Method and Device For Localization of the Position of a Wheel of a Vehicle

• US 20080224839A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Costes, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• 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

The invention relates to a method and a device for localization of the position of a wheel (2) of a vehicle (1). According to the method of the invention, the vehicle (1) is equipped with two transmitting antennas—a lateral antenna (11) and a frontal antenna (13)—placed so as to have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which is located the wheel (2) to be localized, and the transmission by the two transmitting antennas (11 and 13) of two identical, in phase identification request signals of powers suited to obtain in the area of wheel (2) to be localized a resulting signal of power greater than the detection threshold of an electronic box (6) with which said wheel is equipped is ordered simultaneously.

Claims

1. ) A method for localization of the position of a wheel (2) of a vehicle (1) equipped with an electronic box (6) suited for transmitting—

upon receiving an identification request signal whose power is greater than a predetermined detection threshold—

signals representing operational parameters of said wheel comprising, further, an identification code for the latter, and directed at a central unit (15) mounted on the vehicle (1) characterized in that it consists of;

Equipping the vehicle (1) with two transmitting antennas—

a lateral antenna (11) and a frontal antenna (13)—

placed so as to have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which the wheel (2) to be localized is located,

Simultaneously ordering the transmission by the two transmitting antennas (11, 13) of two identical, in-phase, identification request signals whose power is suited for obtaining—

in the area of the wheel (2) to be localized—

a resulting signal whose power is greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (6) equipping said wheel.

2. ) The method as claimed in claim 1 for localization of the wheels (2-5) of a vehicle (1), characterized in that

The vehicle (1) is equipped with four transmitting antennas (11-14) consisting of two frontal antennas, respectively forward (13) and rear (14), and two lateral antennas, respectively right (12) and left (11), positioned so as to form four pairs of transmitting antennas, respectively “

front antenna (13)/right antenna (12)”

, “

front antenna (13)/left antenna (11)”

, “

rear antenna (14)/right antenna (12)” and

“

rear antenna (14)/left antenna (11)”

, where each has a coverage zone comprising a common zone in which extends a wheel (2-5) to be localized, respectively right front wheel (3), left front wheel (2), right rear wheel (5), and left rear wheel (4),

A simultaneous and in phase transmission by two transmitting antennas from at least three of the four antenna pairs (12-13, 11-13, 12-14 and 11-14) so as to identify successively each of the corresponding wheels (2-5) is successively ordered.

3. ) The localization method as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that the antennas (11-14) of a hands-free access device equipping the vehicle (1)—

suited to enable access to said vehicle and to start the latter—

are used.

4. ) The method as claimed in claim 1 for localization of the wheels (2-5) of a vehicle (1), characterized in that

The vehicle (1) is equipped with three antennas (11a, 12a, and 14) consisting firstly of two lateral antennas, respectively right antenna (12a) and left antenna (11a), each positioned near one of the two wheels, respectively right wheel (3) and left wheel (2), of a single axle, and secondly one frontal antenna (14) positioned near the other axle, where said frontal antenna and each lateral antenna (11a and 12a) have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which is located one wheel (4 and 5) mounted on the axle neighboring the frontal antenna (14),

The transmission by each of the lateral antennas (11a and 12a) of an identification request signal suited for having a power both greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (6 and 7) equipping the wheel (2 and 3) located near said lateral antenna and also less than the detection threshold of the other electronic boxes, so as to successively localize each of the right (3) and left (2) wheels located near said lateral antennas is successively ordered,

The simultaneous transmission by lateral antennas (11a and 12a) and the frontal antenna (14) of two identical, in-phase, identification request signals whose power is suited for obtaining—

in the area of the wheel (4 and 5) located in the common zone of the coverage zones of said antennas—

a resulting signal whose power is greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (8) equipping said wheel is ordered.

5. ) The localization method as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that the two lateral antennas (11a and 12a) are each integrated in a turn signal repeater positioned near a front wheel (2 and 3) of the vehicle (1), and in that the frontal antenna (14) is positioned near the rear axle of said vehicle.

6. ) The method as claimed in claim 1 for localization of the wheels (2-5) of a vehicle (1) characterized in that

The vehicle (1) is equipped firstly with two antennas consisting of a lateral antenna (11c) and a frontal antenna (14) placed so as to have coverage zones comprising one common zone in which one wheel (4) is located and secondly a power supply means for said antennas comprising a step-up transformer enabling the transmission by each antenna (11c and 14) of signals having in the area of each wheel located in the coverage zone of said antenna a power greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box with which said wheel is equipped,

A first localization procedure for one wheel is performed during which:

The two antennas (11c and 14) are supplied by means of the step-up transformer,

The transmission by one of the two antennas (11c) of an identification request signal is ordered,

Simultaneously with the transmission of the identification request signal, transmission by the other antenna (14) of a parasite signal designed to jam the identification request signal is ordered,

A second localization procedure for a wheel identical to the previous one and for which the role of the two antennas (11c and 14) is reversed is performed,

A third localization procedure for a wheel is performed without step-up transformer, during which the simultaneous transmission by the two antennas (11c and 14) of two identical, in phase identification request signals of powers suited for obtaining, in the area of the wheel (4) located in the common zone of the coverage zones of said antennas, a resulting signal of power greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (8) equipping said wheel is ordered.

7. ) The localization method as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that the transmission of identification request signals consisting of “

Manchester”

coded signals is ordered.

8. ) A device for localization of the position of a wheel (2) of a vehicle (1) equipped with an electronic box (6) suited for transmitting—

upon receiving an electromagnetic identification request signal whose power is greater than a predetermined detection threshold—

signals representing operational parameters of said wheel comprising, further, an identification code for the latter, and directed at a central unit mounted (15) on the vehicle (1), said localization device being characterized in that it consists of;

Two transmitting antennas (11 and 13)—

a lateral antenna (11) and a frontal antenna (13)—

placed so as to have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which the wheel (2) to be localized is located, and

A central unit (15) implementing a localization procedure consisting in simultaneously ordering the transmission by the two transmitting antennas (11 and 13) of two identical, in-phase, identification request signals whose powers are suited for obtaining—

in the area of the wheel (2) to be localized—

a resulting signal whose power is greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (6) equipping said wheel.

9. ) The device as claimed in claim 8 for localization of the wheels of a vehicle, characterized in that:

It includes four transmitting antennas (11-14) consisting of two frontal antennas, respectively forward (13) and rear (14), and two lateral antennas, respectively right (12) and left (11), positioned so as to form four pairs of transmitting antennas, respectively “

front antenna (13)/right antenna (12)”

, “

front antenna (13)/left antenna (11)”

, “

rear antenna (14)/right antenna (12)” and

“

rear antenna (14)/left antenna (11)”

, where each has a coverage zone comprising a common zone in which extends a wheel (2-5) to be localized, respectively right front wheel (3), left front wheel (2), right rear wheel (5), and left rear wheel (4),

The central unit (15) successively orders a simultaneous and in phase transmission by the two transmitting antennas from at least three of the four antenna pairs (12-13, 11-13, 12-14 and 11-14) so as to identify successively each of the corresponding wheels.

10. ) The localization device as claimed in claim 9 characterized in that the transmitting antennas (11-14) are made up from the antennas of a hands-free device equipping the vehicle (1)—

suited to enable access to said vehicle and to start the latter.

11. ) The device as claimed in claim 8 for localization of the wheels of a vehicle (1), characterized in that:

It includes three antennas (11a, 12a, and 14) consisting firstly of two lateral antennas, respectively right antenna (12a) and left antenna (11a), each positioned near one of the two wheels, respectively right wheel (3) and left wheel (2), of a single axle, and secondly one frontal antenna (14) positioned near the other axle, where said frontal antenna and each lateral antenna (11a and 12a) have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which is located one wheel (4 and 5) mounted on the axle neighboring the frontal antenna (14),

The central unit (15) implements a first localization procedure consisting of successively ordering the transmission by each of the lateral antennas (11a and 12a) of an identification request signal suited for having a power both greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (6 and 7) equipping the wheel (2 and 3) located near said lateral antenna and also less than the detection threshold of the other electronic boxes so as to successively localize each of the left (2) and right (3) wheels located near said lateral antennas,

The central unit (15) implements a second localization procedure consisting of ordering the simultaneous transmission by a lateral antenna (11a) and the frontal antenna (14) of two identical, in phase identification request signals of powers suited for obtaining in the area of the wheel (4) located in the common zone of the coverage zones of said antennas, a resulting signal of power greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (8) equipping said wheel.

12. ) The localization device as claimed in claim 11 characterized in that the two lateral antennas (11a and 12a) are each integrated in a turn signal repeater positioned near a front wheel (2 and 3) of the vehicle (1), and in that the frontal antenna (14) is positioned near the rear axle of said vehicle.

13. ) The device as claimed in claim 8 for localization of the wheels of a vehicle (1), characterized in that:

It includes firstly two antennas (11c and 14) consisting of a lateral antenna (11c) and a frontal antenna (14) placed so as to have coverage zones comprising one common zone in which one wheel (4) is located and secondly a power supply means for said antennas comprising a step-up transformer enabling the transmission by each antenna (11c and 14) of signals having in the area of each wheel located in the coverage zone of said antenna a power greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box equipping said wheel,

The central unit (15) implements a first localization procedure for a wheel consisting of ordering;

The supply of the two antennas (11c and 14) by means of the step-up transformer,

The transmission by one of the two antennas (11c) of an identification request signal,

Simultaneously with the transmission of the identification request signal, transmission by the other antenna (14) of a parasite signal designed to jam the identification request signal,

The central unit (15) implements a second localization procedure for a wheel identical to the previous one and for which the role of the two antennas (11c and 14) is reversed,

The central unit (15) implements a third localization procedure for a wheel performed without step-up transformer during which the simultaneous transmission by the two antennas (11c and 14) of two identical, in phase identification request signals of powers suited for obtaining, in the area of the wheel (4) located in the common zone of the coverage zones of said antennas, a resulting signal of power greater than the detection threshold of the electronic box (8) equipping said wheel is ordered.