Tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system and tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver used for tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system

• US 7,256,687 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shibata, Etsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Anne V.
• Application Number:
  US11/076,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 340/445, 340/447, 731/46, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/447
• 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 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0437 Means for detecting electromagnetic field changes not being part of the signal transmission per se, e.g. strength, direction, propagation or masking

Abstract

A tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system contains tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers that receive radio signals transmitted from sensors and detect RSSI signals and pneumatic pressure data. A console processes the RSSI signals and the pneumatic pressure data and outputs indicating signals. An indicator indicates the tire pneumatic pressure with the indicating signals. The tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers are individually provided corresponding to the tires of a vehicle. The console is provided with a level adjusting unit for adjusting output levels of the RSSI signals by controlling the tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers. The levels of the respective RSSI signals input to the console from the respective tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers are set approximately equal.

Claims

1. A pneumatic pressure monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers for receiving radio signals transmitted from sensors provided in tires of a vehicle, and respectively detecting corresponding received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signals corresponding to the field intensities of the radio signals and detecting pneumatic pressure data of the tires included in the radio signals;

a console configured to receive the RSSI signals and the pneumatic pressure data and process the pneumatic pressure data;

an indicator for indicating the tire pneumatic pressure;

respective monitoring receivers providing an RSSI signal corresponding to a respective tire of the plurality of tires of the vehicle;

wherein the console is provided with a level adjusting means for adjusting output levels of the RSSI signals by controlling the tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers; and

wherein the levels of the respective RSSI signals input to the console from the respective tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers are set approximately equal.

2. The tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the level adjusting means includes:

a level detecting means for detecting the levels of the input RSSI signals;

a memory having predetermined level values stored therein;

a level comparing means for comparing the detected RSSI signals with the predetermined level values; and

a gain control signal generating means for controlling gains of the tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receivers by outputting gain control signals according to the difference between the detected RSSI signals and the predetermined level values.

3. A tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver comprising:

a detecting means for receiving a radio signal transmitted from a sensor provided in a tire of a vehicle, and for detecting a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal corresponding to the field intensity of the radio signal and pneumatic pressure data of the tire included in the radio signal; and

a variable gain amplifier in the receiver for amplifying the RSSI signals, the receiver responsive to control signals for varying a gain of the amplifier such that the RSSI signal strength is within a predetermined range.

4. The tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver according to claim 3,

wherein the variable gain amplifier has an operational amplifier and a plurality of feedback resistors having different resistance values, and

wherein the feedback resistors are switched by gain control signals.

5. A vehicular tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system comprising:

a tire pressure sensor attached to a tire of a vehicle, the sensor transmitting a radio signal representing pneumatic pressure data;

a tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver corresponding to the tire pressure sensor, the tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver supplying an output signal representing the field intensity of a received radio signal; and

a microprocessor configured to adjust a gain of the monitoring receiver so that the output signal for the corresponding tire pressure sensor radio signal is transmitted at approximately a predetermined level.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of tire pressure sensors is associated with an equal number of tire pressure monitoring receivers.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of the tire pressure monitoring receivers is disposed on the vehicle such that a particular tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver receives a maximum field intensity from one of the plurality of tire pressure sensors, in the state where the tire is attached to the vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of the tire pressure monitoring receivers is disposed on the vehicle such that the particular tire pneumatic pressure monitoring receiver receives a maximum field intensity from one of the plurality of tire pressure sensors, in the state where the tire is attached to a vehicle axle.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the gain of each of the tire pressure monitoring receivers is adjusted such that the output signal is approximately the same predetermined level.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting the receiver gain is performed when the vehicle is stationary.

11. The system according to claim 5, wherein the radio signal includes temperature information.

12. The system according to claim 5, wherein an indicator is provided to display pneumatic pressure data.

13. The system according to claim 5, wherein a tire pressure sensor is provided in each tire.

14. A method of measuring tire properties, the method comprising:

providing a tire pressure sensor in a tire, the tire pressure sensor transmitting a radio signal representing tire pressure;

providing a tire pressure monitoring receiver associated with a tire mounting position on the vehicle;

receiving the transmitted radio signal and producing an output signal having a measure of a received field intensity;

adjusting the output signal such that the measure of the received field intensity is approximately a predetermined value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the adjusting the output signal is performed when the vehicle is stationary.