Tire pressure monitoring system with a signal initiator

• US 6,771,169 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• 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: Kaminski, David Paul, Ahluwalia, Ranjan Kumar, McQuade, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US10/064,692
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442-448, 340/693.1, 340/693.3, 340/693.4, 340/333, 340/425.2, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 340/10.41, 340/572.4, 340/870.07, 340/870.23, 340/870.39, 731/46, 73/456, 73/49, 701/80
• US Class Current: 340/442
• 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) has a plurality of tires (14a-d) in respective rolling locations having a respective plurality of tire transmitters (16a-d) that generate a respective plurality of transmitter identification signals. A respective plurality of initiators (20a-d) are fixedly attached to the vehicle at a respective plurality of locations. A controller (22) activates the plurality of initiators (20a-d) by generating a respective plurality of initiator signals from the plurality of initiators. The plurality of initiator signals has a first power level. The controller (22) increases the first power level incrementally to a final power level until the controller receives a sensor signal from each of the plurality of tire transmitters.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle having a plurality of initiators at a respective plurality of tire locations comprising:

activating a first initiator by generating a first initiator signal from a first initiator at a first of the plurality of tire locations, said first initiator signal having a first power level; and

increasing the first power level incrementally to a final power level until receiving a first sensor signal from a first sensor.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an error signal when a maximum power level is reached without receiving a first sensor signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the final power level in a memory.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein increasing the power comprises increasing the current to the initiator.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 repeating the steps of activating, and increasing for each of the plurality of tire locations.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to activating, generating a speed signal and activating when the speed signal is greater than a predetermined speed.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to activating, generating an ignition signal and activating when the ignition signal indicates a run status.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 after activating, initiating a timer, when the timer expires before receiving a first sensor signal, activating a fault indicator.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a count corresponding to the number of times activating is performed without receiving the first sensor signal, generating a fault when the count exceeds a predetermined count.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first tire comprises a spare tire in a spare tire location.

11. A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle having a plurality of tire locations comprising:

generating a speed signal corresponding to the vehicle speed;

when the vehicle speed is above a predetermined speed, activating a first initiator by generating a first initiator signal from a first initiator at a first of the plurality of tire locations, said first initiator signal having a first power level; and

increasing the first power level incrementally to a final power level until receiving a first sensor signal from a first sensor;

when a maximum power level is reached without receiving a first sensor signal, generating an error signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 after activating, initiating a timer in response to activating, when the timer expires before receiving the first sensor signal, activating a fault indicator.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein prior to activating, generating an ignition signal and activating when the ignition signal indicates a run status.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising generating a count corresponding to the number of times activating is performed without receiving the first sensor signal, generating a fault when the count exceeds a predetermined count.

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

a plurality of initiators fixedly attached to the vehicle at a respective plurality of locations;

a plurality of tires having a respective plurality of tire transmitters generating a respective plurality of transmitter identification signals; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of initiators, said controller activating the plurality of initiators by generating a respective plurality of initiator signals from the plurality of initiators, said plurality of initiator signals having a first power level; and

said controller increasing the first power level incrementally to a final power level until said controller receives a sensor signal from the plurality of tire transmitters.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a counter a count corresponding to a number of activations, wherein said controller performing the steps of activating and increasing when the counter is below a predetermined count.

17. A system as recited in claim 15 when the counter reaches a predetermined count said controller generating a fault signal.

18. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein said controller activates said plurality of initiators sequentially.

19. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal, said controller activating said plurality of initiators when the vehicle speed signal is greater than a predetermined speed.

20. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising an ignition sensor generating a run signal and an off signal, said controller activating said plurality of initiators when the ignition sensor generates a run signal.