Tire parameter monitoring system with sensor location using RFID tags
First Claim
1. A sensor unit for use with a vehicle mounted tire parameter monitoring system having at least one tire parameter sensor, said sensor unit comprising:
- an RFID tag reader for sensing RFID tag identification signals generated by an associated RFID tag mounted on the vehicle adjacent the associated sensor unit, said RFID tag identification signals being generated in response to an interrogation by said associated RFID tag reader;
a microcontroller coupled to the RFID tag reader for enabling said RFID tag reader to perform an interrogation of the associated RFID tag and for receiving and processing said RFID tag identification signals and tire parameter signals from an associated tire parameter sensor; and
a signal generator controlled by said microcontroller for transmitting the processed RFID tag identification signals and the tire parameter signals to a receiving location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire parameter monitoring system has a plurality of sensor units for monitoring tire parameters, with each sensor unit mounted with a different vehicle tire. Each sensor unit has an RFID tag reader for interrogating an RFID tag securely mounted to the vehicle adjacent the corresponding tire and containing a unique identification code. Each sensor unit has a microcontroller for combining each RFID identification code with corresponding tire parameter signals, and a transmitter for transmitting the combined signals to a receiving location. Received tire parameter signals are correlated with the tire location using the RFID identification code, and driver advisory signals are presented to the driver by a display/alarm unit. Two alternative power supplies are provided. A first type uses a battery and a power management circuit for eliminating power drain when the RFID tag reader is energized. A second type uses inductive power to provide an inexhaustible power source.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor unit for use with a vehicle mounted tire parameter monitoring system having at least one tire parameter sensor, said sensor unit comprising:
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an RFID tag reader for sensing RFID tag identification signals generated by an associated RFID tag mounted on the vehicle adjacent the associated sensor unit, said RFID tag identification signals being generated in response to an interrogation by said associated RFID tag reader; a microcontroller coupled to the RFID tag reader for enabling said RFID tag reader to perform an interrogation of the associated RFID tag and for receiving and processing said RFID tag identification signals and tire parameter signals from an associated tire parameter sensor; and a signal generator controlled by said microcontroller for transmitting the processed RFID tag identification signals and the tire parameter signals to a receiving location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A tire parameter monitoring system for monitoring the current values of tire parameters of tires mounted on a vehicle, said system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor units each associated to a different tire on the vehicle, each sensor unit including an RFID tag reader for sensing RFID tag identification signals generated by an associated RFID tag mounted on the vehicle adjacent the associated sensor unit, said RFID tag identification signals being generated in response to an interrogation by said associated RFID tag reader;
a microcontroller coupled to the RFID tag reader for receiving and processing said RFID tag identification signals and tire parameter signals from an associated tire parameter sensor; and
a signal generator controlled by said microcontroller for transmitting the processed location signals and the tire parameter signals to a receiving location; anda plurality of RFID tags each having a unique identification code stored therein for generating a plurality of different identification codes each specifying the unique location on the vehicle of the corresponding RFID tag, each RFID tag being located in proximity to a different one of said plurality of sensor units. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of correlating tire parameter signals generated by sensor units associated to different ones of a plurality of tires on a vehicle with the location of tires whose parameters are monitored by the sensor units, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a plurality of different RFID tag signals in proximity to the sensor units, each different RFID tag signal being associated to a different tire location on the vehicle; (b) combining each RFID tag signal with the tire parameter signals from the sensor unit at the location specified by the RFID tag signal, and (c) transmitting the signals combined in step (b) to a receiving location. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification