Wheel identifying apparatus and tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus with function of wheel identification
First Claim
1. A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:
- a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers; and
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located, wherein, upon receipt of the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device, each of the transceivers determines the strength of the trigger signal thereat and transmits the response signal which conveys signal strength information indicative of the determined strength of the trigger signal, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the signal strength information conveyed by the response signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel identifying apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of transceivers, a triggering device, a receiver, and a wheel identifier. Each of the transceivers is located on one of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle and works to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal. The triggering device is located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers and works to transmit the trigger signal. The receiver works to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers. The wheel identifier is operatively connected to the receiver and works to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located using the fact that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers; and
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located, wherein, upon receipt of the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device, each of the transceivers determines the strength of the trigger signal thereat and transmits the response signal which conveys signal strength information indicative of the determined strength of the trigger signal, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the signal strength information conveyed by the response signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second pressure sensor which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the pressure sensors working to sense inflation pressure of an associated one of tires fitted on the first and second wheels and output tire pressure information indicative of the sensed inflation pressure of the associated tire;
a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on the first and second wheels of the vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal, which conveys the tire pressure information outputted by an associated one of the first and second pressure sensors, in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers;
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located; and
a tire pressure determiner operatively connected to the receiver and the wheel identifier, the tire pressure determiner working to determine, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the inflation pressure of the tire that is located on the same wheel as the transceiver having transmitted the response signal based on the tire pressure information conveyed by the response signal, wherein, upon receipt of the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device, each of the transceivers determines the strength of the trigger signal thereat and transmits the response signal which conveys signal strength information indicative of the determined strength of the trigger signal as well as the tire pressure information, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the signal strength information conveyed by the response signal.
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14. A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers; and
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located, wherein, upon receipt of the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device, each of the transceivers determines the strength of the trigger signal thereat, determines a transmission time according to the determined strength of the trigger signal, and transmits the response signal at the determined transmission time, the receiver receives the response signals transmitted by the transceivers at different reception times, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the reception time at which the response signal is received by the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second pressure sensor which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the pressure sensors working to sense inflation pressure of an associated one of tires fitted on the first and second wheels and output tire pressure information indicative of the sensed inflation pressure of the associated tire;
a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on the first and second wheels of the vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal, which conveys the tire pressure information outputted by an associated one of the first and second pressure sensors, in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers;
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located; and
a tire pressure determiner operatively connected to the receiver and the wheel identifier, the tire pressure determiner working to determine, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the inflation pressure of the tire that is located on the same wheel as the transceiver having transmitted the response signal based on the tire pressure information conveyed by the response signal, wherein, upon receipt of the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device, each of the transceivers determines the strength of the trigger signal thereat, determines a transmission time according to the determined strength of the trigger signal, and transmits the response signal at the determined transmission time, the receiver receives the response signals transmitted by the transceivers at different reception times, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the reception time at which the response signal is received by the receiver.
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20. A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers; and
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located, wherein, each of the transceivers has a variable receiver sensitivity and receives the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device with a higher value of the receiver sensitivity, in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers changes the receiver sensitivity thereof from the higher value to a lower value, after transmission of the trigger signal, the triggering device further transmits a check signal, each of the transceivers determines a receiving behavior thereof in reception of the check signal with the lower value of the receiver sensitivity, each of the transceivers transmits the response signal which conveys receiving behavior information indicative of the determined receiving behavior, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the receiving behavior information conveyed by the response signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second pressure sensor which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the pressure sensors working to sense inflation pressure of an associated one of tires fitted on the first and second wheels and output tire pressure information indicative of the sensed inflation pressure of the associated tire;
a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on the first and second wheels of the vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal, which conveys the tire pressure information outputted by an associated one of the first and second pressure sensors, in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers;
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located; and
a tire pressure determiner operatively connected to the receiver and the wheel identifier, the tire pressure determiner working to determine, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the inflation pressure of the tire that is located on the same wheel as the transceiver having transmitted the response signal based on the tire pressure information conveyed by the response signal, wherein, each of the transceivers has a variable receiver sensitivity and receives the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device with a higher value of the receiver sensitivity, in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers changes the receiver sensitivity thereof from the higher value to a lower value, after transmission of the trigger signal, the triggering device further transmits a check signal, each of the transceivers determines a receiving behavior thereof in reception of the check signal with the lower value of the receiver sensitivity, each of the transceivers transmits the response signal which conveys receiving behavior information indicative of the determined receiving behavior as well as the tire pressure information, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the receiving behavior information conveyed by the response signal.
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28. A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers; and
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located, wherein, each of the transceivers has a variable receiver sensitivity and receives the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device with a higher value of the receiver sensitivity, in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers changes the receiver sensitivity thereof from the higher value to a lower value, after transmission of the trigger signal, the triggering device further transmits a check signal, each of the transceivers determines a receiving behavior thereof in reception of the check signal with the lower value of the receiver sensitivity, each of the transceivers determines a transmission time according to the determined receiving behavior and transmits the response signal at the determined transmission time, the receiver receives the response signals transmitted by the transceivers at different reception times, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the reception time at which the response signal is received by the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second pressure sensor which are respectively located on a first and a second wheel of a vehicle, each of the pressure sensors working to sense inflation pressure of an associated one of tires fitted on the first and second wheels and output tire pressure information indicative of the sensed inflation pressure of the associated tire;
a first and a second transceiver which are respectively located on the first and second wheels of the vehicle, each of the transceivers working to receive a trigger signal and transmit a response signal, which conveys the tire pressure information outputted by an associated one of the first and second pressure sensors, in response to receipt of the trigger signal;
a triggering device working to transmit the trigger signal, the triggering device being located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the transceivers, so that strengths of the trigger signal at the transceivers are different from each other;
a receiver working to receive the response signals transmitted by the transceivers;
a wheel identifier operatively connected to the receiver, the wheel identifier working to identify, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located; and
a tire pressure determiner operatively connected to the receiver and the wheel identifier, the tire pressure determiner working to determine, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the inflation pressure of the tire that is located on the same wheel as the transceiver having transmitted the response signal based on the tire pressure information conveyed by the response signal, wherein, each of the transceivers has a variable receiver sensitivity and receives the trigger signal transmitted by the triggering device with a higher value of the receiver sensitivity, in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers changes the receiver sensitivity thereof from the higher value to a lower value, after transmission of the trigger signal, the triggering device further transmits a check signal, each of the transceivers determines a receiving behavior thereof in reception of the check signal with the lower value of the receiver sensitivity, each of the transceivers determines a transmission time according to the determined receiving behavior and transmits the response signal at the determined transmission time, the receiver receives the response signals transmitted by the transceivers at different reception times, and the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the response signals received by the receiver, the wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the response signal is located based on the reception time at which the response signal is received by the receiver.
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Specification