Identification information examination method and information obtaining apparatus

• US 7,576,641 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ide, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US10/903,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 340/445, 340/447, 340/539.1, 731/465, 731/462
• 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 23/0466 with signals sent by transmitters mounted on adjacent vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0472 to manually allocate ID codes or mounting positions, e.g. by service technicians

Abstract

In an identification information examination mode, reception sensitivity of a reception device in an information obtaining mode is reduced. In the reception device, information transmitted from a transmission device mounted in a vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle is not received, and identification information transmitted from a transmission device mounted in the host vehicle is received. Then, an examination is performed by comparing the received identification information with the identification information stored in memory in advance.

Claims

1. An identification information examination method for an information obtaining apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

transmitting information including vehicle related information which is related to the vehicle and identification information that allows a transmission source of the vehicle related information to be identified;

receiving the transmitted information;

processing the received information and performing an examination concerning the identification information included in the received information; and

when the examination concerning the identification information is performed, changing a reception sensitivity of the reception device by changing at least one of (i) a target reception voltage of the reception device and (ii) an orientation of the reception device for receiving a signal from a first reception sensitivity which is used when an examination concerning the identification information is not performed to a second reception sensitivity which is used when the examination concerning the identification information is performed.

2. An information obtaining apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a transmission device that transmits information including vehicle related information which is related to the vehicle and identification information that allows a transmission source of the vehicle related information to be identified;

a reception device that receives the information transmitted from the transmission device;

an information processing device that processes the information received by the reception device and that performs an examination concerning the identification information included in the received information; and

when the examination concerning the identification information is performed, a changing device that changes a reception sensitivity of the reception device by changing at least one of (i) a target reception voltage of the reception device and (ii) an orientation of the reception device for receiving a signal from a first reception sensitivity which is used when an examination concerning the identification information is not performed to a second reception sensitivity which is used when the examination concerning the identification information is performed.

3. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the changing device reduces reception sensitivity of the reception device.

4. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a reception processing device that increases the reception sensitivity of the reception device, which has been reduced by the changing device in the identification information examination state, after the examination concerning the identification information by the information processing device is completed.

5. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a storing device that stores the identification information, and

a determining device that compares the identification information stored in the storing device with the identification information received by the reception device.

6. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an alarm device which generated an alarm indicating a mismatch between the received identification information and the identification information stored in the storing device, when the determining device determines that the received identification information received does not match the identification information stored in the storing device.

7. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission device is provided in a wheel, and the information obtaining apparatus further includes an information obtaining device for obtaining wheel state information.

8. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a switching device which connects to the vehicle and transmits, to the changing device, a command for switching a mode from a first mode where the examination concerning the identification information is performed to a second mode where the examination concerning the identification information is not performed.

9. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a switching device mounted in the vehicle, which transmits a command for switching a mode from a first mode where the examination concerning the identification information is performed to a second mode where the examination concerning the identification information is not performed.

10. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a trigger device which makes the transmission device transmit the information including the vehicle related information and the identification information.

11. An identification information examination method for an information obtaining apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

transmitting information including vehicle related information which is related to the vehicle and identification information that allows a transmission source of the vehicle related information to be identified;

receiving the transmitted information;

processing the received information and performing an examination concerning the identification information included in the received information; and

reducing transmission strength of a transmission device mounted in another vehicle adjacent to the vehicle, when the examination concerning the identification information is performed.

12. An information obtaining device mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a first transmission device that transmits information including vehicle related information which is related to the vehicle and identification information that allows a transmission source of the vehicle related information to be identified;

a reception device that receives the information transmitted from the first transmission device; and

an information processing device that processes the information received by the reception device, that performs an examination concerning the identification information included in the received information, and that reduces transmission strength of a second transmission device mounted in another vehicle adjacent to the vehicle.

13. The information obtaining apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the information processing device transmits, to the another vehicle, a trigger signal for reducing the transmission strength of the second transmission device when a mode is switched from a first mode where an examination concerning the identification information is performed to a second mode where the examination concerning the identification information is not performed, via the first transmission device.