Tire pressure monitoring device

• US 6,112,585 A
• Filed: 09/05/1996
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpha-Beta Electronics AG
• Original Assignee: Alpha-Beta Electronics AG
• Inventors: Schmidiger, Willi, Schrottle, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DOMBROSKE, GEORGE M
• Application Number:
  US08/708,579
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 73/8, 73/146, 73/146.2, 73/146.3, 73/146.4, 73/146.5
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring device for a vehicle having several wheels comprises a central receiving and evaluation device at the vehicle. Each a receiving antenna (A, B, C, . . . N) is arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent to at least each active wheel and thus attributed to said specific wheel. All said receiving antennas (A, B, C, . . . N) being connected via each a distinctive connecting line (a, b, c, . . . n) with a single receiver means. Said receiver means comprises a multiplexer-circuit connecting per time interval only one single selected receiving antenna or several selected receiving antennas with said receiving means. Further, said receiver means sensing a field strength of each specific radiogram and thus selecting said specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of a received radiogram during said specific time interval. Thus, central evaluation means may attribute a specific radiogram to said specific wheel being arranged adjacent to said receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of a received radiogram during said specific time interval.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring device for a vehicle having several wheels, wherein each wheel is provided with a pneumatic tire, comprising:

a signal generating device at each wheel sensing the air pressure within the pneumatic tire and providing corresponding electric pressure signals;

a receiving antenna per wheel arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent to the wheel, and being connected via a distinctive connecting line with a single receiver;

a switch being inserted into each connecting line;

a transmitter at each wheel generating a radiogram comprising at least a synchronizing signal and control signals corresponding at least to the electric pressure signals for telemetric transmission of said radiogram to said receiving antennas;

said single receiver;

sensing a field strength of the synchronizing signal of each specific radiogram,

selecting said specific receiving antenna having the highest field strength of a received radiogram during a specific time interval, and

attributing the specific radiogram to said specific wheel being arranged adjacent to said receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of the received radiogram during said specific time interval;

a central evaluation means coupled with said single receiver for obtaining the radiograms and evaluating the control signals thereof in order to provide a vehicle driver with information regarding the condition of different tires; and

a multiplexer circuit communicating with said single receiver and actuating said switch according to a time-controlled multiplex method,

wherein

said multiplexer circuit

transfers a number of switches into the ON state before a radiogram has been received;

continuously transfers one switch after the other into the OFF state after the arrival of a radiogram and during the evaluation of its synchronizing signal until the receiving antenna comprising the strongest RF signal has been determined; and

then transfers a number of switches into the ON state during the subsequent reception of the control signal of this same radiogram in order to provide a multi-path reception of this control signal by the receiving antennas at the single receiver.

2. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein

the radiogram is an RF signal modulated with a digital signal comprising at least said synchronizing signal and at least said control signals;

and

the receiving antennas and the single receiver being designed for the reception of said RF signal; and

the evaluation means being designed for the evaluation of said digital signal.

3. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the synchronizing signal comprises about 8 to 16 bits.

4. Multi-path receiver according to claim 2, wherein said digital signal also includes an identification code.

5. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein each switch comprises a diode.

6. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein each switch comprises a transistor.

7. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein

each connecting line is connected to a common summing junction behind each switch, the field strengths formed at the summing junction being submitted to the single receiver;

and

the field strength present at the receiver being converted into a digital field strength signal by an analog-digital converter.

8. Tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 7, wherein

the receiver includes the multiplexer circuit and the summing junction and further comprises a microprocessor tangibly embodying a program of instructions executed by the microprocessor to perform the following functions in order to select said specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of a received radiogram:

scanning each antenna one after the other by means of the multiplexer circuit in a time-controlled multiplex method with respect to the field strength present at a specific receiving antenna;

if a field strength worth to be received is registered at a specific receiving antenna, this specific receiving antenna being selected;

in synchronization with each data bit, another antenna of the residual receiving antennas being connected with the receiver;

at the summing junction a simultaneously fed RF power of two receiving antennas being added;

determining by a comparison of the field strengths which receiving antenna comprises the highest field strength;

with respect to the next bit period the stronger receiving antenna remains in the turning ON state as the selected receiving antenna; and

repeating these steps for other receiving antennas in order to finally select the specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength.

9. Multi-path receiver according to claim 1, wherein the signal generating device also senses the tire temperature and the control signals include electric signals corresponding to the tire temperature.

39. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer circuit is attributed to said single receiver.

10. A tire pressure monitoring device for a vehicle having several wheels wherein each wheel is provided with a pneumatic tire, comprising:

a signal generating device at each wheel sensing the air pressure within the pneumatic tire and providing corresponding electric pressure signals;

a receiving antenna per wheel arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent to the wheel, and each being connected via a distinctive connecting line with a single receiver;

a switch being inserted into each connecting line;

a transmitter at each wheel generating a radiogram comprising at least a synchronizing signal and control signals corresponding at least to the electric pressure signals for telemetric transmission of said radiogram to said receiving antennas;

said single receiver;

sensing a field strength of the synchronizing signal of each radiogram,

selecting a specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of a received radiogram during a specific time interval, and

attributing a specific radiogram to said wheel being arranged adjacent to said specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of the received radiogram during said specific time interval;

a central evaluation means coupled with said single receiver for obtaining the radiograms and evaluating the control signals thereof in order to provide a vehicle driver with information regarding the condition of the tires; and

a multiplexer circuit integrated within said single receiver and actuating said switch according to a time-controlled multiplex method,

wherein

said multiplexer circuit

transfers one after the other only one single switch into the ON state during the reception of a synchronizing signal of the radiogram until the receiving antenna comprising the strongest RF signal has been determined; and

transfers several switch means into the ON state during reception of the control signal of this radiogram in order to provide a multi-path reception of the control signal by the receiving antennas, at the single receiver.

11. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein

the radiogram is an RF signal modulated with a digital signal comprising at least said synchronizing signal and at least said control signals;

the receiving antennas and the single receiver being designed for the reception of said RF signals; and

the evaluation means being designed for evaluation of said digital signals.

12. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 11, wherein the synchronizing signal comprises about 8 to 16 bits.

13. Multi-path receiver according to claim 11, wherein said digital signal also includes an identification code.

14. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein each switch comprises a diode.

15. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein each switch comprises a transistor.

16. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein

each connecting line is connected to a common summing junction behind each switch, the field strengths formed at the summing junction being submitted to the single receiver;

and

the field strength present at the receiver being converted into a digital field strength signal by an analog-digital converter.

17. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 16, wherein

the receiver includes the multiplexer circuit and the summing junction and further comprises a microprocessor tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the microprocessor to perform the following functions in order to select said specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength of the received radiogram:

scanning each receiving antenna one after the other by the multiplexer circuit in a time-controlled multiplex method with respect to the field strength present at each receiving antenna;

if a field strength worth to be received is registered at a specific receiving antenna, this receiving antenna being selected;

in synchronization with each data bit, another antenna of the residual receiving antennas being connected with the receiver means;

at the summing junction a simultaneously fed RF power of two receiving antennas being added;

determining by a comparison of the field strengths which receiving antenna comprises the highest field strength;

with respect to the next bit period the stronger receiving antenna remains in the turning ON state as the selected receiving antenna;

repeating these steps for the other receiving antennas in order to finally select the specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength.

18. Multi-path receiver according to claim 10, wherein the signal generating device also senses the tire temperature and the control signals include electric signals corresponding to the tire temperature.

19. Multi-path receiver according to claim 10, wherein the multiplexer transfers only two switches into the ON state during reception of the synchronizing signal.

40. The tire pressure monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein said multiplexer circuit is attributed to said single receiver.

20. A multi-path receiver for use with a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

a number of receiving antennas for receiving telemetrically transmitted radiograms comprising at least a synchronizing signal and at least control signals related to the tire pressure wherein each receiving antennas is arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent to at least each active wheel;

all said receiving antennas being connected via a distinctive connecting line with a single receiver;

a switch being inserted into each connecting line;

a multiplexer circuit integrated within said single receiver and actuating said switch according to a time-controlled multiplex method,

wherein said multiplexer circuit

transfers a number of switches into the ON state before the radiogram has been received;

continuously transfers one switch after the other into the OFF state after the arrival of the radiogram and during the evaluation of its synchronizing signal until the receiving antennas comprising the strongest RF signal has been determined; and

transfers a number of switches into the ON state during the subsequent reception of the control signal of this radiogram in order to provide a multi-path reception of the control signal by the receiving antennas at a single receiver.

21. The multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein

the radiogram is an RF signal modulated with a digital signal comprising at least said synchronizing signal and at least said control signals;

and

said synchronizing signal comprises about 8 to 16 bits.

22. Multi-path receiver according to claim 21, wherein said digital signal also includes an identification code.

23. The multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein each switch comprises a diode.

24. The multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein each switch comprises a transistor.

25. The multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein

each connecting line is connected to a common summing junction behind each switch;

the field strengths formed at the summing junction being submitted to the single receiver; and

the field strength present at the single receiver being converted into a digital field strength signal by an analog-digital converter.

26. The multi-path receiver according to claim 25, wherein

said single receiver comprises the summing junction, the multiplexer circuit, and a microprocessor and performs the following functions:

scanning each antenna one after the other by means of the multiplexer circuit in a time-controlled multiplex method with respect to the field strength present at a specific receiving antenna;

if a field strength worth to be received is registered at the specific receiving antenna, this receiving antenna being selected;

in synchronization with each data bit, another antenna of the residual receiving antennas being connected with the receiver;

at the summing junction a simultaneously fed RF power of two receiving antennas being added;

determining by a comparison of the field strengths of the selected receiving antenna and the summed antennas which receiving antenna comprises the highest field strength;

with respect to the next bit period the stronger receiving antenna remains in the turning ON state as the selected receiving antenna;

repeating these steps for the other receiving antennas in order to finally select that specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength.

27. Multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein

the receiver comprises four receiving antennas;

and

each of these receiving antennas being attributed to an active wheel of a car.

28. Multi-path receiver according to claim 20, wherein the signal generating device also senses the tire temperature and the control signals include electric signals corresponding to the tire temperature.

29. A multi-path receiver for use with a tire pressure monitoring device comprising:

a number of receiving antennas for receiving telemetrically transmitted radiograms comprising at least a synchronizing signal and at least control signals related to the tire pressure wherein each receiving antenna is arranged stationarily at the vehicle structure adjacent an active wheel and thus attributed to said specific wheel;

all said receiving antennas being connected via each a distinctive connecting line with a single receiver;

a switch being inserted into each connecting line;

a multiplexer circuit integrated within said single receiver and actuating said switch according to a time-controlled multiplex method,

wherein the multiplexer circuit

transfers one after the other only one single switch into the ON state during reception of a synchronizing signal of the radiogram until the receiving antenna comprising the strongest RF signal has been determined; and

then transfers a number of switches into the ON state during the subsequent reception of the control signal of this same radiogram in order to provide a multi-path reception of this control signal by the receiving antennas at the single receiver.

30. The multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein

the radiogram is an RF signal modulated with a digital signal comprising at least said synchronizing signal and at least said control signals;

and

said synchronizing signal comprises about 8 to 16 bits.

31. Multi-path receiver according to claim 30, wherein said digital signal also includes an identification code.

32. The multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein each switch comprises a diode.

33. The multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein each switch comprises a transistor.

34. The multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein

each connecting line is connected to a common summing junction behind each switch;

the field strengths formed at the summing junction are submitted to the single receiver; and

the field strength present at the single receiver is converted into a digital field strength signal by an analog-digital converter.

35. The multi-path receiver according to claim 34, wherein

said single receiver comprises the summing junction, the multiplexer circuit, and a microprocessor and performs the following functions:

scanning each antenna one after the other by means of the multiplexer circuit in a time-controlled multiplex method with respect to the field strength present at a specific receiving antenna;

if a field strength worth to be received is registered at the specific receiving antenna, this receiving antenna being selected;

in synchronization with each data bit, another antenna of the residual receiving antennas being connected with the receiver;

at the summing junction a simultaneously fed RF power of two receiving antennas being added;

determining by a comparison of the field strengths at the selected receiving antenna and the summed antennas which receiving antenna comprises the highest field strength;

with respect to the next bit period the stronger receiving antenna remains in the turning ON state as the selected receiving antenna;

repeating these steps for the other receiving antennas in order to finally select that specific receiving antenna comprising the highest field strength.

36. The multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein

the receiver comprises four receiver antennas;

and

each of these receiving antennas is attributed to an active wheel of a car.

37. Multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein the control signal also relates to the temperature.

38. Multi-path receiver according to claim 29, wherein the multiplexer transfers only two switches into the ON state during reception of the synchronizing signal.