BACK-DOOR DATA SYNCHRONIZATION FOR A MULTIPLE REMOTE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

• US 20100097192A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compagnie générale des établissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Compagnie générale des établissements Michelin
• Inventors: Weston, David Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• 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 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for synchronizing data received at a central location that has been collected at plural remote locations and separately transmitted to the central location. A plurality of remote sensors is provided and configured to be simultaneously triggered to begin a data collection sequence and to subsequently transmit the collected data along with remote sensor identification data and timing information to the central location. Timing information may include a specifically transmitted time reference or may be derived based on successive transmissions from the individual remote sensors.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing data, comprising:

providing a plurality of remote sensors, each remote sensor including a transducer, a transmitter, a receiver, and a clock having an operating speed;

providing a central processor, the central processor including a processor, a transmitter, a receiver, and a clock having an operating speed;

transmitting a first signal from the central processor to each of the plurality of remote sensors;

transmitting a first signal from each of the plurality of remote sensors to the central processor, the signal including a portion indicative of the operating speed of the clock;

normalizing the signals received at the central processor from each of the plurality of remote sensors based on the operating speed of the central processor clock; and

synchronizing the signals from the plurality of remote sensors based on the normalized signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a measurement period at each of the plurality of remote sensors based on the signal transmitted from the central processor; and

transmitting a signal from each of the plurality of remote sensors to the central processor indicating the elapsed timed since any measured event during the measurement period.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning a unique identification to each of the plurality of remote sensors; and

transmitting the unique identification to the central processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal portion indicative of the operating speed of the clock within each of the plurality of remote sensors comprises a signal indicative of a unit increment of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a second signal from each of the plurality of remote sensors to the central processor, the second signal including a portion indicative of the operating speed of the clock,

wherein the first and second transmitted signals from each of the plurality of remote sensors are transmitted successively and the time between successive signals transmissions is indicative of the operating speed of the clock within each of the plurality of remote sensors.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a second signal from the central processor to each of the plurality of remote sensors; and

terminating the measurement period at each of the plurality of remote sensors based on the second signal transmitted from the central processor.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurement period at each of the plurality of remote sensors is initiated simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

terminating the measurement period at each of the plurality of remote sensors a predetermined time following initiation of the measurement period.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

initiating a second measurement period at each of the plurality of remote sensors based on a signal transmitted from the central processor; and

transmitting a signal from each of the plurality of remote sensors to the central processor indicating the elapsed timed since any measured event during the second measurement period,

whereby measurements from each of the plurality of remote sensors may be segmented to permit simplification of signal evaluation for longer measurement periods and improved accuracy for shorter measurement periods.