Method for assigning tire pressure measurement devices in a motor vehicle to wheel positions and device for measuring the tire pressure

• US 7,023,334 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Martin, Fonzes, Georges
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/238,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/444, 340/445, 340/447, 340/443, 731/464, 731/465, 731/463, 731/468, 731/462, 731/46, 702/138, 116/34.R
• US Class Current: 340/444
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right

Abstract

When a vehicle travels a bend, tire pressure measurement devices (2) are assigned to wheel positions. For this purpose, it is determined by means of ABS (4) whether it is a left-hand or right-hand bend. Wheel revolution counts are then measured in each tire and sent along with identification codes to a central analysis unit (3). There the wheel revolution counts are collated with the bend data determined by the ABS. The two higher wheel revolution counts are then assigned to the side of the vehicle on the outside of the bend and the two lower wheel revolution counts are assigned to the other side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for assigning tire pressure measurement devices in a motor vehicle to wheel positions, said method comprising:

recording, when the motor vehicle is traveling, wheel parameters and assigned wheel positions via an existing driver support system located in the motor vehicle, said wheel parameters and assigned wheel position used in the driver support system as turn data to determine whether a left-hand or right-hand bend is traveled and which turn is then being traveled, said turn data from the existing driver support system transmitted to an analysis unit,

activating, when a turn is identified, an assignment mode for tire pressure measurement devices located in each tire,

measuring via a sensor in each tire a physical variable proportional to the speed of the relevant wheel, wirelessly transmitting the value of the physical variable with identification code data of the relevant tire pressure measurement devices to the analysis unit

comparing in the analysis unit, the turn data from said existing driver support system and the physical variable values measured by the sensors in the tire or data calculated from the physical variable values, and

assigning identification codes and the tire pressure measurement devices to particular wheel positions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein centrifugal acceleration is measured in the tires as a physical variable and wheel revolution counts are calculated from the centrifugal acceleration values, which are then compared with the turn data from the driver support system.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein assignment of the tire pressure measurement devices to wheel positions takes place automatically at least once after starting the motor vehicle, as soon as a turn with a turn radius below a target value is identified.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tire pressure measurement devices are assigned to wheel positions on the front axle and rear axle on the basis of pressure measurement by the tire pressure measurement devices and analysis of the measured values over time.

5. An arrangement for measuring the tire pressure of a plurality of wheels of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor arrangement within each wheel coupled with a data transceiver unit, said sensor arrangement comprising a pressure sensor and a sensor for measuring a physical variable proportional to wheel speed, said data transceiver unit transmits physical variable and corresponding pressure data;

a driver support system for receiving and evaluating a plurality of travel/vehicle information;

an evaluation unit coupled with a data transceiver for transmitting and receiving data from said sensor arrangement coupled with said data transceiver unit, wherein said driver support system provides turn data to determine whether a left-hand or right-hand turn is traveled to said evaluation unit;

wherein said evaluation unit assigns, from the transmitted physical variable data and the turn data from the existing driver support system, tire pressure values to respective wheels of the motor vehicle.

6. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the sensor for measuring the physical variable is a kinematic sensor.

7. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a microcontroller coupled with said sensors and said transceiver.

8. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the driver support system is a antilock system.

9. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the driver support system is a drive slip control system.

10. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the driver support system is an electronic stability program system.

11. An arrangement as in claim 5, wherein the driver support system is a traction control system.