Method for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tyre of a motor vehicle

• US 10,065,460 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Gier, Klaus-Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/898,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20160207364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0403 Mechanically generated audible signals, e.g. by buzzer or whistle signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0405 Mechanically generated visible signals, e.g. by using a gauge needle
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0406 Alarms noticeable from outside the vehicle, e.g. indication in side mirror, front light or audible alarms B60C23/0403, B60C23/0405 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0484 Detecting an ongoing tyre inflation

Abstract

A method for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tire of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one air pressure in the tire is detected by at least one measuring electronics unit present in the tire and data is transmitted by the measuring electronics unit to a control unit. Depending on the data, the control unit activates components of the motor vehicle to generate optical and/or acoustic signals. The control unit is switched into an after-running mode for a defined period of time when an ignition of the motor vehicle is shut off, in which mode the control unit can continue to receive data from the measuring electronics unit and may activate components of the motor vehicle to generate optical and/or acoustic signals.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tire of a motor vehicle and alerting a user to the monitored air pressure, the method comprising:

measuring air pressure in the at least one tire by at least one measuring electronics unit present in the tire;

transmitting data by the at least one measuring electronics unit to a control unit at a first transmission frequency during a normal operation;

actuating, by the control unit, components of the motor vehicle as a function of the data to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure during the normal operation;

implementing, by the at least one measuring electronics unit, an operating mode change in response to detection of a limiting value of a pressure change in the tire in a specific time period being reached or exceeded;

wherein, in response to an ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off, the control unit is switched into a run-on mode only for a specific time period in which the control unit is configured to continue to receive data from the at least one measuring electronics unit and configured to actuate motor vehicle components as a function of the data to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure,

wherein implementing the operating mode change includes transmitting, by the at least one measuring electronics unit, data to the control unit at a second transmission frequency that is higher than the first transmission frequency.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the transmission of data at increased second transmission frequency causes the control unit to go into an assistance mode, which assists an active change in tire pressure, and for this purpose, to actuate, by a vehicle-specific bus system, motor vehicle components to generate optical signals and/or acoustic signals.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the control unit actuating at least one travel direction indicator during the assistance mode to indicate activation of the assistance mode, wherein the at least one travel direction indicator is firstly actuated to flash at a specific frequency, and, in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting a change in tire pressure and transmitting corresponding data to the control unit, the control unit controls flashing frequency to change in one direction, starting from a specific frequency, as a setpoint pressure is increasingly approached,

wherein the control unit controls the flashing frequency to change in another direction as the distance from the setpoint pressure increases, and

wherein, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls the at least one travel direction indicator to be actuated as a continuous light for a specific time period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, the control unit actuating the at least one travel direction indicator to flash at a specific frequency which is higher than a highest frequency at which the at least one travel direction indicator has flashed before the setpoint pressure is reached in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting that a permissible pressure range for the tire has been exceeded or undershot.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising extending the run-on mode by a specific time period in response to the control unit going into the assistance mode once.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the at least one measuring electronics unit into a specific operating mode in which measuring frequency is increased compared to the normal operation in response to ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off for a specific time period.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls an on-board buzzer, at least one electric window lifter, a door closing system, at least one windshield wiper, one rear-view minor adjustment system or a voice output system to be activated to indicate that the setpoint pressure has been reached.

8. A motor vehicle that monitors an air pressure in at least one tire and alerts a user to the monitored air pressure, the motor vehicle comprising:

a control unit; and

at least one measuring electronics unit, present in the at least one tire, for (i) measuring air pressure in the at least one tire, (ii) transmitting data of the at least one measuring electronics unit to the control unit at a first transmission frequency during a normal operation, and (iii) implementing an operating mode change in response to detection of a limiting value of a pressure change in the tire in a specific time period being reached or exceeded,

wherein the control unit controls components of the motor vehicle as a function of the data transmitted from the at least one measuring electronics unit to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure during the normal operation,

wherein, in response to an ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off, the control unit is switched into a run-on mode only for a specific time period in which the control unit is configured to continue to receive data from the measuring electronics unit and actuate components of the motor vehicle as a function of the data to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure, and

wherein, in response to an implementation of the operating mode change, the at least one measuring electronics unit is configured to transmit data to the control unit at a second transmission frequency that is higher than the first transmission frequency.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 8,

wherein the transmission of data at increased second transmission frequency causes the control unit to go into an assistance mode, which assists an active change in tire pressure, and for this purpose, to actuate, by a vehicle-specific bus system, motor vehicle components to generate optical signals and/or acoustic signals.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein the control unit actuating at least one travel direction indicator during the assistance mode to indicate activation of the assistance mode, wherein the at least one travel direction indicator is firstly actuated to flash at a specific frequency, and, in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting a change in tire pressure and transmitting corresponding data to the control unit, the control unit controls flashing frequency to change in one direction, starting from a specific frequency, as a setpoint pressure is increasingly approached,

wherein the control unit controls the flashing frequency to change in another direction as the distance from the setpoint pressure increases, and

wherein, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls the at least one travel direction indicator to be actuated as a continuous light for a specific time period.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the control unit actuates the at least one travel direction indicator to flash at a specific frequency which is higher than a highest frequency at which the at least one travel direction indicator has flashed before the setpoint pressure is reached in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting that a permissible pressure range for the tire has been exceeded or undershot.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein the run-on mode is extended by a specific time period in response to the control unit going into the assistance mode once.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one measuring electronics unit is placed into a specific operating mode in which measuring frequency is increased compared to the normal operation in response to ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off for a specific time period.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls an on-board buzzer, at least one electric window lifter, a door closing system, at least one windshield wiper, one rear-view minor adjustment system or a voice output system to be activated to indicate that the setpoint pressure has been reached.

15. A control unit in a motor vehicle that controls operations for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tire and alerting a user to the monitored air pressure, wherein the control unit comprises a processor configured to:

receive data from at least one measuring electronics unit present in the at least one tire for measuring air pressure in the at least one tire at a first transmission frequency during a normal operation,

control components of the motor vehicle as a function of the data transmitted from the at least one measuring electronics unit to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure during the normal operation,

detect a limiting value of a pressure change in the tire in a specific time period being reached or exceeded to actuate the at least one measuring electronics unit to implement an operating mode change,

in response to an ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off, switch into a run-on mode only for a specific time period to continue to receive data from the measuring electronics unit and actuate components of the motor vehicle as a function of the data to generate and output optical signals and/or acoustic signals indicating the monitored air pressure, and

in response to an implementation of the operating mode change, receive data from the at least one measuring electronics unit at a second transmission frequency that is higher than the first transmission frequency.

16. The control unit of claim 15,

wherein the transmission of data at increased second transmission frequency causes the control unit to go into an assistance mode, which assists an active change in tire pressure, and for this purpose, to actuate, by a vehicle-specific bus system, motor vehicle components to generate optical signals and/or acoustic signals.

17. The control unit of claim 16, wherein the control unit actuates at least one travel direction indicator during the assistance mode to indicate activation of the assistance mode, wherein the at least one travel direction indicator is firstly actuated to flash at a specific frequency, and, in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting a change in tire pressure and transmitting corresponding data to the control unit, the control unit controls flashing frequency to change in one direction, starting from a specific frequency, as a setpoint pressure is increasingly approached,

and the control unit controls the flashing frequency to change in another direction as the distance from the setpoint pressure increases,

wherein, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls the at least one travel direction indicator to be actuated as a continuous light for a specific time period.

18. The control unit of claim 17, wherein the control unit actuates the at least one travel direction indicator to flash at a specific frequency which is higher than a highest frequency at which the at least one travel direction indicator has flashed before the setpoint pressure is reached in response to the at least one measuring electronics unit detecting that a permissible pressure range for the tire has been exceeded or undershot.

19. The control unit of claim 16, wherein the run-on mode is extended by a specific time period in response to the control unit going into the assistance mode once.

20. The control unit of claim 16, wherein the at least one measuring electronics unit is placed into a specific operating mode in which measuring frequency is increased compared to the normal operation in response to ignition of the motor vehicle being shut off for a specific time period.

21. The control unit of claim 17, wherein, in response to the setpoint pressure being reached, the control unit controls an on-board buzzer, at least one electric window lifter, a door closing system, at least one windshield wiper, one rear-view minor adjustment system or a voice output system to be activated to indicate that the setpoint pressure has been reached.