Tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device and method thereof

• US 6,323,765 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Horie, Hiroto, Nakajima, Mikao, Kobayashi, Yasushi, Yanase, Minao, Komazawa, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/129,403
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/448, 340/447, 703/98, 703/96, 703/140, 73/146.2, 73/146.4, 73/146.5, 73/146.8, 73/715, 73/744, 702/105, 702/98
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, characterized in that the device prohibits start of initializing operations for updating stored values for physical amounts related to tires or wheels in the case where air-pressures of the tires are judged to be normal, if air-pressure abnormality of a tire is being alarmed. Initialization is accepted only after the internal pressure has become normal, whereby erroneous initialization with any tire being in a decompressed condition can be prevented. Thus, normal operations for detecting decompression of a tire can be maintained.

Claims

1. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing a driver of a decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

means for prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating stored air-pressure reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if air-pressure abnormality of a tire is being alarmed.

2. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing a driver of a decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

means for prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating stored air-pressure reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if the vehicle is determined to be in a running condition.

3. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing a driver of a decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

means for prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating stored air-pressure reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if an inspection mode is being assumed.

4. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing a driver of a decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

means for prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating stored air-pressure reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if a system is in an abnormal condition or in a terminated condition.

5. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming method comprising:

detecting rotational angular speeds of tires or wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle;

storing coefficients related to the tires or wheels obtained from the rotational angular speeds;

determining whether air-pressure has decreased or not from a relationship between a reference value and a determined value for decompression obtained from rotational angular speeds corrected by using the coefficients; and

prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating the stored reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if air-pressure abnormality of a tire is being alarmed.

6. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming method comprising:

detecting rotational angular speeds of tires or wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle;

storing coefficients related to the tires or wheels obtained from the rotational angular speeds;

determining whether air-pressure has decreased or not from a relationship between a reference value and a determined value for decompression obtained from rotational angular speeds corrected by using the coefficients; and

prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating the stored reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if the vehicle is determined to be in a running condition.

7. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming method comprising:

detecting rotational angular speeds of tires or wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle;

storing coefficients related to the tires or wheels obtained from the rotational angular speeds;

determining whether air-pressure has decreased or not from a relationship between a reference value and a determined value for decompression obtained from rotational angular speeds corrected by using the coefficients; and

prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating the stored reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if an inspection mode is being assumed.

8. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming method comprising:

detecting rotational angular speeds of tires or wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle;

storing coefficients related to the tires or wheels obtained from the rotational angular speeds;

determining whether air-pressure has decreased or not from a relationship between a reference value and a determined value for decompression obtained from rotational angular speeds corrected by using the coefficients; and

prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating the stored reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if a system is in an abnormal condition or in a terminated condition.

9. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming device for informing a driver of a decrease in air-pressure of tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising:

means for prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating stored air-pressure reference values for tires having a normal air pressure if one of the following is occurring;

(a) if air-pressure abnormality of a tire is being alarmed;

(b) if the vehicle is determined to be in a running condition;

(c) if an inspection mode is being assumed; and

(d) if a system is in an abnormal condition or in a terminated condition.

10. A tire air-pressure abnormality alarming method comprising:

detecting rotational angular speeds of tires or wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle;

storing coefficients related to the tires or wheels obtained from the rotational angular speeds;

determining whether air-pressure has decreased or not from a relationship between a reference value and a determined value for decompression obtained from rotational angular speeds corrected by using the coefficients; and

prohibiting start of initializing operations for updating the stored reference values for tires having a normal air-pressure, if one of the following is occurring;

(a) if air-pressure abnormality of a tire is being alarmed;

(b) if the vehicle is determined to be in a running condition;

(c) if an inspection mode is being assumed; and

(d) if a system is in an abnormal condition or in a terminated condition.