DE102024101936A1 - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1), in particular a battery-electric vehicle,
- with a body (2),
- with a chassis (3) supporting the body (2),
- with several wheels (4) which support the chassis (3) on a surface on which the vehicle (1) stands or travels,
- with a control (5) for operating the vehicle (1),
- wherein the wheels (4) each have a chip (6).
The performance of the vehicle can be improved,
- if the respective chip (6) contains wheel-specific wheel data,
- if the vehicle (1) has a sensor system (7) coupled to the controller (5) which is configured to communicate with the chips (6) of the wheels (4) and to transmit the wheel data to the controller (5),
- if the controller (5) is configured to adjust at least one predetermined vehicle parameter as a function of the wheel data.

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic vehicle is from the DE 10 2021 120 484 B4 known and usually comprises a body, a chassis that supports the body, and several wheels that support the chassis on a surface on which the vehicle is standing or traveling. The vehicle is also equipped with a controller for operating the vehicle. Furthermore, each wheel is equipped with a chip. In the known vehicle, the respective chip is formed by an NFC tag, where NFC stands for Near Field Communication. In the known vehicle, the NFC tag is configured to identify a wheel head. The NFC tag is attached to a hub cap. Using the NFC tag, the respective wheel head can be identified, for example, in a workshop in order to simplify the exact configuration of the respective wheel head with regard to the components installed in the vicinity of the respective wheel. These components can be a spring, a steering bearing, a retaining block, a wheel bearing, the wheel head, a brake disc, an axle, a shaft, a shock absorber, a brake drum, a brake carrier, the hub cap, a wheel hub, a brake shoe and/or a brake pad.

From the DE 20 2012 101 643 U1 An anti-theft system for a vehicle wheel is known, wherein an RFID transponder is arranged on the vehicle wheel, where RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification.

From the US 11 760 126 B2 A hubcap lighting system is known which can be mounted on a vehicle wheel and can be controlled by a wireless remote control.

From the DE 10 2017 122 178 A1 A motor vehicle with several vehicle wheels is known, each vehicle wheel having a pressure sensor and a wireless transmitter, the transmitter communicating with a central receiver and serving to monitor air pressure and to detect theft.

The US 11 104 245 B2 discloses a recognition device for recognizing a user of a motor vehicle, wherein predefined vehicle settings, such as a maximum driving speed, are set depending on the recognized user.

From the EP 3 150 828 B1 A control system for a quad bike is known in which the maximum speed is set via communication with a key. Communication takes place using RFID technology.

From the DE 10 2018 209 426 A1 A tire with an electromagnetic transmitter-receiver unit for transmitting tire information is known, wherein the transmitter-receiver unit can be designed as an RFID device or as an NFC device.

Sporty passenger cars, especially sports cars, can have different and sometimes contradictory requirements. On the one hand, sporty vehicles can be operated with high power and performance, with energy consumption and range being of secondary importance. On the other hand, sporty vehicles should also have low energy consumption and a long range for their everyday usability, with high performance characteristics being of secondary importance in everyday use. These contradictory characteristics are even more true for battery-electric vehicles, where range comes with a high investment in cost and weight.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an improved embodiment for a vehicle of the type described above, which is characterized in particular by improved performance data. Furthermore, simple handling, a high level of comfort, and/or high operational reliability are also sought.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the general idea of equipping each of the vehicle's wheels with a chip containing wheel-specific data, so that the control system can adjust predetermined vehicle parameters depending on the wheel data of the wheels currently mounted on the vehicle. The invention is based on the knowledge that the wheels have an important influence on the vehicle's performance data. For example, the wheels influence the vehicle's driving resistance, which affects energy consumption and range. Furthermore, the wheels have a direct influence on the achievable acceleration and deceleration, as well as on the vehicle's maximum speed. For example, wheels configured for the lowest possible air resistance can have a largely closed cross-section, e.g., with short and wide spokes. In contrast, wheels configured for high performance may have a comparatively open cross-section, e.g., with long, narrow spokes. The open cross-section allows for good air exchange for the brake system assigned to the respective wheel, thus improving its cooling. However, this air exchange negatively impacts the vehicle's aerodynamics. Accordingly, wheels with a closed cross-section have better aerodynamics but hinder cooling of the brake system, which ultimately has a detrimental effect on the vehicle's performance.

In the present context, a ‘configuration’ corresponds to a ‘design’ and/or a ‘means’ and/or a ‘programming’, so that the expression ‘configured so that’ is synonymous with the expression ‘designed so that’ and/or ‘arranged so that’ and/or ‘programmed so that’.

The inventive proposal of setting predetermined vehicle parameters depending on the wheel data allows the vehicle to be adapted to the currently mounted wheels, thereby optimizing vehicle performance. For example, with wheels configured for low energy consumption or a long range, the vehicle's performance, i.e. top speed, maximum acceleration, and/or maximum deceleration, can be set to predetermined values in order to reduce energy consumption and increase range. If, on the other hand, wheels configured for optimal performance are mounted on the vehicle, the vehicle parameters can be set for maximum performance. For example, a vehicle can be equipped with everyday wheels suitable for everyday use, while it can be equipped with sports wheels for sports use, for example on a racetrack.

Specifically, it is proposed that each chip contain wheel-specific data, with the vehicle having a sensor system coupled to the control system, which is configured to communicate with the wheel chips and transmit the wheel data to the control system. The control system can then be configured to set predetermined vehicle parameters depending on the wheel data. This allows the vehicle to adapt automatically to the currently installed wheels, increasing comfort for the driver (male/female/diverse). At the same time, this prevents incorrect operation, thus increasing vehicle safety.

Another important aspect of the present invention can be seen in the fact that, by comparing the wheel data of the mounted wheels, the control system can easily detect whether wheels of the same wheel type or wheels with corresponding or matching wheel data are mounted. If the control system determines that different wheels are mounted, e.g., if the wheel data for one wheel differs from those of the other wheels, a corresponding error message can be generated. The vehicle parameters can then be adjusted by the control system, in particular, to enable emergency operation.

Since the wheel data is wheel-specific, it can also contain information about the intended mounting location for the respective wheel. The control system can then be configured to additionally check whether the wheels are mounted in the correct location. Typical mounting locations in a passenger car are the front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. If the wheels are incorrectly mounted, the control system can generate a corresponding error message and ensure emergency operation by adjusting the vehicle parameters accordingly.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the wheel data can include at least one of the wheel type, rolling resistance, air resistance, tire material, maximum permissible speed, and friction coefficient. This measure also makes it possible to take into account, in particular, that winter tires, for example, usually have a lower maximum permissible speed than summer tires. Accordingly, the operational safety of the vehicle can be increased by appropriately adapting the maximum speed achievable with the currently installed wheels. Likewise, operational safety can be increased or performance improved by taking the friction coefficient into account.

According to a particularly simple configuration, it can be provided that the wheel data contain a wheel type, wherein the wheel control can distinguish at least a first wheel type from a second wheel type. In particular, a wheel of the first wheel type can have a lower rolling resistance and a lower air resistance than a wheel of the second wheel type. Additionally or alternatively, a wheel of the second wheel type can have a higher coefficient of static friction and a higher permissible maximum speed than a wheel of the first wheel type. The two wheel types mentioned here as examples thus characterize in particular an everyday bike according to the first wheel type and a sports wheel according to the second wheel type. Additionally or alternatively, a winter wheel and a summer wheel can also be considered as the first or second wheel type, or as an additional wheel type.

In another embodiment, it can be provided that the predetermined vehicle parameters include at least one of maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, available operating modes, and settings of at least one vehicle stabilization system. For example, the vehicle can have a sport mode or performance mode, which is available when sports wheels are mounted and can be selected by the driver. If, on the other hand, everyday wheels are mounted on the vehicle that are unsuitable for such a sport mode or performance mode, this is detected by the control system via the wheel data, so that the control system deactivates the sport mode or performance mode, preventing it from being selected by the driver. Vehicle stabilization systems can, for example, prevent wheels from spinning during acceleration and/or locking during deceleration. Likewise, vehicle stabilization systems can significantly improve vehicle acceleration around a curve, e.g., by specifically distributing the drive power to the wheels. An important parameter for these vehicle stabilization systems is the static friction of the wheels. Depending on the tire material and tire profile, the wheels can have widely varying friction coefficients. By taking these friction coefficients into account, the control system can adapt the vehicle's stabilization systems to the wheels accordingly. This also increases the vehicle's operational safety.

In another embodiment, it can be provided that the controller is configured such that, in the event that wheels of the first wheel type are detected, it sets the achievable maximum speed and/or the achievable maximum acceleration and/or the achievable maximum deceleration and/or a selection of the available operating modes and/or intervention threshold values of a vehicle stabilization system to predetermined first values that are reduced compared to second values that are set in the event that wheels of the second wheel type are detected. For example, the first wheel type represents everyday wheels, while the second wheel type represents sports wheels. If the everyday wheels are fitted to the vehicle, the controller automatically optimizes the predetermined vehicle parameters for everyday operation. If, on the other hand, sports wheels are fitted to the vehicle, the controller automatically optimizes the predetermined vehicle parameters for sports operation.

In another embodiment, the sensor system may include a separate sensor for each wheel, which communicates with the chip of the respective assigned wheel. Thus, for a vehicle with exactly four wheels, correspondingly precise sensors are provided, each of which is assigned to one of the wheels. For example, the respective sensor can be arranged in or on a wheel housing in which the respective wheel is located. This ensures that the four wheels are identified separately or individually and their wheel data is recorded.

The respective chip can be conveniently configured as a transponder. Such a transponder contains a memory and a transmitter. Such a transponder can operate, in particular, using RFID technology.

In another embodiment, the respective chip and the sensor technology can be configured to communicate with each other via NFC, i.e., near-field communication. NFC technology requires little energy and enables the exchange of complex data in a short time.

The respective chip can expediently be attached to a rim of the respective wheel. The respective chip can be arranged on a wheel hub, on a wheel ring, or on a wheel rim that connects the wheel ring to the wheel hub. It is also conceivable for the respective chip to be attached to a hubcap of the wheel, which is attached to a rim of the wheel. Hubcaps can be exchanged; in particular, it is possible to configure a wheel as a sports bike by attaching a sports hubcap, or to configure it as an everyday bike by attaching an everyday hubcap.

Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawing and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawing.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. Components mentioned above and to be mentioned below of a higher-level unit, such as a device, an apparatus or an arrangement, which are designated separately, can constitute separate parts or components of this unit or be integral parts or sections of this unit, even if this is shown differently in the drawing.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

The only 1 shows a circuit diagram-like schematic representation of a vehicle.

Accordingly 1 comprises a vehicle 1, which can in particular be a battery-electric vehicle, a body 2, a chassis 3 and a plurality of wheels 4. The vehicle 1 is preferably a passenger car. The vehicle 1 accordingly preferably has exactly four wheels 4. The chassis 3 carries the body 2 in the usual way and is usually supported via the wheels 4 on a surface (not shown here) on which the vehicle 1 is traveling or standing. The vehicle 1 is also equipped with a controller 5 for operating the vehicle 1. The controller 5 can contain a plurality of individual control devices.

The wheels 4 of the vehicle 1 are each equipped with a chip 6 in which wheel-specific wheel data is stored. This means that the respective chip 6 contains wheel data of the wheel 4 on which the chip 6 is located. The vehicle 1 is also equipped with a sensor system 7 that is electrically coupled in a suitable manner to the controller 5 and configured to communicate with the chips 6 of the wheels 4. Accordingly, the sensor system 7 can read the wheel data stored in the chips 6 and transmit it to the controller 5. The controller 5 is now also configured to set predetermined vehicle parameters depending on the wheel data 6 of the wheels 4 mounted on the vehicle 1.

The controller 5 can expediently first check whether the wheel data of the four mounted wheels 4 correspond to one another, so that the controller 5 can assume that four wheels 4 of the same type are mounted on the vehicle 1.

The wheel data on the respective chip 6 can include a wheel type, a rolling resistance, an air resistance, a tire material, a permissible maximum speed, and a friction coefficient of the respective wheel 4. By way of example, in a simple case, the wheel data can only include one wheel type. The controller 5 can be configured such that it can distinguish at least a first wheel type from a second wheel type. Without limiting the generality, the first wheel type can, for example, be an everyday bike that is suitable for everyday use of the vehicle 1 and can be optimized with regard to the lowest possible energy consumption and the greatest possible range. In contrast, the second wheel type can, for example, be a sports bike that is suitable for sports use of the vehicle 1 and can be optimized with regard to the highest possible performance. A wheel 4 of the first wheel type can therefore have a lower rolling resistance and lower air resistance than a wheel of the second wheel type. Furthermore, a wheel 4 of the second wheel type may have a higher coefficient of static friction and a higher permissible maximum speed than a wheel 4 of the first wheel type.

The predetermined vehicle parameters, which can be set by the controller 5 depending on the wheel data, can include a maximum speed of the vehicle 1, a maximum acceleration of the vehicle 1, a maximum deceleration of the vehicle 1, the type and number of available operating modes, and settings of at least one vehicle stabilization system. For example, the controller 5 can be configured such that, if wheels 4 of the first wheel type, for example, everyday wheels, are detected, the achievable maximum speed and/or the achievable maximum acceleration and/or the achievable maximum deceleration and/or a selection of the available operating modes and/or intervention thresholds of a vehicle stabilization system are set to predetermined first values that are reduced compared to second values that are set if wheels 4 of the second wheel type, in particular, sports wheels, are detected. In this way, the operational reliability of the vehicle 1 is significantly increased, since with everyday wheels mounted, it is then not possible to operate the vehicle 1 in performance ranges intended only for sports wheels.

According to the 1 In the example shown, the sensor system 7 can have a separate sensor 8 for each wheel 4, which communicates with the chip 6 of the respectively assigned wheel 4. Accordingly, with four wheels 4, four sensors 8 are provided here, each assigned to one of the wheels 4. For example, four wheel housings 9 are formed on the body 2 in the usual way, in each of which one of the wheels 4 is arranged. The respective sensor 8 can now expediently be arranged on or in such a wheel housing 9. This results in small distances between the respective sensor 8 and the respective chip 6. For communication between the sensor system 7 and the chips 6, wireless communication is preferred, so that radio technology is used in particular. The respective chip 6 can be configured as a transponder. The respective chip 6 and the sensor system 5 or the sensors 8 can be configured to communicate with each other using NFC technology. The respective chip 6 can be attached to a rim (not specified here) of the respective wheel 4. Likewise, the respective chip 6 can be attached to a hubcap (not shown here) of the respective wheel 4, wherein the respective hubcap is attached to the rim of the respective wheel 4.

QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10 2021 120 484 B4 [0002]
• DE 20 2012 101 643 U1 [0003]
• US 11 760 126 B2 [0004]
• DE 10 2017 122 178 A1 [0005]
• US 11 104 245 B2 [0006]
• EP 3 150 828 B1 [0007]
• DE 10 2018 209 426 A1 [0008]

Claims (10)

Vehicle (1), in particular a battery-electric vehicle, - with a body (2), - with a chassis (3) that supports the body (2), - with a plurality of wheels (4) that support the chassis (3) on a surface on which the vehicle (1) is standing or traveling, - with a controller (5) for operating the vehicle (1), - wherein the wheels (4) each have a chip (6), characterized in that - the respective chip (6) contains wheel-specific wheel data, - that the vehicle (1) has a sensor system (7) coupled to the controller (5), which is configured to communicate with the chips (6) of the wheels (4) and to transmit the wheel data to the controller (5), - that the controller (5) is configured to set at least one predetermined vehicle parameter depending on the wheel data. Vehicle (1) to Claim 1 , characterized in that - the wheel data includes at least one of wheel type, rolling resistance, air resistance, tire material, permissible maximum speed, friction coefficient. Vehicle (1) to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that - the wheel data contain a wheel type, - the controller (5) can distinguish at least a first wheel type from a second wheel type, - a wheel (4) of the first wheel type has a lower rolling resistance and a lower air resistance than a wheel (4) of the second wheel type, - a wheel (4) of the second wheel type has a higher coefficient of static friction and a higher permissible maximum speed than a wheel (4) of the first wheel type. Vehicle (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that - the predetermined vehicle parameters include at least one of maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, available operating modes, settings of at least one vehicle stabilization system. Vehicle (1) according to the Claims 3 and 4 , characterized in that - the controller (5) is configured such that, in the event that wheels (4) of the first wheel type are detected, it sets the achievable maximum speed and/or the achievable maximum acceleration and/or the achievable maximum deceleration and/or a selection of the available operating modes and/or intervention threshold values of a vehicle stabilization system to predetermined first values which are reduced compared to second values which are set in the event that wheels (4) of the second wheel type are detected. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the sensor system (7) has a separate sensor (8) for each wheel (4), which communicates with the chip (6) of the respectively assigned wheel (4). Vehicle (1) to Claim 6 , characterized in that - the respective sensor (8) is arranged in or on a wheel housing (9) in which the respective wheel (4) is located. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the respective chip (6) is configured as a transponder. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the respective chip (6) and the sensor system (8) are configured such that they communicate with each other by means of NFC. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the respective chip (6) is attached to a rim of the wheel (4), or - that the respective chip (6) is attached to a hubcap of the wheel (4) which is fastened to a rim of the wheel (4).