RU2779917C1 - Pneumatic tire, a tire load tracking system and a method for saving tire energy consumption - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: automotive industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the automotive industry. The pneumatic tire (100) contains the first part (111) of the tread surface, a power supply source (330), a transmitting device, an accelerometer (10), and a control unit (50) made with the ability to operate in power saving mode and normal mode. The contact of the first part (111) of the tread surface with the surface (900) is detected by measuring the acceleration of the first part (111) of the tread surface using the specified accelerometer (10). The control unit (50) is configured to switch from normal mode to power saving mode after detecting that the first part (111) of the tread surface is located on the tire contact spot (20), and the control unit (50) is configured to switch from power saving mode to normal mode when the first set time, depending on the tire rotation speed has elapsed since the specified detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact spot (20). The invention also reveals a method and a system for tracking the load on the tire.

EFFECT: improved monitoring of the technical characteristics of the tire.

16 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The invention relates to a tire containing an accelerometer for measuring tire acceleration. In addition, the invention relates to a tracking system containing a tire. The invention also relates to a tracking method including a tire.

State of the art

It is known that tires can be equipped with devices for measuring indicators of interest, such as the air pressure inside the tire. However, there is currently no commercially viable method for measuring the contact patch length of a tire on a moving vehicle. To date, the length of the tire contact patch can be determined, for example, using stationary devices installed on the ground.

Disclosure of the essence of the invention

Aspects of the invention are characterized by what is set forth in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims. These and other embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the description and in the drawings.

The pneumatic tire may be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The tire may comprise a tread comprising a first portion of the tread surface, wherein the tread is configured to form contact with the surface when the tire is in use, the area of said tread contact with the surface forming a contact patch having a leading edge and a trailing edge.

The tire preferably includes an accelerometer located between the first part of the tread surface and the axis of rotation. Additionally, the bus may include a power source such as a battery and/or a power harvester. In addition, the bus may contain a transmitter, preferably containing an antenna.

The bus may further comprise a control unit configured to operate in a power saving mode and a normal mode, wherein in said normal mode the control unit is configured to measure acceleration with an accelerometer, and in power saving mode the control unit is configured to save energy by not performing acceleration measurement with using an accelerometer.

The contact of the first part of the tread surface with the surface can be detected by measuring the acceleration of the first part of the tread surface using the specified accelerometer, while the signal of the said accelerometer shows the deformation of the specified first part of the tread surface during the passage of the specified first part of the tread surface in the contact patch. In addition, the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution can be determined, for example, using a timer to measure the time simultaneously with the accelerometer signal(s).

If the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution is determined at the current speed with at least some accuracy, the control unit can be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch. In addition, the control unit may be configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the tire rotation speed, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.10 to 0, 99 has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch to detect the leading edge and/or trailing edge of the contact patch.

In addition, if the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution is determined at the current speed with at least some accuracy, the control unit can be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the first part of the tread surface is on the rear edge of the contact patch. In addition, the control unit may be configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the tire rotation speed, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.10 to 0, 99 has elapsed since said detection that the first portion of the tread surface is at the trailing edge of the contact patch to detect the leading edge of the contact patch.

In addition, if the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution is determined at the current speed with at least some accuracy, the control unit can be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the first part of the tread surface is on leading edge of the contact patch. In addition, the control unit may be configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode when a second predetermined time depending on the tire rotation speed, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.01 to 0, 05 has elapsed since said detection that the first portion of the tread surface is at the leading edge of the contact patch.

Preferably, the control unit is configured to be in a power save mode for at least 20% of the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution in order to save power.

The length of the contact patch can be determined based on said acceleration measurements, wherein the contact of the first part of the tread surface with the surface is detected by measuring the acceleration of the first part of the tread surface with said accelerometer and applying a timer simultaneously with said measurements to determine the time required for one revolution and, in ultimately, the time used to pass the contact patch, thus obtaining the length of the contact patch.

The control unit may be configured to switch from a normal mode to a power saving mode after determining the length of the contact patch. Additionally, the control unit may be configured to switch from a power saving mode to a normal mode as a result of

- changes in tire pressure in excess of the specified value,

- the start of the movement of the power-driven vehicle, preferably the start of the movement after the said vehicle has stopped for a period exceeding the predetermined stop time, and/or

- starting the control unit by means of an external command.

The measurement frequency of the accelerometer can be from 200 Hz to 8000 Hz. The measurement frequency of the accelerometer is preferably at least 200 Hz, more preferably at least 300 Hz, and most preferably at least 400 Hz, and preferably at most 1000 Hz, more preferably at most 900 Hz, and most preferably at most 800 Hz, when the control unit is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire is between 5 km/h and 30 km/h.

In addition, the measurement frequency of the accelerometer is preferably at least 200 Hz, more preferably at least 400 Hz, and most preferably at least 800 Hz, preferably at most 7000 Hz, more preferably at most 6000 Hz, and most preferably at most 4000 Hz. when the control unit is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire is between 30 km/h and 50 km/h.

In addition, the measurement frequency of the accelerometer is preferably at least 2000 Hz, more preferably at least 3000 Hz and most preferably at least 4000 Hz and preferably at most 10000 Hz, more preferably at most 8000 Hz and most preferably at most 6000 Hz, when the control unit is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire is between 50 km/h and 100 km/h. In this way, reliable measurement results can be obtained while maintaining low power consumption.

The pneumatic tire may also include a module containing a processor that is configured to determine said first predetermined time and/or second predetermined time. In addition, the module may include a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. Also, the transmitter may be configured to transmit data relating to tire pressure, tire temperature, and tire patch length, preferably to a gateway and/or cloud server unit.

The tracking system containing the pneumatic tire may include a gateway containing at least

- processing unit

- a data storage unit for parameter values and calculations, and

- computer code to be executed by the processing unit.

The gateway may be configured to determine the load acting on the bus based on

- tire stiffness characteristics,

- tire pressure

- tire temperature and

- the length of the contact patch of the tire.

The tracking system may include a vehicle having at least one tire, preferably at least two tires, more preferably at least three tires, and most preferably at least four tires, and a gateway that can be configured to determine a common load acting on the specified vehicle, based on a certain load on each of the tires.

The tracking method for saving energy may include the following steps:

- detecting the contact of the first part of the tread surface with the surface by measuring the acceleration of the first part of the tread surface using an accelerometer, while the signal of the specified accelerometer shows the deformation of the specified first part of the tread surface during the passage of the specified first part of the tread surface in the contact patch,

- determine the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, using the received signals,

- detecting when the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch, using the received signals,

- switching the control unit from the normal mode to the power saving mode after said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch,

- switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the rotation speed of the tire, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.15 to 0.99, has elapsed since the specified detection of that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch.

The method may further comprise the following step:

- determining the load on said tire based on acceleration signals, tire stiffness characteristics, tire pressure and/or temperature measurements.

Generally, acceleration measurements drain the battery much faster than expected tire life, so these types of measurements are not commercially viable. Thanks to the present invention, the total measurement time of the accelerometer can be reduced. In addition, it is still possible to obtain reliable measurements to determine the length of the contact patch. Thus, the power consumption of the bus electronics can be significantly reduced. In addition, thanks to the new solution, the results of studies based on determining the length of the contact patch, for example, a certain load on the tire, can be as accurate as in the case of solutions that use more energy for measurements.

Thus, with the present solution, it is possible to minimize the energy consumption related to tracking the length of the contact patch of a tire.

Bus load information can be used, for example, to

- optimal tire inflation, since the optimal tire pressure depends on the load,

- ranging, e.g. for electric vehicles and/or

- Estimates of the length of the braking distance, for example, for autonomous cars.

The electronic module can be fixedly mounted next to the accelerometer. Thus, the electronic module can serve as a reader. Such an arrangement provides the possibility of reliable interaction between the electronic module and the accelerometer. In addition, such an arrangement may allow the electronic module to be equipped with other sensor(s) to measure indicators of interest, such as air pressure inside a tire.

The bus may further comprise a socket connected to the inner surface of the bus, in which a part of the module can be installed. The socket may include a wall or walls that may define at least the first opening and the second opening so that a portion of the module, such as an antenna or part thereof, passes through at least the second opening. Thus, the wall(s) of the socket may laterally surround only the first part of the module in such a way that the rest of the module, for example at least part of its antenna, is located outside the socket. In the case where the antenna is positioned in this way, the part of the antenna which is located outside the socket is preferably electrically connected to the first part of the module which is surrounded by the wall or walls of the socket. This arrangement allows the module and/or accelerometer to be more securely held in place by providing mechanical support, especially in the radial direction, and by preventing the module from rotating within the socket.

In addition, by providing at least part of the antenna as part or one of the parts of the module that is outside the socket, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to provide an additional element or elements in the module passing through at least the second opening of the socket. Moreover, by providing at least part of the antenna as part or one of the parts of the module that is outside the socket, there is an additional advantage of increasing the signal strength of the antenna, since the signal is not blocked by the socket wall(s) and/or other parts of the module installed inside the socket.

With the present solution, low power consumption contact patch determination can be achieved with a high degree of accuracy using an acceleration sensor.

Brief description of the drawings

On FIG. 1a illustrates a tire,

On FIG. 1b illustrates the tire contact patch,

On FIG. 1c illustrates an acceleration signal during tire rotation,

On FIG. 2a-c show the operating principle of the system according to an embodiment of the invention,

On FIG. 2d shows the principle of operation for performing acceleration measurements,

On FIG. 3a-e illustrate the principle of operation for performing acceleration measurements,

On FIG. 4a-b illustrate, in half section, a tire containing an accelerometer,

On FIG. 5a illustrates, in a diagonal side view, a module installed in a slot, according to some examples,

On FIG. 5b illustrates, in cross section in side view, a module installed in a socket, according to some examples,

On FIG. 6a illustrates, in a diagonal side view, a socket attached to the inner surface of the tire, and

On FIG. 6b illustrates, in cross section in side view, a socket containing a protrusion and a bulge.

The figures are intended to illustrate the general principles of the disclosed solution. Therefore, the illustrations in the figures are not necessarily to scale or suggest the exact location of the system components.

Reference designations

References are made in the text to figures with the following positions:

10 accelerometer,

20 contact patch

20L length of the contact patch, i.e. the length of the contact patch,

21 leading edge of the contact patch,

22 trailing edge of the contact patch,

30 secondary sensor device, such as temperature sensor or pressure sensor,

30a temperature sensor,

30b pressure sensor

50 control unit

100 tire,

110 tread block,

111 the first part of the tread surface,

114 tread pattern,

120 tire tread,

130 tire inner surface,

155 layer of reinforcing fibers,

300 module,

301 the first part of the module,

302 second part of the module,

303 third part of the module,

310 bus link circuit,

312 bus antenna,

320 main inductive component,

330 bus power source,

400 nest,

402 nest wall,

403 nest bottom,

405 socket edge,

407 first end of socket,

408 second end of socket,

410 first socket hole,

420 second socket hole,

450 socket protrusion,

455 socket bulge,

460 glue,

500 cloud server block,

600 gateway,

900 surface,

AXR tire rotation axis,

h450 ledge height,

d10 is the distance between the accelerometer and the inner surface of the tire,

SC direction along the circle, and

SR radial direction.

Implementation of the invention

In this application, the term "contact patch" refers to the part of the tire 100 of a motor vehicle that contacts the surface 900. Thus, it is the part of the tire tread that contacts the surface 900, such as a road. Typically, the contact patches of the motor vehicle tires 100 are the only points of contact between the road and the motor vehicle. The contact patch can also be referred to as the tire footprint.

In this application, the term "pattern length" refers to the length of the contact patch of a tire.

In this application, the term "revolution" refers to the rotation of the tire 100, i.e. for every one revolution, the tire 100 will cover a distance substantially equal to its circumference. In other words, the circumference of the tire 100 is essentially equal to one full revolution of the tire.

In this application, the term "first part of the tread surface" refers to the tread surface that is in the same radial direction of the tire as the accelerometer, i.e. the accelerometer 10 is disposed between the first tread surface portion 111 and the rotation axis AXR.

In this application, the term "leading edge of the contact patch" refers to the beginning of the contact patch, i. to the point where the first tread surface portion 111 comes into contact with the surface 900 at the current position of the tire.

In this application, the term "rear edge of the contact patch" refers to the end of the contact patch, i. to the point at which the first portion 111 of the tread surface comes out of contact with the surface 900 in the current position of the tire.

Figures 1a-1b, 2a, 3a-3e, 4a-4b and 5a-5b show a tire, or at least part of a tire, containing an accelerometer 10. Figures 6a-6b show a tire socket that preferably contains an accelerometer 10. Others the figures show the operating principles of a system comprising a tire and an accelerometer 10 therein.

Tire 100 may be a pneumatic tire. Such a tire may, for example, be a tire for a passenger motor vehicle, such as a passenger car or motorcycle. Such a tire 100 may be, for example, a so-called heavy duty tire for a heavy machine such as a large truck, tracked vehicle, harvester, or front loader.

Such a tire typically includes a tread 120 that is in contact with a surface 900, such as a road surface, during normal use of the tire 100. Such a tread 120 typically includes a tread pattern 114 that includes a plurality of tread blocks 110.

The tread 120 includes a first tread surface portion 111 . The tread may be configured to form contact with surface 900 during use of tire 100. The contact area of tread 120 with surface 900 forms a contact patch 20 with leading edge 21 and trailing edge 22.

Typically for certain types of tires 100, tire 100 may include a reinforcing breaker located between the tread 120 and the inner surface 130 of tire 100. As is known, such tire 100 can rotate about the axis of rotation AXR, in which case an outward centrifugal force acts on the composite part of the tire 100 along the radial direction SR.

Bus 100 may include a module 300 (shown, for example, in Figures 4a, 4b and 5a), as discussed in more detail below. Preferably, module 300 is electronic, i. electronics module 300. Module 300 is located within bus 100 itself. Module 300 itself may include a sensor 10, 30, 30a, 30b for measuring indicators of interest. The bus may include a socket 400 connected to the inner surface 130 of the bus, in which a portion of the module 300 may be installed.

Bus 100 includes at least one accelerometer 10. Accelerometer 10 may be mounted within slot 400, or at least partially within slot 400. Therefore, electronics module 300 may be fixedly mounted adjacent to accelerometer 10, for which the electronics module can serve as a readout. devices. This arrangement allows reliable communication between the electronics module and the accelerometer 10. The accelerometer 10 may be located adjacent to the module 300, within the module 300, or at least partially within the module, therefore, it can use the power supply, antenna 312, and communication circuit 310 of the module 300 When the accelerometer 10 is mounted at least partially within the module 300 and/or socket 400, it is possible to obtain a flexible and reliable installation. In addition, the accelerometer can be mounted near the inner surface 130, preferably on the inner surface 130 of the tire to obtain reliable data. In an embodiment of the invention, the accelerometer is mounted at least partially within the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. In addition, the electronics module may be equipped with other sensor(s) to measure indicators of interest, such as the air pressure inside the tire.

The tread surface of the tire 100 on the surface 900 at the location of the accelerometer 10 is referred to as the first tread surface portion 111 . In other words, the first tread surface portion 111 is the tread surface of the tire 100, which is in the vicinity of the accelerometer 10.

The distance d10 between the accelerometer 10 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 may be from 0 to 30, preferably less than 10 mm. Thus, it is possible to obtain reliable data.

A tire may have a single accelerometer or multiple accelerometers. If the tire contains more than one accelerometer 10, the first part of the tread surface refers to the surface on which the first accelerometer 10 is located, which measures the acceleration. In addition, in this case, there is also a second tread surface part, which refers to the surface on which the additional second accelerometer 10 is located, which measures the acceleration, and so on. However, for practical reasons such as power consumption during measurements, it is most preferable to install only one accelerometer 10 for one tire 100. Thus, one tire 100 preferably contains exactly one accelerometer 10 in order to save energy.

The contact of the first tread surface portion 111 with the surface 900 can be detected by measuring the acceleration of the first tread surface portion 111 with said accelerometer 10. The signal of the accelerometer 10 may indicate the deformation of the first tread surface portion 111 during the passage of the first tread surface portion 111 in the contact patch 20. In other words, the contact of the first tread surface portion 111 with the surface 900 can be detected by measuring the acceleration of the first tread surface portion 111 with said accelerometer 10.

The accelerometer 10 may be disposed on the inner surface 130 of the pneumatic tire 100 between the first tread surface portion and the rotation axis AXR.

The length of the 20L contact patch is affected by some circumstances. The contact patch length 20L may depend on, for example, tire pressure 100, tire 100 temperature, tire 100 performance, road surface 900, and tire load 100. 100.

The contact patch length 20L of the tire 100 generally increases as the load on the tire 100 increases. In addition, the contact patch length 20L generally decreases as the tire pressure increases. In addition, the length of the contact patch depends on the physical properties of the tire, such as dimensions and stiffness.

Accelerometer 10 may be, for example, a radial and/or tangential accelerometer 10. Accelerometer 10 may measure acceleration, for example, in one, two or three measurement axes. Thus, the accelerometer 10 may be oriented in a radial, tangential (tangential), or axial direction. Most preferably, the accelerometer 10 is a tangential accelerometer. With a tangential accelerometer, the contact patch can be measured and analyzed more reliably than with, for example, a radial accelerometer.

When the accelerometer 10 is on the contact patch 20, it is in a substantially flat area and accordingly an acceleration of about 1 G (about 9.8 m/s2) can be determined. When the accelerometer 10 is at the leading edge and/or at the trailing edge, as a rule, a high acceleration, the so-called peak acceleration, is determined. This is illustrated in Figure 1c. Thus, the accelerometer 10 can be used to determine the leading edge 21 and trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20.

If a radial accelerometer is used while the tire is rotating and the accelerometer 10 is at a distance from the contact with the surface 900, a high centrifugal acceleration is determined. At the same time, when the accelerometer 10 is on the contact patch 20, i. e. it does not rotate, low acceleration is detected. The edges (leading and trailing edges) are defined at the points where the acceleration transitions from high to low values. Thus, the length 20L of the contact patch can be determined from the acceleration data showing two edges, i. e. leading edge and trailing edge of contact patch 20. However, in order to obtain more accurate and/or more easily analyzed data, it is preferable to use a tangential accelerometer.

The measurement frequency of the accelerometer 10 may be at least 200 Hz or at least 500 Hz, more preferably at least 800 Hz or at least 1000 and most preferably at least 2000 Hz or at least 4000 Hz. A higher frequency of measurements will lead to an increase in measurement accuracy. The measurement frequency of 200 Hz can only be used when the vehicle speed is very low. However, the higher the measurement frequency, the higher the power consumption of electronic devices. Thus, in order to save power, the measurement frequency of the accelerometer 10 is preferably no more than 10000 Hz, more preferably no more than 7000 Hz, and most preferably no more than 6000 Hz.

The time it takes the tire 100 to complete one revolution can be determined by measuring the acceleration in the time measurement. The time required for the tire 100 to complete one revolution can be determined, for example,

- by measuring the acceleration, determining when the first tread surface portion 111 approaches the leading edge 21 of the contact patch 20 for the first time and the second time, and analyzing how long it takes for one revolution, and/or

by measuring the acceleration, determining when the first tread surface comes to the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20 for the first time and the second time, and analyzing how long it takes the first tread surface to approach the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20 during the second time, i.e. how much time is needed for one revolution, and / or

- by measuring the acceleration, determining when the first tread surface portion 111 approaches the contact patch 20 for the first time and the second time, and analyzing how long it takes for one revolution, and/or

- by measuring the acceleration and determining when the first tread surface part 111 comes first to the leading edge 21 of the contact patch 20, then to the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20, and finally to the leading edge 21 of the contact patch a second time, and analyzing whether how long does it take for one turn.

The acceleration signal may be corrupted by noise, such as noise resulting from the rotation of the tire on the surface 900. Thus, the acceleration signal is preferably filtered out. In an embodiment of the invention, the effect of gravity is removed by data filtering and/or the effect of gravity is used to determine the location of the first portion 111 of the tread surface.

The filtered result can be analyzed for detection

- the duration of one revolution,

- the edges of the contact patch, and

- the time during which the first part 111 of the tread surface remains on the contact patch 20 during one revolution of the tire.

The length 20L of the contact patch can be determined by measuring the acceleration of the rotating tire 100 with an accelerometer 10, preferably mounted on the inner surface 130 of the tire, such as its tread, most preferably at least partially within the socket 400, while measuring time.

The determination of the rotation period of the tire 100 is based on the time between events of successive acceleration changes at the leading edge 21 or the trailing edge 22.

In order to determine the length of time for one revolution and furthermore the length of time between the leading edge 21 and the trailing edge 22, the tire 100 may include a timer to measure the time. The timer is preferably an electrical timer. The timer may be connected to the processor and/or accelerometer 10.

Preferably, there is an electronics module 300 (shown, for example, in Figures 4a-4b and 5a) that is used to provide the means to receive and transmit data. The timer is preferably located within module 300 of bus 100.

The electronics module 300 may include a power source 330, preferably a power source 330 such as a battery, to provide electrical power to power functional portions of the electronics module 300, an antenna 312 to enable wireless communication, and a communication insert such as a communication circuit 310 to perform measurements and transmitting data through the antenna 312.

The communication insert is preferably positioned above the battery. Therefore, an antenna 312 can be installed to obtain improved and/or optimal signal strength and coverage. In addition, the battery can be attached in close proximity to the inner surface of the tire, allowing a concentrated mass of the module to be obtained such that the module can be securely attached in close proximity to the inner surface of the tyre.

The communication insert is preferably connected to

- bus processor 100, which can be connected to a transmitter additionally connected to the antenna,

- pressure sensor,

- acceleration sensor and

- Optionally, a temperature sensor.

Tire 100 may include an accelerometer 10, such as built into a socket and/or an electronic module 300. Accelerometer 10 can also be built into the interior surface of tire 100. Module 300 provides some necessary elements, such as an electrical power source and an antenna, for accelerometer 10 Thus, the accelerometer is preferably located at least partially within the module 300 or is connected to or in contact with the module 300. In addition, for reliable measurement of acceleration, the accelerometer 10 is preferably located in connection with the inner surface of the tire.

The accelerometer 10 may be installed in the tire 100 when the tire 100 is manufactured, directly after the tire 100 is manufactured, or during an aftermarket installation, such as by a third party. Tire 100 may include one or more accelerometers 10, such as one accelerometer 10 or two accelerometers 10 to measure the acceleration of tire 100 at the accelerometer mounting position. Most preferably, the tire 100 contains only one accelerometer 10 to save power.

For the purpose of interaction between the accelerometer 10 and the electronic module 300, the electronic module 300, as well as the accelerometer 10, is preferably located on the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. In addition, the accelerometer must be securely attached to the tire in order to work properly.

The location of the electronic module 300 on the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 can be achieved by installing in the indicated position on the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 the socket 400, in which the accelerometer 10 can be installed, in the same way as at least a part of the electronic module 300. As a result, , preferably there is a socket 400 connected to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 such that the socket 400 is configured to receive and receive an accelerometer and at least a portion of the electronics module 300.

The electronic module 300, or at least part of it, may be installed in the socket 400 during the manufacture of the tire 100, directly after the manufacture of the tire 100, or during an aftermarket installation, such as by a third party.

The socket 400 can be made directly into the tire 100, for example, during a vulcanization process. However, preferably, the socket 400 is attached to the tire 100 after it has been cured. This allows standard manufacturing methods to be used for the tire 100 itself. The socket 400 can be attached to the tire 100, for example using a suitable adhesive, as discussed below.

The module 300 may be located on the inner surface 130 of the tire 100, with the inner surface 130 opposite the tread 120. The inner surface 130 may be the surface of the interior of the pneumatic tire 100. In particular, when the module 300 is located inside the pneumatic tire, the module can be used to measure acceleration, pressure and temperature. For such a purpose, module 300 may include a secondary sensor device 30. Such a secondary sensor device 30 includes a sensor or sensors configured to measure the environment in which the module 300 resides. The secondary sensor device 30 may include, for example, at least one of a temperature sensor 30a and a pressure sensor 30b, preferably both.

Thus, socket 400 may include, in addition to accelerometer 10 (ie, acceleration sensor) used to measure tire acceleration, a secondary sensor device 30. Such a secondary sensor device 30 may be configured to measure indicators of interest, such as pressure and/or temperature inside the tire 100. If the secondary sensor device 30 is used to measure indicators of interest with respect to the interior of the tire 100, for example, the air pressure prevailing there, preferably the sensor of the secondary sensor device 30 is exposed to the inner space of the tire 100. Such exposure of the internal environment to the sensor of the secondary sensor device 30 of the tire 100 can be, for example, through the first hole 410 of the socket 400. Such a sensor can be integrated , for example, or connected to the communication circuit 310 or antenna 312 of the electronics module 300.

Bus 100 may further comprise other indicator(s) to display the indicator or indicators of interest. Such indicators of interest may include, for example, the degree of wear of the tread 120, conditions such as the prevailing environmental humidity outside the tire 100, or certain physical stress(es) that the tire 100 is subjected to.

The accelerometer 10, which is installed in the tire 100, moves rapidly with the rotating tire. For example, when a typical passenger car is traveling at 100 km/h, its tires are spinning at about 14 revolutions per second. Thus, for proper operation, the accelerometer 10 must be fixedly mounted in the tire 100 in a secure manner.

The accelerometer 10 may be fixed in its mounting position, preferably at least partially within the socket 400 and/or at least partially within the module 300 using a mechanical support. In addition, fastening can be provided by placing a molding material. Such a casting material may be an adhesive. Such a molding material may be, for example, epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic, silicone or other thermoset polymer or thermoplastic polymer adhesive.

The accelerometer 10 may be positioned so that it is connected to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. Accordingly, the accelerometer 10 may be opposite and attached to the inner surface 130 of the tire.

The accelerometer 10 consumes power when measuring the acceleration of the tire 100. Therefore, in order to use the accelerometer, a power supply such as a battery is required, which is capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy. However, acceleration measurements, as well as the processing and transmission of these measurements, can consume a lot of power. Thus, the battery life can be substantially less than the service life of the tire 100.

In order to save energy, the bus may have a control unit 50 . The control unit is preferably associated with or connected to the module 300 and/or located within the module 300. The control unit 50 may be configured to operate in a power saving mode and in a normal mode. In the normal mode, the control unit 50 may be configured to measure acceleration with the accelerometer 10. In the power saving mode, the control unit 50 is configured to save power by not measuring with the accelerometer 10. Thus, the control unit 50 is able to drive the accelerometer (i.e. e. acceleration measurement sensor) to the on or off state. This depends, for example, on the tire speed, i.e. the current position of the first part of the tread surface on the surface of the tire.

Acceleration sensor, i.e. accelerometer 10 may be used to measure tire acceleration. According to the present solution, the accelerometer 10 does not measure acceleration all the time. Thus, the accelerometer 10 can be

- in power saving mode and

- in normal mode, i.e. measuring mode.

In this way, the energy consumption of acceleration measurements can be reduced.

In the power save mode, activities related to calculating and monitoring the technical data of the tire contact patch 20 can be disabled. In other words, in the power save mode, activities related to calculating and tracking data indicative of the length of the tire contact patch 20 on the surface 900 can be deactivated.

In the normal mode, activities related to calculating and tracking the technical data of the tire contact patch 20 can be activated. Thus, in the normal mode, the accelerometer 10 measures the acceleration of the tire 100. The normal mode may, for example, comprise the following steps:

- measure the initial values using an accelerometer,

- optionally, determine the filtered values from the original values,

- determining the leading edge 21 of the tire contact patch 20,

- define the trailing edge 22 of the tire contact patch 20 and

- check the reliability of the data, for example, by comparing certain

- front edge 21 and rear edge 22 and/or

- length 20 L of the contact patch with reference values, such as previously determined values.

The received accelerometer signal can be compensated for by the influence of the vehicle acceleration. Additionally, the signal can be filtered to eliminate the effects of gravity and/or road roughness.

The peak values of the accelerometer signal (shown in Fig. 1c) can be used to detect the leading edge and trailing edge of the contact patch 20 . Therefore, the timer can determine the duration of one revolution and the residence time of the first tread surface portion 111 on the contact patch 20 during one revolution of the tire. Durations are used to determine the length of the contact patch. Further, the data can be checked to determine that the accelerometer 10 is working properly.

The control unit 50 may be activated for predetermined reasons. The contact patch length 20L can be analyzed when the pressure in the tire 100 is greatly increased or decreased. The pressure may be changed, for example, as a result of the pressure being adjusted by the driver and/or the load on the tire. Thus, advantageously, the control unit 50 switches to the normal mode after the tire pressure is increased or decreased by a predetermined amount, for example at least 0.2 bar.

In addition, the load of the vehicle can be changed during the stop. Therefore, the length 20L of the contact patch is preferably determined when the start of movement is detected after the vehicle has stopped for a period longer than the predetermined stop time. A predetermined stop time after which the control unit can switch from energy saving mode to normal mode can be determined after the vehicle starts moving. In other words, the start of tire movement after the tire has stopped for a period longer than the specified set stop time may cause the control unit to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode. Said predetermined stop time may be at least one minute, preferably at least 5 minutes and most preferably at least 10 minutes in order to save energy consumption. In addition, the predetermined stop time after which the control unit can switch from the power-saving mode to the normal mode after the vehicle starts moving can be no more than 40 minutes, more preferably no more than 30 minutes, and most preferably no more than 20 minutes in order to obtain reliable data. . In other words, if the vehicle stop time exceeds the predetermined stop time, the control unit may switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode after the vehicle starts moving.

In addition, contact patch length characteristics may be needed to determine other vehicle properties. Thus, the control unit 50 can be configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode as a result of starting the control unit 50 by an external command, for example, when the contact patch length is necessary for other vehicle properties.

When the control unit 50 is in normal mode, the accelerometer 10 starts to take measurements, which may last for several revolutions of the tire, for example, from 1 to 1000 revolutions. Preferably the measurements last at least 10 revolutions, more preferably at least 15 revolutions. Therefore, reliable data can be obtained. In addition, preferably the measurements last no more than 100 revolutions, more preferably no more than 50 revolutions, and most preferably no more than 30 revolutions. In this regard, the energy consumption can be as low as possible, i.e. the ratio between energy consumption and sufficiently reliable data can be optimal.

In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit 50 is configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after the control unit 50 determines that the received data relating to the length of the contact patch is sufficiently reliable, i.e. the obtained data relating to the length of the contact patch, essentially the same (ie, within the specified limits) for at least two successive measured revolutions. In other words, the control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the accuracy of the determined contact patch length is satisfactory, i.e. is within the specified limits. This can further reduce power consumption.

In view of the above, the control unit 50 may switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode as a result of, for example,

- changes in tire pressure in excess of the specified value,

- the start of the movement of the vehicle and/or

- starting the control unit 50 by an external command.

The load on the tire 100 may not change while the motor vehicle is running, therefore, the control unit 50 is preferably in power saving mode until the load of the motor vehicle changes, especially if the tire pressure does not change too much. Thus, the control unit 50 can be configured to be in the power saving mode after determining the contact patch length as long as the motor vehicle is in motion, i.e. the motor vehicle speed is more than 0 km/h. In addition, the control unit 50 is preferably configured to be in a power saving mode when the motor vehicle is stationary, i. the speed of the motor vehicle is 0 km/h. The control unit is preferably configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode after the speed of the motor vehicle first decreases to 0 km/h, then the stop time exceeds the predetermined stop time, and finally the vehicle accelerates and the speed is at least 1 km/h

Thus, the control unit 50 can be configured to be in the power save mode after determining the contact patch length 20L until the motor vehicle stops. Alternatively, the control unit 50 may be configured to be in a power saving mode for a predetermined time up to a second check of the contact patch length 20L. This can significantly save the power consumption of bus 100 module 300.

Therefore, the control unit 50 can be configured to be in the power saving mode if the speed of the motor vehicle is 0 km/h. In addition, the control unit 50 is configured to be in the power save mode when the speed of the motor vehicle is 50 km/h or more, more preferably 70 km/h or more, and most preferably 90 km/h or more.

Thus, the control unit 50 can be in the normal mode for less than a minute in one starting period of the vehicle. This can greatly reduce energy consumption. In addition, the control unit 50 can be in an energy saving mode of at least 20%, more preferably at least 50%, and most preferably at least 80% of the time used for one revolution of the tire, thus, energy savings can be significantly increased. .

The processor module 300 may be programmed to calculate a sequence of values indicative of the length of the contact patch 20 .

In addition, bus 100 may have a transmit mode. Thus, the control unit 50 may be in the transmission mode. In the transmit mode, at least the technical data of the tire footprint 20 can be transmitted outside the bus 100, preferably to the gateway 600 and/or to the cloud service 500.

In transmit mode, the processor of the module 300 may instruct the received values to be transmitted to the vehicle gateway 600 or to the cloud server unit 500. Values characterizing the length of the contact patch can be calculated during the normal mode or during the transmission mode.

The transmitted data may be used to estimate the load on the bus 100. The transmission mode may include the following steps:

transmitting values indicative of contact patch length, tire pressure and tire outside tire temperature, preferably to gateway 600 or cloud server unit 500, and most preferably to gateway 600 in order to save bus power consumption.

In this way, the obtained and preferably verified acceleration parameters, or values derived from the acceleration parameters, can be transferred outside from the bus 100 and the accelerometer 10 can be switched off. After transmission, the control unit 50 may be switched to a power saving mode. In an embodiment of the invention, if the transmitted sequence differs from previously measured sequences by at least a predetermined amount, the control unit 50 may switch back to normal mode in order to recheck the validity of the measured values and/or obtain new more reliable data.

Most preferably, the module 300 is configured to transmit values indicative of the contact patch length 20L and/or acceleration data only once for each time the motor vehicle starts, at least if the change in tire pressure or other causes mentioned above does not exceed set value. Thus, only results having a preset precision are sent from module 300 and transmitted from bus 100. This can lead to huge energy savings for bus 100. Thus, gateway 600 can, in the best possible conditions, receive only one result of length 20 L contact patches per tire for one start of a power-driven vehicle.

In order to conserve power consumption of the tire 100, the control unit 50 may be partially in a power saving mode also while the tire 100 is rotating, during which the leading edge and the trailing edge are measured. This can be done because the acceleration needs to be measured only when the accelerometer is at the leading edge and at the trailing edge of the contact patch 20 . Such a feature of the power save mode can greatly reduce the power consumption of the bus 100.

On FIG. 3a-3e, the gray area shows the positions of the accelerometer 10 at which the acceleration is preferably measured. In addition, in FIG. 2d shows an example of the principle of operation.

For every one revolution, the tire 100 will cover a distance substantially equal to its circumference. The time it takes tire 100 to rotate is preferably determined.

When the motor vehicle starts moving, the location of the accelerometer 10 is generally unknown. Thus, the location of the accelerometer 10 can be determined first. In FIG. 3a shows the situation at the beginning when the location of the accelerometer 10 is unknown, i.e., the positions of the accelerometer 10 at which the acceleration is preferably measured when the position of the accelerometer 10 is unknown are shown. In this case, a lot of power may be needed for one revolution of the tire 100, since the accelerometer 10 may be turned on throughout the entire revolution of the tire.

With one revolution of the tire 100, the leading edge 21 and the trailing edge 22 of the contact patches 20 can be more clearly distinguished. When the duration of one revolution of the tire 100 and the position of the accelerometer 10 can be roughly determined, there is no need to measure the acceleration all the time. Therefore, the control unit 50 can be in the power saving mode for at least a part of a revolution of the tire 100. Thus, it is possible to reduce the time during which the accelerometer is turned on during one revolution. This is useful because the bus power supply 330, such as a battery, can be laborious to replace or recharge.

This is illustrated in FIG. 3a-3e, which show in grey, the positions of the accelerometer 10 in which the acceleration is preferably measured during one revolution of the tire; at the start (FIG. 3a) of measurements, after at least the first tire revolution (FIGS. 3b and/or 3c), and when the trailing or leading edges 21, 22 are more or less well distinguished (FIGS. 3d and/or 3e). In other words, the gray color clearly shows the positions of the accelerometer 10 at which the accelerometer 10 measures acceleration.

The control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode upon detecting that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch, preferably on the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20. In addition, the control unit 50 is configured to switch from the power-saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch and/or exits the contact patch. This is illustrated in FIG. 3b-3c, in which the gray area shows the position of the accelerometer 10, in which the acceleration is preferably measured when the position of the accelerometer is approximately known. In this case, the accelerometer 10 is turned off when the accelerometer 10 is not adjacent to the contact patch 20, and therefore quite a lot of power can be saved.

In addition, in the end, the duration of one revolution of the tire as well as the position of the accelerometer at the current moment are essentially well known. Thus, the duration of the first predetermined time can be increased. On FIG. 3d shows a near-optimal situation in which the accelerometer 10 is only turned on for a very short period of time during one revolution of the tire. Thus, the accelerometer 10 is turned off for quite a long period of time during one revolution of the tire. Thus, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the bus 100 by a power saving mode in which acceleration measurements are not performed.

The most preferred situation is shown in FIG. 3e. In this case, the position of the accelerometer 10 is well known and the accelerometer 10 is included only near the leading edge 21 and the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20. In this case, the control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the first portion of the tread surface is on the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20, and the control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the power saving mode to normal mode when the first predetermined time has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the trailing edge 22. In addition, the control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after detecting that the first part of the tread surface is at the leading edge 21 of the contact patch 20, and the control unit 50 can be configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode when a second predetermined time has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on and the leading edge 21. In this way, significant energy savings of the bus electronics can be obtained. However, the situation illustrated in FIG. 3d may be the best solution to save energy and get reliable results.

The time involved in one revolution depends on the speed of the mechanical vehicle. Because of this, said first predetermined time also depends on the rotation speed of the tire 100. In addition, said second predetermined time also depends on the rotation speed of the tire 100.

The first predetermined time may be, for example, the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.15 to 0.99.

The first predetermined time may be the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution multiplied by at least 0.20, more preferably at least 0.50, and most preferably at least 0.85. Thus, energy savings can be increased.

Further, the first predetermined time may be the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution times less than 0.98, more preferably less than 0.95, and most preferably less than 0.90. Thus, it is possible to obtain reliable measurements with a rather significant reduction in energy consumption.

The second predetermined time may be the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution multiplied by at least 0.00, more preferably at least 0.01, and most preferably at least 0.02. Thus, the power consumption can be further reduced since the entire time it takes the accelerometer 10 to pass through the contact patch is not measured. In addition, the second predetermined time may be the time it takes the tire to complete one revolution multiplied by less than 0.05, more preferably less than 0.04, and most preferably less than 0.03. In this way, reliable measurements can be obtained.

The control unit 50 may be configured to shut down at least 20% or at least 30%, more preferably at least 50% or at least 60% and most preferably at least 70% or at least 80% of the time of one revolution of the tire 100 when the accelerometer 10 is used to determine the leading edge and the trailing edge, in order to save energy. Energy savings can increase along with the increase in energy saving time.

In addition, the control unit may be configured to shut down less than 99%, more preferably less than 90%, and most preferably less than 85% of the tire 100 rotation time when the accelerometer 10 is used to determine the leading edge and trailing edge. edge in order to obtain reliable data.

Measurement results relating to contact patch 20 may be digitally filtered by bus processor 100 to obtain valid data.

It is preferable to use a low-pass filter to obtain reliable data. By using a low-pass filter, more reliable data can be obtained even when using a low measurement frequency. For example, by using a low-pass filter, the measurement frequency can be up to 90% lower than without a filter. For example, a sampling rate of 1000-2000 measurements per revolution is needed to obtain valid data without using any filter, and conversely, a sampling rate of 100-200 measurements per revolution may be necessary to obtain reliable data when a low-pass filter is used. Therefore, the use of a low-pass filter can further save the power consumption of the bus module.

The first filtered values defining the contact patch length 20L can be compared with the second filtered values defining the contact patch length. If the first filtered values and the second filtered values are close enough to each other (within predetermined limits), the control unit can be switched to transmit mode. If the first filtered values and the second filtered values differ too much from each other, preferably new measurements are obtained relating to the length of the contact patch.

Preferably at least 3 or at least 5, more preferably at least 10 filtered values defining the length of the contact patch 20 are determined and preferably compared with each other to obtain valid data to be transmitted. In addition, in order to save energy, the measurement data related to the length of the contact patch is sent only after it is determined that the received data is sufficiently reliable, therefore, preferably no more than two, more preferably no more than one measurement data related to the length of the contact patch 20, are sent within one determination of the length of the contact patch.

In order to further reduce power consumption, the control unit 50 may be configured to switch from the normal mode to the power saving mode after determining that the accuracy of the determined contact patch length is satisfactory, i.e. is within the specified limits.

The characteristics of the contact patch 20 of the tire 100 can be calculated during the first minutes, for example during the first five minutes or during the first 100 seconds of the motor vehicle's movement. In addition, the characteristics of the contact patch 20 can be calculated, for example, 3 to 7 times per hour to ensure that the length 20L of the contact patch is still relevant and known. However, only results that differ from previously transmitted values are preferably sent outside the bus, preferably to gateway 600.

Bus 100 power source 330 may be a battery. Preferably, a battery is used to power the components and operate the electronics module 300. The accelerometer 10 preferably uses a power supply 330 for the electronics module 300.

The power supply 330 may, for example, be configured to convert mechanical and/or chemical energy into electrical energy. Alternatively or in addition, the power supply may include a component configured to convert magnetic energy into electricity. Alternatively or in addition, the power supply may include a large capacitor (eg, supercapacitor) that stores electrical energy by itself. Such a large capacitor can be charged, for example, by induction or mechanically with a component that converts magnetic or mechanical energy, respectively, into electricity. Here, a large capacitor refers to a capacitor with a DC capacitance of at least 1 μF.

The power supply 330 may include a power harvester, such as a piezoelectric power harvester or a triboelectric power harvester, which may include a battery and/or a capacitor as one of its elements. Most preferably, power source 330 is a battery capable of supplying electrical energy by converting chemical energy into electricity. Thus, a simple and cost-effective solution can be obtained.

The power source 330, such as a battery serving as a power source for the electronics module 300, may be located, relative to the radial direction SR, or between the level of the antenna 312 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 in the same way as in the example illustrated in FIG. 5b, or between the antenna level 312 and the second end 408 of the socket 400. The electronic module may include a component made of a paramagnetic material. In this case, at least one power source 330 and a component made of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material is preferably located, relative to the radial direction SR, between the level of the antenna 312 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100.

Preferably, power supply 330 is magnetically shielded, at least if module 300 includes main inductive component 320, to reduce or eliminate any currents within power supply 330, such as a battery, induced by the magnetic field of main inductive component 320. Thus , module 300 may have a component made of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material.

The bus may include an antenna 312 (shown in FIGS. 5a-5b). Antenna 312 may be built into communication circuit 310 of electronic module 300, or it may be separate but electrically connected to communication circuit 310. For example, as shown in FIG. 5a and 5b, antenna 312 may be provided on the same circuit board to which communication circuit 310 is attached. The circuit board can be flexible. Flexible design may be the most suitable for tires. The circuit board is preferably in the form of a printed circuit board or lead frame.

The information that antenna 312 is configured to transmit may be related to acceleration measurements, which are measured with accelerometer 10, and pressure measurements, which are measured with pressure sensor 30b, as well as temperature measurements, which are measured with a temperature sensor. 30a.

Thus, the information that the antenna 312 is configured to transmit may be relevant not only to the measurements of the accelerometer 10, but also to the measurements of indicators of interest by the secondary sensor device 30 of the electronics module 300 itself, as shown in FIG. 4b. Thus, using antenna 312, pressure, temperature, and acceleration related information, such as footprint length, can be wirelessly transmitted from bus 100 to another location for convenient display, evaluation, and/or diagnostic purposes. Preferably, the antenna 312 is configured to transmit at least values based on measurements from the accelerometer 10 and a pressure sensor, preferably also measurements from a temperature sensor.

The information that the antenna is configured to transmit may additionally be related to other data, such as measurements of indicators of interest by means of a passive circuit read by the electronics module 300.

Tire 100, and most preferably module 300 therein, may be configured to measure at least the acceleration and pressure as well as tire temperature. Also, in an embodiment of the invention, the module 300 is configured to determine the load using the measurements, but this may be disadvantageous as the determination may consume too much power. Most preferably, the module 300 may send data, such as acceleration and pressure, indicative of the load, further to the gateway 600 or cloud server unit 500, which is configured to determine the load value using the received data.

The module 300 may send at least some of the measured parameters to the gateway 600 or directly to the cloud server unit 500. Preferably, the module 300 is configured to send data to a gateway adjacent to the module 300 in order to save power. This is illustrated in FIG. 2a-c.

The pneumatic tire 100 may further comprise a processor that is configured to process data from the accelerometer 10. Preferably, the tire processor 100 is within the module 300. The tire processor 100 may be required to analyze the length 20L of the contact patch of the tire 100 and/or determine whether whether the results of the analysis relating to the characteristics of the contact patch of the tire 100 are accurate enough to be further sent, for example, to the gateway 600.

Bus processor 100 may be configured to parse

- front edge 21 spots 20 contact,

- trailing edge 22 contact patches 20 and/or

- contact patch length 20L

based on acceleration measurements.

In addition, bus processor 100 may be configured to at least determine a first predetermined time. In addition, bus processor 100 may be configured to determine said second predetermined time.

However, bus processor 100 is preferably not configured to analyze, for example, bus 100 load to save power consumption of bus 100. Preferably, bus 100 load is analyzed at gateway 600 and/or cloud server unit 500.

The pneumatic tire 100 may also include a memory device for storing program code executed by the processor and for storing data during operation of the electronic module 300.

The communication circuit 310 may be used to transmit the measurement results to the gateway 600. The communication circuit 310 may comprise a control unit 50 . Alternatively, the module 300 may include a separate control unit 50.

A tracking system may be used to measure the load on bus 100. Such a system includes bus 100 (ie, bus with accelerometer 10 and preferably module 300 attached thereto) and gateway 600 and/or cloud server unit 500. Module 300 of bus 100 may be configured to send data outside of bus 100, preferably to gateway 600. Gateway 600 may be configured to receive data from bus 100, such as module 300. Gateway 600 may be configured to communicate with a user. The gateway 600 may be configured to communicate with the cloud server unit 500.

Length 20L of the contact patch, i.e. tire deformation may be calculated based on data from the accelerometer 10, as disclosed in this application. In addition, the tire load can be determined when information about the length 20L of the contact patch is used simultaneously with information indicating the pressure, temperature and physical properties of the tire 100. In other words, the output signals of the sensors 10, 30a, 30b can be used to determine load on the tire while being used with the stiffness characteristics of the tire.

The load on the tire 100 can be calculated, for example, when

- tire pressure,

- optionally, tire temperature,

- tire stiffness characteristics (i.e. physical and mechanical properties of the tire) and

- length 20L of the tire contact patch.

The electronics module 300 may be configured to read the results of the accelerometer 10. In addition, the electronics module may be configured to read the results of the pressure sensor. In addition, the electronic module may be configured to read the results of the temperature sensor. Communication circuit 310 may include a first electrical circuit, a second electrical circuit, and a third electrical network, and may be used to transmit measurements to the outside of bus 100 via a transmitter.

Accelerometer 10 may be configured to measure changes in acceleration and provide an output indicative of the changes. The first electrical circuit of the communication circuit 310 may be configured to respond to said accelerometer output signal to provide signals based on said measurements.

The pressure sensor 30b may be configured to measure the air pressure within the cavity and provide an output indicative of said pressure. The second circuit of the communication circuit 310 may be configured to respond to said pressure sensor output to provide signals indicative of said air pressure.

The temperature sensor 30a may be configured to measure the temperature of the air within the cavity and provide an output indicative of that temperature. The third electrical circuit of the communication circuit 310 may be configured to respond to the output of said temperature sensor to provide signals indicative of said air temperature.

Bus transmitter 100 may be connected to said first, second, and third electrical circuits. In addition, the transmitter may be configured to transmit signals indicative of said signals.

Thus, the tire pressure and temperature and acceleration, preferably tangential acceleration, of tire 100 is preferably measured to determine the load on tire 100. Most preferably, the pressure and temperature of each of the tires and the radial acceleration of said tires are measured. In addition, the measurement data is preferably transmitted further, most preferably to the gateway 600. Thus, the vehicle preferably includes a receiver, preferably within the gateway 600, installed to receive the signals transmitted by the bus transmitter 100.

A motor vehicle comprising a tire 100 and a gateway 600 may be configured to determine the load acting on said tire 100 using at least

- tire stiffness characteristics (i.e. physical and mechanical properties of the tire),

- at least part of the signals received from the pressure sensor, and

- at least part of the signals received from the acceleration sensor, and

- optionally, at least part of the signals received from the temperature sensor.

Bus 100, most preferably module 300 of bus 100, may further comprise measurements (outputs of sensor(s)), such as analyzed and/or filtered outputs of sensor(s) 10, 30a,30b, to be transmitted, for example, to a gateway. 600, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2a-c.

The gateway 600 may include a gateway display processing a gateway unit (i.e., a gateway processor), a gateway RAM data storage unit, and computer code to be executed by the gateway processor, a user interface with, for example, an operator display and a keyboard (not shown in the Figures) . Gateway storage block stores parameter and calculation values. The operator display can provide status information and warnings.

Gateway 600 may be configured to display a contact patch length value and/or an acceleration based value and other values such as an analyzed load to a user, for example. Gateway 600 may be configured to compare a value based on acceleration and/or load with a limit value. Gateway 600 may be configured to send a signal and/or display the result(s) and/or use the results later. For example, gateway 600 may be configured to send acceleration data and/or analyzed load. Such information may be sent to the user and/or to the cloud server unit 500 and/or used for other processes. In an embodiment of the invention, the data is sent and/or used for further processing, whether the value is within the limits of the limit value(s) or not. However, the gateway 600 may be configured to send data only when the acceleration value and/or the load analysis value exceeds the limit values.

Gateway 600 may have a receiver or transceiver that receives digital data, such as signals, transmitted by a bus, preferably by module 300 of bus 100. For communication purposes, gateway 600 may be equipped with a communications interface that may be capable of communicating with several other devices, such as with the cloud server unit 500 via a short-range or long-range communication connection. Thus, the tracking system may further comprise a cloud server unit 500 remote from the vehicle.

In other words, gateway 600 may be configured to communicate with a carrier, such as a mobile network. For example, the gateway 600 may be configured to communicate with the cloud server unit 500 using a mobile communication network. Alternatively, the bus 100, preferably the module 300 of the bus 100, may be connected directly to a carrier, such as a mobile network, or via a mobile network, for example. However, having the gateway 600 close enough to the module 300 reduces the power consumption of the module 300. This is advantageous because the power supply 330 of the module 300 can be cumbersome to replace or recharge. Thus, most preferably, bus 100 communicates with a gateway 600 located close enough to bus 100 rather than directly with a carrier such as a mobile network.

Wireless communication between bus 100, most preferably electronic module 300 of bus 100 comprising antenna 312 and a receiver at a distance from bus 100 preferably operates at least in the range of tens of centimeters, for example, from tens of centimeters to several meters. Preferably, the module 300 is configured to send data to the gateway 600, which is located at a distance of no more than 50 meters or no more than 20 meters, more preferably no more than 10 meters or no more than 8 meters, and most preferably no more than 5 meters from the module 300. Preferably, the gateway 600 is further configured to send data to and receive data from the cloud server unit 500 .

Such information transfer can be based, for example, on Bluetooth-enabled data transfer. Thus, module 300 may be configured to communicate with gateway 600 via Bluetooth® technology. If Bluetooth-enabled data transmission is used, the maximum range may be from meters to tens of meters or more, depending on the conditions and version of the Bluetooth protocol used. Module 300 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with gateway 600 using radio waves in the 2.4 GHz to 2.485 GHz frequency range.

The tracking system preferably includes one gateway 600 and one module for each of the buses, the modules 300 of which transmit digital information to the gateway 600. Each of the buses can be identified so that the processor of the gateway 600 can know where each bus is located.

The gateway 600 may further comprise a sensor interface for receiving outputs from the sensor(s) and an analysis element for analyzing the load on the bus 100 based on at least the received outputs from the sensor(s).

There is also a power supply to provide power to operate the 600 Gateway.

Sensor(s) 10, 30, 30a, 30b may be used to measure the acceleration, pressure, and temperature of tire 100. Module 300 may be configured to transmit data to gateway 600 (shown in Figures 2a-b). Such information transfer can be two-way, i.e. to and from the electronic module 300. Preferably, however, information is only sent one way from module 300 to gateway 600. Only one way information can be sent to module 300 and thus bus 100.

Gateway 600 may be configured to receive data transmissions from all tires of a vehicle and/or from all tires of a plurality of vehicles.

Antenna 312 may be configured to wirelessly transmit information from electronics module 300 to a receiver, i. gateway 600 located at a distance from bus 100. Gateway 600 may be, for example, a temporarily or permanently installed device in a motor vehicle equipped with bus 100, a cell phone of the driver or passenger of said motor vehicle, or a diagnostic device in a workshop. Gateway 600 may be built into a vehicle. Thus, in an embodiment of the invention, the gateway 600 is installed in a motor vehicle. Preferably, gateway 600 is a mobile phone.

As noted above, the gateway 600 may further transmit this information to, for example, a computer server or cloud server unit 500. Thus, the computer server or cloud server unit 500 can be used to analyze the information. The information is preferably analyzed in the gateway 600 and/or cloud server unit 500 to further reduce the power consumption of the bus 100. Thus, the processor of the gateway 600 can be used to determine the load on the bus(s).

The tire may include a reinforcing breaker that is located between the electronic module 300 and the tread block 110. The reinforcing breaker may be a wire mesh or a belt located within the tire 100. Since the purpose of the reinforcing breaker is to reinforce the tire, it is preferable that the reinforcing breaker does not restrict large openings. More precisely, preferably, the reinforcing breaker does not limit the opening to an area of at least 0.5 cm ² .

The reinforcing breaker may contain metal. The reinforcing breaker may comprise steel, or it may be composed of steel. The reinforcing structure may comprise a steel mesh. In addition or alternatively, the reinforcing breaker may comprise a fibrous material. The fibrous material of the reinforcing breaker may contain at least cotton, viscose, polyamide (nylon), polyester, lavsan, polyparaphenylene terephthalamide (Kevlar).

The tire may contain a layer 155 of reinforcing fibers. The reinforcing fiber layer 155 may comprise a fibrous material of the second reinforcing structure 155 may comprise at least one of cotton, viscose, polyamide (nylon), polyester, lavsan, polyparaphenylene terephthalamide (Kevlar). The reinforcing fiber layer 155 also has the task of reinforcing (reinforcing) the tire 100.

The electronic module 300, or at least a portion thereof, may be secured in its mounting position within the socket 400 using a mechanical support. In addition, the accelerometer is preferably fixed in the socket 400. In addition, additional reliability can be provided by placing a molding material between the socket 400 and the electronics module 300 or that part of the electronics module 300 that is installed in the socket 400. For example, the socket 400 can serve as as a mold for the electronics module 300, so that the electronics module 300 is inserted into the socket 400, after which the molding material is poured into the socket 400. This can help to install the module 300 and/or the accelerometer 10 very securely. Such a molding material can be an adhesive. Such a molding material may be, for example, epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic, silicone or other thermoset polymer or thermoplastic polymer adhesive.

The socket 400 may be adhesively bonded to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 (shown in FIG. 6a). In such a case, an adhesive 460 is provided between the seat 400 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. Such an adhesive 460 may comprise, for example, a thermosetting polymer or an adhesive based on a thermoplastic polymer. Accordingly, the adhesive 460 is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic.

Furthermore, the accelerometer 10 may be adhesively bonded to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. In this case, an adhesive is provided between the accelerometer and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. Such an adhesive may contain, for example, a thermosetting polymer or an adhesive based on a thermoplastic polymer. Preferably, the adhesive comprises an epoxy adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, a cyanoacrylic adhesive and/or an acrylic adhesive. More preferably, the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of epoxy adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, cyanoacrylic adhesives and acrylic adhesives. In this case, too, preferably, the accelerometer 10 is located at least partially within the socket 400.

The socket 400 may include a wall or walls 402. Such wall(s) 402 may comprise, for example, a polymeric material such as rubber or other thermoplastic elastomer. For example, socket 400 may have a substantially circular wall 402. As another example, socket 400 may have more than one wall 402, such as four walls. The wall(s) 402 may provide support for the accelerometer 10 and/or the electronics module 300, or that portion of the electronics module 300 that is installed in the socket 400. For additional support, especially along the radial direction SR, the inner side(s) of the wall(s) 402 may have surface roughness. Such surface roughness may provide increased friction or adhesion between the accelerometer and/or electronics module 300 and the inner side(s) of the wall(s) 402 of the socket 400 and/or between the aforementioned molding material and the inner side(s) of the wall(s) 402 of the socket 400 The roughness factor Ra of such surface roughness may be, for example, at least 5 micrometers. Such surface roughness may be provided, for example, by sandblasting, or it may be an inherent quality of the wall(s) 402 due to production. The above applies, mutatis mutandis, to the surface roughness of the electronic module 300.

Wall(s) 402 of socket 400 may define at least first opening 410 and second opening 420. Wall(s) 402 of socket 400 may define first opening 410, second opening 420, and third opening, for example. Alternatively, wall(s) 402 of socket 400 may define first opening 410 and second opening 420 and third opening and fourth opening, and so on. In other words, in addition to the first opening 410, one or more openings may be provided in the wall(s) 402 on the side of the socket 400.

The second opening 420, and/or any additional openings on the side of the socket 400, are intended to allow a portion of the electronics module 300 to pass through the second opening 420, with the side wall(s) 402 surrounding(s) only the first portion 301, i. the rest of the electronic module 300. In other words, only the first part 301 of the electronic module 300 is enclosed in the socket 400, while the second part 302 of the electronic module 300 extends through the second opening 420 to the outside of the socket 400. Thus, part of the second part 302 of the electronic module remains outside the socket 400. The exit of the second part 302 of the electronic module 300 outside the socket 400 through the second hole 420 has the technical effect of more securely holding the electronic module 300 in place by providing mechanical support for the electronic module 300, especially in the radial direction SR, and preventing rotation of the electronic module

300 within the socket 400. For example, the wall(s) 402 may laterally surround at least the power supply 330 of the electronics module 300.

The part or parts of the electronic module 300 thus located outside the socket 400 may include, for example, an antenna 312 or at least a part of the antenna 312, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Antennas or parts of the antenna 312 may be located in the second part 302 and the third part 303 of the module 300. To provide for the function of wireless communication, the antenna 312 may be electrically connected to the first part 301 of the electronic module 300, which is surrounded by the wall (s) 402 socket .

The provision of at least a portion of the antenna 312 as part of the electronics module 300 that is located outside the socket has the advantage of not having to provide an additional element or elements in the electronics module 300 passing through the second opening 420 and possibly the third and other such socket holes 400.

Making at least a portion of the antenna 312 as part of the electronics module 300 that is located outside of the socket 400 has the additional benefit of increasing the signal strength of the antenna 312 since the signal is not blocked by the wall(s) 420 of the socket 400 and/or other parts. electronics module 300 mounted within slot 400. This can be particularly advantageous in a tire 100 containing armor breaker 150, as armor breaker 150, especially if it contains steel, can attenuate the signal between antenna 312 and one or another receiver outside tires 100.

The socket 400 may be configured such that the first end 407 of the socket 400 is connected to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100, and the second end 408, which is opposite the first edge 407, defines the first opening 410. In other words, the first end 407 may be adjacent to the inner surface 130 tire and attached to it, while the second end 408 defines the first hole 410 of the socket 400. In such a case, the socket 400 may be first attached to the inner surface 130 of the tire, and then the electronic module 300 may be installed in the socket 400, according to as has been disclosed above regarding the partial location of the electronic module 300 in its mounting position within the socket 400.

The socket 400 may be shaped such that the interior of the socket 400 configured to receive the first portion 301 of the electronics module 300 tapers towards the first opening 410. This has the effect that the wall(s) 402 impede the movement of the electronics module 300 out of slot 400.

The first end 407 of the socket 400 may include an edge 405 such that the edge 405 is connected to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100 when the socket 400 is connected to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. The advantage of such an edge 405 is that it provides a large area of contact between the socket 400 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. Thus, if the seat 400 is glued to the inner surface 130 of the tire 100, the bead 405 provides a larger area for the adhesive 460, thus providing a greater adhesive force between the seat 400 and the inner surface 130 of the tire 100. Such an edge 405 can be round or substantially round, non-circular or substantially non-circular.

The socket 400 can be made, for example, by casting, such as injection molding or compression molding. The socket 400 may be made of various materials, such as various types of rubber, as disclosed above, by, for example, vulcanizing the preformed socket 400 so that different materials can be bonded together in this manner. The socket 400 may be made of various materials as disclosed above, also, for example, by joining structural elements together by known methods such as gluing.

The antenna 312 of the bus 100 and the module at or part of it that passes through the second hole 420 of the socket may be at a distance from the inner surface 130 of the bus 100. The distance between the antenna 312 and the surface 130 of the bus has the advantage that there is no direct mechanical impact on the antenna 312 due to the impact experienced by the tire 100 and transmitted to the inner surface 130 of the tire, since the antenna 312 is not in direct contact with the inner surface 130 of the tire.

Wall(s) 402 of socket 400 may include a protrusion 450 or multiple protrusions 450. Such protrusion(s) 450 may be positioned within socket 400 and protrude inward. The advantage of such projection(s) 450 is that the electronics module 300 is provided with additional mechanical support in its installed position within the socket 400, and thus the electronics module 300 is securely held in its installed position inside the socket 400.

The inner bottom 403 of the socket 400 may include a bulge 455. Such a bulge 455 may be used to provide guidance for the electronics module 300 about its correct mounting position within the socket 400. In such a case, the electronics module 300 has a corresponding recess on its bottom surface (not specifically illustrated) .

The tracking method may include the following steps:

- detecting the contact of the first part of the tread surface with the surface 900 by measuring the acceleration of the first part of the tread surface using the specified accelerometer 10, while the signal of the specified accelerometer 10 shows the deformation of the specified first part of the tread surface during the passage of the specified first part of the tread surface in the contact patch,

- determine the time required for the tire to complete one revolution using the received acceleration signals,

- detecting when the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch, preferably on the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20 using the received acceleration signal,

switching the control unit 50 from the normal mode to the power saving mode after said detection, and

- switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the rotation speed of the tire, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.15 to 0.99, has elapsed since the specified detection of that the first part of the tread surface is on the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20.

The method may further comprise the steps of:

detecting when the first part of the tread surface is on the leading edge 21 of the contact patch 20 using the received acceleration signals,

switching the control unit from the normal mode to the energy saving mode after said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the leading edge 21 of the contact patch 20,

- switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the second predetermined time depending on the tire rotation speed, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.01 to 0.05, has elapsed.

The method may further comprise:

- tire pressure measurement 100,

- tire temperature measurement 100,

- determining the load on the specified tire 100, using, for example,

- length 20L of the contact patch of the tire 100,

- tire stiffness characteristics 100,

- tire pressure 100, and

- tire temperature 100.

The method may further comprise:

- determining the load of the vehicle by measuring the load on each of the tires 100.

A method for determining the total mass and mass distribution of a vehicle supported by a plurality of wheels, each of which has a tire, with each tire having a contact patch 20 between the tire and the surface 900, while the contact patch 20 is located between the front edge 21 and the rear edge 22 , and the geometric parameters of each of the tires are known, may contain the following steps:

- measure the pressure using the pressure sensor 30b,

- generate a signal characterizing the pressure,

- measure the temperature using a temperature sensor 30a,

- generate a signal characterizing the temperature,

- measure the acceleration using the accelerometer 10,

- determining the rotation period of the tire 100,

- detecting the leading edge 21 and the trailing edge 22 of the contact patch 20 using the power saving mode as disclosed in this application,

- generate a signal characterizing the length 20L of the contact patch,

- transmit these generated signals to the gateway 600,

- optionally, the said generated signals are transmitted to the cloud server block 500,

- calculate the total mass per bus 100 in the gateway 600 and/or cloud server unit based on the specified generated signals from the bus and the known tire geometry.

Thus, as disclosed in this application, minimizing energy consumption can be achieved through a new solution containing a power saving mode. Because of this, the contact patch length of the tire can be determined using the accelerometer even if there may be difficulties in replacing or charging the tire battery.

Claims (62)

1. Pneumatic tire (100), made with the possibility of rotation around the axis (AXR) of rotation, containing - tread (120) containing the first part (111) of the tread surface, while the tread (120) is configured to form contact with the surface (900) when using the tire (100), and the area of the specified contact of the tread (120) with the surface (900 ) forms a contact patch (20) having a leading edge (21) and a trailing edge (22), - power source (330), - transmitting device - an accelerometer (10) located between the first part (111) of the tread surface and the axis (AXR) of rotation, and - control unit (50) configured to operate in power saving mode and normal mode, and - in the specified normal mode, the control unit (50) is configured to measure acceleration using an accelerometer (10), characterized in that - in the energy saving mode, the control unit (50) is configured to save energy by not performing acceleration measurement with the accelerometer, and - it is possible to detect the contact of the first part (111) of the tread surface with the surface (900) by measuring the acceleration using the specified accelerometer (10), - it is possible to determine the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, - the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the normal mode to the energy saving mode after detecting that the first part (111) of the tread surface is on the contact patch (20), preferably on the rear edge (22) of the contact patch, and - the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the energy saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time, depending on the speed of rotation of the tire, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.10 to 0.99 , elapsed from the moment of said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch (20), preferably on the rear edge (22) of the contact patch, for detecting the front edge (21) and/or the rear edge (22) of the contact patch. 2. Pneumatic tire according to claim. 1, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from normal mode to energy saving mode after detecting that the first part (111) of the tread surface is on the rear edge (22) of the spot (20 ) contact, and the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the tire rotation speed, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.10 to 0.98 has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the trailing edge of the contact patch (20). 3. Pneumatic tire according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the normal mode to the energy saving mode after detecting that the first part of the tread surface is on the front edge (21) of the contact patch (20), and - the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the energy saving mode to the normal mode, when the second predetermined time, depending on the speed of rotation of the tire, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.01 to 0.05 , has elapsed since said detection that the first part of the tread surface is at the leading edge of the contact patch. 4. Pneumatic tire according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to be in an energy saving mode for at least 20%, preferably at least 30% of the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, while detecting leading edge and/or trailing edge provided by the accelerometer during said one revolution of the tire. 5. Pneumatic tire according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the normal mode to the transmission mode after determining the length (20L) of the contact patch, and in the transmission mode, the transmitting device is configured to transmit data, relating to the length (20L) of the tire contact patch on the outside of the tire. 6. Pneumatic tire according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from normal mode to energy saving mode - after determining the length (20L) of the contact patch and/or - after transmission of data relating to the length (20L) of the contact patch. 7. Pneumatic tire according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from energy saving mode to normal mode as a result of a change in tire pressure in excess of a predetermined value. 8. Pneumatic tire according to any one of paragraphs. 6-7, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the energy saving mode to the normal mode as a result of the vehicle starting to move, preferably the vehicle starting to move after the vehicle has stopped for a period exceeding the predetermined stop time. 9. Pneumatic tire according to any one of paragraphs. 6-8, characterized in that the control unit (50) is configured to switch from the power saving mode to the normal mode as a result of starting the control unit (50) by means of an external command. 10. Pneumatic tire according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the accelerometer measurement frequency is from 200 to 1000 Hz, more preferably from 400 to 800 Hz, when the control unit (50) is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire (100) is from 5 km/h to less than 30 km /h, - the accelerometer measurement frequency is from 200 to 7000 Hz, more preferably from 400 to 6000 Hz, when the control unit (50) is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire (100) is from 30 km/h to less than 50 km /h, and - the accelerometer measurement frequency is from 1000 to 7000 Hz, more preferably from 2000 to 6000 Hz, when the control unit (50) is in normal mode and the speed of the vehicle with the tire (100) is from 50 km/h to 100 km/h . 11. Pneumatic tire according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the pneumatic tire (100) further comprises a module (300) containing - a processor configured to determine said first predetermined time, and optionally a second predetermined time. 12. Pneumatic tire according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tire further comprises - a pressure sensor (30b), and - temperature sensor (30a), wherein the transmitting device is configured to transmit data related to - tire pressure, - tire temperature, and - the length (20L) of the tire contact patch. 13. A tire load monitoring system comprising the pneumatic tire according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring system is configured to determine the load acting on the tire (100) at least based on - tire stiffness characteristics (100), - tire contact patch length (100), and - tire pressure (100), and optionally also tire temperature (100) and/or tire-to-surface friction (900). 14. The tracking system according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises a gateway (600) containing - processing unit - a data storage unit for parameter values and calculations, and - computer code to be executed by the processing unit, moreover, the gateway (600) is configured to determine the load, acting on the tire (100), at least on the base - tire stiffness characteristics (100), - tire contact patch length (100), and - tire pressure (100), and optionally also tire temperature (100) and/or tire-to-surface friction (900). 15. The tracking system according to any one of paragraphs. 13-14, characterized in that the tracking system contains a vehicle containing at least one tire (100) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-12, wherein the gateway (600) is configured to determine the total load acting on the vehicle based on the determined load on at least one tire. 16. A method for saving energy consumption of a pneumatic tire (100), comprising the following steps: receiving acceleration signals by measuring acceleration with an accelerometer located between the first part (111) of the tire tread surface and the axis (AXR) of rotation of the tire, - detecting the contact of the first part of the tire tread surface (100) with the surface (900) using the accelerometer (10), - determine the time required for the tire (100) to complete one revolution, using the received acceleration signals, - detecting when the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch (20), preferably on the trailing edge (22) of the contact patch, using the received acceleration signals, - switching the control unit (50) from the normal mode to the energy saving mode after the specified detection that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch (20), preferably on the rear edge (22) of the contact patch, and - switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode when the first predetermined time depending on the rotation speed of the tire, for example, the time required for the tire to complete one revolution, multiplied by a value from 0.15 to 0.99, has elapsed since the specified detection of that the first part of the tread surface is on the contact patch, preferably on the trailing edge (22) of the contact patch (20).

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