CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT FOR A TIRE PRESSURE WARNING DEVICE AND TIRE PRESSURE DETECTING METHOD IMPLEMENTED USING THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING DEVICE

• US 20090315697A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teng-Wen Huang
• Original Assignee: Teng-Wen Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Teng-Wen
• Granted Patent: US 8,138,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0406 Alarms noticeable from outside the vehicle, e.g. indication in side mirror, front light or audible alarms B60C23/0403, B60C23/0405 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber

Abstract

A tire pressure warning device having a detection circuit is mounted to an inflation valve on every tire of a car to implement tire pressure detection. First, a microprocessing controller in the detection circuit sends a tire location ID assigned to every tire to a signal receiving circuit provided in a dashboard of the car. Then, the microprocessing controller detects a tire pressure value of the corresponding tire and uses the detected tire pressure value as a standard pressure point for the tire. Thereafter, the microprocessing controller keeps detecting the tire pressure value of the tire. When a detected new tire pressure value is higher or lower than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage, a wireless RF is transmitted to the signal receiving circuit for the latter to identify the tire with high or low tire pressure and emit an alarm while displaying the tire pressure value.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device, the tire pressure warning device being mounted to an inflation valve on every tire of a car, and including a case internally provided with a printed circuit board;

the circuit arrangement comprising a detection circuit provided on the printed circuit board, and consisting of a pressure sensing and measuring unit and other electronic elements, and a signal receiving circuit internally provided in the car;

the detection circuit including;

an air pressure sensor consisting of the pressure sensing and measuring unit and an amplifying circuit;

the pressure sensing and measuring unit being provided on one side of the printed circuit board facing toward the inflation valve of the tire for measuring tire pressure of the tire and outputting a voltage value, which is an analog signal corresponding the measured tire pressure and is amplified by the amplifying circuit;

an amplifier being connected to the air pressure sensor for amplifying the analog signal output by the air pressure sensor;

a first microprocessing controller being connected to the amplifier, and including an A/D converter, a digital comparing controller, and a data encoding processor;

the A/D converter converting the analog signal output by the amplifier into a digital signal and outputting the digital signal to the digital comparing controller;

the digital signal first output by the A/D converter corresponding to a tire pressure value of the tire, and being used by the digital comparing controller as a standard pressure point;

the digital comparing controller also comparing the standard pressure point with a new digital signal, which corresponds to a new tire pressure of the tire and is output by the A/D converter after the first output digital signal;

the digital comparing controller outputting a high pressure signal when the new digital signal is higher than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage, or outputting a low pressure signal when the new digital signal is lower than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage;

the data encoding processor encoding the high pressure signal, the low pressure signal, and a tire location ID assigned to every tire, and output ting the encoded signals;

a high-frequency wireless transmitter being connected to the first microprocessing controller for converting the high pressure signal, the low pressure signal, or the tire location ID output by the first microprocessing controller into a wireless RF signal, and outputting the wireless RF signal; and

a first power supply unit being electrically connected to the printed circuit board for supplying electric power needed by the air pressure sensor, the amplifier, the first microprocessing controller, and the high-frequency wireless transmitter to operate; and

the signal receiving circuit receiving the wireless RF signal output by the detection circuit, and displaying the received wireless RF signal.

2. The circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal receiving circuit is mounted in a dashboard on the car, and includes:

a high-frequency wireless receiver for receiving the wireless RF signal output by the high-frequency wireless transmitter of the detection circuit, and outputting the received wireless RF signal;

a second microprocessing controller consisting of a data decoding processor and a display/buzz/speech processor;

the data decoding processor decoding the wireless RF signal output by the high-frequency wireless receiver to identify the high pressure signal, the low press are signal, or the tire location ID, and outputting the decoded signal to the display/buzz/speech processor;

a display/warning buzz/speech unit for receiving the high pressure signal, the low pressure signal, or the tire location ID output by the display/buzz/speech processor, displaying the received high pressure signal, low pressure signal, or tire location ID on a display device, and displaying an actual tire pressure value of the corresponding tire; and

a second power supply unit for supplying electric power needed by the high-frequency wireless receiver, the second microprocessing controller, and the display/warning buzz/speech unit to operate.

3. The circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal receiving circuit further includes a key-type controlling unit being connected to the second microprocessing controller and powered by the second power supply unit to operate.

4. The circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display/warning buzz/speech unit is selected from the group consisting of an LCD screen, an LED digital display, and a second light emitting element.

5. The circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first microprocessing controller is connected to a first light emitting element;

the first light emitting element being connected to the high-frequency wireless transmitter in parallel and powered by the first power supply unit to operate.

6. A circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device, the tire pressure warning device being mounted to an inflation valve on every tire of a car, and including a case internally provided with a printed circuit board, the circuit arrangement comprising a detection circuit provided on the printed circuit board and consisting of a pressure sensing and measuring unit and other electronic elements, and a signal receiving circuit internally provided in the car;

the detection circuit including;

an air pressure sensor consisting of the pressure sensing and measuring unit and an amplifying circuit;

the pressure sensing and measuring unit being provided on one side of the printed circuit board facing toward the inflation valve of the tire for measuring tire pressure of the tire and outputting a voltage value, which is an analog signal corresponding the measured tire pressure and is amplified by the amplifying circuit;

an amplifier being connected to the air pressure sensor for amplifying the analog signal output by the air pressure sensor;

a first microprocessing controller being connected to the amplifier, and including an A/D converter and a digital comparing controller;

the A/D converter converting the analog signal output by the amplifier into a digital signal and outputting the digital signal to the digital comparing controller;

the digital signal first output by the A/D converter corresponding to a tire pressure value of the tire, and being used by the digital comparing controller as a standard pressure point for the tire;

the digital comparing controller also comparing the standard pressure point with a new digital signal, which corresponds to a new tire pressure of the tire and is output by the A/D converter after the first output digital signal;

the digital comparing controller outputting a high pressure signal when the new digital signal is higher than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage, or outputting a low pressure signal when the new digital signal is lower than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage;

a first light emitting element being connected to the first microprocessing controller for indicating the high pressure signal or the low pressure signal output by the first microprocessing controller; and

a first power supply unit being electrically connected to the printed circuit board for supplying electric power needed by the air pressure sensor, the amplifier, the first microprocessing controller, and the first light emitting element to operate.

7. The circuit arrangement for a tire pressure warning device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first power supply unit is selected from the group consisting of a rechargeable battery and a lithium battery.

8. A tire pressure detecting method implemented using a tire pressure warning device, comprising the following steps:

mounting the tire pressure warning device to an inflation valve on every tire of a car;

the tire pressure warning device including a detection circuit, a first microprocessing controller of which sending a tire location ID assigned to every tire to a signal receiving circuit provided in a dashboard of the car, so that the signal receiving circuit is able to identify the tire location of every tire;

the detection circuit also including a power supply unit for supplying electric power needed by the detection circuit to operate;

the first microprocessing controller further detecting a tire pressure value of the corresponding tire, and using the detected tire pressure value as a standard pressure point for the tire; and

the first microprocessing controller keeping detecting the tire pressure value of the corresponding tire, and a wireless RF signal representing an excessively high or an excessively low tire pressure value being transmitted to the signal receiving circuit when a new tire pressure value detected by the first microprocessing controller later is higher or lower than the standard pressure point by a preset percentage; and

the signal receiving circuit receiving the wireless RF signal to identify the tire from where the wireless RF signal is transmitted, and then emitting a tire pressure abnormal alarm.

9. The tire pressure detecting method as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the first microprocessing controller detects the tire pressure value of the corresponding tire, and the detected tire pressure value is larger than one (1) psi and constantly maintained at this level longer than a preset time period, the tire pressure value is memorized as the standard pressure point.

10. The tire pressure detecting method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the signal receiving circuit also displays the tire pressure value of every tire detected by the first microprocessing controller.

11. The tire pressure detecting method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of keeping detecting tire pressure value is repeated when a detected tire pressure value for the tire is lower than 1 psi.

12. The tire pressure detecting method as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the car is not ignited, the first microprocessing controller sets the detection circuit into a sleep state to save electric power.

13. The tire pressure detecting method as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the first microprocessing controller detects that the first power supply unit is power low, a wireless RF signal representing weak power is transmitted from the detection circuit to the signal receiving circuit;

and the signal receiving circuit receives the weak power signal and displays a warning to indicate the first power supply unit is power low.