Tire pressure monitoring system
First Claim
1. A wireless monitoring system for indicating the occurrence of a predefined condition with a transducer to which wires and other physical connections cannot be easily made, the monitoring system comprising:
- transducer means mounted for sensing an occurrence of a predefined condition;
a surface acoustical wave (SAW) device mounted with the transducer means for receiving an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal that energizes the SAW device for transmitting a predetermined RF echo signal on an antenna in response to the interrogating signal; and
antenna disconnect means coupled between the transducer means and the SAW device for enabling transmitting of the echo signal when the transducer means senses the predefined condition and for disenabling transmitting of the echo signal when the transducer means does not sense the predefined condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless tire pressure monitoring system warns a driver of a vehicle of low pressure in one or more of its tires so that the driver may take corrective action before a tire blowout occurs. A pressure transducer, transmitter and antenna are integrally housed and mounted to the tire stem of a tire. When the pressure transducer senses a tire pressure below a preselected pressure, the transmitter broadcasts a radio frequency (RF) signal that, upon detection by a receiver mounted on the vehicle, warns the driver of abnormally low pressure. In a preferred embodiment, the transmitter is a SAW device that is periodically interrogated by an RF signal from a transmitter on the vehicle.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A wireless monitoring system for indicating the occurrence of a predefined condition with a transducer to which wires and other physical connections cannot be easily made, the monitoring system comprising:
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transducer means mounted for sensing an occurrence of a predefined condition; a surface acoustical wave (SAW) device mounted with the transducer means for receiving an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal that energizes the SAW device for transmitting a predetermined RF echo signal on an antenna in response to the interrogating signal; and antenna disconnect means coupled between the transducer means and the SAW device for enabling transmitting of the echo signal when the transducer means senses the predefined condition and for disenabling transmitting of the echo signal when the transducer means does not sense the predefined condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A tire pressure monitoring system that warns its driver of a tire having air pressure below a predetermined level, the monitoring system comprising:
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a pressure sensor for sensing a pneumatic pressure of a vehicles tire; a SAW device for receiving an interrogating radio frequency (RF) signal and broadcasting a responding RF signal indicative of a pressure sensed, the pressure sensor being coupled to the SAW device for receiving pressure information; an enclosure for integrally housing the pressure sensor and the SAW device, the housing including means for securing the housing onto a Shrader value of a tire stem and communicating pressure of air within the tire to the pressure sensor and an antenna; a signal monitoring device for mounting within a vehicle, the signal monitoring device including a transmitter for emitting the interrogating signal and a receiver for detecting a responding signal broadcast from the SAW device; and means for alerting the driver when the responding signal indicates the sensed pneumatic pressure of the tire is below the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification