Initiator having wheel sensor function for vehicle and method of controlling the same

• US 20070100531A1
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Cheol-Ho
• Application Number:
  US11/299,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100531A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/71
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/04 Vehicle reference speed; Vehicle body speed

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an initiator having a wheel sensor function for a vehicle. The initiator includes at least one wheel sensor unit for receiving power from an Antilock Brake System (ABS) unit of a vehicle and outputting a detected vehicle speed to the ABS unit; and at least one initiator unit comprising a controller for receiving power supplied from the ABS unit to the wheel sensor unit, operating using the power and having a ground connected to a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) receiver, a reset circuit for switching power applied to the controller, and a coil drive circuit for operating to drive a tire pressure sensor in response to the control signal of the controller to which the power is applied due to the operation of the reset circuit.

Claims

1. An initiator having a wheel sensor function for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one wheel sensor unit for receiving power from an Antilock Brake System (ABS) unit of a vehicle and outputting a detected vehicle speed to the ABS unit; and

at least one initiator unit comprising a controller for receiving power supplied from the ABS unit to the wheel sensor unit, operating using the power and having a ground connected to a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) receiver, a reset circuit for switching power applied to the controller, and a coil drive circuit for operating to drive a tire pressure sensor in response to a control signal of the controller to which the power is applied due to operation of the reset circuit.

2. The initiator as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a switching device having a collector terminal which is connected to the ground of the controller, a base terminal to which a signal for driving the initiator unit is applied, and an emitter terminal which is grounded.

3. The initiator as defined in claim 1, wherein the coil drive circuit of the initiator unit is connected to a coil terminal.

4. A method of controlling an initiator having a wheel sensor function for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

performing a ground connection for driving a corresponding initiator unit after start of a vehicle;

operating a controller by driving a reset circuit;

outputting a remote drive signal for waking up a tire pressure sensor by driving a coil drive circuit in response to a control signal of the controller;

determining whether a remote drive signal frame for the tire pressure sensor has been output;

determining whether RF data transmitted from the tire pressure sensor has been received by a TPMS receiver if the signal output has been completed; and

cutting off the ground connection of the corresponding initiator unit if the RF data has been received from the tire pressure sensor.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein operation of initiator units is performed in a sequence of a front-left initiator unit, a front-right initiator unit, a rear-left initiator unit, and a rear-right initiator unit.