Method for the Operation of Wheel Electronics, Wheel Electronics, and Tire Checking System

• US 20100308987A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Haas, Thomas, Kuchler, Gregor
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol

Abstract

A method for operating wheel electronics of a tire checking system includes providing wheel electronics having a battery-free power supply encompassing at least one rechargeable power storage medium for supplying power to the wheel electronics. The wheel electronics can be operated in a reduced-power transmission mode and a subsequent normal transmission mode. In the modes, data that relate to tire-specific parameters and are determined by the wheel electronics are transmitted to a vehicle-mounted communication device in the form of modulated transmission signals, with less transmission power being used for the transmission signals in the power-reduced transmission mode than in the normal transmission mode. Wheel electronics and a tire checking system are also provided.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for operating a wheel electronics system of a tire checking system, the method comprising the following steps:

providing a battery-free power supply having at least one rechargeable power storage medium in the wheel electronics system for supplying power to the wheel electronics system;

the wheel electronics system being operable in a power-reduced transmission mode and in a subsequent normal transmission mode;

determining data relating to tire-specific parameters with the wheel electronics system; and

transmitting the data to a vehicle-mounted communication device as modulated transmission signals, with less transmission power being used for the transmission signals in the power-reduced transmission mode than in the normal transmission mode.

23. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises transmitting the transmission signals as predetermined transmission telegrams with a predetermined data structure, and transmitting the transmission telegrams in the power-reduced transmission mode with a data content being reduced as compared with the normal transmission mode.

24. The method according to claim 23, which further comprises transmitting a number of the transmission telegrams with a data-reduced content within a range of between 1 and 50.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the transmission telegrams in the power-reduced transmission mode contain basic information.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the basic information is at least one piece of identifier information necessary for identification of the wheel electronics system by a vehicle-mounted detection device.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the transmission telegrams in the normal transmission mode contain further information in addition to the basic information sent in the power-reduced transmission mode.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the further information is at least one of diagnostic, temperature or tire pressure information.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the further information not sent in the power-reduced mode, compared with the normal transmission mode, is sent in the normal transmission mode.

30. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises using a first power storage medium for the power-reduced transmission mode and using at least one further power storage medium for the normal transmission mode or using at least one power storage medium being larger than the first power storage medium as an alternative to the first power storage medium.

31. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises providing at least one capacitive power storage medium having a power storage capacity being variably set for the power-reduced transmission mode and the normal transmission mode.

32. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises using at least one of a more energy-efficient modulation method for the power-reduced transmission mode or a higher data transmission rate than for the normal transmission mode of.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the more energy-efficient modulation method is an ASK (Amplitude Modulation) method.

34. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises immediately following a startup time of the power storage medium with the power-reduced transmission mode and immediately following the power-reduced transmission mode with the normal transmission mode follows immediately.

35. A wheel electronics system for a tire checking system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a battery-free power supply having at least one rechargeable power storage medium for power supply to the wheel electronics system and a charging device for charging said at least one rechargeable power storage medium; and

a transmitting device connected to said power supply for transmitting transmission signals containing information on tire-specific parameters, said transmitting device being configured to transmit the transmission signals in a power-reduced transmission mode and in a subsequent normal transmission mode.

36. The wheel electronics system according to claim 35, wherein said at least one rechargeable power storage medium is an accumulator or a capacitive power storage medium or a capacitor.

37. The wheel electronics system according to claim 35, wherein said at least one rechargeable power storage medium includes a first rechargeable power storage medium for the power-reduced transmission mode and at least one further rechargeable power storage medium for the normal transmission mode or at least one rechargeable power storage medium, being overall larger than said first power storage medium, as an alternative to said first power storage medium.

38. The wheel electronics system according to claim 35, which further comprises a control device for controlling the transmission mode and specifying when the wheel electronics system is operated in the power-reduced transmission mode and when it is operated in the normal transmission mode.

39. The wheel electronics system according to claim 38, wherein said control device is configured for variably adjusting a power storage capacity of said power storage medium for the power-reduced transmission mode and the normal transmission mode.

40. The wheel electronics system according to claim 38, which further comprises a modulation device to be controlled by said control device for providing at least one of a more energy-efficient modulation method for the power-reduced transmission mode or a higher data transmission rate than for the normal transmission mode.

41. The wheel electronics system according to claim 35, which further comprises a transponder having a charging device configured as a receiving antenna receiving electrical energy for charging said at least one rechargeable power storage medium from electromagnetic waves received by said receiving antenna.

42. The wheel electronics system according to claim 35, which further comprises a charging device configured as a mechanical energy convertor converting mechanical energy of a wheel assigned to the wheel electronics system into electrical energy for charging said at least one rechargeable power storage medium.

43. The wheel electronics system according to claim 42, wherein said mechanical energy convertor is at least one of a capacitive, inductive or piezo-ceramic convertor.

44. A tire checking system in or for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle-mounted base station having a central control and evaluation device;

at least one vehicle-mounted transmitting/receiving device connected to said base station; and

at least one wheel electronics system according to claim 35 for wirelessly communicating with one said vehicle-mounted transmitting/receiving device assigned to said at least one wheel electronics system.

45. The system according to claim 44, wherein the tire checking system is a tire pressure checking system for determining at least one of tire pressure or tire temperature.