Device for monitoring tires of more than 30 inches via video means

1 . A device for carrying out a method for monitoring tires of vehicles for transport in mines, using tire handling equipment, the tires being equipped with radio frequency identification tags and sensors for detecting physical parameters, the method using a database containing identifiers of the vehicles, identifiers of the tires, identifiers of the sensors and of positions of the tires on axles, the method including the following steps: receiving, via the tire handling equipment, an instruction containing an identity of a transport vehicle and a position of a tire to be replaced on the transport vehicle; identifying, via the tire handling equipment, the transport vehicle by means of a video acquisition and processing system, the transport vehicle being equipped with a detectable visual identifier, wherein the video acquisition and processing system comprises at least a wide angle camera for identifying the transport vehicle; activating, via the tire handling equipment, detection of the tire to be replaced on the transport vehicle by radio frequency means; activating, via the tire handling equipment, detection of the axles by means of the video acquisition and processing system, wherein the video acquisition and processing system further comprises a high resolution camera for identifying a vehicle axle of the tire to be replaced; activating, via the tire handling equipment, detection of the position of the tire on the vehicle axle by means of the video acquisition and processing system, wherein an axle position is an inner position or an outer position of a twin tire mount; replacing, via the tire handling equipment, the tire to be replaced with a replacement tire; and updating the database with the identifiers of the transport vehicle and of the replacement tire and a position of the replacement tire on the vehicle axle, and the device comprising: the video acquisition and processing system, wherein the video acquisition and processing system is mounted on the tire handling equipment in a manner in which at least one of the wide angle camera or the high resolution camera is oriented toward the transport vehicle, reading means for reading the radio frequency identification tags of the sensors and of the tires; calculation and image processing means; and a database which associates the identifiers of the tires and of the transport vehicle on which they are fitted, and the positions on the axles.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the high resolution camera of the video acquisition and processing system comprises a 3D camera.

3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein both the high resolution camera and the wide angle camera of the video acquisition and processing system are 2D cameras.

4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein detection of a used tire storage area and of a replacement tire storage area uses GPS means.

5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the tires comprise a system having a passive identification tag and at least one sensor of the sensors for detecting physical parameters attached to an inside of the tire comprising a reader communicating with the passive identification tag.

6 . The device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor and passive identification tag is provided with an active electronic module for measuring and transferring physical parameters of the tire comprising:

a power supply to operate the sensor; and

a data transmission module to transmit physical data received from the at least one sensor to a remote receiver.

7 . Tire handling equipment for the tires of transport vehicles in mines, the tire handling equipment being equipped with the device according to claim 1 .

8 . The tire handling equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the tire handling equipment further comprises a screen for monitoring the steps of the method.