Apparatus for sensing tire information, reducing distortion of amplitude-modulated wave

• US 20060097891A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iijima, Kota
• Application Number:
  US11/282,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/13.27
• 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 23/0433 Radio signals

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing tire information including information about tire pressure includes an interrogator for transmitting an interrogation signal to a vicinity of a tire of a vehicle in a transmission period and for receiving and processing a response signal including the tire information in a reception period and a transponder attached to the tire. The transponder includes a sensor sensing the tire information and a second mixing unit for mixing first and second signals and outputting a difference signal having a frequency equal to a difference in frequency between the first and second signals. In the transmission period, a second antenna is connected to a second oscillator by a first switching unit, and the first and second signals are transmitted from a first antenna and the second antenna of the interrogator. The first signal is different from the second signal by a predetermined frequency that can excite the sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing tire information including information about tire pressure, the apparatus comprising:

an interrogator for transmitting an interrogation signal to a vicinity of a tire of a vehicle in a transmission period and for receiving and processing a response signal including the tire information in a reception period; and

a transponder attached to the tire, the transponder including a sensor capable of being excited by a signal having a predetermined frequency, the sensor being used for sensing the tire information, the transponder being for sending the response signal to the interrogator in response to the interrogation signal in the reception period,

wherein the interrogator includes;

a first oscillator for outputting a first signal;

a second oscillator for outputting a second signal, the first signal and the second signal being used for constituting the interrogation signal, a frequency of the first signal being different from a frequency of the second signal by the predetermined frequency;

a first antenna connected to the first oscillator;

a second antenna for transmitting the second signal; and

a switching unit for connecting the second antenna to one of the first antenna and the second oscillator,

wherein the transponder includes a second mixing unit for mixing the first signal and the second signal and outputting a difference signal having a frequency equal to a difference in frequency between the first signal and the second signal, and

wherein, in the transmission period, the second antenna is connected to the second oscillator by the switching unit, the first signal is transmitted from the first antenna, and the second signal is transmitted from the second antenna.

2. The apparatus for sensing tire information according to claim 1, further comprising a first mixing unit disposed between the first oscillator and the first antenna,

wherein, in the transmission period, the first signal is output to the first antenna via the first mixing unit, and

wherein, in the reception period, the second antenna is connected to the first antenna by the switching unit, and the response signal received by the first antenna and the second antenna and the first signal are input to the first mixing unit.

3. The apparatus for sensing tire information according to claim 2, wherein the second antenna is connected to the switching unit via a delay line, and a length of the delay line is equal to a distance between the first antenna and the second antenna.