Patent ID: 7942047

Claim:
A method for determining, while a vehicle ( 1 ) is traveling, the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire ( 7 ) comprising a metal belt, fitted to a rim ( 6 ) of a wheel ( 2 - 5 ) of said vehicle, a magnetic sensor ( 16 ) on the rim ( 6 ) and said method comprising of step of: analyzing the signal representing the magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, so as to detect the variations of the magnetic field resulting from the deformations sustained by a circumferential zone of the tire ( 7 ) situated opposite the magnetic sensor ( 16 ); analyzing the signal representative of the magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, when, respectively, said circumferential zone enters into contact with the ground and leaves the ground in order to determine the footprint on the ground of the tire, including i) making a determination of the lapse of time between the moment when the circumferential zone of the tire touches the ground and the moment when the tire leaves the ground, and ii) making a determination of footprint of the tire contact zone with the ground during this determined lapse of time, taking into account the known wheel speed rotation.