Tire monitoring system with a wireless setting capability

• US 20050071057A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lite-On Automotive Corp. (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lite-On Automotive Corp. (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Lai, Chang-Hung, Lin, Sheng-Hsiang
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations

Abstract

A tire monitoring system with a wireless setting capability includes a wireless controller and multiple tire status sensors each of which is composed a sensing and processing unit having an unique tire serial number, a low frequency transceiver and an RF transmitter. The wireless controller also has a low frequency transceiver and stores multiple tire serial numbers representing different wheel positions. The wireless controller outputs a control signal including a reset command and a new tire serial number to a specific tire status sensor. The sensing and processing unit will be reset and replace the tire serial number when the tire status sensor receives the control signal.

Claims

1. A tire monitoring system with a wireless setting capability, comprising:

a wireless controller having a microprocessor and one low frequency transceiver, wherein the microprocessor stores multiple tire serial numbers that represent different wheel positions and is connected to the low frequency transceiver to output multiple control signals each of which includes a reset command and a new tire serial number; and

multiple tire status sensors, each of which comprises a sensing and processing unit storing a tire serial number, a low frequency signal transmitting receiving unit connected to the sensing and processing unit and an RF transmitter connected to the sensing and processing unit, wherein the sensing and process unit has a reset and a data port connected to the low frequency transceiver;

whereby a specific tire status sensor receives the control signal from the wireless controller through the low frequency transceiver, and the sensing and processing unit is reset and replaces the tire serial number.

2. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless controller further comprises:

multiple low frequency transceivers each of which is connected to the microprocessor wherein the low frequency transceivers are close to the respective tire status sensors in the wheels;

an RF receiver connected to the microprocessor to receive RF signals from the RF transmitters of the tire status sensors; and

an alarm connected to the microprocessor, wherein the alarm is controlled by the microprocessor.

3. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless controller further comprises:

a display connected to the microprocessor to display a current control signal, which is output from the microprocessor; and

a keypad connected to the microprocessor to select a specific tire status sensor that the microprocessor resets.

4. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless controller further comprises:

a display connected to the microprocessor to display a current control signal, which is output from the microprocessor; and

a keypad connected to the microprocessor to select a specific tire status sensor that the microprocessor resets.

5. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing and processing unit comprises:

a signal processor;

multiple signal sensors connected to the signal processor to detect inner status parameters and output a detected signal to the signal processor; and

an external memory connected to the signal processor to store the tire serial number.

6. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensing and processing unit comprises:

a signal processor;

multiple signal sensors connected to the signal processor to detect inner status parameters and output a detected signal to the signal processor; and

an external memory connected to the signal processor to store the tire serial-number.

7. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensing and processing unit comprises:

a signal processor;

multiple signal sensors connected to the signal processor to detect inner status parameters and output a detected signal to the signal processor; and

an external memory connected to the signal processor to store the tire serial number.

8. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each tire status sensor further comprises:

a reset switch connected between the reset port of the sensing and processing unit and the low frequency transceiver; and

a data switch connected between the data port of the sensing and processing unit and the low frequency transceiver.

9. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each low frequency transceiver comprising

a low frequency antenna;

and

a signal amplifier connected to the low frequency antenna and the reset and data switches.

10. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensing and processing unit is made of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

11. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensing and processing unit is made of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

12. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sensing and processing unit is made of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

13. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the multiple signal sensors include a tire pressure sensor, a temperature sensor and a voltmeter.

14. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multiple signal sensors include a tire pressure sensor, a temperature sensor and a voltmeter.

15. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the multiple signal sensors include a tire pressure sensor, a temperature sensor and a voltmeter.

16. The tire monitoring system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reset and data switches are FET transistors.