Tire pressure monitoring system with low frequency initiation approach

• US 6,829,924 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Turovsky, Art, Nantz, John S., Ghabra, Riad, King, Ronald O., Tang, Qingfeng, Walker, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US10/322,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46--468, 737/00--56
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/326 the resonator being an acoustic wave device, e.g. SAW or BAW device
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/46 Modulators with mechanically-driven or acoustically-driven parts

Abstract

For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, an initiator generator includes an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to a switched, regulated voltage. The output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency.

Claims

1. For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, an initiator generator comprising:

an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to a switched, regulated voltage, wherein the output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency, and the generator comprises a pre-driver/signal conditioning circuit configured to present the output signal to a driver circuit and to drive a differential FET current switch for powering a series RLC circuit for magnetic field generation.

2. The generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a switching circuit configured to generate a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal; and

a regulator configured to generate the switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage.

3. The generator of claim 1 wherein the oscillator/divider comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to the switched, regulated voltage and a signal having an oscillation frequency.

4. The generator of claim 3 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of the oscillation frequency.

5. The generator of claim 3 wherein the signal having the oscillation frequency is generated by a crystal oscillator.

6. The generator of claim 1 wherein the generator is configured to drive a single transistor, an FET, a high current device, or a high voltage device.

7. For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, a method of generating an initiator output signal, the method comprising:

generating the output signal at a fundamental frequency in response to a switched, regulated voltage;

gating the output signal at a gating frequency; and

presenting the output signal to a differential FET current switch for powering a series RLC circuit for magnetic field generation.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to an oscillation signal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of a frequency of the oscillation signal.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating the oscillation signal via a crystal oscillator.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal; and

generating the switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating the output signal via a pre-driver/signal conditioning circuit; and

presenting the output signal to a driver circuit.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising presenting the output signal to a single transistor, an FET, a high current device, or a high voltage device.

14. A reduced power consumption tire pressure monitoring system initiator generator comprising:

a switching circuit configured to generate a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal;

a regulator configured to generate a switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage;

an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to the switched, regulated voltage, wherein the output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency; and

a pre-driver/signal conditioning circuit configured to present the output signal to a driver circuit and to drive a differential FET current switch for powering a series RLC circuit for magnetic field generation.

15. The generator of claim 14 wherein the oscillator/divider comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to the switched, regulated voltage and a signal having an oscillation frequency.

16. The generator of claim 15 wherein the signal having the oscillation frequency is generated by a crystal oscillator.

17. The generator of claim 15 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of the oscillation frequency.