Apparatus and method for monitoring tire condition
First Claim
1. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires attached to a vehicle, wherein the tires include left and right front tires and left and right rear tires, the apparatus comprising:
- a transmitter device, which is attached to each tire, wherein the transmitter device has a condition sensor that detects the condition of the corresponding tire and a signal generator that generates a specific pattern signal when the tire rotates, wherein the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each left tire is different from the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each right tire when the vehicle moves in a given direction, and each transmitter device transmits a radio signal that includes data that represents the tire condition and data that represents the pattern signal;
a front reception antenna, which is installed in a body of the vehicle at a position that is relatively near to the left and right front tires, wherein the front reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices;
a rear reception antenna, which is installed in the vehicle body at a position that is relatively near to the left and right rear tires, wherein the rear reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices; and
a receiver, which receives reception signals from the front and rear reception antennas, wherein the receiver includes a controller, and wherein, when one of the transmitter devices has transmitted a radio signal, the controller determines which transmitter device has transmitted the radio signal in accordance with the level of reception signals from the reception antennas and the data that represents the pattern signal, which is included in the radio signal transmitted by the transmitter device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transmitter device includes a rotational direction sensor that generates a specific pattern signal when a corresponding tire rotates. The pattern signal of the left tires is different from the pattern signal of the right tires. A front reception antenna is near the front tires. A rear reception antenna is near the rear tires. A receiver includes a switch circuit that selectively connects the front reception antenna or the rear reception antenna to a controller. When one transmitter device transmits a radio signal, the controller determines which transmitter device is the source of the radio signal in accordance with the level of the signals from the reception antennas and the pattern signal, which is included in the data transmitted by the transmitter device.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires attached to a vehicle, wherein the tires include left and right front tires and left and right rear tires, the apparatus comprising:
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a transmitter device, which is attached to each tire, wherein the transmitter device has a condition sensor that detects the condition of the corresponding tire and a signal generator that generates a specific pattern signal when the tire rotates, wherein the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each left tire is different from the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each right tire when the vehicle moves in a given direction, and each transmitter device transmits a radio signal that includes data that represents the tire condition and data that represents the pattern signal;
a front reception antenna, which is installed in a body of the vehicle at a position that is relatively near to the left and right front tires, wherein the front reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices;
a rear reception antenna, which is installed in the vehicle body at a position that is relatively near to the left and right rear tires, wherein the rear reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices; and
a receiver, which receives reception signals from the front and rear reception antennas, wherein the receiver includes a controller, and wherein, when one of the transmitter devices has transmitted a radio signal, the controller determines which transmitter device has transmitted the radio signal in accordance with the level of reception signals from the reception antennas and the data that represents the pattern signal, which is included in the radio signal transmitted by the transmitter device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires attached to a vehicle, wherein the tires include left and right front tires and left and right rear tires, the apparatus comprising:
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a transmitter device, which is attached to each tire, wherein the transmitter device includes;
a condition detecting means for detecting the condition of the corresponding tire;
a signal generating means for generating a specific pattern signal when the tire rotates, wherein the pattern signal generated by the signal generating means of the transmitter device attached to each left tire is different from the pattern signal generated by the signal generating means of the transmitter device attached to each right tire when the vehicle moves in a given direction; and
a transmitting means for transmitting a radio signal, the radio signal including data that represents the tire condition and data that represents the pattern signal;
a front reception antenna, which is installed in a body of the vehicle at a position that is relatively near to the left and right front tires, wherein the front reception antenna receives radio signals that are relatively strong from the transmitter devices of the left and right front tires;
a rear reception antenna, which is installed in the vehicle body at a position that is relatively near to the left and right rear tires, wherein the rear reception antenna receives radio signals that are relatively strong from the transmitter devices of the left and right rear tires;
a control means for receiving reception signals from the front reception antenna and the rear reception antenna; and
a switch means for selectively connecting the front reception antenna or the rear reception antenna to the control means, wherein, when one of the transmitter devices has transmitted a radio signal, the control means determines which transmitter device has transmitted the radio signal in accordance with the level of reception signals from the reception antennas and the data that represents the pattern signal, which is included in the radio signal transmitted by the transmitter device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A tire condition monitoring method for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires attached to a vehicle, wherein the tires include left and right front tires and left and right rear tires, the method comprising:
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detecting the condition of each tire;
generating a specific pattern signal for each tire when the tires rotate, wherein the pattern signal generated for each left tire is different from the pattern signal generated for each right tire;
transmitting a radio signal from one of the tires, the radio signal including data that represents the tire condition and data that represents the pattern signal;
receiving the radio signal at a front location that is relatively near to the front tires;
receiving the radio signal at a rear location that is relatively near to the rear tires; and
determining which tire has transmitted the radio signal in accordance with the level of signals received at the front and rear locations and the data that represents the pattern signal, which is included in the transmitted radio signal.
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Specification