Wheel condition monitoring system

• US 7,317,381 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/525,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340/438, 340/442, 340/444, 340/445, 340/447, 731/46, 731/464, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• 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 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0464 to avoid signal interference
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/44 for measuring angular speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/48 by measuring frequency of generated current or voltage in general G01R23/00

Abstract

A wheel condition-monitoring system comprises transmitters (1) installed on individual rotatable wheels, for transmitting conditions of the wheels, and a receiver (11) installed on the side of a vehicle body, for receiving the conditions of the wheels sent from the transmitters. The rotation speed of the wheels are detected, and data that indicate the conditions of the wheels are sent from the transmitters (1) to the receiver (11) at intervals in accordance with the rotation speeds detected, or data that relate to a pressure etc. are sent for a predetermined number of times at a transmission interval of a first cycle that assumes a high speed range. At the same time, data transmission of a predetermined number of times corresponding to the transmission interval of the first cycle is repeated for a predetermined number of times at a transmission interval of a second cycle that assumes a low speed range and is longer than the first cycle. This increases reliability in data transmission and reception, and enables the system to function stably in the presence of a dead point.

Claims

1. A wheel condition monitoring system having a transmitter which is installed on an individual rotatable wheel to transmit a condition of the wheel and a receiver which is installed on the vehicle body side to receive the condition of the wheel sent from said transmitter, wherein a rotational speed of the wheel is detected, and data indicating the condition of the wheel is sent from said transmitter to said receiver at intervals proportional to the detected rotational speed of the wheel.

2. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein when said receiver receives a plurality of pieces of data sent from said transmitter installed on each of a plurality of wheels, first data transmission from said transmitter is performed after each waiting time set for each transmitter has elapsed.

3. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter is provided with an acceleration sensor, and the rotation speed of wheel is determined from the measurement value of said acceleration sensor.

4. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein a transmission number counter is provided;

and the number of times of transmission, which has been determined in advance, is set in said transmission number counter, the number of times of transmission is counted until the set number of times of transmission becomes zero, and transmission is finished at the time when the number of times of transmission becomes zero.

5. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter is provided with an acceleration sensor, and the rotation speed of wheel is determined from the measurement value of said acceleration sensor.

6. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein a transmission interval counter is provided;

and a transmission interval corresponding to acceleration determined by said acceleration sensor is set in said transmission interval counter, the transmission interval is counted until the set transmission interval value becomes zero, and transmission is performed at the time when said value becomes zero, by which transmission is achieved at intervals in accordance with the rotation speed of wheel.

7. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein a transmission number counter is provided;

and the number of times of transmission, which has been determined in advance, is set in said transmission number counter, the number of times of transmission is counted until the set number of times of transmission becomes zero, and transmission is finished at the time when the number of times of transmission becomes zero.

8. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein a transmission number counter is provided;

and the number of times of transmission, which has been determined in advance, is set in said transmission number counter, the number of times of transmission is counted until the set number of times of transmission becomes zero, and transmission is finished at the time when the number of times of transmission becomes zero.

9. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a transmission number counter is provided;

and the number of times of transmission, which has been determined in advance, is set in said transmission number counter, the number of times of transmission is counted until the set number of times of transmission becomes zero, and transmission is finished at the time when the number of times of transmission becomes zero.

10. A wheel condition monitoring system having a transmitter which is installed on an individual rotatable wheel to transmit a condition of the wheel and a receiver which is installed on the vehicle body side to receive the condition of the wheel sent from said transmitter, wherein data that indicate the condition of wheel are sent a predetermined number of times at a transmission interval of a first cycle that assumes a high speed range, and also data transmission of a predetermined number of times at the transmission interval of the first cycle is repeated a predetermined number of times at a transmission interval of a second cycle that assumes a low speed range and is longer than the first cycle.

11. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein when said receiver receives a plurality of pieces of data sent from said transmitter installed on each of a plurality of wheels, first data transmission from said transmitter is performed after each waiting time set for each transmitter has elapsed.

12. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein said system is configured so that in the case where the number of times of transmission in the first cycle is 2 or more, the first transmission interval in the first cycle is not the same as the second transmission interval in the first cycle.

13. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein said system is configured so that in the case where the number of times of transmission in the second cycle is 2 or more, the first transmission interval in the second cycle is not the same as the second transmission interval in the second cycle.

14. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein said system is configured so that in the case where the number of times of transmission in the first cycle is 2 or more, the first transmission interval in the first cycle is not the same as the second transmission interval in the first cycle.

15. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein said system is configured so that in the case where the number of times of transmission in the second cycle is 2 or more, the first transmission interval in the second cycle is not the same as the second transmission interval in the second cycle.

16. The wheel condition monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein said system is configured so that in the case where the number of times of transmission in the second cycle is 2 or more, the first transmission interval in the second cycle is not the same as the second transmission interval in the second cycle.