Receiver of tire inflation pressure monitor

• US 6,304,172 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Katou, Michiya, Momose, Akira, Sawafuji, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/442,706
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/448, 340/443, 340/444, 340/446, 731/464, 731/465, 200/61.23, 200/61.25, 343/713, 343/728, 116/34.R
• US Class Current: 340/445
• 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 inflation pressure monitor includes wheel transmitters and a receiver. The wheel transmitters transmit tire inflation pressure data by radio waves, and the receiver receives the data from the transmitters. The receiver includes reception antennas for receiving radio waves from the transmitters and a receiver unit for processing the received data. The reception antennas include external reception antennas, which are separated from the receiver unit, and at least one internal reception antenna, which is located in the receiver unit. The number of the external reception antennas is less than that of the transmitters by one. As a result, the receiver is simplified without reducing its performance. Also, a loop antenna, which is used as a reception antenna to induce voltage by the magnetic field component of radio waves, improves the efficiency of the receiver.

Claims

1. A receiver located in a body of a vehicle for receiving tire inflation pressure data transmitted by radio waves from a plurality of transmitters, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of reception antennas for receiving the radio waves from the transmitters and a unit for processing the received data, the reception antennas comprising:

at least one external reception antenna, which is separated from the unit, wherein each external reception antenna corresponds to at least one of the transmitters; and

at least one internal reception antenna, which is located in the unit, wherein each internal reception antenna corresponds to the remaining transmitter or transmitters.

2. The receiver according to claim 1 further including a cable for connecting the external reception antenna to the unit.

3. The receiver according to claim 1 further including a display connected to the unit for displaying information concerning tire inflation pressure.

4. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the external reception antenna is a loop antenna that induces voltage based on a magnetic field component of radio waves.

5. The receiver according to claim 4, wherein the loop antenna is attached to the vehicle with an insulator.

6. The receiver according to claim 5, wherein the insulator forms a case for accommodating the loop antenna.

7. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the internal reception antenna is a loop antenna that induces voltage based on a magnetic field component of radio waves.

8. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of tires, wherein each of the transmitters is installed in one of the tires, wherein the total number of the external and internal reception antennas is the same as or less than that of the transmitters.

9. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle body includes a plurality of fenders respectively housing the tires, wherein the external reception antenna is located in or near one of the fenders, and the internal reception antenna is located near a corresponding one of the fenders.

10. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the number of the external reception antennas is smaller than the number of the transmitters by one, and there is one internal reception antenna.

11. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of tires, wherein each of the transmitters is installed in one of the tires, wherein the total number of external and internal reception antennas is the same as that of the transmitters.

12. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle body includes a plurality of fenders respectively housing the tires, wherein at least one external reception antenna is located in or near one of the fenders, and at least one internal reception antenna is located near a corresponding one of the fenders.

13. The receiver according to claim 12, wherein the number of external reception antennas is smaller than the number of the transmitters by one, and there is one internal reception antenna.

14. A receiver located in a body of a vehicle for receiving tire inflation pressure data transmitted by radio waves from a plurality of transmitters, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of reception antennas for receiving the radio waves from the transmitters and a unit for processing the received data, the reception antennas comprising:

at least one external reception antenna, which is separated from the unit; and

at least one internal reception antenna, which is located in the unit, wherein the number of the tires is four and the number of the transmitters is four, wherein each of the transmitters is installed in one of the tires, wherein the external reception antennas correspond respectively to three of the tires, and the internal reception antenna corresponds to the remaining tire.

15. A tire inflation pressure monitor including a plurality of transmitters located respectively in proximity to the tires of a vehicle for transmitting tire inflation pressure data by radio waves and including a receiver located in a vehicle body for receiving data from the transmitters, the receiver comprising:

a unit for processing the received data; and

a plurality of reception antennas for receiving radio waves from the transmitters, the reception antennas including;

a plurality of external reception antennas, which are separated from the unit, wherein the number of the external reception antennas is smaller than that of the transmitters, and wherein each of the external reception antennas corresponds to at least one of the transmitters; and

one internal reception antenna, which is located in the unit, wherein the internal reception antenna corresponds to the remaining transmitter or transmitters.

16. The monitor according to claim 15, wherein each external reception antenna is a loop antenna, which induces voltage based on a magnetic field component of radio waves.

17. The monitor according to claim 16, wherein each loop antenna is encased by an insulator when installed on the vehicle body.

18. The monitor according to claim 15, wherein the internal reception antenna is a loop antenna, which induces voltage based on a magnetic field component of the radio waves.

19. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of tires, wherein each of the transmitters is installed in one of the tires, wherein the total number of external and internal reception antennas is the same as that of the transmitters.

20. The receiver according to claim 19, wherein the vehicle body includes a plurality of fenders respectively housing the tires, wherein at least one external reception antenna is located in or near one of the fenders, and the internal reception antenna is located near a corresponding one of the fenders.