Tire parameter sensing system having auto-location feature and associated method
First Claim
1. A tire parameter sensing system for a vehicle having a plurality of tires, the tire parameter sensing system comprising:
- a plurality of tire-based parameter sensing units, each tire-based unit having an associated tire and being configured to receive initiation signals and, in response thereto, to transmit response signals;
a vehicle-based unit for receiving response signals from the tire-based units and for transmitting the initiation signals to the tire-based units; and
a plurality of signal masking devices coupled to the vehicle-based unit, each of the signal masking devices having an associated tire location in which a tire-based unit is located, each signal masking device being actuatable for masking the initiation signals near its associated tire location, actuation of a masking device blocking receipt of the initiation signal by its associated tire-based unit,the vehicle-based unit controlling the signal masking devices so as to control the associated tire location from which a tire-based unit responds to the initiation signals.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tire parameter sensing system (12) for a vehicle (10) having a plurality of tires (16, 18, 20, 22) comprises a plurality of tire-based units (34, 36, 38, 40). Each tire-based unit (34, 36, 38, 40) being configured to receive initiation signals and, in response thereto, to transmit response signals (54, 56, 58, 60). A vehicle-based unit (42) receives the response signals (54, 56, 58, 60) and transmits the initiation signals (90). A plurality of signal masking devices (44, 46, 48, 50) is coupled to the vehicle-based unit (42). The signal masking devices (44, 46, 48, 50) have associated tire locations on the vehicle (10) and are actuatable for masking the initiation signals (90) near the associated tire locations. The vehicle-based unit (42) controls the signal masking devices (44, 46, 48, 50) so as to control the tire location from which a tire-based unit responds to the initiation signals (90).
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A tire parameter sensing system for a vehicle having a plurality of tires, the tire parameter sensing system comprising:
-
a plurality of tire-based parameter sensing units, each tire-based unit having an associated tire and being configured to receive initiation signals and, in response thereto, to transmit response signals; a vehicle-based unit for receiving response signals from the tire-based units and for transmitting the initiation signals to the tire-based units; and a plurality of signal masking devices coupled to the vehicle-based unit, each of the signal masking devices having an associated tire location in which a tire-based unit is located, each signal masking device being actuatable for masking the initiation signals near its associated tire location, actuation of a masking device blocking receipt of the initiation signal by its associated tire-based unit, the vehicle-based unit controlling the signal masking devices so as to control the associated tire location from which a tire-based unit responds to the initiation signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A tire parameter sensing system for a vehicle having a plurality of tires, the tire parameter sensing system comprising:
-
a plurality of tire-based units, each of the plurality of tire-based units having an associated tire and including a receiving portion for receiving an initiation signal, a sensing portion for sensing a parameter of the associated tire, and a transmitting portion for transmitting a parameter signal indicative of the sensed parameter, each of the tire-based units being responsive to a received initiation signal having a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding a predetermined value for transmitting the parameter signal; a vehicle-based unit including a transmitter for transmitting initiation signals to the tire-based units and a receiver for receiving parameter signals from the tire-based units; and a plurality of noise sources coupled to the vehicle-based unit and actuatable by the vehicle-based unit for transmitting noise, each of the noise sources having an associated tire-based unit and, when actuated, affecting the signal-to-noise ratio of any initiation signal within a predetermined area relative to the actuated noise source, the vehicle-based unit controlling initiation the tire-based units by controlling actuation of the noise sources. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for determining associated locations on a vehicle of tire-based units of a tire parameter sensing system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting an initiation signal from a vehicle-based unit; controlling actuation of a plurality of signal masking devices during transmission of the initiation signal so that only a tire-based unit located near a first signal masking device responds to the transmitted initiation signal; receiving a parameter signal from the tire based unit responding to the initiation signal; and associating the responding tire-based unit with a location on the vehicle of the first signal masking device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification