Wireless wheel speed sensor system

• US 20040150516A1
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Faetanini, Steven E.
• Application Number:
  US10/358,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/444
• 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 23/0483 Wireless routers between wheel mounted transmitters and chassis mounted receivers
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly transferring data between a plurality of vehicular sensors and an electronic communication unit. The system and the method further conserve energy by providing a method for controlling and intermittently transmitting data. The system further comprises a method and component whereby power may be generated and/or stored for use in powering the wireless vehicular wheel sensor transceivers. Finally, a system and method for identifying the vehicular sensors is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wireless vehicular communication system comprising:

a wireless vehicular data sensor;

an electronic communication unit;

a wireless transceiver operatively connected to the wireless vehicular data sensor for transmitting sensed data to the electronic communication unit; and

a vehicular sensor data transceiver operatively connected to the electronic communication unit and in wireless communication with the wireless transceiver for receiving data from the sensor.

2. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the vehicular sensor data receiver is in wireless communication with a plurality of vehicular sensor wireless transceivers.

3. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless vehicular data sensor is a vehicular wheel data sensor.

4. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 3 wherein the vehicular wheel data sensor is an active sensor.

5. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 3 wherein the vehicular wheel data sensor is a rotational wheel speed sensor.

6. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 3 wherein the vehicular wheel data sensor is mounted to the wheel bearings.

7. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless vehicular data sensor contains a sensor signal processor.

8. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless vehicular data sensor contains a speed comparator.

9. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless vehicular data sensor contains a communication controller.

10. The wireless vehicular wheel communication system of claim 9 wherein the communication controller contains a timed data packetizer.

11. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 wherein the electronic communication unit contains a sensor signal identifier adapted to identify and differentiate a plurality of the vehicular data sensors.

13. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 11 wherein the sensor signal identifier is adapted to identify and differentiate a plurality of the vehicular data sensors without the use of any preset vehicular data sensor software identification codes.

14. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 1 further comprising a power source operatively connected to the wireless vehicular sensor.

15. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 14 wherein the power source further comprises:

a voltage generator;

a backup power source; and

a power source controller operable to select power from one of the voltage generator and the backup power source to provide power to the sensor.

16. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 15 wherein the voltage generator is a rotational multi-polar generator.

17. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 15 wherein the backup power source comprises a rechargeable battery.

18. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 15 wherein the backup power source comprises a super capacitor.

12. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 111 wherein the sensor signal identifier is adapted to identify and differentiate a plurality of the vehicular data sensors without the use of any vehicular data sensor hardware identification codes.

19. A vehicular communication system comprising:

a vehicular data sensor;

an electronic communication unit;

a transmitter operatively connected to the wireless vehicular data sensor for transmitting sensed data to the electronic communication unit;

a vehicular sensor data receiver operatively connected to the electronic communication unit and in communication with the transmitter for receiving data from the sensor; and

a power source operatively connected to the vehicular sensor comprised of a voltage generator, a backup power source, and a power source controller operable to select power from one of the voltage generator and the backup power source to provide power to the sensor.

20. The vehicular communication system of claim 19 wherein the backup power source is a rechargeable battery.

21. The vehicular communication system of claim 19 wherein the backup power source is a super capacitor.

22. A wireless vehicular communication system comprising:

a plurality of wireless active vehicular rotational wheel speed data sensors mounted to each set of wheel bearings and containing a sensor signal processor, a speed comparator, a communication controller, and a timed data packetizer;

a power source operatively connected to each wireless active vehicular rotational wheel speed data sensors comprised of a rotational multi-polar voltage generator, a backup power source, and a power source controller operable to select power from one of the voltage generator and the backup power source to provide power to the sensor;

a vehicular sensor wireless transceiver operatively connected to the wireless active vehicular rotational wheel speed data sensor;

a vehicular sensor data receiver in wireless communication with the vehicular sensor wireless transceiver; and

an electronic communication unit operatively connected to the vehicular sensor data transceiver and containing a sensor signal identifier adapted to identify and differentiate a plurality of the vehicular data sensors without the use of any vehicular data sensor hardware or any preset software identification codes.

23. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 22 wherein the backup power source comprises a rechargeable battery.

24. The wireless vehicular communication system of claim 22 wherein the backup power source comprises a super capacitor.

25. A method for transmitting wheel speed signals comprising the steps of:

continuously sensing the rotational speed of a wheel;

continuously generating raw wheel speed signals;

continuously modulating the generated wheel speed signals into radio frequency signals;

continuously amplifying the radio frequency signals; and

continuously transmitting the amplified radio frequency signals to a receiver/controller.

26. A method for transmitting wheel speed signals comprising the steps of:

sensing the rotational speed of a wheel;

continuously generating raw wheel speed signals;

packetizing the generated wheel speed signals for a predetermined time period with a timed packet controller;

intermittently modulating packetized wheel speed signals into radio frequency signals;

intermittently amplifying the radio frequency signals; and

intermittently transmitting the amplified radio frequency signals to a receiver/controller.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the intermittent transmission of the amplified radio frequency signal to a receiver/controller is staggered so as not to coincide with the transmission of another amplified radio frequency signal to the receiver/controller.

28. A method for transmitting wheel speed signals comprising the steps of:

sensing the rotational speed of a wheel;

continuously generating raw wheel speed signals;

comparing the generated raw wheel speed signals with a speed comparator processor to determine if there is a difference between the generated raw wheel speed signals of more than a predetermined amount;

modulating wheel speed signals into radio frequency signals when there is a difference between the generated raw speed signals of more than the predetermined amount;

amplifying the radio frequency signals when there is a difference between the generated raw speed signals of more than the predetermined amount; and

transmitting the amplified radio frequency signals to a receiver/controller when there is a difference between the generated raw speed signals of more than the predetermined amount.

29. A method for transmitting wheel speed signals comprising the steps of:

sensing the rotational speed of a wheel;

continuously generating raw wheel speed signals;

calculating the actual wheel speed from the raw wheel speed signal using a speed signal processor;

serializing the actual wheel speed data;

modulating the serialized actual wheel speed signals into radio frequency signals;

amplifying the radio frequency; and

transmitting the amplified radio frequency signals to a receiver/controller.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of periodically gating the serialized actual wheel speed data to a modulator.

31. A method for transmitting wheel speed signals comprising the steps of:

sensing the rotational speed of a wheel;

continuously generating raw wheel speed signals;

calculating the actual wheel speed from the raw wheel speed signal using a speed signal processor;

serializing the actual wheel speed data;

comparing the serialized actual wheel data with a speed comparator processor to determine if there is a difference between the serialized wheel speed data of more than a predetermined amount;

modulating the serialized actual wheel speed data into radio frequency signals when there is a difference between the serialized wheel speed data of more than the predetermined amount;

amplifying the radio frequency signals when there is a difference between the serialized wheel speed data of more than the predetermined amount; and

transmitting the amplified radio frequency signals to a receiver/controller when there is a difference between the serialized wheel speed data of more than the predetermined amount.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of gating the serialized actual wheel speed data to a modulator when there is a difference between the serialized wheel speed data of more than the predetermined amount.