SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING

• US 20080018447A1
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nantz, John S., Ghabra, Riad, Tang, Tom Q.
• Granted Patent: US 7,528,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A system and method for tire pressure monitoring. The system includes a receiver having a storage memory, and a transmitter corresponding to a tire. The storage memory includes a set of unique identifier. The transmitter includes a programmable memory. The receiver is configured to receive a signal, determine when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers, and process the signal when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers. The transmitter is configured to receive a unique member of the set of unique identifiers, store the unique member in the programmable memory, and transmit a signal corresponding to the unique member and the air pressure in the tire.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring air pressure in a tire of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a receiver having a storage memory comprising a set of unique identifiers, the receiver configured to;

receive a signal;

determine when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers; and

process the signal when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers; and

a transmitter corresponding to the tire and having a programmable memory, the transmitter configured to;

receive a unique member of the set of unique identifiers;

store the unique member in the programmable memory; and

transmit a signal corresponding to the unique member and the air pressure in the tire.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the storage memory is a read only memory.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein processing the signal when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers includes transmitting a display signal corresponding to the air pressure to a display in an interior of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein processing the signal when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers includes generating at least one of an audible alarm and a visual alarm when the air pressure in the tire is greater than a predetermined maximum threshold or less than a predetermined minimum threshold.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is further configured to discard the signal when the signal does not correspond to a member of the set of unique identifiers.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter further comprises a low frequency receiver and the transmitter is configured to receive the unique member of the set of unique identifiers via the low frequency receiver.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the receiver further comprises a low frequency initiator for transmitting the unique member to the low frequency receiver.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a tool electronically coupled to the transmitter for transmitting an operator initiated signal to the transmitter, wherein the transmitter transmits a pairing request signal to the receiver in response to the operator initiated signal and the receiver transmits the unique member to the low frequency receiver of the transmitter via the low frequency initiator of the receiver in response to the pairing request signal.

9. A method for monitoring air pressure in a tire of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a transmitter having a programmable memory, the transmitter configured to identify the air pressure of the tire;

providing a receiver configured to be coupled to the vehicle, the receiver comprising a memory having a set of unique identifiers stored in the memory;

determining a unique identifier, using the receiver, from the set of unique identifiers stored in the memory of the receiver;

writing the unique identifier to the programmable memory of the transmitter; and

transmitting a signal, via the transmitter, to the receiver, the signal corresponding to the unique identifier and the air pressure in the tire.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the transmitter comprises a low frequency receiver and the unique identifier is written to the programmable memory of the transmitter using a low frequency initiator and the low frequency receiver.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the receiver comprises the low frequency initiator.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

coupling a tool to the transmitter;

transmitting an operator initiated signal from the tool to the transmitter; and

transmitting a pairing request signal from the transmitter to the receiver in response to the operator initiated signal,

wherein the step of writing the unique identifier to the programmable memory of the transmitter includes transmitting the unique identifier to the low frequency receiver of the transmitter via the low frequency initiator of the receiver in response to the pairing request signal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the steps of determining a unique identifier from the set of unique identifiers stored in the memory of the receiver and writing the unique identifier to the programmable memory of the transmitter are performed prior to installation of the receiver in the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the steps of determining a unique identifier from the set of unique identifiers stored in the memory of the receiver and writing the unique identifier to the programmable memory of the transmitter are performed prior to installation of the transmitter in the tire.

15. A method for pairing a transmitter and a receiver in a system for monitoring air pressure in a tire of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, using the receiver, a unique identifier from a set of unique identifiers associated with the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured to store the set of unique identifiers in a memory; and

writing the unique identifier to a programmable memory of the transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a signal to the receiver, the signal corresponding to the unique identifier and the air pressure in the tire.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the transmitter comprises a low frequency receiver and the unique identifier is written to the programmable memory of the transmitter using a low frequency initiator and the low frequency receiver.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the receiver comprises the low frequency initiator.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a tool to the transmitter;

transmitting an operator initiated signal from the tool to the transmitter; and

transmitting a pairing request signal from the transmitter to the receiver in response to the operator initiated signal,

wherein the step of writing the unique identifier to the programmable memory of the transmitter includes transmitting the unique identifier to the low frequency receiver of the transmitter via the low frequency initiator of the receiver in response to the pairing request signal.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of determining a unique identifier from a set of unique identifiers associated with the receiver and writing the unique identifier to a programmable memory of the transmitter are performed prior to installation of the receiver in the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of determining a unique identifier from a set of unique identifiers associated with the receiver and writing the unique identifier to a programmable memory of the transmitter are performed prior to installation of the transmitter in the tire.