Wheel state adjustment system and method thereof

• US 7,259,663 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US11/094,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 340442-448, 731/462, 731/463, 731/464, 731/465, 152/152.1, 152415-419
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00318 on the wheels or the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00354 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00372 characterised by fluid diagrams
• 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

A pressure detection sensor for detecting a tire internal air pressure and a wheel side communication device for transmitting a detection result of the pressure detection sensor using a preset transmission mode are provided on each wheel. The detection result from the pressure detection sensor is transmitted to an ECU via a vehicle body side communication device provided on a vehicle body. The ECU is able to notify a transmission mode determination device provided on each wheel that adjustment of the tire internal air pressure is being performed by manipulating a state of the tire internal air pressure. The transmission mode determination device determines a transmission mode to be used by the wheel side communication device such that a transmission frequency of a notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is reduced while adjustment of the tire internal air pressure is being performed.

Claims

1. A wheel state adjustment system comprising:

a wheel state monitoring device which monitors a parameter indicative of the state of a wheel and which transmits a notification when an abnormality of the wheel occurs based on the monitored parameter; and

a wheel state adjustment device that adjusts the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel, wherein the wheel state monitoring device reduces a transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted when the wheel state adjustment device is adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel.

2. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein, when the wheel state adjustment device is adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel, the wheel state monitoring device reduces the transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted by stopping transmission of the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel.

3. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein, when the wheel state adjustment device is adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel, the wheel state monitoring device reduces the transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted by changing a determination condition for determining whether an abnormality of the wheel has occurred.

4. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the wheel state adjustment device notifies the wheel state monitoring device that the wheel state adjustment device is adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel by manipulating the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel in a predetermined manner.

5. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 4, wherein the wheel state adjustment device notifies the wheel state monitoring device that the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted by manipulating the parameter indicative of the state such that the predetermined quantity of state exhibits a type of behavior that is not normal.

6. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the wheel state adjustment device adjusts the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel by referring to a monitoring result for the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel that is obtained from the wheel state monitoring device.

7. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the wheel state adjustment device adjusts the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel by referring to a speed of a vehicle to which the wheel is attached.

8. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the parameter indicative of the wheel is an internal air pressure of a tire of the wheel.

9. The wheel state adjustment system according to claim 1, further comprising a warning device that generates a warning based on the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel that is obtained from the wheel state monitoring device.

10. A wheel state adjustment method for a wheel state adjustment system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a parameter indicative of the state of a wheel and transmitting a notification when an abnormality of the wheel occurs; and

adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel; and

reducing a transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted when the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted.

11. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein, when the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted, the transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted is reduced by stopping transmission of the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel.

12. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein, when the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted, the transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted is reduced by changing a determination condition for determining whether an abnormality of the wheel has occurred.

13. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring step monitors whether the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted based on whether the parameter indicative of the state is manipulated in a predetermined manner.

14. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 13, wherein the monitoring step monitors whether the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is being adjusted based on whether the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is changed such that the parameter indicative of the state exhibits a type of behavior that is not normal.

15. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is performed by referring to a monitoring result for the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel.

16. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is performed by referring to a speed of a vehicle to which the wheel is attached.

17. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, wherein the step of monitoring the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel is based upon measurement of an internal air pressure of a tire of the wheel.

18. The wheel state adjustment method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of generating a warning based on the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel.

19. A wheel state adjustment system comprising:

wheel state monitoring means for monitoring a parameter indicative of the state of a wheel and for transmitting a notification when an abnormality of the wheel occurs based on the monitored parameter; and

wheel state adjustment means for adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel, wherein the wheel state monitoring means reduces a transmission frequency at which the notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is transmitted when the wheel state adjustment means is adjusting the parameter indicative of the state of the wheel.