Tire Pressure Monitor System Tool with Vehicle Entry System

• US 20100085177A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Garret, Kochie, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,072,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• 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 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations

Abstract

A tire pressure monitor system tool is capable of communicating with a plurality of tire pressure monitor systems. The tool includes a storing module that stores a plurality of communication protocols that are used for enabling the tool to communicate with a tire pressure monitor system. The tool enables a user to input vehicle data for identifying a vehicle having a tire pressure monitor system with which to communicate. Based on the vehicle data input, the tool determines a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle using information stored by the tool. The tool determines a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle. Based on the tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle, the tool determines a protocol used by the tire pressure monitor system to communicate with, for example, the tool and an electronic control unit of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A tire pressure tool, comprising:

a vehicle data requesting module configured to request a vehicle data of a vehicle;

a vehicle data receiving module configured to receive the vehicle data;

a storing module configured to store a plurality of tire pressure monitoring systems; and

a determining module configured to determine the tire pressure monitoring system used by the vehicle based on the vehicle data.

2. The tire pressure tool of claim 1, wherein the storing module further configured to store a plurality of communication protocols that are used by the plurality of tire pressure monitoring systems to communicate with an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

3. The tire pressure tool of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data is obtained from an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

4. The tire pressure tool of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data is obtained by displaying to a user on a display at least one of the following make, model and year.

5. The tire pressure tool of claim 2 further comprising a linking module configured to link the communication protocol with the vehicle data.

6. The tire pressure tool of claim 2 further comprising a selecting module configured to select the communication protocol based on vehicle data obtained from the electronic control unit.

7. The tire pressure tool of claim 2 further comprising a communication module configured to enable the tool to communicate with the electronic control unit using at least one of the communications protocol.

8. A tire pressure tool, comprising:

a means for requesting configured to request a vehicle data of a vehicle;

a means for receiving configured to receive the vehicle data;

a means for storing configured to store a plurality of tire pressure monitoring systems; and

a means for determining configured to determine the tire pressure monitoring system based on the vehicle data.

9. The tire pressure tool of claim 8, wherein the means for storing further configured to store a plurality of communication protocols that are used by the plurality of tire pressure monitoring systems to communicate with an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

10. The tire pressure tool of claim 8, wherein the vehicle data is obtained from an electronic control unit of the vehicle.

11. The tire pressure tool of claim 8, wherein the vehicle data is obtained by displaying to a user on a display at least one of the following make, model and year.

12. The tire pressure tool of claim 9 further comprising a means for linking configured to link the communication protocol with the vehicle data.

13. The tire pressure tool of claim 9 further comprising a means for selecting configured to select the communication protocol based on vehicle data obtained from the electronic control unit.

14. The tire pressure tool of claim 9 further comprising a means for communication configured to enable the tool to communicate with the electronic control unit using at least one of the communications protocol.

15. A method of using a tire pressure monitoring tool, comprising:

requesting a vehicle data using a display on the monitoring tool;

receiving the requested vehicle data;

accessing a tire pressure monitoring system from a memory of the tool, the memory storing a plurality of tire pressure monitoring systems; and

determining the tire pressure monitoring system based on the vehicle data.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

accessing the memory for a communication protocol from a plurality of communication protocols used by the tire pressure monitoring systems; and

communicating with an electronic control unit of a vehicle using the communication protocol of the determined tire pressure monitoring system.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

updating the plurality of communication protocols.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

diagnosing the determined tire pressure monitoring system with the tool; and

resetting the determined tire pressure monitoring system.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

displaying a battery condition of the batteries used in the tool.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

simulating a tire pressure to validate the functionality of the tire pressure monitoring system in a vehicle.