Electronic circuit having identification device utilizing electrically conductive areas of a tire

• US 5,520,231 A
• Filed: 06/10/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
• Original Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
• Inventors: Myatt, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lorin, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US08/258,205
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 152/152.1, 152/450, 152/209 R, 340/442, 340/445, 340/825.54, 340/425.5, 73/146, 73/146.5
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0467 Electric contact means, e.g. slip-rings, rollers, brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10819 Characterized by the structure of the bead portion of the tire

Abstract

Rubber areas of a tire having electrical conductivity are used to transmitignals to an integrated circuit embedded within the thickness of the tire without relying on an inductive or capacitive coupling. An identification device conducts an electric signal to the integrated circuit through a first electrically conductive area of rubber such as a bead cover and/or the tire tread, and a responsive signal is returned to the identification device through a second electrically conductive area.

Claims

1. An identification device for a tire having an area of electrically conductive rubber and further having an integrated circuit embedded in the tire such that an electric pole of the integrated circuit is connected to the area of electrically conductive rubber, comprising:

means for sending an electric signal to the integrated circuit in the tire;

means for receiving an electric signal generated by the integrated circuit in the tire as a function of a characteristic of the integrated circuit; and

at least one electrode, electrically connected to one of said means for sending and said means for receiving, and directly electrically contactable with the area of electrically conductive rubber for electrically communicating the one of said means for sending and said means for receiving with said integrated circuit.

2. The identification device of claim 1 wherein said electrode comprises a tapered point.

3. An identification device for a tire having at least two areas of electrically conductive rubber, said at least two areas of electrically conductive rubber being electrically insulated from one another, and further having an integrated circuit embedded in the tire such that an electric pole of the integrated circuit is connected to each of said at least two areas of electrically conductive rubber, comprising:

means for sending an electric signal to the integrated circuit in the tire;

a first electrode electrically connected to said means for sending, and directly electrically contactable with one of the areas of electrically conductive rubber for electrically communicating the means for sending with said integrated circuit;

means for receiving an electric signal generated by the integrated circuit in the tire as a function of a characteristic of the integrated circuit; and

a second electrode electrically connected to said means for receiving, and directly electrically contactable with another of the areas of electrically conductive rubber for electrically communicating the means for receiving with said integrated circuit.

4. The identification device of claim 3 wherein said electrodes each comprise a tapered point.