Tire pressure measurement device, an integrated circuit, a printed circuit board, a method and a computer program for a vehicle to receive data

• US 10,000,098 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Darrer, Franz Michael, Schuchter, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US15/358,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/044 Near field triggers, e.g. magnets or triggers with 125 KHz
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0461 externally triggered, e.g. by wireless request signal, magnet or manual switch

Abstract

Embodiments provide a tire pressure measurement device, an integrated circuit, a printed circuit board, a method and a computer program to receive data. The tire pressure measurement device includes a first receiver configured to receive a low frequency signal using a first low frequency input of the first receiver, and a second input configured to receive a receive signal associated with a second receiver that is different from the first receiver. The tire pressure measurement device further includes a controller configured to control the first low frequency input of the first receiver and to couple the second input to the first low frequency input of the first receiver in order for the first receiver to receive the receive signal at the first low frequency input.

Claims

1. A tire pressure measurement device for receiving data, comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive a low frequency signal at a first low frequency input of the first receiver; and

a second input configured to receive a receive signal associated with a second receiver that is different from the first receiver; and

a controller configured to control the low frequency input of the first receiver and to couple the second input to the first low frequency input of the first receiver in order for the first receiver to receive the receive signal at the first low frequency input.

2. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, wherein the second input is configured to receive the receive signal in a frequency band outside a low frequency band used by the first receiver.

3. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 2, wherein:

the second input is configured to receive a radio frequency receive signal, and

the controller is configured to convert the radio frequency receive signal into a low frequency receive signal, and output the low frequency receive signal to the first low frequency input of the first receiver.

4. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 3, wherein the controller comprises a demodulator configured to demodulate the radio frequency receive signal into the low frequency receive signal.

5. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 4, wherein the demodulator comprises at least one non-linear electronic component.

6. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 5, wherein the at least one non-linear electronic component comprises at least one diode.

7. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 4, wherein the demodulator is configured to demodulate an Amplitude Modulated (AM) or an Amplitude-Shift-Keying (ASK)-modulated radio frequency receive signal into the low frequency receive signal.

8. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of the second receiver, a matching network for the second receiver, and a radio frequency antenna.

9. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, wherein the second input is configured to receive the receive signal that is based on an acoustical receive signal.

10. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 9, further comprising:

an acoustical transducer configured to receive the acoustical receive signal.

11. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 10, wherein the acoustical transducer is configured to convert sound applied to a tire into an electrical signal as the receive signal.

12. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to couple the electrical signal to the first low frequency input of the first receiver.

13. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 12, wherein the acoustical transducer is configured to convert mechanical energy from tire deformation into electrical energy for powering the tire pressure measurement device.

14. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 13, wherein the acoustical transducer is further configured to carry out sound measurements.

15. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to couple and to decouple the second input with the first low frequency input.

16. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch the second input between the first low frequency input of the first receiver and at least one other signal.

17. The tire pressure measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

a low frequency coil, wherein the controller is configured to couple the low frequency coil to the first low frequency input of the first receiver.

18. A method for receiving data at a tire pressure measurement device, comprising:

controlling an input of a first receiver for receiving a low frequency signal;

providing a receive signal from a second receiver, which is different from the first receiver; and

coupling the receive signal to the input of the first receiver.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code being configured, when executed, to cause a computer program to implement a method for receiving data at a tire pressure measurement device, the method comprising:

controlling an input of a first receiver for receiving a low frequency signal;

providing a receive signal from a second receiver that is different from the first receiver; and

coupling the receive signal to the first receiver.