Tire measuring device with a modulated backscatter transponder self-sufficient in terms of energy

• US 20040118197A1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bulst, Wolf-Eckhart, Vossiek, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• 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 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators

Abstract

A tire measuring device has a converter for converting the ambient energy to an alternating value, and a reflector that can be modulated by the alternating value.

Claims

1. A tire measuring device comprising:

a converter for converting ambient energy to an alternating value, and

a reflector that can be modulated via the alternating value.

2. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the reflector is a reflector for an electromagnetic signal, particularly, for a high-frequency signal.

3. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the tire measuring device further comprises an antenna.

4. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the tire measuring device is a backscatter transponder.

5. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the tire measuring device comprises a sensor for determining a measured value.

6. The tire measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the converter converts the ambient energy to an alternating value as a function of the measured value.

7. The tire measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the tire measuring device has means to influence the alternating value as a function of the measured value.

8. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the alternating value comprises a first alternating value and a second alternating value.

9. The tire measuring device according to claim 8, wherein the first and second alternating values are alternating values which are derived from an original alternating value that can be broken down and wherein, after the breakdown, the first and second alternating value can be influenced differently by a measured value.

10. The tire measuring device according to claim 8, further comprising a second converter for generating the second alternating value.

11. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a piezoelectric layer as energy converter, and

a layer with a controllable dielectric.

12. The tire measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the converter contains a piezoelectric fiber or is formed by one or several piezoelectric fibers.

13. A tire comprising a tire measuring device comprising:

a converter for converting ambient energy to an alternating value, and

a reflector that can be modulated via the alternating value.

14. The tire according to claim 13, wherein the tire measuring device is connected to the tire cover and/or vulcanized into the tire.

15. A rim with a tire measuring device, said device comprising:

a converter for converting ambient energy to an alternating value, and

a reflector that can be modulated via the alternating value.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of tires, wherein each tire comprises a tire measuring device comprising;

a converter for converting ambient energy to an alternating value, and

a reflector that can be modulated via the alternating value.

17. A method for tire measurement comprising the steps of:

converting the ambient energy to an alternating value, and

modulating a reflector via the alternating value.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of converting the ambient energy to an alternating value is performed as a function of a measured value.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of influencing the alternating value as a function of a measured value.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of generating a first alternating value and a second alternating value.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first and second alternating values are alternating values which are derived from an original alternating value that can be broken down and wherein, after the breakdown, the first and second alternating value can be influenced differently by a measured value.