ROTATION SENSOR WITH ONBOARD POWER GENERATION
First Claim
1. A rotation sensor configured to be mounted on a rim of a wheel, the rotation sensor comprising:
- a band sized and shaped to fit around the rim of the wheel;
a first element mounted on the band that generates a first time-varying electrical signal in response to a rotational movement;
a second element mounted on the band that generates a second time-varying electrical signal in response to the rotational movement;
a processor mounted on the band that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals and processes the first and second time-varying electrical signals to determine a rotational speed; and
a rechargeable power source that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals, consumes at least a portion of the first and second time-varying electrical signals to recharge the rechargeable power source, and generates a power signal, andwherein the processor is connected to the rechargeable power source to receive the power signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rotation sensor configured to be mounted on a rim of a wheel. The rotation sensor includes a band sized and shaped to fit around the rim of the wheel, a first element mounted on the band that generates a first time-varying electrical signal in response to a rotational movement, a second element mounted on the band that generates a second time-varying electrical signal in response to the rotational movement, a processor mounted on the band that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals and processes the first and second time-varying electrical signals to determine a rotational speed, and a rechargeable power source that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals, consumes at least a portion of the first and second time-varying electrical signals to recharge the rechargeable power source, and generates a power signal. The processor is connected to the rechargeable power source to receive the power signal.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A rotation sensor configured to be mounted on a rim of a wheel, the rotation sensor comprising:
-
a band sized and shaped to fit around the rim of the wheel; a first element mounted on the band that generates a first time-varying electrical signal in response to a rotational movement; a second element mounted on the band that generates a second time-varying electrical signal in response to the rotational movement; a processor mounted on the band that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals and processes the first and second time-varying electrical signals to determine a rotational speed; and a rechargeable power source that receives the first and second time-varying electrical signals, consumes at least a portion of the first and second time-varying electrical signals to recharge the rechargeable power source, and generates a power signal, and wherein the processor is connected to the rechargeable power source to receive the power signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A rotation sensing system for determining a rotational speed of a wheel of a vehicle, the rotation sensing system comprising:
-
a wheel that rotates with respect to the vehicle, the wheel including; a rim that is substantially cylindrically shaped with an inner surface and an outer surface, the rim having a substantially circular cross-sectional area, and the rim operable to rotate about an axis that passes substantially through a center of the substantially circular cross-sectional area; and a tire that surrounds the rim, the tire and the rim forming an airtight space therebetween; a rotation sensor coupled to the outer surface of the rim and positioned in the airtight space, the rotation sensor including; a first element positioned on the outer surface of the rim that generates a first time-varying electrical signal as the wheel rotates; a second element positioned on the outer surface of the rim substantially opposite the first element that generates a second time-varying electrical signal as the wheel rotates; a processor that receives the first time-varying electrical signal and the second time-varying electrical signal, the processor processes the first time-varying signal and the second time-varying signal to determine the rotational speed; and a rechargeable power source that provides power to the processor and receives the first time-varying electrical signal and the second time-varying electrical signal to recharge the rechargeable power source. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of sensing an angular speed of a wheel of a vehicle, the method comprising:
-
generating a first time-varying signal with a first element in response to a rotation of the wheel; generating a second time-varying signal with a second element in response to the rotation of the wheel; providing at least one of the first time-varying signal and and the second time-varying signal to a rechargeable power source to charge the rechargeable power source; providing the first time-varying signal and the second time-varying signal to a processor; providing a power signal to the processor from the rechargeable power source; and comparing the first time-varying signal and the second time-varying signal to determine a first difference between the first time-varying signal and the second time-varying signal, the first difference at least partially indicative of a rotational speed of the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification