Integrated tire pressure sensor system
First Claim
1. An integrated tire pressure sensor system, comprising:
- (a) one or more MEMS-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a tire;
(b) a MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter for transmitting data generated by said MEMS-based pressure sensor, wherein said MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter comprises;
(i) a MEMS-oscillator-based resonator for generating a desired output frequency;
(ii) a fractional-N synthesizer to modify said desired output frequency of said MEMS-oscillator-based resonator; and
(iii) a power amplifier for amplifying said signal; and
(c) a microcontroller for;
(i) processing the data generated by at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors;
(ii) controlling at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors; and
(iii) controlling the encoding and timing of said transmitting of said data;
wherein said one or more MEMS-based sensors, said MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter and said microcontroller are integrated onto one or more chips in one or more packages.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a tire pressure sensor system that has multiple functions and is integrated into a small package. The system includes one or more Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS)-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor; a MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter; and a microcontroller, where the microcontroller processes the data generated by at least one of the MEMS-based sensors, controls at least one of the MEMS-based sensors, and controls the encoding and timing of transmission of data from the wireless signal transmitter. Preferably, the MEMS-based sensors, MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter, and microcontroller are integrated onto one or more chips in one or more packages. The system also preferably includes a MEMS-based motion sensor, a low frequency (LF) receiver, an IC-based voltage sensor, a voltage regulator, a temperature sensor and a polarization voltage generator. Thus, the disclosed tire pressure sensor system is high in functionality, yet small in size.
73 Citations
66 Claims
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1. An integrated tire pressure sensor system, comprising:
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(a) one or more MEMS-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a tire;
(b) a MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter for transmitting data generated by said MEMS-based pressure sensor, wherein said MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter comprises;
(i) a MEMS-oscillator-based resonator for generating a desired output frequency;
(ii) a fractional-N synthesizer to modify said desired output frequency of said MEMS-oscillator-based resonator; and
(iii) a power amplifier for amplifying said signal; and
(c) a microcontroller for;
(i) processing the data generated by at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors;
(ii) controlling at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors; and
(iii) controlling the encoding and timing of said transmitting of said data;
wherein said one or more MEMS-based sensors, said MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter and said microcontroller are integrated onto one or more chips in one or more packages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of sensing a pressure of a tire with an integrated tire pressure system, comprising:
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(a) integrating on one or more chips a plurality of components, including;
(i) one or more MEMS-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor;
(ii) a MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter, comprising;
(a) a MEMS-oscillator-based resonator for generating a desired output frequency;
(b) a fractional-N synthesizer to modify said desired output frequency of said MEMS-oscillator-based resonator; and
(c) a power amplifier for amplifying said signal; and
(iii) a microcontroller;
(b) sensing at least one parameter, including pressure of a tire, with at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors;
(c) processing data generated by at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors with said microcontroller;
(d) controlling at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors with said microcontroller;
(e) controlling the encoding and timing of transmission of pressure data generated by said MEMS-based pressure sensor with said microcontroller; and
(f) transmitting pressure data generated by said MEMS-based pressure sensor using said MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An integrated tire pressure sensor system, comprising:
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(a) one or more MEMS-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a tire;
(b) a wireless signal transmitter for transmitting data generated by said MEMS-based pressure sensor, wherein said wireless signal transmitter comprises a power amplifier; and
(c) a microcontroller for;
(i) processing the data generated by at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors;
(ii) controlling at least one of said one or more MEMS-based sensors; and
(iii) controlling the encoding and timing of transmitting of said data;
wherein said one or more MEMS-based sensors, said power amplifier and said microcontroller are integrated onto one or more chips in one package. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification