Method and device for filtering information emitted by a pressure sensor mounted on a wheel of a vehicle

• US 7,209,855 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Fonzes, Georges, Fabre, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walling; Meagan S.
• Application Number:
  US11/216,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 702/138, 702/140, 702/130, 702/35, 731/46, 731/462, 340/438, 340/442, 340/443
• US Class Current: 702/138
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for filtering information emitted, on the basis of pressure measurements taken by a pressure sensor mounted on a wheel of a vehicle equipped with a tire, to a central unit mounted on the vehicle. According to this method, a value representative of the pressure of the air in the tire is measured periodically, with a period θ, and from this any possible variations ΔP in pressure between the values of the pressures successively measured are deduced; in parallel, with the same period θ, a value representative of the temperature of the air in the tire is measured. In addition, when there is a variation ΔP in pressure between two measured pressure values, that is greater in terms of absolute value than a predetermined threshold Sp, the variation ΔT between the two temperature values measured at the same instants as the measured pressures is calculated. The emission of a signal representative of a variation in pressure to the central unit is commanded only if the comparative change in the pressure and in the measured temperature might be representative of a variation of the amount of air in the tire.

Claims

1. A method for filtering information emitted, on the basis of pressure measurements taken by a pressure sensor arranged in a wheel unit mounted on a wheel of a vehicle equipped with a tire, to a central unit mounted on said vehicle, the method comprising that the wheel unit:

measures periodically, with a period θ

, a value representative of the pressure of the air in the tire, and from this deduces any variations Δ

P in pressure between the values of the pressures successively measured,

in parallel, with the same period θ

, measures a value representative of the temperature of the air in the tire,

and, when a variation Δ

P in pressure between two successively measured pressure values is greater, in terms of absolute value, than a predetermined threshold Sp, the wheel unit;

calculates the variation Δ

T between the two temperature values measured at the same instants as said measured pressures,

from this deduces a compensation coefficient Cp such that Cp=Δ

P/Δ

T, and

commands the wheel unit to emit a signal representative of a pressure variation to the central unit if;

a) Δ

T=0, or if

b) the compensation coefficient Cp is positive and higher than a determined threshold coefficient Cp1, or if

c) the compensation coefficient Cp is negative and does not lie between a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold,

wherein the negative pressure variation threshold Spn and the positive pressure variation threshold Spp are distinct in terms of absolute value.

2. The filtering method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the emission of a signal to the central unit is commanded only if the defined emission conditions, with thresholds that may be different, remain valid for a duration t greater than a predetermined time.

3. A method for filtering information emitted, on the basis of pressure measurements taken by a pressure sensor arranged in a wheel unit mounted on a wheel of a vehicle equipped with a tire, to a central unit mounted on said vehicle, the method comprising that the wheel unit:

measures periodically, with a period θ

, a value representative of the pressure of the air in the tire, and from this deduces any variations Δ

P in pressure between the values of the pressures successively measured,

in parallel, with the same period θ

, measures a value representative of the temperature of the air in the tire,

and, when a variation Δ

P in pressure between two successively measured pressure values is greater, in terms of absolute value, than a predetermined threshold Sp, the wheel unit;

calculates the variation Δ

T between the two temperature values measured at the same instants as said measured pressures,

from this deduces a compensation coefficient Cp such that Cp=Δ

P/Δ

T, and

commands the wheel unit to emit a signal representative of a pressure variation to the central unit if;

a) Δ

T=0, or if

b) the compensation coefficient Cp is positive and higher than a determined threshold coefficient Cp1, or if

c) the compensation coefficient Cp is negative and does not lie between a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold,

wherein the emission of a signal to the central unit is commanded only if the emission conditions with thresholds that may be different, remain valid for a duration t greater than a predetermined time.

4. The filtering method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the emission of a signal to the central unit is commanded only if the defined emission conditions, with thresholds that may be different, remain valid for a duration t greater than a predetermined time.