16. The cables are connected to signal analysis and display means 32 to apply voltage pulses 30 thereto. Fig 2 shows tyre 18 of vehicle 16 approaching the sensors over roadway 14 in direction D and about to create a voltage pulse 30 in sensor 26 for transmission to the signal analysis and display means 32. The piezo electric cables 26, 28 are mounted at the surface of roadway 14 so as to project partially above the surface of the roadway, while being located within corresponding grooves or channels formed at the roadway surface. Below each cables is a base plate 27,29 which serves as a stable reference surface to support the cable while it is being loaded in use. Above each cable is a flexible protective cover 31,33 extending lengthwise of the cable to enable it to be loaded by the individual vehicle wheels while being resistant to surface wear and abrasion and damage by impact with vehicle tyres 18. Turning now to signal analysis and display means 32, the main characteristics of this data processing system are illustrated in Fig 3 as a flow diagram in which voltage pulse 30 is connected at 34 via an analogue-to- digital convertor (not shown) to a data processing system 36 in which the voltage pulses 30 are processed in an analogous manner to that of the data-processing system disclosed in our co-pending application number EP 96305506.6 published 29/01/97 (our reference P52740EP) . We hereby incorporate into the present application the entire disclosure of our above-mentioned prior application which is published as EP 0 756 167. In accordance with the principles there disclosed, the software system of data processor 36 comprises a software algorithm 38 for interpretation of the waveforms (see Figs 4 to 9) in accordance with a data store 40 of voltage profiles corresponding to known tyre pressures, whereby the waveforms of signals 30 from sensors 26, 28 are recognised in terms of their characteristic profiles, which can be identified on a look-up basis as representing specific points along the progressive pattern of voltage waveforms or profiles, which progressively change with tyre pressure, whereby the corresponding tyre pressures can be readily identified and displayed quantitatively (numerically) at 42. Alternatively or supple entally an algorithmic analysis may be provided to effect the corresponding quantitative pressure determination. in the examples shown in Figs 4 to 9 , the waveforms of the voltage pulses produced are illustrated using a storage oscilloscope connected to a single length of 20 grade piezo electric cable placed on the workshop floor at an angle of less than 90° to the direction D of the travel of vehicle 16. In these simple tests, the vehicle was pushed so that one tyre 18 passed forwards over the first cable 26 to produce the voltage pulses shown in Figs 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. The test procedure was carried out with the vehicle tyre at the three different pressures of 15 and 28 and 45 pounds per square inch, thereby producing the voltage pulse profiles shown. In each case the vehicle was pushed forwards over. the cable. The results in Figs 4 to 6 show that there is a progressive difference in shape or profile of the waveform of the voltage pulse due to the differences in pressure of the tyre. By means of a graded series of tests producing a corresponding graded sequence of voltage profiles, it is possible to build up the data store 40 enabling positive identification of specific tyre pressures from the corresponding voltacje pulse profiles so that pressure becomes readily determined on a look-up and/or algorithmic basis. By means of the mutually parallel sensors 26, 28 in Fig 1 which each provide its own voltage pulse for each of the four wheels of vehicle 16 in Fig 1 there can be readily obtained two tyre pressure readings for each wheel . The effect of weight and vehicle speed on the waveform amplitudes and profiles can be readily offset by means of calibration data relating thereto. The known spacing between sensors 26, 28 enables the speed of the vehicle to be readily computed and thus to be offset by means of look-up data or algorithmic analysis. Likewise a corresponding offset for vehicle weight can be readily obtained by means of either additional weight-sensing means in the roadway surface or by means of a simple vehicle categorisation for weight system. In a modification two or more piezo electric cables are disposed in spaced and generally parallel relationship so as to provide numbers of signals or pulses in accordance with the number of tyres (on associated axles) which engage the cables at each side of a vehicle. In this way, the apparatus can determine the numbers of corresponding axles and associated tyres to be pressure- assessed at each side of the vehicle.

Claims: CLA IMS 1. A method of analysing data produced by a piezo electric device located on a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a) locating a length of piezo electric cable on or at a roadway surface or the like for compressive engagement by a tyre of an automotive vehicle across the lateral width of the tyre thereof; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said cable so as to compress and load same across the lateral width of the tyre thereof and thereby to generate a signal; c) analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; d) said step of analysing said signal comprising analysis of the shape or profile of the waveform produced by said compressive loading of said piezo electric cable, to determine on an algorithmic and/or look-up basis the pressure of said tyre. 2. A method of analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located on a roadway or the like traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a) locating a piezo electric detector for engagement with a tyre of an automotive vehicle; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said detector and to generate a signal; c) analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; d) said step of locating said piezo electric detector for engagement by a tyre of an automotive vehicle comprising employing as said detector a piezo electric sensor element adapted to be subjected to localised loading. 3. A method of analysing data produced by a piezo electric device located on a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a) locating a piezo electric detector for engagement with a tyre of an automotive vehicle; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said detector and to generate a signal; c) analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; d) said step of analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle comprising analysing the waveform of said signal to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle weight and/or speed on said waveform. 4. A method according to claim 1 characterised by said step of analysing said signal to determine said information comprising employing an algorithm to analyze said waveform on the basis of progressive wave form shape changes therein with respect to progressive tyre pressure changes. 5. A method according to claim 2 characterised by said piezo electric detector being adapted for said localised loading by said piezo-electr ic detector element being in the form of an elongated element of rope or cable of strand-like form so that said loading is applied mechanically only to a portion of the external profile thereof . 6. A method according to claim 3 characterised by said analysis to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle weight comprising adjusting the waveform amplitude in accordance with calibration data relating to vehicle weight. 7. A method according to claim 3 characterised by said step of analysing said waveform to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle speed on said '.vaveform comprising effecting an adjustment step in relation to data obtained from said piezo electric detector for, respectively, said tyre passing sequentially over spaced detectors, first one and then the other. 8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising locating said piezo electric detector in the form of an elongated detector disposed non-transversely with respect of the intended vehicle direction of normal forward travel so that the wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle engage said detector non simultaneously and thus produce sequential signals which can be individually analyzed . 9. Apparatus for analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located on or at a roadway surface or the like traversed by automotive vehicles or the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a mounting for a length of piezo electric cable adapted to mount same for compressive engagement by tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector so as to compress and load same across the lateral width of said tyres thereby to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; c) said analysis means being adapted to analyze the shape or profile of said waveform produced by compressive loading of said piezo electric cable to determine on an algorithmic and/or look-up basis the pressure of said tyre . 10. Apparatus for analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located in a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles and the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a piezo electric detector and a mounting for same adapted to mount same for engagement with tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by: c) said piezo electric detector comprising a sensor element adapted to be subjected to localised loading when mounted thus by said mounting. 11. Apparatus for analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located in a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles and the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a mounting for a piezo electric detector adapted to mount same for engagement by tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by: c) said analysis means being adapted to analyse the waveform of said signal reduce or eliminate the effect of vehicle weight and/or vehicle speed on said waveform. 12. Apparatus according to claim 9 characterised by said analysis means being adapted to employ an algorithm to analyze said waveform on the basis of progressive waveform shape changes therein with respect to pressure. 13. Apparatus according to claim 10 characterised by said detector being adapted for said localised loading by being in the form of an elongated element of rope or cable or strand-like form so that said loading is applied mechanically only to a portion of the external profile thereof . 14. A method according to claim 11 characterised by the step of providing two spaced piezo electric detectors position in a roadway for sequential traversing by automotive vehicles, and said step of analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle comprising obtaining from the signals successively produced by said tyre, a measure of the vehicle speed and adjusting the waveform in accordance with the speed on the basis of known data. 15. Apparatus according to claim 11 characterised by providing a pair of spaced piezo electric detector cables to be traversed in sequence by said automotive vehicle, and said analysis means being adapted to determine a measure of the vehicle speed and to adjust said waveform or profile for analysis in accordance with said vehicle speed. 16 Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 14 characterised by said piezo electric detector cables comprising an elongated detector element adapted to be disposed non transversely with respect to the intended direction of normal forward vehicle travel when engaging same so that wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle engage said detector non-simultaneously and thus produce sequential signals which can be individually analyzed. 17 Apparatus according to claim 16 characterised by at least 2 of said piezo electric cables being disposed in generally parallel relationship so as to provide numbers of signals in accordance with the number of tyres (on associated axles) which engage the cables at each side of a vehicle whereby the apparatus can determine the numbers of corresponding axles and associated tyres to be pressure-assessed at each side of the vehicle. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 26 October 1998 (26.10.98); original claims 1-17 replaced by new claims 1-19 (6 pages)] 1. A method of analysing data produced by a piezo electric device located on a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a) locating a length of piezo electric cable on or at a roadway surface or the like for compressive engagement by a tyre of an automotive vehicle across the lateral width of the tyre thereof; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said cable so as to compress and load same across the lateral width of the tyre thereof and thereby to generate a signal; c) analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; d) said step of analysing said signal comprising analysis of the shape or profile of the waveform produced by said compressive loading of said piezo electric cable, to determine on an algorithmic and/or look-up basis the pressure of said tyre. 2. A method according to claim 1 characterised by said step of analysing εaiα signal to determine said information comprising analysing said waveform to determine information relating to said vehicle in addition to the pressure of said tyre. 3. A method of analysing αata produced by a piezo electric device ..ocateα on a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a) locating a piezo electric αetector for engagement with a tyre of an automotive vehicle; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said detector and to generate a signal; c ) anaAsmα sa:o s-αnal tc eterπme information relating to said venicle; characteriseα b^ ; d) said step of analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle comprising analysing the waveform of said signal to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle eiqht on said waveform. 4. A method accorαing to claim 1 characterised by said step of analysing said signal to determine said information comprising employing an algorithm to analyze said waveform on the basis of progressive wave form shape changes therein with respect to progressive tyre pressure changes . 5. A method accorαinα to claim 1 characterised by said step of analysing sa-α signal including analysing the waveform of said signal to eliminate or reduce the effects of vehicle weight and/or speed on said waveform. 6. A method according to claim 3 characterised by said analysis to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle weight comprisinα adjusting the waveform amplitude in accorαance with calibration data relating to vehicle weight . 7. A method according to claim 3 characterised by said step of analysing said waveform to eliminate or reduce the effect of vehicle soeed on said waveform comprising effecting an adjustme n t step ir relation to data obtained from said piezo electric iatector for, respectively, said tyre passing sequentially over spaced detectors, first one and then the other. 8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising locating said piezo electric detector in the form of an elongated detector disposed non- transversely with respect of the intended vehicle direction of normal forward travel so that the wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle engage said detector non simultaneously and thus produce sequential signals which can be individually analyzed. 9. Apparatus for analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located on or at a roadway surface or the like traversed by automotive vehicles or the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a mounting for a length of piezo electric cable adapted to mount same for compressive engagement by tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector so as to compress and load same across the lateral width of said tyres thereby to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; c) said analysis means being adapted to analyze the shape or profile of said waveform produced by compressive loading of said piezo electric cable to determine on an algorithmic and/or look-up basis the pressure of said tyre. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 characterised by said analysis means being adapted to determine information relating to said vehicle in addition to the pressure of said tyre. 11. Apparatus for analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located in a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles and the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a mounting for a piezo electric detector adapted to mount same for engagement by tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by: c) said analysis means being adapted to analyse the waveform of said signal reduce or eliminate the effect of vehicle weight on said waveform. 12. Apparatus according to claim 9 characterised by said analysis means being adapted to employ an algorithm to analyze said waveform on the basis of progressive waveform shape changes therein with respect to pressure. 13. Apparatus according to claim 9 characterised by said analysis means being adapted to analyse said waveform to eliminate or reduce the effects of vehicle weight and/or speed on said waveform. 14. A method according to claim 11 characterised by the step of providing two spaced piezo electric detectors position in a roadway for sequential traversing by automotive vehicles, and said step of analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle comprising obtaining from the signals successively produced by said tyre, a measure of the vehicle speed and adjusting the waveform in accordance with the speed on the basis of known data. 15. Apparatus according to claim 11 characterised by providing a pair of spaced piezo electric detector cables to be traversed in sequence by said automotive vehicle, and said analysis means being adapted to determine a measure of the vehicle speed and to adjust said waveform or profile for analysis in accordance with said vehicle speed. 16 Apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 14 characterised by said piezo electric detector cables comprising an elongated detector element adapted to be disposed non transversely with respect to the intended direction of normal forward vehicle travel when engaging same so that wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle engage said detector non-simultaneously and thus produce sequential signals which can be individually analyzed. 17 Apparatus according to claim 16 characterised by at least 2 of said piezo electric cables being disposed in generally parallel relationship so as to provide numbers of signals in accordance with the number of tyres (on associated axles) which engage the cables at each side of a vehicle whereby the apparatus can determine the numbers of corresponding axles and associated tyres to be pressure-assessed at each side of the vehicle. 18. A method of analysing data produced by a piezo electric detector located on a roadway or the like traversed by automotive vehicles, comprising: a! locating a piezo electric detector for engagement with a tyre of an automotive vehicle; b) causing said vehicle to pass over said detector and to generate a signal; c) analysing said signal to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by; d) said step of locating sa d piezo electric detector for engagement b a tyre of an automotive vehicle comprising employing as said detector a piezo electric sensor element adapted to be subjected to localised loading. 19. Apparatus for analysing data proαuced by a piezo electric detector located in a roadway traversed by automotive vehicles and the like, the apparatus comprising; a) a piezo electric detector and a mounting for same adapted to mount same for engagement with tyres of automotive vehicles, so that said tyres can pass over said detector to generate a signal; b) signal analysis means to determine information relating to said vehicle; characterised by: c) said piezo electric detector comprising a sensor element adapted to be subjected to localised loading when mounted thus by said mounting.

Inventors: JONES BARBARA LYNN, SMITH PAUL, STOLLERY DAVID, JONES, BARBARA, LYNN, SMITH, PAUL, STOLLERY, DAVID
Applicants: JONES BARBARA LYNN, SMITH PAUL, STOLLERY DAVID, SUN ELECTRIC UK LTD, JONES, BARBARA, LYNN, SMITH, PAUL, STOLLERY, DAVID, SUN ELECTRIC UK LIMITED
Application year: 1998
Main classification: G01L17
IPC codes: G01L17