Spare tire usage detection
First Claim
1. A method for determining a location of a spare wheel (SP) on a vehicle having a plurality of rolling wheels (RWs) and an SP stowage location, and wherein each of the plurality of RWs and the SP wheel comprises a unique wheel identification (ID) and a transmitter configured to send the unique wheel ID and a wheel motion status to the vehicle, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- determining first whether the SP has been in motion for a predetermined time T;
If NO (FALSE) then repeating the determining step; and
IF YES (TRUE);
determining second the unique wheel ID and the location on the vehicle of a previously rolling wheel (PRW) that is no longer in motion; and
associating the SP ID with the PRW location and the PRW ID with the SP stowage location.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting when a spare wheel (SP) is used to replace a previously rolling wheel on a vehicle, where each wheel can transmit wheel ID and motion status signals. The apparatus comprises a receiver, a memory for storing information relating wheel ID and location, a processor coupled to the receiver and memory for analyzing the wheel signals to determine if the SP is rolling, and a timer coupled to the processor that measures how long the SP has been rolling. When the SP has been rolling for predetermined time T, the processor looks at the motion status signals from remaining wheels to determine which is stopped, and then modifies the information stored in the memory to associate the SP ID with the wheel location formerly occupied by the now stopped wheel and associate the stopped-wheel ID with the storage location for the spare.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for determining a location of a spare wheel (SP) on a vehicle having a plurality of rolling wheels (RWs) and an SP stowage location, and wherein each of the plurality of RWs and the SP wheel comprises a unique wheel identification (ID) and a transmitter configured to send the unique wheel ID and a wheel motion status to the vehicle, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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determining first whether the SP has been in motion for a predetermined time T;
If NO (FALSE) then repeating the determining step; and
IF YES (TRUE);
determining second the unique wheel ID and the location on the vehicle of a previously rolling wheel (PRW) that is no longer in motion; and
associating the SP ID with the PRW location and the PRW ID with the SP stowage location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for determining whether a spare wheel (SP) has been moved from its stowage location to a rolling wheel (RW) location on a vehicle having multiple wheels, wherein each vehicle wheel includes a sender for transmitting a signal containing at least wheel identification (ID) and wheel motion status, comprising:
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a vehicle mounted receiver for receiving the signals broadcast by the senders;
a processor coupled to the receiver for analyzing the received signals to determine each wheel ID and wheel motion status;
a timer coupled to the processor for determining a predetermined time interval T;
a memory coupled to the processor for storing information relating wheel ID to wheel location on the vehicle;
wherein the processor analyzes the signals received from the wheels to determine whether the SP wheel has been rotating for a time T and if so, determines which remaining wheel is no longer rotating, then modifies the information stored in the memory so that the SP wheel ID becomes associated with the location previously occupied by the no longer rotating wheel and the ID of the no longer rotating wheel becomes associated with the SP storage location. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method is provided for detecting when a spare wheel (SP) normally kept in a stowage location has replaced a normally rolling wheel on a vehicle, comprising:
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determining whether the SP is rolling; and
if so starting an SP rolling timer and when the timer reaches predetermined time T;
thenexamining motion status signal from remaining wheels to determine which wheel is now stopped, its ID and former location; and
thenassociating a wheel ID for the SP with the former location of the 10 stopped wheel and the stopped wheel ID with the stowage location of the SP. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification