System and method of facilitating training of a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle

• US 7,084,751 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Klamer, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 340/514, 340/442, 340/445, 340/446, 340/447, 340/448, 340/426.33, 731/46, 116/34.A, 116/34.B, 116/34.R, 152/152.1, 152/116
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0472 to manually allocate ID codes or mounting positions, e.g. by service technicians

Abstract

A system for facilitating training of a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle by providing an indication to the exterior of the vehicle. The system includes a receiver circuit configured to detect a wireless message including a tire sensor identifier, a memory configured to receive and store a number of tire sensor identifiers, at least one external indicator on the vehicle configured to provide an indication to the exterior of the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to provide a control signal to the external indicator on the vehicle to indicate to a user to actuate a tire sensor transmitter.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating training of a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle by providing an indication to the exterior of the vehicle, comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to detect a wireless message including a tire sensor identifier;

a memory configured to receive and store a number of tire sensor identifiers;

at least one external indicator on the vehicle configured to provide an indication to the exterior of the vehicle; and

a control circuit configured to provide a control signal to the external indicator on the vehicle to indicate to a user to actuate a tire sensor transmitter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external indicator is a vehicle turn signal lamp.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external indicator is a vehicle horn.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is configured to receive the tire sensor identifier and wherein the control circuit is configured to store the received tire sensor identifier and to provide a second control signal to a second external indicator following successful storage of the received tire sensor identifier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to select a location on the vehicle of a tire sensor and to provide the control signal to an external indicator in proximity to the selected location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the external indicator is a vehicle turn signal lamp.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is further configured to store the selected location and the received tire sensor identifier in memory.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide a second control signal to a second external indicator following successflul storage of the selected location and received sensor identifier.

9. A method for indicating a tire to be trained using an external indicator on a vehicle, comprising:

indicating to a user to actuate a tire sensor transmitter for a tire to be trained using the external indicator on the vehicle;

receiving a wireless message including a tire sensor identifier from a transmitter associated with the tire to be trained; and

storing the tire sensor identifier from the tire to be trained.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein indicating a tire to be trained includes indicating a tire anywhere on the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein indicating a tire to be trained includes indicating a tire in a specific location on the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the external indicator is a vehicle turn signal lamp.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the external indicator is a vehicle horn.

14. The method of claim 9, further including indicating successful storage of the sensor identifier using the external indicator.

15. The method of claim 9, further including indicating successful storage of the sensor identifier using a second external indicator.

16. A system for facilitating training of a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle by providing an indication of a tire to be trained to the exterior of the vehicle, comprising:

means for providing an external indication on the vehicle to indicate to a user to actuate a tire sensor transmitter for the tire to be trained;

means for receiving a wireless message including a tire sensor identifier from a transmitter associated with the tire to be trained; and

means for storing the tire sensor identifier from the tire to be trained.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing an external indication is a vehicle turn signal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing an external indication is a vehicle horn.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing an external indication is configured to provide a second external indication following successful storage of the tire sensor identifier.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing an external indication is further configured to select a location on the vehicle of a tire to be trained and to provide the external indication in proximity to the selected location.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for providing an external indication is a vehicle turn signal lamp.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for storing the tire sensor identifier is further configured to store the selected location and the received tire sensor identifier in memory.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for providing an external indication is configured to provide a second external indication following successful storage of the selected location and the received tire sensor identifier.