Method for the Automatic Initialization of Electronic Wheel Systems and Vehicle

• US 20090256695A1
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bettecken, Jurgen, Fischer, Frank
• Application Number:
  US12/420,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256695A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/008 having wheels on more than two axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• 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 method for the automatic initialization of the electronic wheel systems of a tire pressure checking system, performs the now described steps. Record signals are sent by electronic wheel systems. The received signals are evaluated on the basis of their signal strength by using criteria, which are obtained in at least one of the now described substeps. The signal strength in question of the received signals is average, the signal strength in question of the received signals is compared with a predefined threshold value, and the minimum and/or the maximum values of the signal strength of the received signals are calculated. The electronic wheel systems allocated to the tire pressure checking system are selected on the basis of the criteria obtained in the above-mentioned steps. The selected electronic wheel systems are automatically initializated.

Claims

1. A method for automatic initialization of electronic wheel systems of a tire pressure checking system, which comprises the steps of:

a) recording signals transmitted by the electronic wheel systems;

b) evaluating the signals received on a basis of signal strength by means of criteria, which are obtained by means of one of the following substeps;

b1) averaging the signal strength of the signals received in question resulting in averaged signal strength values;

b2) comparing a relevant signal strength of the signals received with a predefined threshold value;

b3) calculating at least one of minimum values and maximum values of the signal strength of the signals received;

c) selecting the electronic wheel systems allocated to the tire pressure checking system on a basis of the criteria obtained in the steps bl)-b3)

d) automatically initializing selected electronic wheel systems.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises adjusting the predefined threshold value dynamically on a basis of the averaged signal strength values adjusted in the step b1).

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises in step c), selecting the electronic wheel systems on a basis of at least one of:

the highest averaged signal strengths derived in step b1);

assigned signals lying above the predefined threshold value in step b2); and

the exhibited highest maximum values of the signal strength in step b3).

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises forming a series of the electronic wheel systems allocated to the signals received, in descending order, based on the values determined in the steps b1)-b3).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tire pressure checking system has N electronic wheel systems and a maximum of N of the electronic wheel systems is used for the automatic initialization in the step c).

6. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises selecting an electronic wheel system provided that the electronic wheel system has a minimum of two criteria lying within the N highest-rated electronic wheel systems.

7. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises:

providing a N+I highest value for at least one criterion;

determining in each case a difference between the N highest values and the lowest value of the N+1 highest values for the criterion;

specifying a minimum difference for the criterion, with those values of the criterion for which a difference determined lies within a predefined minimum difference are not taken into consideration for automatic initialization.

8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises weighting a value of each of the criterions with a weighting factor, the weighting factor includes at least one of information about a relevance of a criterion, an authenticity of the criterion, a vehicle application of the criterion and a measuring accuracy of the criterion

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises beginning step b) only when the signal allocated to an electronic wheel system in step a) is received for a predefined minimum duration.

10. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises extending the predefined minimum duration for a case in which the tire pressure checking system is fitted in a vehicle that features a number of independent tire pressure checking systems.

11. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises taking into account information about a speed of the vehicle as a further criterion and that only such received signals are used for the automatic initialization that indicate a driving condition of the vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises performing a check to determine whether or not an electronic wheel system allocated to the signal received has already been initialized and that in this case a new initialization of an already initialized electronic wheel system does not take place.

13. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises selecting the electronic wheel system provided that the electronic wheel system has a minimum of three criteria lying within the N highest-rated electronic wheel systems.

14. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method according to claim 1.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a tire pressure checking system having a plurality of electronic wheel systems allocated to individual ones of said wheels and an initialization device configured such that an automatic initialization of said electronic wheel systems is performed, said initialization device programmed to;

record signals transmitted by said electronic wheel systems;

evaluate the signals received on a basis of signal strength by means of criteria, which are obtained by means of one of the following substeps;

b1) averaging the signal strength of the signals received in question resulting in averaged signal strength values;

b2) comparing a relevant signal strength of the signals received with a predefined threshold value;

b3) calculating at least one of minimum values and maximum values of the signal strength of the signals received;

select said electronic wheel systems allocated to said tire pressure checking system on a basis of the criteria obtained in the steps bl)-b3)

d) automatically initialize selected electronic wheel systems.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein each of said electronic wheel systems has a sensor for determining tire-specific parameters.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle is a coupling system and that both its tractor and its trailer has an independently operating tire pressure checking system allocated to the latter.

19. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of trucks, tractor machines, trailers for trucks, and tractor-trailers.