Tire condition monitoring apparatus
First Claim
1. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire of a vehicle, the tire condition monitoring apparatus comprising;
- a transmitter arranged in the tire;
a receiver for performing wireless communication with the transmitter;
a magnetic field generator arranged in the vehicle near the tire to generate a magnetic field; and
a magnetic field detector arranged in the transmitter to detect the magnetic field, wherein the transmitter determines rotation angle of the tire in accordance with the detection of the magnetic field detector to transmit data indicating the condition of the tire based on the rotation angle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire condition monitoring apparatus that improves data communication accuracy. Permanent magnets are fixed to the wheel well. A transmitter fixed to a tire includes a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure of the tire and an MI sensor for detecting magnetic fields generated by the permanent magnets. As the tire rotates, the positions of the permanent magnets relative to the MI sensor change. Thus, the intensity of the magnetic field acting on the MI sensor changes. The transmitter determines the rotation angle of the tire based on the detection of the MI sensor. When the rotation angle of the tire is in a range optimal for wireless communication, the transmitter transmits the air pressure data generated by the pressure sensor.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire of a vehicle, the tire condition monitoring apparatus comprising;
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a transmitter arranged in the tire; a receiver for performing wireless communication with the transmitter; a magnetic field generator arranged in the vehicle near the tire to generate a magnetic field; and a magnetic field detector arranged in the transmitter to detect the magnetic field, wherein the transmitter determines rotation angle of the tire in accordance with the detection of the magnetic field detector to transmit data indicating the condition of the tire based on the rotation angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires, each accommodated in one of a plurality of wheel wells of a vehicle, the tire condition monitoring apparatus comprising;
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a transmitter arranged in each tire to generate a wireless radio wave; a receiver arranged in the vehicle to perform wireless communication with each transmitter, the receiver including a receiving antenna for receiving the wireless radio wave of each transmitter, and the wireless radio wave causing an induction voltage to be generated in the receiving antenna; a plurality of permanent magnets fixed at a plurality of positions in each wheel well; and a magnetic field detector arranged in each transmitter for detecting a magnetic field that acts on the transmitter; wherein each transmitter detects the rotation angle of the associated tire in accordance with the detection of the associated magnetic field detector, and each transmitter transmits data indicating the condition of the tire when the rotation angle of the tire is in a predetermined range that is not in a range in which the induction voltage becomes less than a minimum detectable voltage of the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for monitoring a tire condition in a vehicle including a tire mounted in a wheel well, the method comprising:
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arranging a transmitter in the tire to generate a wireless radio wave; arranging a receiver in a vehicle for performing wireless communication with the transmitter, with the receiver including a receiving antenna for receiving the wireless radio wave of the transmitter by the wireless radio wave causing an induction voltage to be generated in the receiving antenna; fixing a plurality of permanent magnets at a plurality of positions in the wheel well; arranging a magnetic field detector in the transmitter for detecting a magnetic field that acts on the transmitter; determining the rotation angle of the tire at which the induction voltage becomes less than a minimum detectable voltage of the receiver; detecting the rotation angle of the tire in accordance with the detection of the magnetic field detector; transmitting data indicating the condition of the tire when the rotation angle of the tire is in a predetermined range that excludes the determined rotation angle; and receiving the data and displaying the condition of the tire in accordance with the received data.
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17. An apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire mounted in a wheel well of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of permanent magnets fixed to the wheel well; a transmitter fixed to the tire and including a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure of the tire, a magnetic impedance sensor for detecting electric fields generated by the plurality of permanent magnets, and a transmitter controller for determining rotation angle of the tire based on the detection of the magnetic impedance sensor and for transmitting air pressure data generated by the pressure sensor when the rotation angle of the tire is in a range optimal for wireless communication; and a receiver arranged in the vehicle to receive the air pressure data.
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Specification