Antiskid control unit and data collection system for vehicle braking system
A wheel speed transducer including a magnetic device associated with a wheel and a sensor device associated with the axle of the wheel provides data indicative of the velocity of the wheel. A processor located at the axle receives the wheel speed data and processes it to perform antiskid control functions. The velocity data is stored in a data concentrator also associated with the axle. A tire pressure sensor, a brake temperature sensor and a brake torque sensor, each associated with the wheel, send data to the processor at the axle, for storage in the data concentrator. A transmitting antenna associated with the axle and in communication with the data concentrator transmits stored data to a receiving antenna associated with the wheel. A data port at the wheel and in communication with the receiving antenna provides an interface to an external device for receiving the data.
1. A system for collecting information related to operation of a wheel of a moving vehicle, the system comprising:
a wheel mounted on a hollow axle;
an antiskid unit operative to generate operation information data related to operation of said wheel, said antiskid unit being associated with said hollow axle;
a data concentrator operatively connected to said antiskid unit and configured to receive and store the operation information data from said antiskid unit, said data concentrator being associated with said hollow axle;
a transmitting antenna in communication with said data concentrator, said transmitting antenna being configured to transmit the operation information data from said data concentrator, and said transmitting antenna being associated with said hollow axle; and
a receiving antenna for downloading the operation information data, said receiving antenna being configured to receive the operation information data from said transmitting antenna, said receiving antenna being associated with said wheel.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a wheel speed transducer configured to provide wheel speed data to the antiskid unit, and wherein the operation information data includes the wheel speed data.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said wheel speed transducer comprises:
a magnetic device associated with the wheel; and
a sensor device associated with the axle and configured to sense the magnetic field produced by the magnetic device and output signals to the antiskid unit.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the sensor device is located within the axle.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tire pressure sensor configured to provide tire pressure data to the antiskid unit, and wherein the operation information data includes the tire pressure.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the tire pressure sensor comprises:
a transmitting device having a pressure sensor at one end in communication with the tire interior and a transmitting antenna at the other end configured to transmit pressure sensor signals; and
a receiving device in communication with the antiskid unit and configured to receive signals from the transmitting antenna.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer configured to provide acceleration data to the antiskid unit, and wherein the operation information data includes the acceleration data.