METHOD OF LOCATING THE POSITIONS OF WHEELS OF A VEHICLE

• US 20090295641A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Inventors: GERARDIERE, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 8,058,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/451
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/762 with special measures concerning the radiation pattern, e.g. S.L.S. aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns, e.g. providing sum and difference patterns, H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core

Abstract

A method of locating the positions of wheels (2) of a vehicle (1) each fitted with an electronic module (3), whereby, in order to locate a wheel (2) on the one hand, the vehicle (1) is equipped with an electromagnetic emission source consisting of at least two emitting antennas (5, 6) positioned close to the wheel (2) and physically offset so that the emitting antennas present separate shadow areas along the trajectory of the electronic module (3) of the wheel and, on the other hand, a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered.

Claims

1. Method of locating the positions of wheels (2) of a vehicle (1) each equipped with an electronic module (3) adapted to transmit, to a central processing unit (4) mounted on the vehicle (1), signals representative of operating parameters of each wheel also including an identification code of the latter, said locating method consisting in:

equipping the vehicle (1) with electromagnetic emission sources (5, 6) each positioned close to a wheel (2), and adapted to present a coverage encompassing the trajectory of the electronic module (3) when the wheel (2) rotates,

and programming the central processing unit (4) and the electronic modules (3) so as to apply a locating procedure whereby, in succession for each of the electromagnetic emission sources (5, 6), the central processing unit (4) orders the emission, by said electromagnetic emission source, of an electromagnetic identification request signal, on receipt of which the electronic module (3) of each wheel (2) positioned close to this electromagnetic emission source (5, 6) is adapted to send in response a signal comprising at least the identification code of that wheel,

and said locating method being characterized in that;

the vehicle (1) is equipped with electromagnetic emission sources each consisting of at least two emitting antennas (5, 6) physically offset so that said emitting antennas present separate shadow areas along the trajectory of the electronic module (3) of the wheel (2) positioned close by,

and a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered in order to switch over from one of the antennas to the other so that, if one of the antennas is in a shadow area, the other is not.

2. Locating method according to claim 1, characterized in that electromagnetic emission sources are used that each consist of two emitting antennas (5, 6) connected so as to form two dipoles comprising a common pole.

3. Locating method according to claim 1, characterized in that electromagnetic emission sources are used that each consist of two emitting antennas (5, 6) aligned along a common axis.

4. Locating method according to claim 3, characterized in that the two emitting antennas (5, 6) forming an electromagnetic emission source are arranged so that their common axis extends orthogonally relative to a radial axis of the wheel (2) situated close by.

5. Locating method according to claim 2, characterized in that each electromagnetic emission source is produced by means of a single ferrite stick (7).

6. Locating method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered with a switching frequency of the order of 1 kHz.

7. Locating method according to claim 2, characterized in that electromagnetic emission sources are used that each consist of two emitting antennas (5, 6) aligned along a common axis.

8. Locating method according to claim 7, characterized in that the two emitting antennas (5, 6) forming an electromagnetic emission source are arranged so that their common axis extends orthogonally relative to a radial axis of the wheel (2) situated close by.

9. Locating method according to claim 3, characterized in that each electromagnetic emission source is produced by means of a single ferrite stick (7).

10. Locating method according to claim 4, characterized in that each electromagnetic emission source is produced by means of a single ferrite stick (7).

11. Locating method according to claim 2, characterized in that a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered with a switching frequency of the order of 1 kHz.

12. Locating method according to claim 4, characterized in that a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered with a switching frequency of the order of 1 kHz.

13. Locating method according to claim 3, characterized in that a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered with a switching frequency of the order of 1 kHz.

14. Locating method according to claim 5, characterized in that a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered with a switching frequency of the order of 1 kHz.