Vehicle tag reader

• US 20040027241A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/445
• 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 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/66 using electric or magnetic means G01P3/80 takes precedence; measuring short time intervals G04F8/00, G04F10/00

Abstract

A tire sensor that communicates to a remote interrogator in one of two modes depending on the nature of the interrogation. The interrogator may be distributed throughout a vehicle if needed for design options. Further, the interrogator only interrogates the transponder when the interrogator has reason to believe that the transponder is in range of the interrogator. The interrogator and transponder may be configured to operate in different modes for communication during operation of the tire on a vehicle and during non-operation. The transponder may communicate tire condition information to the interrogator concerning environmental or other information sensed about the tire.

Claims

1. A transponder for sensing a condition relating to a tire, comprising:

a tire condition sensor adapted to sense a condition relating to the tire; and

a control system comprising at least two operating modes, said control system communicatively connected to said pressure sensor and transmitting information from said pressure sensor to a remote location in one of said at least two operating modes depending on how the remote location interrogates the control system.

2. The transponder of claim 1, wherein a first of said at least two operating modes comprises a content access protocol.

3. The transponder of claim 1, wherein one of said at least two operating modes comprises a continuous response operation.

4. The transponder of claim 1, wherein one of said at least two operating modes is triggered by an RF field lacking an AM scheme.

5. The transponder of claim 1, wherein said tire condition sensor is comprised from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor and tread sensor.

6. A method of operating a transponder, comprising:

providing a transponder comprising two operating modes;

associating a tire condition sensor with the transponder;

operating in a first mode when said transponder is present in a first type of RF field; and

operating in a second mode when said transponder is present in a second type of RF field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing a transponder comprising two operating modes comprises providing a transponder adapted to operate in a vehicle tire.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein operating in a first mode comprises operating in a contention access protocol mode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein operating in a second mode comprises transmitting readings from the tire condition sensor and a check sum as long as the RF field is sufficient.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein operating in a second mode when said transponder is present in a second type of RF field comprises operating in said second mode when said second type of RF field lacks an AM scheme.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said tire condition sensor is comprised from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor and tread sensor.

12. A method of interrogating a transponder mounted on a vehicle tire with an interrogator associated with the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining a circumferential location of the transponder on the vehicle tire;

interrogating the transponder in a window when the transponder moves in an arc proximate the interrogator; and

not interrogating the transponder when the transponder is expected to be outside the window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining a circumferential location of the transponder comprises determining the circumferential location empirically.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining a circumferential location of the transponder comprises determining the circumferential location with reference to a vehicle controller.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein interrogating the transponder comprises interrogating the transponder with an antenna positioned in a wheel well associated with the vehicle tire.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein interrogating the transponder comprises demodulating a signal from the transponder with a demodulator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein demodulating a signal from the transponder comprises demodulating the signal with a demodulator proximate the antenna.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein demodulating a signal from the transponder comprises demodulating the signal with a demodulator remote from the antenna.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising processing a baseband signal after demodulation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein processing a baseband signal after demodulation comprises processing a baseband signal at a location remote from the demodulator.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein processing a baseband signal after demodulation comprises processing a baseband signal at a location proximate the demodulator.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising sensing a tire condition relating to the vehicle tire.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising reporting a tire condition sensed within the tire to the interrogator when interrogated.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of sensing a tire condition comprises a step consisting from the group of sensing a pressure condition within the vehicle tire, sensing the temperature of the vehicle tire, sensing the humidity surrounding the vehicle tire, and sensing the tread of the vehicle tire.

25. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a tire condition sensor adapted to sense a tire condition relating to a vehicle tire;

a transponder associated with said tire condition sensor and adapted to be positioned within the vehicle tire;

an interrogator adapted to be positioned at least partially in a wheel well; and

a control system adapted to

determine a circumferential location of said transponder on the vehicle tire;

interrogate, through said interrogator, the transponder in a window when the transponder moves in an arc proximate said interrogator; and

not interrogate said transponder when said transponder is expected to be outside the window.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein said interrogator comprises an antenna, a demodulator, and a baseband processor.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein said demodulator is adapted to be positioned in the wheel well.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein said baseband processor is adapted to be positioned in the wheel well.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein said demodulator is adapted to be positioned remotely from the wheel well.

30. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein said baseband processor is adapted to be positioned remotely from the wheel well.

31. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein said transponder is adapted to operate in at least two modes depending on the presence or absence of a predetermined type of electromagnetic field.

32. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein said tire condition sensor is comprised from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor and tread sensor.

33. An interrogator, comprising:

wireless communication circuitry adapted to communicate with a transponder positioned on a wheel of a vehicle and receive tire condition information therefrom; and

a plurality of antennas adapted to be arranged in an array about a wheel well of the vehicle for wirelessly communicating with the transponder.

34. The interrogator of claim 33, wherein said plurality of antennas comprises a plurality of transmit antennas and a single receive antenna.

35. The interrogator of claim 33, wherein said plurality of antennas comprises a plurality of antennas that operate as both transmit antennas and receive antennas.

36. The interrogator of claim 34, wherein said plurality of antennas are adapted to be sequentially activated and deactivated as the transponder moves in an arc in front of the plurality of antennas.

37. The interrogator of claim 36, wherein antennas not actively transmitting to or receiving from the transponder are deactivated.

38. A method of interrogating a transponder, comprising:

determining a location and speed of a transponder as the transponder rotates within a wheel well of a vehicle;

sequentially using different ones of a plurality of antennas positioned within a wheel well to communicate with the transponder.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein sequentially using different ones of a plurality of antennas comprises sequentially transmitting with, receiving with, and deactivating an antenna.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein sequentially using different ones of the plurality of antennas comprises initially receiving with the antenna.