Method and apparatus for tire pressure monitoring
First Claim
1. A method for indicating a pressure loss condition in tires of a vehicle, each tire having a speed related to vehicle speed and to vehicle operating condition, the method comprising:
- storing a predetermined number of tire speed patterns, each tire speed pattern representing relative tire speed conditions corresponding to a respective normal vehicle operating condition which results in tire speed variations;
storing a predetermined tire pressure for the tires;
storing a respective tire speed pressure loss pattern for each tire representing a relative tire speed condition when said tire is experiencing a pressure loss condition;
sensing the speed of each of the tires;
sensing the pressure of a single tire of the tires;
sensing if the vehicle is turning;
determining an actual tire speed pattern from the sensed speeds of the tires representing an actual relative tire speed condition; and
determining if the actual tire speed pattern corresponds to any one of the stored tire speed patterns based on whether or not the vehicle is turning, and (A) if not, determining whether there is a pressure loss condition in the tires by comparing the actual tire speed pattern with the stored tire speed pressure loss patterns and indicating a pressure loss condition when the actual pattern corresponds to at least one of the stored tire speed pressure loss patterns, and (B) if so, bypassing the step of determining whether there is a pressure loss condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The relative speed of each of the tires of a vehicle is monitored as an indication of the operating state of the vehicle, wherein if the vehicle is not operating in one of a number of predetermined states, the relative speed is monitored as an indication of relative pressure of the vehicle tires, and further wherein differences in relative speed not related to the predetermined states, and not related to differences in relative pressure, are accounted for. In addition, a single tire pressure sensor is employed to account for over or under inflation of substantially equal proportion in the tires.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for indicating a pressure loss condition in tires of a vehicle, each tire having a speed related to vehicle speed and to vehicle operating condition, the method comprising:
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storing a predetermined number of tire speed patterns, each tire speed pattern representing relative tire speed conditions corresponding to a respective normal vehicle operating condition which results in tire speed variations;
storing a predetermined tire pressure for the tires;
storing a respective tire speed pressure loss pattern for each tire representing a relative tire speed condition when said tire is experiencing a pressure loss condition;
sensing the speed of each of the tires;
sensing the pressure of a single tire of the tires;
sensing if the vehicle is turning;
determining an actual tire speed pattern from the sensed speeds of the tires representing an actual relative tire speed condition; and
determining if the actual tire speed pattern corresponds to any one of the stored tire speed patterns based on whether or not the vehicle is turning, and (A) if not, determining whether there is a pressure loss condition in the tires by comparing the actual tire speed pattern with the stored tire speed pressure loss patterns and indicating a pressure loss condition when the actual pattern corresponds to at least one of the stored tire speed pressure loss patterns, and (B) if so, bypassing the step of determining whether there is a pressure loss condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for indicating a pressure loss condition in tires of a vehicle, each tire having a speed related to vehicle speed and to vehicle operating condition comprising:
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a first memory storage configured to store a predetermined number of tire speed patterns, each tire speed pattern representing relative tire speed conditions corresponding to a respective normal vehicle operating condition which results in tire speed variations;
a second memory storage configured to store a predetermined tire pressure for the tires;
a steering sensor configured to determine whether the vehicle is turning;
a wheel speed sensor comprising at least one of a wheel speed sensor a wheel rotation sensor, a wheel position sensor, a rotary encoder, a temperature sensor, a steering wheel, a differential, and a wheel slip sensor, in operable communication with each tire, each of the corresponding wheel speed sensor configured to sense the speed of each respective tire and generate a corresponding signal indicative thereof;
a single tire pressure sensor in operable communication with a single tire, said tire pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a tire pressure of the single tire; and
a controller configured to receive the signals indicative of wheel speed and single tire pressure, the controller being configured to determine an actual tire speed pattern from the sensed speeds of the tires representing an actual relative tire speed condition, the controller being configured to compare the actual tire speed pattern to the stored tire speed patterns, and configured to compare the sensed tire pressure to the stored predetermined tire pressure, wherein the controller determines whether there is a pressure loss condition of the tires in accord with the actual tire speed pattern and sensed tire pressure, the pressure loss condition being operative upon occurrence of at least one of the actual tire speed pattern not corresponding to any one of the stored tire speed patterns and the steering sensor indicating the vehicle is not turning. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification