Apparatus and method for remote sensing and receiving

• US 6,357,292 B1
• Filed: 03/13/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sentech Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sentech Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, Alan J., Schultz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): OEN, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/042,226
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 731/465, 731/468, 731/78.R, 340/445, 340/58, 340/825, 364/558
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0423 Photo-electric, infrared or visible light means
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/086 for remote indication

Abstract

A sensing and displaying system is provided including a sensor unit having a transducer disposed in intimate contact with a vessel. The transducer senses a characteristic within the vessel like pressure and outputs an electrical signal representative thereof. The sensor unit further includes a response signal generator which transmits a signal representative of the characteristic. A receiver unit receives the transmitted signal and converts it to visual indicia of the characteristic, for example, a number on a liquid crystal display. The system is capable of two-way communication between the sensor unit and the receiver unit. Both the sensor unit and receiver unit store transmitted data in internal memory.

Claims

1. A sensor and display system comprising:

a sensor unit, receptive to a command signal, that includes a transducer and a transmitter, where the transducer is coupled to a vessel and senses a parameter of the vessel, and where the transmitter is operatively coupled to the transducer and generates a response signal indicative of the parameter in response to the sensor receiving the command signal; and

a display unit in remote communication with the sensor unit and having a transmitter that transmits the command signal to the sensor;

an antenna for remotely receiving from the sensor unit the response signal indicative of the parameter;

a processor, operatively coupled to the transmitter and the antenna, that extracts from the response signal an indication of the parameter, and a display, operatively coupled to the processor, for displaying information relating to the parameter.