METHOD OF PREPARING A UNIVERSAL TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SENSOR

• US 20120117788A1
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Deniau, Jean-Christophe, Farrell, Brian J., Costello, John R., Desai, Tejas B., Bigot, Franck
• Granted Patent: US 8,742,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/592
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A method of programming a tire pressure monitoring device includes the step of forming a physical interface between a tire pressure monitoring device and a programming device. The programming device includes a first memory including a plurality of selectable programs that provide instructions defining a communication protocol for communication between a tire pressure monitoring device and a receiver. The method further includes the step of selecting through a user interface of the programming device a desired one of the plurality of selectable programs and loading the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device disposed within the tire pressure monitoring device.

Claims

1. A method of programming a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

affixing a tire pressure monitoring device relative to a programming device to establish a wireless connection therebetween, the programming device including a first memory including a plurality of selectable programs that provide instructions defining a communication protocol for communication between a tire pressure monitoring device and a receiver;

selecting through a user interface of the programming device a desired one of the plurality of selectable programs; and

loading the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device disposed within the tire pressure monitoring device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, including supporting the tire pressure monitoring device on the programming device, wherein the programming device includes a physical interface having a mount for holding the tire pressure monitoring device on the programming device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical interface includes a physical electric connection between the tire pressure monitoring device and the programming device, and the selected program is loaded from the first memory device to the second memory device over the physical electrical connection.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the mount substantially limits movement of the tire pressure monitoring device with respect to the programming device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the mount includes an opening defining a shape that corresponds to an outer shape of the tire pressure monitoring device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the mount orientates the tire pressure monitoring device widthwise and generally parallel with respect to the user interface.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, including the step of deactivating a currently selected one of the plurality of selectable programs and providing for selection of a different one of the plurality of selectable programs.

8. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein loading of the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device comprises flash programming the tire pressure monitoring device physically supported on the programming device.

9. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the programming device wirelessly programs the tire pressure monitoring device.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the programming device communicates with the tire pressure monitoring device through a low frequency transmission.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of actuating the user interface of the programming device to communicate a desired communication protocol to the tire pressure monitoring device.

12. The programming system as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of individually operable buttons representing a different one of the plurality of selectable programs.

13. The programming system as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming device includes a display and the user interface comprises a plurality of buttons operable to select items viewable on the display including one of the plurality of selectable programs.

14. The programming system as recited in claim 2, wherein the physical interface and user interface are combined into a single integrated unit.

15. A method of installing a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

affixing a tire pressure monitoring device with respect to a programming device to establish a communication link between the tire pressure monitoring device and the programming device, wherein the tire pressure monitoring device includes a programmable memory and a transmitter/receiver capable of communicating wirelessly with a receiver of a vehicle based upon instruction stored in the programmable memory;

transferring a program from a memory device in the programming device to the programmable memory of the tire pressure monitoring device through the established communication link, wherein the program comprise one of a plurality of selectable programs defining a communication protocol executable by the tire pressure monitoring device for communicating with a receiver of a vehicle; and

installing the tire pressure monitoring device on at least one wheel of the vehicle including the receiver.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, including mounting the tire pressure monitoring device onto the programming device, wherein the programming device defines a mount location for receiving and holding the tire pressure monitoring device during transfer of the program.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the mount substantially limits movement of the tire pressure monitoring device with respect to the programming device.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the mount includes an opening defining a shape that corresponds to an outer shape of the tire pressure monitoring device.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the mount orientates the tire pressure monitoring device widthwise and generally parallel with respect to a user interface of the programming device.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein mounting of the tire pressure monitoring device further includes establishing a physical electrical connection between the tire pressure monitoring device and the programming device.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein establishing the communication link comprises establishing a wireless link between the programming device and the tire pressure monitoring device.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, including actuation of portions of a user interface of the programming device for selecting one of a plurality of programs stored in the memory device of the programming device.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the user interface comprises a display and manually operable features actuateable for initiating communication of one of the plurality of programs stored in the memory device of the programming device to the programmable memory of the tire pressure monitoring device.

24. A method of programming a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

forming a physical interface between a tire pressure monitoring device and a programming device, the programming device including a first memory including a plurality of selectable programs that provide instructions defining a communication protocol for communication between a tire pressure monitoring device and a receiver;

removing an existing program from a second memory device of the tire pressure monitoring device;

selecting through a user interface of the programming device a desired one of the plurality of selectable programs; and

loading the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to the second memory device disposed within the tire pressure monitoring device.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, including supporting the tire pressure monitoring device on the programming device, wherein the physical interface includes a mount for holding the tire pressure monitoring device on the programming device.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the physical interface includes a physical electric connection between the tire pressure monitoring device and the programming device, and the selected program is loaded from the first memory device to the second memory device over the physical electrical connection.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, including the step of deactivating a currently selected one of the plurality of selectable programs and providing for selection of a different one of the plurality of selectable programs.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein loading of the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device comprises flash programming the tire pressure monitoring device physically supported on the programming device.

29. A method of programming a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

forming a communication link between at least two tire pressure monitoring devices and a programming device, the programming device including a first memory including a plurality of selectable programs that provide instructions defining a communication protocol for communication between a tire pressure monitoring device and a receiver;

selecting through a user interface of the programming device a desired one of the plurality of selectable programs; and

loading the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device disposed within each of the at least two tire pressure monitoring device.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, including supporting the at least two tire pressure monitoring devices within a physical interface of the programming device, wherein the physical interface includes a mount for holding each of the tire pressure monitoring devices on the programming device.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the physical interface includes a physical electric connection between the at least two tire pressure monitoring devices and the programming device, and the selected program is loaded from the first memory device to the corresponding second memory device over the physical electrical connection.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein loading of the selected one of the plurality of selectable programs from the first memory device of the programming device to a second memory device comprises flash programming the tire pressure monitoring device physically supported on the programming device.

33. A method of installing a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

installing the tire pressure monitoring device on at least one wheel of the vehicle including the receiver;

establishing a communication link between a tire pressure monitoring device and a programming device with the tire pressure monitoring device mounted within the at least one wheel, where the tire pressure monitoring device includes a programmable memory and a transmitter/receiver capable of communicating wirelessly with a receiver of a vehicle based upon instruction stored in the programmable memory; and

transferring a program from a memory device in the programming device to the programmable memory of the tire pressure monitoring device through the established communication link, wherein the program comprise one of a plurality of selectable programs defining a communication protocol executable by the tire pressure monitoring device for communicating with a receiver of a vehicle.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein establishing the communication link comprises establishing a wireless link between the programming device and the tire pressure monitoring device.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, including actuation of portions of a user interface of the programming device for selecting one of a plurality of programs stored in the memory device of the programming device.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the user interface comprises a display and manually operable features actuateable for initiating communication of one of the plurality of programs stored in the memory device of the programming device to the programmable memory of the tire pressure monitoring device.