Tire pressure display device

• US 20010050611A1
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Dynamix AG, Rainer Achterholt
• Original Assignee: Nolex AG
• Inventors: Achterholt, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 6,476,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations

Abstract

With a tire pressure display device for a vehicle having several wheels, each monitored tire is provided with an electronic module (integrated pressure sensor with measuring and control electronics, said sensor being coupled to a high-frequency transmitter/receiver means). Away from the wheels, there is at least another high-frequency transmitter/receiver means coupled to a microprocessor (master means), that can exchange high-frequency radiograms with each module means in the interrogation-response mode. In addition, a remote control locking means (1) is present for activating a locking system on the vehicle. The triggering of a control command effectuated on the remote control locking means (1) for activating the locking system also activates the master means which then initializes the module means.

Claims

1. A tire pressure display device for a vehicle having several wheels, each of which is fitted with a pneumatic tire, whereby

each monitored tire is provided with an electronic module having at least one integrated pressure sensor with measuring and control electronics, said sensor being coupled to a high-frequency transmitter/receiver means (in short:

module means);

away from the wheels, there is at least another high-frequency transmitter/receiver means coupled to a microprocessor (in short;

master means), which is configured for bi-directional high-frequency signal-data communication with each module means in the interrogation-response mode;

the tire pressure status of each monitored tire is displayed on one or more display element(s) of a display device that is actuated by display signals that have been generated by the microprocessor,

characterized in that

additionally, a remote control locking means for activating a locking system on the vehicle is present;

an actuation of this remote control locking means for the wireless transmission of a control command to the vehicle for the activation of a locking system in the vehicle also activates the master means which then carries out an interrogation of the module means according to such a sequence control that ensures that at no point in time do response signals from several module means reach the master means at the same time or overlapping in time; and

the display element(s) of the tire pressure status display device is/are situated on the remote control locking means or on an add-on device that is located on or adjacent to the remote control locking means.

2. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 1

,

characterized in that

the master means is permanently installed in the vehicle.

3. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 2

,

characterized in that

the control command for activating the locking system that is transmitted wirelessly from the remote control locking means to the vehicle is decoded on the vehicle;

the signal that is received after the decoding and that is characteristic for the vehicle activates (unlocking or locking) the locking system; and

this signal that is received after the decoding and that is characteristic for the vehicle also serves to activate the master means.

4. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 2

,

characterized in that

the display signals that have been generated by the master means located on the vehicle are transmitted by means of ultrasound, infrared or high-frequency signals to the display device on the remote control locking means.

5. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 1

,

characterized in that

the master means or a modified master means, which also generates the control command for the activation of the locking system in the vehicle, is integrated into the remote control locking means.

6. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 1

,

characterized in that

the master means is accommodated on or in the add-on device;

and

an actuation of the remote control locking means for the wireless transmission of a control command to the vehicle for the activation of a locking system in the vehicle also activates this master means.

7. The tire pressure display device according to one of claims 1 through 6,

characterized in that

the master means and the module means are each provided with a transceiver whose receiving part has a follower amplifier and which has two signal amplifiers that are linked to each other via a SAW delay line;

and the signal amplifiers—

independent of each other—

are controlled by an impulse generator in such a way that the two signal amplifiers are never switched to the ON position at the same time.

8. The tire pressure display device according to one of claims 1 through 7,

characterized in that

the sequence control provides a routine with the following steps (a) through (i):

a) an actuation of a pushbutton on the remote control locking means in order to generate a control command for the vehicle locking system directly or indirectly activates the master means that is normally kept in the sleep mode;

b) after being activated, the master means generates and sends an interrogation signal that contains at least a synchronization bit sequence for all of the module means and an address for a selected module means as well as optionally a check digit. Moreover, the master means selects the display element corresponding to the address;

c) after sending the interrogation signal, the master means switches to the receiving mode;

d) the synchronization bit sequence of the interrogation signal activates all of the module means, which are normally kept in the sleep mode. At each module means, a routine runs that checks whether the code stored in the register of the module means corresponds to the address of the interrogation signal. If this is not the case, then that particular module means is once again put into the sleep mode;

e) the particular module means that detects correspondence between the address and its code subsequently initiates a routine that measures the tire pressure, and generates and sends a response signal that, in addition to the synchronization bit sequence, contains a useful signal having at least bits that correspond to the measured tire pressure. Subsequently, this module means once again goes into the sleep mode;

f) the master means receives the response signal, evaluates its useful signal, generates a corresponding display signal and transmits this signal to the selected display element;

g) in each case, after 0.2 seconds, preferably after 0.3 seconds have elapsed, steps (b) through (f) are repeated for each additional wheel to be checked, whereby the address corresponding to the wheel to be checked is selected and incorporated into the interrogation signal;

h) after completion of the interrogation of all of the wheels to be checked, the master means goes into the sleep mode again;

i) after a given time period has elapsed, the tire pressure status generated by the display elements is deleted.

9. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 8

,

characterized in that

a routine is performed that, instead of the steps (c), (e) and (f), provides the following steps (c′

), (e′

) and (f);

c′

) after sending the interrogation signal, the master means activates a register that contains a code corresponding to the address just sent, and then switches to the receiving mode;

e′

) the module means sends a response signal that, in addition to the synchronization bit sequence and the useful signal, also contains the code of the sending module means;

f) the master means receives the response signal, checks whether the code contained in the response signal corresponds to the code activated on the master means and, once it has ascertained the correspondence, carries out the further partial steps of step (f).

10. The tire pressure display device according to

claim 8

or

9

,

characterized in that

the master means and the module means are each equipped with an electronic memory with register(s) and logic elements for storing digital addresses and codes, as well as for carrying out the routines of the sequence control.

11. A remote control locking means for a tire pressure display device according to one of claims 1 through 10,

characterized in that

the remote control locking means (1) is provided with one or more display element(s) (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) of the tire pressure display device (20) which are actuated by display signals that have been generated by the master means (15).

12. The remote control locking means for a tire pressure display device according to one of claims 1 through 10,

characterized in that

additionally, there is an add-on device (30) that is located on or adjacent to the remote control locking means (1);

and

this add-on device (30) is provided with one or more display element(s) (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) of the tire pressure status display device (20′

) which are actuated by display signals that have been generated by the master means.

13. The remote control locking means according to

claim 11

or

12

,

characterized in that,

for each monitored tire, an associated display element (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) is present on the remote control locking means (1) or an associated display element (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) is present on the add-on device (30).

14. The remote control locking means according to one of claims 11 through 13,

characterized in that.

each display element (21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) has one or more light emitting diode(s) that light up in different colors after appropriate actuation by the display signals in order to display the tire pressure status.

15. The remote control locking means according to one of claims 11 through 14,

characterized in that

each display element (21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) is located on an associated pushbutton (21′

, 22′

, 23′

, 24′

, 25′

or 31′

, 32′

, 33′

, 34′

, 35′

); and

an actuation of these pushbuttons (21′

, 22′

, 23′

, 24′

, 25′

or 31′

, 32′

, 33′

, 34′

, 35′

) triggers an initialization for exchanging and storing addresses and codes between the master means and the module means located on the remote control locking means (1) or the master means on/in the add-on device (30) and the particular module means that is associated with a certain, just-actuated pushbutton.

16. The remote control locking means according to

claim 11

,

characterized in that

the master means or a modified master means (15), which also generates the control command for the activation of the locking system in the vehicle, is integrated into the remote control locking means (1).

17. The remote control locking means according to

claim 12

,

characterized in that

the master means is accommodated on or in the add-on device (30).

18. A method for the operation of a tire pressure display device intended for a vehicle with several pneumatic tires, having:

on each monitored tire, an electronic module having at least one integrated pressure sensor with measuring and control electronics, said sensor being coupled to a high-frequency transmitter/receiver means (in short;

module means);

away from the wheels, at least another high-frequency transmitter/receiver means coupled to a microprocessor (in short;

master means), which is configured for bi-directional high-frequency signal-data communication with each module means in the interrogation-response mode;

a display device with one or more display element(s) for displaying the tire pressure status of each monitored tire;

a remote control locking means that has a pushbutton to trigger a control command that activates a locking system of a vehicle;

characterized in that

the actuation of the pushbutton of the remote control locking means also activates the master means which then initializes the module means;

the initialization of the module means takes place according to a sequence control that ensures that at no point in time do response signals from several module means reach the master means at the same time or overlapping in time; and

the tire pressure status thus obtained for each monitored tire is displayed by means of display elements that are situated on the remote control locking means or on an add-on device that is located on or adjacent to the remote control locking means.

19. The method according to

claim 18

,

characterized in that

the sequence control carries out a routine with the following steps (a) through (i):

a) an actuation of a pushbutton on the remote control locking means in order to generate a control command for the vehicle locking system directly or indirectly activates the master means that is normally kept in the sleep mode;

b) after being activated, the master means generates and sends an interrogation signal that contains at least a synchronization bit sequence for all of the module means and an address for a selected module means as well as optionally a check digit. Moreover, the master means selects the display element corresponding to the address;

c) after sending the interrogation signal, the master means switches to the receiving mode;

d) the synchronization bit sequence of the interrogation signal activates all of the module means, which are normally kept in the sleep mode. At each module means, a routine runs that checks whether the code stored in the register of the module means corresponds to the address of the interrogation signal. If this is not the case, then that particular module means is once again put into the sleep mode;

e) the particular module means that detects correspondence between the address and its code subsequently initiates a routine that measures the tire pressure, and generates and sends a response signal that, in addition to the synchronization bit sequence, contains a useful signal having at least bits that correspond to the measured tire pressure. Subsequently, this module means once again goes into the sleep mode;

f) the master means receives the response signal, evaluates its useful signal, generates a corresponding display signal and transmits this signal to the selected display element;

g) in each case, after 0.2 seconds, preferably after 0.3 seconds have elapsed, steps (b) through (f) are repeated for each additional wheel to be checked, whereby the address corresponding to the wheel to be checked is selected and incorporated into the interrogation signal;

h) after completion of the interrogation of all of the wheels to be checked, the master means goes into the sleep mode again;

i) after a given time period has elapsed, the tire pressure status generated by the display elements is deleted.

20. The method according to

claim 19

,

characterized in that

the sequence control carries out a routine that, instead of the steps (c), (e) and (f), provides the following steps (c′

), (e′

) and (f);

c′

) after sending the interrogation signal, the master means activates a register that contains a code corresponding to the address just sent, and then switches to the receiving mode;

e′

) the module means sends a response signal that, in addition to the synchronization bit sequence and the useful signal, also contains the code of the sending module means;

f) the master means receives the response signal, checks whether the code contained in the response signal corresponds to the code activated on the master means and, once it has ascertained the correspondence, carries out the further partial steps of step (f).

21. The method according to one of claims 18 through 20,

characterized in that

additionally, a special routine for the initialization of the exchange of addresses and codes between the master means and a selected module means is provided;

in order to carry out this special routine, the remote control locking means containing an integrated master means or the add-on device provided with the master means is brought into the immediate vicinity of the wheel that is provided with the selected module means; and

this special routine is triggered on the remote control locking means or on this add-on device.

22. The method according to

claim 21

,

characterized in that,

during this special routine, the high-frequency data signal communication between the master means and the selected module means is carried out at a reduced field strength, so that exclusively a data exchange takes place between the master means and the selected module means.