Tire air pressure surveillance system

• US 7,512,467 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Watabe, Nobuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiswanto; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/936,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/007 having multiple wheels arranged side by side
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/008 having wheels on more than two axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right

Abstract

A tire air pressure surveillance system is provided with plural air pressure detecting devices disposed in plural tires respectively for detecting air pressure therein and for sending detected results by radio, a receiving device for receiving the detected results from the air pressure detecting devices by radio, and a monitor device for monitoring air pressure in the tires based on the detected results received by the receiving device. The air pressure detecting devices send sensor ID along with the detected results for distinguishing each air pressure detecting device. The sensor ID beforehand memorized in EEPRROM of the monitor device as determination sensor ID is broadcast-sent to the receiving device through a local area network at a predetermined interval. Only the detected results along with the sensor ID corresponding to the determination sensor ID are sent to the monitor device by the receiving device.

Claims

1. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of air pressure detecting devices disposed in a plurality of tires of the vehicle respectively, to detect an air pressure in each of the tires and to send by radio detected results of the air pressure detecting devices along with distinguishing information which is used to distinguish each of the air pressure detecting devices;

a plurality of receiving devices for receiving the detected results sent from the air pressure detecting devices; and

a monitor device for monitoring the air pressure in each of the tires based on the detected results received by the plurality of receiving devices, wherein;

the monitor device and the plurality of receiving devices are separate from each other and are connected with each other through a cable signal channel;

the monitor device includes a memorizing means for memorizing the distinguishing information of all the air pressure detecting devices as determination information, and a

determination-information sending means for sending the determination information memorized in the memorizing means to all of the plurality of receiving devices every a predetermined timing; and

the plurality of receiving devices include

a received-information memorizing means for memorizing the determination information received from the monitor device as received determination information, and

a detected-result determining and sending means that determines whether the distinguishing information of detected results corresponds to the received determination information among the detected results received from the air pressure detecting devices, and sends the detected results along with the distinguishing information corresponding to the received determination information to the monitor device, wherein

the determination-information sending means broadcast-sends the determination information of all the air pressure detecting devices to all of the plurality of receiving devices.

2. The tire air pressure surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of receiving devices connect with the monitor device through a radio signal channel.

3. The tire air pressure surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of receiving devices have a requiring-order sending means which sends a sending-requiring order for requiring the monitor device to send the determination information when the received determination information is determined to be changed; and

the monitor device has a resending means which sends the determination information to the plurality of receiving devices when the monitor device receives the sending-requiring order from the plurality of receiving devices.

4. The tire air pressure surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of receiving devices have an another detected-result sending means which sends all the detected results received from the air pressure detecting devices to the monitor device when the received determination information is determined to be changed.

5. The tire air pressure surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein:

the detected results are received in the plurality of receiving devices as detected data;

the monitor device further includes a control portion for periodically sending a data-requiring order to the plurality of receiving devices to require a sending of the detected data; and

the plurality of receiving devices further include;

a control portion which gives a requiring information to the detected data received by the

plurality of receiving devices, the requiring information being constructed with a first set value for indicating a requirement of a sending of the determination information from the monitor device, and a second set value for indicating no requirement of a sending of the determination information from the monitor device; and

an error detecting means provided with an error flag which is set for indicating a change of the received determination information and is cleared for indicating no change of the received determination information,

wherein the detected-result sending means sends the detected data to the monitor device together with the requiring information with the first set value when the error flag is set and the data-requiring order is received, or the detected data to the monitor device together with the requiring information with the second set value when the error flag is cleared and the data-requiring order is received.

6. The tire air pressure surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein the first set value is 1 and the second set value is 0.

9. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the monitor device includes a timer for indicating the predetermined timing at which the determination-information sending means sends the determination information memorized in the memorizing means to the plurality of receiving devices.

7. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of air pressure detecting devices disposed in a plurality of tires of the vehicle respectively, to detect an air pressure in each of the tires and to send by radio detected results of the air pressure detecting devices along with distinguishing information which is used to distinguish each of the air pressure detecting devices;

a plurality of receiving devices for receiving the detected results sent from the air pressure detecting devices; and

a monitor device for monitoring the air pressure in each of the tires based on the detected results received by the plurality of receiving devices, wherein

the monitor device and the plurality of receiving devices are separate from each other and are in electrical communication with each other;

the monitor device includes a memorizing means for memorizing the distinguishing information of all the air pressure detecting devices as determination information, and a determination-information sending means for sending the determination information memorized in the memorizing means to all of the plurality of receiving devices every a predetermined timing; and

the plurality of receiving devices include

a received-information memorizing means for memorizing the determination information received from the monitor device as received determination information,

a detected-result determining and sending means that determines whether the distinguishing information of detected results corresponds to the received determination information among the detected results received from the air pressure detecting devices, and sends the detected results along with the distinguishing information corresponding to the received determination information to the monitor device, and

a requiring-order sending means which sends a sending-requiring order for requiring the monitor device to send the determination information when the received determination information is determined to be changed, wherein

the monitor device has a resending means which sends the determination information to the plurality of receiving devices when the monitor device receives the sending-requiring order from the plurality of receiving devices.

10. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the monitor device includes a timer for indicating the predetermined timing at which the determination-information sending means sends the determination information memorized in the memorizing means to the plurality of receiving devices.

8. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of air pressure detecting devices respectively disposed in a plurality of tires to detect and transmit tire air pressure along with distinguishing information which is used to distinguish each of the plurality of air pressure detecting devices from one another;

a plurality of separate receiving devices for receiving the detected air pressure transmitted from each of the plurality of air pressure detecting devices; and

a monitor device in electrical communication with, and separate from, the plurality of receiving devices and for monitoring the air pressure in each of the plurality of tires based on the detected air pressure received by each of the plurality of receiving devices,

the monitor device configured to

store the distinguishing information of all the plurality of air pressure detecting devices as determination information,

periodically transmit the stored determination information to all of the plurality of receiving devices after a predetermined time period has elapsed, and

each of the plurality of receiving devices configured to

store the determination information received from the monitor device as received determination information, and

determine whether the distinguishing information of detected results corresponds to the received determination information among the detected results received from the air pressure detecting devices, and send the detected results along with the distinguishing information corresponding to the received determination information to the monitor device.

11. A tire air pressure surveillance system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the monitor device includes a timer for indicating when the predetermined time period has elapsed.