Wheel information acquiring system

• US 7,817,023 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimura, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUN, NAY L
• Application Number:
  US11/720,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/686.3, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/007 having multiple wheels arranged side by side
• 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 23/0464 to avoid signal interference

Abstract

Acquired wheel information such as temperature data and inflation pressure data is surely transmitted from a transmitter in a status where the transmitter is not located in a dead space, by controlling timing wherein the transmitter acquires the wheel information, a transmission time width and transmitting timing of the data to be transmitted from the transmitter by radio.

Claims

1. A wheel information acquiring system that is attached to a wheel and acquires wheel information of the wheel during rotation, the wheel information acquiring system comprising:

a first communication device that is attached to the wheel and detects wheel information associated with the wheel during rotation, and wirelessly transmits the detected wheel information from a wheel side; and

a second communication device that is provided apart from the wheel and that receives and acquires the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device, wherein;

the first communication device has a maximum value of rotation speed specified for the wheel during rotation to which the first communication device is attached; and

when a transmission time width of one packet of the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device is represented by T₁, and an expected minimum rotation period which is determined according to the maximum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₁, the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

½

, and wherein

the first communication device transmits, in addition to the wheel information, power supply voltage information of the first communication device.

2. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 1, wherein the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

1/12.

3. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication device is attached to a wheel to be mounted to a vehicle to which a maximum traveling speed is previously set, and the maximum value of the rotation speed to be specified in the first communication device is calculated based on the maximum traveling speed of the vehicle and an outer diameter of the wheel.

4. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 3, wherein the maximum traveling speed of the vehicle is in a range of 90 (km/h)-300 (km/h).

5. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 3, wherein the maximum value of the rotation speed is calculated using an outer diameter of a wheel that has a smallest outer diameter among wheels to be mounted to the vehicle.

6. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 1, wherein, the first communication device detects the wheel information at an acquiring time interval T₂, and repeatedly transmits the detected wheel information at each detection at a transmission interval T₃, and the acquiring time interval T₂ and the transmission interval T₃ are set so as to satisfy T₃≦

T₂·

1/10.

7. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication device detects the wheel information at an acquiring time interval T₂, repeatedly transmits the detected wheel information at each detection a number of repeat times PN (times), in repeating the transmission of same wheel information a number of repeat times PN (times), when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, the transmission time width T₁, the number of repeat times PN, and the repeat transmission time width T₄ are set so as to satisfy T₁·

PN≦

T₄·

¼

.

8. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 7, wherein the transmission time width T₁ and the acquiring time interval T₂ are set so as to satisfy 500·

T₁≦

T₂.

9. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of transmission intervals T₃ used in repeating the transmission of the same wheel information are respectively set to different intervals.

10. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 7, wherein the acquiring time interval T₂, the transmission time width T₁, and the number of repeat times PN are set so as to satisfy 120 (sec)≦

T₂≦

660 (sec), T₁≦

100 (msec), and PN≦

12 (times) respectively.

11. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 6, wherein the first communication device transmits, in addition to each packet of wheel information, count information for each group of wheel information that is detected at the acquiring interval T₂ to allow identification of each unit of wheel information.

12. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication device is attached to each of the plurality of wheels, and each of the first communication device transmits, in addition to the wheel information, wheel identification information to allow identification of a specific wheel to which each first communication device is attached.

13. A wheel information acquiring system that is attached to a wheel and acquires wheel information of the wheel during rotation, the wheel information acquiring system comprising:

a first communication device that is attached to the wheel and detects wheel information associated with the wheel during rotation, and repeatedly transmits by wireless the detected wheel information from a wheel side with repetition of a number of repeat times PN (times); and

a second communication device that is provided apart from the wheel and that receives and acquires the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device, wherein;

the first communication device has a minimum value of rotation speed specified for the wheel during rotation to which the first communication device is attached; and

when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, and an expected maximum rotation period of the vehicle which is determined according to the minimum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₂, the T₄ is set so as to satisfy R₂·

1/12≦

T₄, and wherein

the first communication device transmits, in addition to the wheel information, power supply voltage information of the first communication device.

14. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 13, wherein the T₄ is set so as to satisfy R₁·

½

≦

T₄.

15. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 13, wherein the first communication device is attached to a wheel to be mounted to a vehicle to which a minimum traveling speed is previously set, and the minimum value of the rotation speed to be specified in the first communication device is calculated based on the minimum traveling speed of the vehicle and an outer diameter of the wheel.

16. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 15, wherein the minimum traveling speed of the vehicle is in a range of 10 (km/h)-50 (km/h).

17. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 15, wherein the minimum value of the rotation speed is calculated using an outer diameter of a wheel that has a largest outer diameter among wheels to be mounted to the vehicle.

18. A wheel information acquiring system that is attached to a wheel and acquires wheel information of the wheel during rotation, the wheel information acquiring system comprising:

a first communication device that is attached to the wheel and detects wheel information associated with the wheel during rotation, and repeatedly transmits by wireless the detected wheel information from a wheel side with a repetition of a number of repeat times PN (times); and

a second communication device that is provided apart from the wheel and that receives and acquires the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device, wherein;

the first communication device has a maximum value and a minimum value of rotation speed specified for the wheel during rotation to which the first communication device is attached;

when a transmission time width of one packet of the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device is represented by T₁, and an expected minimum rotation period of the vehicle which is determined according to the maximum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₁, the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

½

; and

when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, and an expected maximum rotation period of the vehicle which is determined according to the minimum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₂, the T₄ is set so as to satisfy R₂·

1/12≦

T₄, and wherein

the first communication device transmits, in addition to the wheel information, power supply voltage information of the first communication device.

19. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 18, wherein the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

1/12.

20. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 18, wherein the T₄ is set so as to satisfy R₂·

½

≦

T₄.

21. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 18, wherein:

the first communication device is attached to a wheel to be mounted to a vehicle to which a maximum traveling speed and a minimum traveling speed are previously set;

the maximum value of the rotation speed to be specified in the first communication device is calculated based on the maximum traveling speed set to the wheel and an outer diameter of the wheel; and

the minimum value of the rotation speed to be specified in the first communication device is calculated based on the minimum traveling speed set to the wheel and an outer diameter of the wheel.

22. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 21, wherein the maximum traveling speed set to the vehicle is in a range of 90 (km/h)-300 (km/h) and the minimum traveling speed set to the vehicle is in a range of 10 (km/h)-50 (km/h).

23. The wheel information acquiring system according to claim 21, wherein the maximum value of the rotation speed is calculated using an outer diameter of a wheel that has a smallest outer diameter among the wheels to be mounted to the vehicle and the minimum value of the rotation speed of the wheel during rotation is calculated using an outer diameter of a wheel that has a largest outer diameter among the wheels to be mounted to the vehicle.

24. A wheel information acquiring system that is attached to a wheel and acquires wheel information of the wheel during rotation, the wheel information acquiring system comprising:

a first communication device that is attached to the wheel and detects wheel information associated with the wheel during rotation, and wirelessly transmits the detected wheel information from a wheel side; and

a second communication device that is provided apart from the wheel and that receives and acquires the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device, wherein;

the first communication device has a maximum value of rotation speed specified for the wheel during rotation to which the first communication device is attached; and

when a transmission time width of one packet of the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device is represented by T₁, and an expected minimum rotation period which is determined according to the maximum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₁, the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

½

, and wherein

the first communication device detects the wheel information at an acquiring time interval T₂, repeatedly transmits the detected wheel information at each detection a number of repeat times PN (times),

in repeating the transmission of same wheel information a number of repeat times PN (times), when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, the transmission time width T₁, the number of repeat times PN, and the repeat transmission time width T₁ are set so as to satisfy T₁·

PN≦

T₄·

¼

.

25. A wheel information acquiring system that is attached to a wheel and acquires wheel information of the wheel during rotation, the wheel information acquiring system comprising:

a first communication device that is attached to the wheel and detects wheel information associated with the wheel during rotation, and repeatedly transmits by wireless the detected wheel information from a wheel side with a repetition of a number of repeat times PN (times); and

a second communication device that is provided apart from the wheel and that receives and acquires the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device, wherein;

the first communication device has a maximum value and a minimum value of rotation speed specified for the wheel during rotation to which the first communication device is attached;

when a transmission time width of one packet of the wheel information transmitted by the first communication device is represented by T₁, and an expected minimum rotation period of the vehicle which is determined according to the maximum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₁, the T₁ is set so as to satisfy T₁≦

R₁·

½

; and

when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, and an expected maximum rotation period of the vehicle which is determined according to the minimum value of the rotation speed prespecified in the first communication device is represented by R₂, the T₄ is set so as to satisfy R₂·

1/12≦

T₄, and wherein

the first communication device detects the wheel information at an acquiring time interval T₂, repeatedly transmits the detected wheel information at each detection a number of repeat times PN (times),

in repeating the transmission of same wheel information a number of repeat times PN (times), when a repeat transmission time width between start of first wheel information transmission and completion of PN-th wheel information transmission is represented by T₄, the transmission time width T₁, the number of repeat times PN, and the repeat transmission time width T₄ are set so as to satisfy T₁·

PN≦

T₄·

¼

.