Apparatus and method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure

• US 20010020203A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 09/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sugisawa, Toshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,529,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

An apparatus for alarming a decrease in internal pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle using judgement values obtained based on rotational information obtained from the tires. The apparatus comprises rotational information detecting means for detecting rotational information on each of the tires; memory means for storing the rotational information; arithmetic processing means for processing a judgement value from the rotational information; and judgement value correcting means for correcting the judgement value using a weight determined based on a rudder angle obtained by a rudder angle sensor attached to a steering wheel. The frequency of the occurrence of erroneous alarms during cornering can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to improve accuracy for detecting the pressure reduction of tires.

Claims

1. An apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure for alarming a decrease in internal pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle using judgement values obtained based on rotational information obtained from the tires, comprising rotational information detecting means for detecting rotational information on each of the tires;

memory means for storing the rotational information on each of the tires;

arithmetic processing means for processing a judgement value from the rotational information on each of the tires; and

judgement value correcting means for correcting the judgement value using a weight determined based on a rudder angle obtained by a rudder angle sensor attached to a steering wheel.

2. A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure for alarming a decrease in internal pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle using judgement values obtained based on rotational information obtained from the tires, comprising the steps of detecting the rotational information on each of the tires;

storing the rotational information on each of the tires;

processing a judgement value from the rotational information on each of the tires; and

correcting the judgement value using a weight determined based on a rudder angle obtained from a rudder angle sensor attached to a steering wheel.