Addressable vehicle monitoring system and method

• US 6,700,480 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Moore, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US10/134,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20030201882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 340/445, 340/3.5, 340/3.55, 340/825.21, 340/502, 340/504, 340/505, 340/506, 340/3.7, 340/825.52, 340/825.57, 439/34, 439/502, 439/660, 701/36, 307/9.1, 307/10-- 1, 307/99, 307/153
• US Class Current: 340/445
• 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: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

Abstract

An addressable monitoring system and method for addressing sensors. In one embodiment, the invention provides an addressable monitoring system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of sensors each having at least one address input; a harness; and a controller. The harness includes a common bus coupled to each of the plurality of the sensors. Each sensor is operable to determine its own address according between the sensor and the harness. The controller sends a signal having address information and control or command information through the harness. The sensor having an address that corresponds to the address information in the signal sent by the controller responds. The system is applicable to a tire pressure monitoring system having multiple sensors, one sensor located on or in each tire. Each sensor may be paired with an addressable initiator located in the proximity of the tire.

Claims

1. An addressable monitoring system, the system comprising:

a harness having a common bus line;

a plurality of sensors, wherein each respective sensor having at least one address input, configured to be connected to the harness, and configured to determine its address based on a physical connection made between the harness and the respective sensor; and

a controller operable to be connected to the common bus line of the harness and operable to send a control signal through the common bus line to each of the plurality of sensors.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the harness further comprises a ground line and a power line.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors has at least two address inputs.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the harness includes at least one connector, the at least one connector having an address pin.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the address pin is connected to a ground connection.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the address pin is connected to an open connection.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors includes an initiator, the initiator having at least one address input.

8. A method of addressing a plurality of sensors, each sensor having an address input and a bus input, the method comprising:

providing a harness, the harness having at least two connectors, a common bus line, and at least one address line;

physically configuring each connector of the harness such that the at least one address line is assigned a value;

connecting one sensor to each connector such that the address input is coupled to the at least one address line and the bus input is coupled to the common bus line; and

determining an address for each sensor based on the value of the at least one address line.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises connecting the harness to a controller.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the harness further comprises a ground line and a power line, and the method further comprises coupling the ground line and the power line to each sensor.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the harness includes at least one address line, and the method further comprises coupling the at least one address line to each sensor.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of sensors includes an initiator and the method further comprises coupling each initiator with a remote module.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein coupling each initiator with a remote module includes coupling the initiator with the remote module using a low frequency signal.

14. An addressable tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of initiators, each initiator having at least one address input;

a plurality of tire pressure sensors, each of the plurality of tire pressure sensors operable to be in wireless communication with each of the plurality of initiators;

a harness having a common bus line and at least one address line and a plurality of connectors, each initiator operable to assign itself an address based upon a connection between the initiator and one of the plurality of connectors; and

a controller operable to send a signal on the common bus line, the signal having a command information and an address information.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the harness includes a power line and a ground line.

16. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of initiator has at least two address inputs.

17. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of connectors of the harness includes a first address pin and a second address pin, the first address pin connected to a ground connection and the second address pin connected to an open connection.

18. A system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of remote modules, one remote module coupled to one initiator.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of initiators is operable in a low frequency range.

20. A system as claimed in claim 14, further comprises a display operable to be coupled to the controller, the display operable to present a user interface to a user of the system.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the display is sized and configured to be located in a dashboard.

22. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of initiators includes:

a microcontroller;

a voltage regulator;

a clocking oscillator;

a transistor driver; and

an antenna.

23. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the sensors includes a transmitter, a receiver, a control unit, and an air pressure sensor, the transmitter operable to send a signal including information representing an air pressure value and an address to the controller.