Apparatus and method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure

• US 7,053,760 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Arita, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/419,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 340/444, 340/442, 340/438, 303/140, 303/146, 303/163, 303/173, 731/46, 731/462, 731/463, 731/465, 200/61.72, 200/61.25, 702/148, 701/70, 701/71, 180/148
• US Class Current: 340/444
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

An apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle. The apparatus comprises calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires, the calculating means being connected to one of on-vehicle LANs, via which the wheel speed information on each of the tires is transmitted. The calculates means captures the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of the on-vehicle LANs. The wheel speed information is converted into the digital data, which is then captured into the apparatus for alarming the decrease in tire air-pressure via the on-vehicle LAN, thus remarkably reducing the number of lines laid in the vehicle in comparison with the prior art.

Claims

1. An apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires, the calculating means being connected to one of on-vehicle LANs, via which the wheel speed information on each of the tires is transmitted, wherein the calculating means converts the wheel speed information into digital data and the calculating means captures the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of the on-vehicle LANs,

wherein at least a means for calculating wheel speed and the apparatus for alarming a decrease in the tire air-pressure are connected to said one of on-vehicle LANS, and said wheel speed information per wheel is 2 bytes of digital data per each wheel by using said means for calculating wheel speed, said digital data being transmitted to said apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure via said one of on-vehicle LANs, and said wheel speed information of four wheels is captured via one transmission.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an interval for capturing the data on the wheel speed information ranges from 10 ms to 100 ms.

4. The method of claim 5, wherein an interval for capturing the data on the wheel speed information ranges from 10 ms to 100 ms.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculating means comprises an I/O interface for transmitting or receiving a signal to or from the on-vehicle LANs, a CPU to perform calculations, a ROM for storing a control program for the CPU, and a RAM for temporarily writing data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculating means is connected to a display for displaying an alarm for decrease in tire air pressure.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display element, a plasma display element or a CRT.

3. A method for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising the steps of:

converting the wheel speed information into 2 bytes of digital data per wheel and transmitting said digital data; and

receiving said transmitted digital data and calculating the judged value based on said wheel speed information of each of the tires,

wherein said digital data of wheel speed information for four wheel are captured via one transmission.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating is performed using a calculating means which comprises an I/O interface for transmitting or receiving a signal to or from the on-vehicle LANs, a CPU to perform calculations, a ROM for storing a control program for the CPU, and a RAM for temporarily writing data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the calculating means is connected to a display for displaying an alarm for decrease in tire air pressure.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display element, a plasma display element or a CRT.

11. An apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising a calculator for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires, the calculator being connected to one of on-vehicle LANs, via which the wheel speed information on each of the tires is transmitted, wherein the calculator converts the wheel speed information into digital data and the calculator captures the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of the on-vehicle LANs.

12. An apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires, the calculating means being connected to one of on-vehicle LANs, via which the wheel speed information on each of the tires is transmitted, wherein the calculating means converts the wheel speed information into digital data and the calculating means captures the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of the on-vehicle LANs, wherein the wheel speed information per wheel is 2 bytes, and wheel speed information for four wheels is captured via one transmission.

13. An apparatus for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires, the calculating means being connected to one of on-vehicle LANs, via which the wheel speed information on each of the tires is transmitted, wherein the calculating means converts the wheel speed information into digital data and the calculating means captures the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of the on-vehicle LANs, wherein the wheel speed information is one expressed by a combination of the number of pulses output in proportion to rotation of a wheel and a time corresponding to the number of pulses, and the number of pulses and the corresponding time are received in 1 byte and 2 bytes respectively.

14. A method for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising the step of capturing the wheel speed information on each of the tires into calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of on-vehicle LANs, wherein the calculating means converts the wheel speed information into digital data, wherein the wheel speed information per wheel is 2 bytes, and wheel speed information for four wheels is captured via one transmission.

15. A method for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms the decrease in inner pressure of the tire by using a judged value calculated based on wheel speed information obtained from tires fitted to a four-wheeled vehicle, comprising the step of capturing the wheel speed information on each of the tires into calculating means for calculating the judged value based on the wheel speed information on each of the tires via one of on-vehicle LANs, wherein the calculating means converts the wheel speed information into digital data, wherein the wheel speed information is one expressed by a combination of the number of pulses output in proportion to rotation of a wheel and a time corresponding to the number of pulses, and the number of pulses and the corresponding time are received in 1 byte and 2 bytes respectively.