Method and system for resetting tire pressure monitoring system for an automotive vehicle

• US 6,750,762 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: McQuade, Thomas Michael, Blatchford, James Edwin, Porter, Frederick James
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/064,693
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/446, 340/447, 340/448, 731/462, 731/463
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) includes a warning status memory (26) having warning statuses therein and a plurality of tires (14a, b, c and d) in respective rolling locations, each of said plurality of tires having a transmitter (90). When one of the tires has been filled with air, the controller (22) receives a pressure signal from one of the tire transmitters generated in response to a predetermined increase in pressure. The controller (22) clears the warning statuses from the warning status memory (26) when the pressure signal is in a normal range and, thereafter monitors the tires in the rolling locations and generates warning statuses therefor.

Claims

1. A method for operating a tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

generating a warning status signal in response to a low tire pressure,

generating a pressure reading in response to the tire pressure increasing a predetermined amount;

thereafter, resetting the warning status signal when the pressure reading is in a normal operating range.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the predetermined amount comprises about 1.5 psi.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising changing an indicator in response to resetting the warning status.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising changing the display in response to resetting the warning status.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein resetting the low warning status comprises clearing a memory.

6. A tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:

a warning status memory having warning statuses therein;

a plurality of tires in respective rolling locations, each of said plurality of tires has a transmitter; and

a controller coupled to the transmitters in the plurality of tires, said controller receiving a pressure signal from one of the tire transmitters generated in response to a predetermined increase in pressure, said controller clearing said warning statuses from the warning status memory when the pressure signal is in a normal range and, thereafter monitoring the tires in the rolling locations and generating warning statuses therefor.

7. A tire pressure monitoring system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a display, wherein said controller changes the display in response to clearing the warning status.