Monitoring device, transceiver system and its control method

• US 20050258949A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwazumi, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,391,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• 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 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol

Abstract

A transmitter module has a sensor module that includes a plurality of sensors and operates intermittently, a signal processor module that permits transmission of an output of the sensor module to a receiver module at given permission timings, a radio transmission module that wirelessly transmits data when the transmission is permitted, and a power source that supplies power to each module. The signal processor module has a microcomputer and an interval timer that outputs a first timing signal when a count value corresponds to a set value. The microcomputer is activated by the first timing signal and changes the set value in a compare register according to a vehicle operation state.

Claims

1. A transceiver system comprising:

a transmitter device monitoring a state of a monitored object and transmitting a monitoring result;

the transmitter device comprising

a sensor unit including a state detection sensor detecting the state of the monitored object, and a motion sensor detecting a physical operation of the monitored object,

a transmitter signal processor section causing the state detection sensor to operate according to an output of the motion sensor, and

a transmitter section transmitting a detection result of the state detection sensor; and

a receiver device receiving data from the transmitter device.

2. The transceiver system of claim 1, wherein

the sensor unit operates intermittently by repeating an operation period and a stop period,

the motion sensor detects the physical operation of the monitored object in the operation period, and

the transmitter signal processor section changes an operation timing when the sensor unit operates next time according to past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object.

3. The transceiver system of claim 2, wherein

the transmitter signal processor section changes a permission timing for permitting transmission of the detection result of the state detection sensor to the receiver device according to the past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object detected by the motion sensor, and

the transmitter section transmits the detection result of the state detection sensor when the transmitter signal processor section permits the transmission.

4. The transceiver system of claim 3, wherein the transmitter signal processor section includes a transmitter timing generator section generating a first timing signal indicating a start timing of an operation of the sensor unit, and a transmitter control section activated by the first timing signal and setting a period of the first timing signal generated by the transmitter timing generator section according to the past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object.

5. The transceiver system of claim 4, further comprising a power supply section supplying power to the sensor unit, wherein the transmitter control section controls whether to permit power supply from the power supply section to the sensor unit according to the first timing signal.

6. The transceiver system of claim 4, wherein

the transmitter timing generator section includes a transmitter clock generator section and a first timing signal output section outputting the first timing signal if a count value of a clock of the transmitter clock generator section corresponds to a first set value, and

the transmitter control section changes the first set value according to the past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object.

7. The transceiver system of claim 3, wherein the transmitter signal processor section permits transmission of the detection result of the state detection sensor to the receiver device if a period when the physical operation of the monitored object is determined to be stopped is equal to or longer than a given period.

8. The transceiver system of claim 4, wherein

the transmitter signal processor section counts the number of times when the physical operation of the monitored object in the operation period is stopped and permits transmission of the detection result of the state detection sensor to the receiver device if the count value is equal to or higher than a given threshold value, and

the transmitter control section changes the given threshold value according to the physical operation of the monitored object.

9. The transceiver system of claim 1, wherein

the transmitter signal processor section outputs estimated next transmission time information indicating an estimated time to transmit the detection result of the state detection sensor next time, and

the transmitter section transmits the detection result of the state detection sensor and the estimated next transmission time information to the receiver device.

10. The transceiver system of claim 4, wherein

the transmitter signal processor section outputs a period when the transmitter timing generator section generates the first timing signal as estimated next transmission time information indicating an estimated time to transmit the detection result of the state detection sensor next time, and

the transmitter section transmits the detection result of the state detection sensor and the estimated next transmission time information to the receiver device.

11. The transceiver system of claim 9, wherein the receiver device comprises a receiver section receiving a radio signal from the transmitter device according to the estimated next transmission time information in a previous time, and a receiver signal processor section extracting and outputting data for monitoring the state of the monitored object according to the detection result of the state detection sensor.

12. The transceiver system of claim 9, wherein the receiver signal processor section includes a receiver timing generator section generating a second timing signal indicating a start timing of an operation of receiving the radio signal, and a receiver control section setting a period of the second timing signal generated by the receiver timing generator section according to the estimated next transmission time information.

13. The transceiver system of claim 12, wherein

the receiver timing generator section includes a receiver clock generator section and a second timing signal output section outputting the second timing signal if a count value of a clock of the receiver clock generator section corresponds to a second set value, and

the receiver control section changes the second set value according to the estimated next transmission time information.

14. A control method of a transceiver system including a transmitter device including a sensor unit having a state detection sensor detecting a state of a monitored object and a motion sensor detecting a physical operation of the monitored object, and a transmitter section transmitting a detection result of the state detection sensor;

and a receiver device receiving data from the transmitter device, the control method comprising;

detecting by the motion sensor the physical operation of the monitored object; and

causing the state detection sensor to operate according to a detection result of the physical operation.

15. The control method of the transceiver system of claim 14, wherein

the sensor unit operates intermittently by repeating an operation period and a stop period,

the motion sensor detects the physical operation of the monitored object in the operation period, and

an operation timing when the sensor unit operates next time is changed according to past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object detected by the motion sensor.

16. The control method of the transceiver system of claim 14, wherein

a permission timing for permitting transmission of the detection result of the state detection sensor to the receiver device is set according to past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object detected by the motion sensor, and

the detection result of the state detection sensor is transmitted from the transmitter section to the receiver section at the permission timing.

17. A monitoring device comprising:

a state detection sensor detecting a state of a monitored object;

a motion sensor detecting a physical operation of the monitored object; and

a signal processor section causing the state detection sensor to operate according to an output of the motion sensor.

18. The monitoring device of claim 17, wherein the motion sensor detects a variation in past and/or present physical operation of the monitored object.

19. The monitoring device of claim 17, further comprising a transmitter section transmitting a detection result of the state detection sensor.

20. The monitoring device of claim 17, further comprising a built-in battery, wherein the signal processor section, the state detection sensor, and the motion sensor operate with power supply from the battery.