TIRE CONDITION MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20080030315A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Hirose, Eiji, Ebinuma, Toshimitsu
• Application Number:
  US11/831,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/007 having multiple wheels arranged side by side
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/008 having wheels on more than two axles
• 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 condition monitoring system, having antennas attached onto each of both right and left side ends of a vehicle windshield, the antennas being connected to a monitoring unit installed near a driver'"'"'s seat, by which installation on the monitoring unit side can be easily achieved. This enables positive reception of electric waves transmitted from the sensor device by either of the antennas of the right and left side portions of the windshield, thus permitting the monitoring unit to achieve a desired high receiving probability. Accordingly, the tire condition monitoring system provides easy installation without need of attaching any receiving antenna of the monitoring unit at a position adaptable to the sensor device of each tire, as well as attainment of a desired receiving probability at the monitoring unit.

Claims

1. A tire condition monitoring system, comprising a plurality of sensor devices, at least one being mounted on each of all tires of a vehicle, each having a sensor detecting the physical quantity of the tire and transmitting detection results from the sensor to the outside of the tire by an electric wave and a monitoring unit receiving electric waves from the plurality of sensor devices and acquiring the detection results from the sensor for each of the sensor devices, the tire condition monitoring system comprising:

an antenna disposed on each window glass of right and left side portions of the vehicle, connected to the monitoring unit and receiving electric waves transmitted from the respective sensor devices, wherein

the monitoring unit comprises;

a plurality of receiving sections disposed for each antenna;

a central processing unit which inputs received signals output from each of the plurality of receiving sections and acquires detection results from the received signals for each of the sensor devices; and

at least one delay section which delays, on the basis of received signals output from a predetermined one receiving section, output signals from the other receiving sections by different periods, respectively and inputs the signals into the central processing unit.

2. The tire condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is attached onto each of the right and left side edges of a windshield of the vehicle.

3. The tire condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is attached onto any window glass of the vehicle.

4. The tire condition monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is disposed so as to be positioned at the midpoint of front and rear tires on the right or left of the vehicle.

5. The tire condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the detection results includes at least one of air pressure, temperature, humidity, vibration and acceleration.