Tire pressure monitoring system

• US 20070229242A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Manabu, Fujioka, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system includes tire-based transmitting and receiving devices and a vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device having vehicle body-based receiving means, vehicle body-based transmitting means, wherein (2^m−1)×(2ⁿ−1)≧t is satisfied with t, m and n representing the number of the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, the number of vehicle body-based transmitting groups and the number of vehicle body-based receiving groups respectively, each tire-based transmitting and receiving device receives the transmission request from any one of the vehicle body-based transmitting groups, the information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving device is received by any one of the vehicle body-based receiving groups, and each tire-based transmitting and receiving device has a different combination of the groups of the vehicle body-based transmitting means and the vehicle body-based receiving means.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of tire-based transmitting and receiving devices respectively installed at tire interior spaces defined by a plurality of tires and a plurality of wheels provided at a vehicle, each tire-based transmitting and receiving device having;

an air pressure measuring means measuring pressure of the tire interior space;

a tire based transmitting means transmitting, to an exterior portion, unique identification information specified to the tire-based transmitting and receiving device and measurement information of the air pressure measuring means;

a tire based receiving means receiving a transmission request from the exterior portion for transmitting the identification information and the measurement information; and

a tire based controlling means performing information transmitting processing for the tire based transmitting means to transmit the identification information and the measurement information to the exterior portion when the tire based receiving means receives the transmission request,

a vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device installed at a vehicle body having;

a plurality of vehicle body-based receiving means receiving the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices;

a plurality of vehicle body-based transmitting means transmitting the transmission requests to the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices; and

a vehicle body-based controlling means performing information receiving processing for the vehicle body-based receiving means to receive the identification information and the measurement information and request transmitting processing for the vehicle body-based transmitting means to transmit the transmission requests,

wherein the vehicle body-based transmitting means are less in quantity than the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices and are divided into plural transmitting groups, each of which transmitting group has at least one of the vehicle body-based transmitting means, and the request transmitting processing is implemented on a per transmitting group basis,

wherein the vehicle body-based receiving means are less in quantity than the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices and are divided into plural receiving groups, each of which receiving group has at least one of the vehicle body-based receiving means, and the identification information and the measurement information, which are transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, are received on a per receiving group basis, wherein a relational expression (2^m−

1)×

(2ⁿ−

1)≧

t is satisfied with a variable t representing the number of the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, a variable m representing the number of the transmitting groups and a variable n representing the number of the receiving groups,

each tire-based transmitting and receiving device is configured to receive the transmission request from the vehicle body-based transmitting means of any one of the transmitting groups, the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving device is received by the vehicle body-based receiving means of any one of the receiving groups, and each tire-based transmitting and receiving device has a different combination of the transmitting group of the vehicle body-based transmitting means that transmits the transmission request receivable by the tire-based transmitting and receiving device and the receiving group of the vehicle body-based receiving means which receives the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving device.

2. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the number of the transmitting groups is two, the number of the receiving groups is two and the number of the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices is four.

3. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission requests transmitted from one group the transmitting groups is received by two tire-based transmitting and receiving devices provided at a right wheel side of the vehicle of the plural tire-based transmitting and receiving devices and the transmission requests transmitted from the other group of the transmitting groups is received by two tire-based transmitting and receiving devices provided at a left wheel side of the vehicle of the plural tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, the identification information and the measurement information received by one group of the vehicle body-based receiving means are transmitted from two tire-based transmitting and receiving devices provided at a front wheel side of the vehicle of the plural tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, and the identification information and the measurement information received by the other group of the vehicle body-based receiving means are transmitted from two tire-based transmitting and receiving devices provided at a rear wheel side of the plural tire-based transmitting and receiving devices.

4. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the one group of the transmitting groups is located at a right lateral side of a most outer metal plate structuring a right side door of the vehicle and the other group of the transmitting groups is located at a left lateral side of a most outer metal plate structuring a left side door of the vehicle.

5. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle body-based transmitting means, the vehicle body-based receiving means and the vehicle body-based controlling means included in the vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device are configured so as to be also used as a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna and a controlling circuit unit, which processes signals transmitted between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, the transmitting antenna, the receiving antenna and the controlling circuit unit being included in an unlocking and locking system that unlocks and locks the side doors of the vehicle by using a wireless type key.

6. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle body-based transmitting means, the vehicle body-based receiving means and the vehicle body-based controlling means included in the vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device are configured so as to be also used as a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna and a controlling circuit unit, which processes signals transmitted between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, included in an unlocking and locking system which unlocks and locks the side door of the vehicle by using a wireless type key.

7. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle body-based receiving means includes:

one receiving antenna provided at a front side relative to a center of a wheelbase of the vehicle; and

the other receiving antenna provided at a rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle,

the vehicle body-based transmitting means includes;

one transmitting antenna provided at one side of the vehicle; and

the other transmitting antenna provided at the other side of the vehicle,

the transmission requests transmitted by the one transmitting antenna are received by the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices which are provided at the one side of the vehicle and the transmission requests transmitted from the other transmitting antenna are received by the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices which are provided at the other side of the vehicle, the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices which are provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase is received by the one receiving antenna, the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices which are provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase is received by the other receiving antenna.

8. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle body-based receiving means includes:

a first receiving antenna provided at a front side relative to a center of a wheelbase of the vehicle and located at one side of the vehicle;

a second receiving antenna provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle;

a third receiving antenna provided at a rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle; and

a fourth receiving antenna provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle,

the vehicle body-based transmitting means includes;

a first transmitting antenna provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle;

a second transmitting antenna provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle;

a third transmitting antenna provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle; and

a fourth transmitting antenna provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle,

the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices include;

a first tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle;

a second tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle;

a third tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle; and

a fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle,

the transmission requests transmitted from the first, second, third, fourth transmitting antennas are received by the first, second, third, and fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving devices respectively, the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the first, second, third, and fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving devices are received by the first, second, third, fourth receiving antennas respectively.

9. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle body-based receiving means includes:

one receiving antenna provided at a front side relative to a center of a wheelbase of the vehicle; and

the other antenna provided at a rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle,

the vehicle body-based transmitting means includes;

a first transmitting antenna provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at one side of the vehicle;

a second transmitting antenna provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle;

a third transmitting antenna provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle; and

a fourth transmitting antenna provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle,

the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices include;

a first tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle;

a second tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the front side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle;

a third tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the one side of the vehicle; and

a fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving device provided at the rear side relative to the center of the wheelbase of the vehicle and located at the other side of the vehicle,

the transmission requests transmitted by the first, second, third, fourth transmitting antennas are received by the first, second, third, and fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving devices respectively, the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the first and second tire-based transmitting and receiving devices is received by the one antenna, and the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the third and fourth tire-based transmitting and receiving devices are received by the other antenna.

10. A tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of tire-based transmitting and receiving devices respectively installed at tire interior spaces defined by a plurality of tires and a plurality of wheels provided at a vehicle, each tire-based transmitting and receiving device including;

a tire information measuring means measuring at least pressure of the tire interior space;

a tire based transmitting means wirelessly transmitting, to an exterior portion, identification information uniquely specified to the tire-based transmitting and receiving device and measurement information of the tire information measuring means;

a tire based receiving means receiving a transmission request from the exterior portion for transmitting the identification information and the measurement information; and

a tire based controlling means performing information transmitting processing for the tire based transmitting means to transmit the identification information and the measurement information to the exterior portion when the tire based receiving means receives the transmission request,

a vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device installed at a vehicle body having;

one or more vehicle body-based receiving means receiving the identification information and the measurement information transmitted from the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices;

two or more vehicle body-based transmitting means transmitting the transmission requests to the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices; and

a vehicle body-based controlling means performing information receiving processing for the vehicle body-based receiving means to receive the identification information and the measurement information and request transmitting processing for the vehicle body-based transmitting means to transmit the transmission requests,

wherein the two or more vehicle body-based transmitting means are less in quantity than the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices and are arranged so that each tire-based transmitting and receiving device has a different combination of the vehicle body-based transmitting means from among two or more vehicle body-based transmitting means which transmit the transmitting requests received by the one tire-based transmitting and receiving device from among the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices, the vehicle based controlling means determines installation positions of the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices in the vehicle based on a combination of one and more identification information received by the one or more vehicle body-based receiving means when the transmission requests are respectively transmitted from the two or more vehicle body-based transmitting means.

11. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices are located at 4 positions, a right front portion, a right rear portion, a left front portion, and a left rear portion of the vehicle, the vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device has three vehicle body-based transmitting means, the three vehicle body-based transmitting means are disposed in a way that the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the right rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from an identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means, the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the left front portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from an identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means and the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the left front portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from an identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means, or in another way that the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the right rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means, the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the left front portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means and the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right rear portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means,

or in another way that the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the right rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means, the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the left front portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means and the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right rear portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means,

or in another way that that the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the left front portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means, the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right front portion and the left front portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means and the tire-based transmitting and receiving devices located at the right rear portion and the left rear portion of the vehicle receive the transmission requests from the identical vehicle body-based transmitting means of the three or more vehicle body-based transmitting means.

12. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle body-based transmitting means, the vehicle body-based receiving means and the vehicle body-based controlling means included in the vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device are configured so as to be also used as a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna and a controlling circuit unit, which processes signals transmitted between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, the transmitting antenna, the receiving antenna and the controlling circuit unit being included in an unlocking and locking system which unlocks and locks side doors of the vehicle or a trunk of the vehicle by using a wireless type key.

13. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle body-based transmitting means, the vehicle body-based receiving means and the vehicle body-based controlling means included in the vehicle body-based transmitting and receiving device are configured so as to be also used as a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna and a controlling circuit unit, which processes signals transmitted between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna, the transmitting antenna, the receiving antenna and the controlling circuit unit being included in an unlocking and locking system that unlocks and locks side doors of the vehicle or a trunk of the vehicle by using a wireless type key.

14. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein transmission of a radio wave used when the vehicle body-based transmitting means transmit the transmission requests may be switched to transmission of a radio wave used when the vehicle body-based transmitting means is used for the unlocking and locking system, and a transmission output used for transmitting the transmission requests is set to larger than a transmission output of the radio wave used for the unlocking and locking system.

15. A tire pressure monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein transmission of a radio wave used when the vehicle body-based transmitting means transmit the transmission requests may be switched to transmission of a radio wave used when the vehicle body-based transmitting means is used for the unlocking and locking system, and a transmission output used for transmitting the transmission requests is set to larger than a transmission output of the radio wave used for the unlocking and locking system.