Sensor device, method and device for monitoring a sensor device, and system having a sensor device

• US 20060028326A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Haas, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.330
• 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: G01D 5/485 using magnetostrictive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/22 transferred to the indicator by electric or magnetic means

Abstract

A sensor device is disposed in a wheel. It contains an acceleration sensor, the measurement signal of which is representative of the acceleration of the sensor device. Detachment of the sensor device from its mounting position is detected according to the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor. The sensor device can also contain a position sensor, the measurement signal of which is representative of a relative position of the sensor device based on its mounting position. The sensor device can also contain a deformation measuring element disposed in such a way that a measurement signal of the deformation measuring element exhibits a characteristic oscillation if the sensor device has become detached from its mounting position.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a sensor device disposed in a wheel and containing an acceleration sensor outputting a measurement signal representative of acceleration of the sensor device, which comprises the step of:

detecting detachment of the sensor device from a mounting position from the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position from the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor and a vehicle speed of a motor vehicle on which the wheel is disposed.

3. The method according to claim 2, which further comprises:

establishing a correlation coefficient in dependence on the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor and a square of the vehicle speed; and

detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position from the correlation coefficient.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

providing each wheel of the motor vehicle with a separate sensor device; and

detecting the detachment of any of the sensor devices from the respective mounting position from a mutual comparison of the measurement signals or of quantities derived therefrom of the different sensor devices with which the different wheels are provided.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises at a vehicle speed lower than a predefined vehicle speed threshold:

detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position using a measure of a mutual deviation of a plurality of values, measured at time intervals, of the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor or of quantities derived therefrom.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises at a vehicle speed higher than a predefined vehicle speed threshold:

detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position if the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor falls below a predefined acceleration threshold or if the measurement signal does not change in correlation with the vehicle speed.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

forming the sensor device to contain a temperature sensor; and

detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position from a temperature registered by the temperature sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position from a measure of a characteristic oscillation provided by the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

configuring the sensor device to transmit an information signal; and

detecting the detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position if no information signal is received for a predefineable period of time.

10. A device for monitoring a sensor device disposed in a wheel and having an acceleration sensor outputting a measurement signal being representative of acceleration of the sensor device, the device comprising:

an evaluation unit detecting detachment of the sensor device from a mounting position derived from the measurement signal of the acceleration sensor.

11. A method for monitoring a sensor device disposed in a wheel and transmitting an information signal, which comprises the step of:

detecting detachment of the sensor device from a mounting position according to a measure of a signal strength of the information signal.

12. A device for monitoring a sensor unit disposed in a wheel and transmitting an information signal, the device comprising:

an evaluation unit detecting detachment of the sensor unit from a mounting position according to a measure of signal strength of the information signal.

13. A sensor device to be disposed in a wheel at a mounting position, the sensor device comprising:

a position sensor outputting a measurement signal representing a relative position of the sensor device based on the mounting position.

14. The sensor device according to claim 13, wherein said position sensor is a magnetic field sensor.

15. The sensor device according to claim 13, wherein said position sensor contains a switch, a position of said switch being dependent upon the relative position of the sensor device based on the mounting position.

16. The sensor device according to claim 13, further comprising an electric conductor disposed in the wheel, said position sensor containing two contacts which, only in the mounting position, are electrically coupled to said electric conductor.

17. A sensor device to be disposed in a wheel at a mounting position, comprising:

at least one deformation measuring element disposed so that a measurement signal of said deformation measuring element exhibits a characteristic oscillation if the sensor device has become detached from the mounting position.

18. A method for monitoring a sensor device disposed in a wheel at a mounting position, the sensor device contains at least one deformation measuring element disposed so that a measurement signal of the deformation measuring element exhibits a characteristic oscillation if the sensor device becomes detached from the mounting position, which comprises the step of:

detecting a detachment of the sensor device from the mounting position in dependence on a measure of the characteristic oscillation of the measurement signal of the deformation measuring element.

19. A device for monitoring a sensor unit disposed in a wheel at a mounting position and having at least one deformation measuring element disposed so that a measurement signal of the deformation measuring element exhibits a characteristic oscillation if the sensor unit becomes detached from the mounting position, the device comprising:

an evaluation device detecting a detachment of the sensor unit from the mounting position in dependence on a measure of the characteristic oscillation of the measurement signal of the deformation measuring element.

20. A system, comprising:

a first sensor device to be disposed in a wheel at a mounting position; and

a second sensor device having a sensor element for detecting vibrations transferred to the wheel by said first sensor device if said first sensor device becomes detached from said mounting position.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said second sensor device is disposed on the wheel.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said second sensor device is disposed on a component of a motor vehicle, said component is connected to the wheel such that vibrations of the wheel are transferred to the component.

23. The system according to claim 20, further comprising a mechanical vibration element disposed such that, when said first sensor device becomes detached from said mounting position, said mechanical vibration element is excited and vibrates.

24. A system, comprising:

a sensor device; and

a monitoring unit connected to said sensor device for detecting detachment of said sensor device from a mounting position, said monitoring unit generating a warning signal upon detecting the detachment of said sensor device from said mounting position.