Method of verifying the proper working of a transponder mounted on a vehicle wheel

• US 7,764,175 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EM Microelectronic - Marin SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: EM Microelectronic - Marin SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Descombes, Arthur, Degrauwe, Marc, Randjelovic, Zoran
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/857,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/568.1, 340/445, 340/5.22, 340/442, 340/444, 340/449, 340/426.33, 340/453, 340/457.3
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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

The invention concerns a method of verifying the proper working of a transponder mounted on a rotating mobile element of a vehicle, characterized in that it includes the steps of: a) measuring a temperature value by means of a temperature sensor connected to the transponder; b) detecting breach of a overheat threshold; c) a monitoring operation carried out by a reader arranged in the vehicle and provided for communicating with the transponder, consisting in executing a command on one of the temperature sensitive elements of the transponder; d) the reader determining the state of the transponder as a function of the response or absence of any response to the command to be executed: (i) if the response is correct, the transponder is operational; (ii) if the response is incorrect, or in the absence of any response, the transponder is not operational.

Claims

1. A method of verifying the proper working of a transponder mounted on a rotating mobile element of a vehicle, wherein the method includes the following steps:

a) measuring a temperature value of the rotating mobile element by a temperature sensor linked to the transponder;

b) detecting a breach of an overheat threshold by a reader arranged in the vehicle;

c) monitoring operation achieved by the reader, wherein the reader is provided to communicate with the transponder by executing a command from the reader to one of the temperature sensitive elements of the transponder; and

d) determining by the reader a state of the transponder as a function of response to the command or absence of response to the command;

(i) if the response is correct, the transponder is operational;

(ii) if the response is incorrect or in the absence of any response, the transponder is not operational.

2. The verification method according to claim 1, wherein said sensitive element selected is a non-volatile memory of the transponder.

3. The verification method according to claim 2, wherein the command is a read operation of the non-volatile memory.

4. The verification method according to claim 3, wherein the read operation is carried out on a memory zone of which content does not vary and that the reader knows.

5. The verification method according to claim 1, wherein the reader distinguishes two sub-states of the non-operational transponder as a function of an incorrect response or the absence of any response:

(ii.1) If the response is incorrect but legible to the reader, the logic of the transponder is operational but the non-volatile memory is corrupted;

(ii.2) If the response is incorrect and illegible to the reader or in the absence of any response, the logic is non-operational and the non-volatile memory is corrupted.

6. The verification method according to claim 1, wherein as a function of the state of the transponder diagnosed at step d), the method further includes the following steps:

if the transponder is operational (i), a new temperature measurement a) is taken, and if the temperature is less than the overheat threshold, the reader/transponder system returns to a normal operating mode, whereas if the temperature is still higher than the overheat threshold, steps c) and d) are carried out again;

if the transponder is non-operational, steps c) and d) are carried out again.

7. The verification method according to claim 6, wherein the overheat threshold is increased after three occurrences of step d) where the transponder is operational.

8. The verification method according to claim 6, wherein a timeout is provided, to stop the repetition of steps c) and d) when the transponder is not operational, followed by a reset step and a rest time prior to steps c) and d) being carried out again.

9. The verification method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measurement step a) is carried out in detection of an emergency stop, activation of a wheel anti-locking system, or activation of an electronic braking distribution system of the vehicle.

10. A tire pressure monitoring system for an automobile vehicle adapted to implement a method of verifying the proper working of a transponder mounted on a rotating mobile element of a vehicle, wherein the method includes the following steps:

a) measuring of a temperature value of the rotating mobile element by a temperature sensor linked to the transponder;

b) detecting of a breach of an overheat threshold by a reader arranged in the vehicle;

c) monitoring operation achieved by the reader, wherein the reader is provided to communicate with the transponder by executing a command from the reader to one of the temperature sensitive elements of the transponder; and

d) determining by the reader a state of the transponder as a function of response to the command or absence of response to the command;

(i) if the response is correct, the transponder is operational;

(ii) if the response is incorrect or in the absence of any response, the transponder is not operational,

wherein the transponder is provided with a pressure sensor for checking a pressure of a tire associated with the rotating mobile element on which the transponder is mounted.