Detection of vehicle wheel positions using triggering signal including startup command for starting the detection and execution command for calculating reception intensity of triggering signal

• US 7,821,385 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Watabe, Nobuya, Mori, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US11/964,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20080157950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/539.1, 731/46, 731/462, 731/464, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/045 Means for detecting electromagnetic field changes being not part of the signal transmission per se, e.g. strength, direction, propagation or masking
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol

Abstract

In a vehicle'"'"'s wheel position detecting apparatus, plural transceivers respectively attached to the front and rear four wheels are provided. Each transceiver receives a triggering signal, calculates a reception intensity of the triggering signal, stores data indicating the reception intensity into a frame, and transmits the frame to a receiver attached to a vehicle'"'"'s body. Each triggering signal radio-transmitted from the first and second triggering devices contains a startup command to starts up each transceiver and an execution command to allow each transceiver to calculate the reception intensity. The first and second triggering devices, which are responsible for radio-transmitting the triggering signal toward at least the front wheels and the rear wheels respectively, are positionally offset to either way in the body'"'"'s lateral direction. A receiver receives the frames and uses the frames radio-transmitted from the transceivers to detect the wheels'"'"' positions using the reception intensity in each frame.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting positions of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, the plurality of wheels being attached to a body of the vehicle and including right and left front wheels and right and left rear wheels, comprising:

a plurality of transceivers attached to the front and rear four wheels, respectively, each of the transceivers being configured to receive a triggering signal, calculate a reception intensity of the triggering signal, store data indicating the reception intensity into a frame to be transmitted, and transmit the frame;

a plurality of triggering devices attached to the body of the vehicle and including i) a first triggering device located at a position closer to the two front wheels than the two rear wheels, the position providing mutually different distances from the right front wheel and the left front wheel, and configured to output the triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right and left front wheels and ii) a second triggering device located at a position closer to the two rear wheels than the two front wheels, the position providing mutually different wheels from the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel, and configured to output a triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right and left rear wheels, each of the triggering signals from the first and second triggering devices containing a startup command and an execution command, and

a receiver attached to the body and configured to i) output a command signal which allows the first and second triggering devices to output the triggering signal, ii) receive the frame transmitted from the transceivers, and iii) processes the received frame to detect the positions of the wheels using the data indicating the reception intensity,

wherein the transceivers attached to the right and left front wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the first triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command;

the transceivers attached to the right and left rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the second triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command; and

the receiver is configured to i) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left front wheels to determine which front-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left front wheels and ii) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left rear wheels to determine which rear-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both of the first and second triggering devices are positionally offset onto the same right or left side of the body divided into right and left areas by a body center line extending along a longitudinal direction of the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiver is configured to

i) determine, of the right and left front wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the first triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal,

ii) determine, of the right and left rear wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the second triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal, and

iii) determine, of the right and left front wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the first triggering device than the other wheel and, of the right and left rear wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the second triggering device than the other wheel, based on both the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal and the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises means for providing the command signal to the first and second triggering devices when an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the receiver comprises means for providing the command signal to the first and second triggering devices when an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, wherein the triggering signal provided when the ignition-switch is turned off includes a halt command to halt operations of the transceivers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective transceivers attached to the respective wheels are configured to transmit the frame at transmission timings that are different from one another among the transceivers, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the respective transceivers comprises means for deciding the transmission timings depending on the reception intensity of the received triggering signal, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the respective transceivers comprises means for deciding the transmission timings at random, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein both of the first and second triggering devices are positionally offset onto the same front or rear side of the body divided into front and rear areas by a body center line extending along a lateral direction of the body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to

i) determine, of the right front and rear wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the first triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal,

ii) determine, of the left front and rear wheels, which the wheel is positionally nearer to the second triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal, and

iii) determine, of the right front and left wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the first triggering device than the other wheel and, of the left front and rear wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the second triggering device than the other wheel, based on both the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal and the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal.

9. An apparatus for detecting positions of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, the plurality of wheels being attached to a body of the vehicle and including right front and rear wheels and left front and rear wheels, comprising:

a plurality of transceivers attached to the front and rear four wheels, respectively, each of the transceivers being configured to receive a triggering signal, calculate a reception intensity of the triggering signal, store data indicating the reception intensity into a frame to be transmitted, and transmit the frame;

a plurality of triggering devices attached to the body of the vehicle and including i) a first triggering device located at a position closer to the two right wheels than the two left wheels, the position providing mutually different distances from the right front wheel and the right rear wheel, and configured to output the triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right front and rear wheels and ii) a second triggering device located at a position closer to the two left wheels than the two right wheels, the position providing mutually different wheels from the left front wheel and the left rear wheel, and configured to output a triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the left front and rear wheels, each of the triggering signals from the first and second triggering devices containing a startup command and an execution command, and

a receiver attached to the body and configured to i) output a command signal which allows the first and second triggering devices to output the triggering signal, ii) receive the frame transmitted from the transceivers, and iii) processes the received frame to detect the positions of the wheels using the data indicating the reception intensity,

wherein the transceivers attached to the right front and rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the first triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command;

the transceivers attached to the left front and rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the second triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command; and

the receiver is configured to i) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right front and rear wheels to determine which right-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right front and rear wheels and ii) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the left front and rear wheels to determine which left-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the left front and rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiver comprises means for providing the command signal to the first and second triggering devices when an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the receiver comprises means for providing the command signal to the first and second triggering devices when an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, wherein the triggering signal provided when the ignition switch is turned off includes a halt command to halt operations of the transceivers.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the respective transceivers attached to the respective wheels are configured to transmit the frame at transmission timings that are different from one another among the transceivers, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the respective transceivers comprises means for deciding the transmission timings depending on the reception intensity of the received triggering signal, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the respective transceivers comprises means for deciding the transmission timings at random, when each transceiver receives the triggering signal.

17. An apparatus for detecting inflation pressure of tires provided at a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, the wheels including right and left front wheels and right and left rear wheels and being attached to a body of the vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of transceivers attached to the front and rear four wheels, respectively, each of the transceivers being configured to receive a triggering signal, calculate a reception intensity of the triggering signal, sense inflation pressure of each tire and output a sensing signal indicative of the inflation pressure, store data indicating the reception intensity and the sensing signal into a frame to be transmitted, and transmit the frame;

a plurality of triggering devices attached to the body of the vehicle and including i) a first triggering device located at a position closer to the two front wheels than the two rear wheels, the position providing mutually different distances from the right front wheel and the left front wheel, and configured to output the triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right and left front wheels and ii) a second triggering device located at a position closer to the two rear wheels than the two front wheels, the position providing mutually different wheels from the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel, and configured to output a triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right and left rear wheels, each of the triggering signals from the first and second triggering devices containing a startup command and an execution command, and

a receiver attached to the body and configured to i) output a command signal which allows the first and second triggering devices to output the triggering signal, ii) receive the frame transmitted from the transceivers, iii) processes the received frame to detect the positions of the wheels using the data indicating the reception intensity, and iv) calculate the inflation pressure of each tire based on the sensing signal stored in the frame;

wherein the transceivers attached to the right and left front wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the first triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command;

the transceivers attached to the right and left rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the second triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command; and

the receiver is configured to i) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left front wheels to determine which front-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left front wheels and ii) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left rear wheels to determine which rear-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

18. An apparatus for detecting inflation pressure of tires provided at a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, the wheels including right front and rear wheels and left front and rear wheels and being attached to a body of the vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of transceivers attached to the front and rear four wheels, respectively, each of the transceivers being configured to receive a triggering signal, calculate a reception intensity of the triggering signal, sense inflation pressure of each tire and output a sensing signal indicative of the inflation pressure, store data indicating the reception intensity and the sensing signal into a frame to be transmitted, and transmit the frame;

triggering devices attached to the body of the vehicle and including i) a first triggering device located at a position closer to the two right wheels than the two left wheels, the position providing mutually different distances from the right front wheel and the right rear wheel, and configured to output the triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the right front and rear wheels and ii) a second triggering device located at a position closer to the two left wheels than the two right wheels, the position providing mutually different wheels from the left front wheel and the left rear wheel, and configured to output a triggering signal which reaches at least two transceivers of the transceivers which are attached to the left front and rear wheels, each of the triggering signals from the first and second triggering devices containing a startup command and an execution command, and

a receiver attached to the body and configured to i) output a command signal which allows the first and second triggering devices to output the triggering signal, ii) receive the frame transmitted from the transceivers, iii) processes the received frame to detect the positions of the wheels using the data indicating the reception intensity, and iv) calculate the inflation pressure of each tire based on the sensing signal stored in the frame;

wherein the transceivers attached to the right front and rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the first triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command;

the transceivers attached to the left front and rear wheels are configured to start up in response to the startup command, when the triggering signal is received from the second triggering device and calculate the reception intensity in response to the execution command; and

the receiver is configured to i) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right front and rear wheels to determine which right-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right front and rear wheels and ii) use an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the left front and rear wheels to determine which left-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the left front and rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

19. A transceiver attached to each of a plurality of wheels of a body of a vehicle, the plurality of wheels including front and rear four wheels of the vehicle, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives a triggering signal transmitted from a triggering device provided at the body, the triggering signal containing a startup command and an execution command and being transmitted at timing controlled by a control unit provided at the body;

a processing unit that starts up in response to the startup command contained in the received triggering signal, calculates a reception intensity of the received triggering signal in response to the execution command contained in the received triggering signal, and store data indicating the calculated reception intensity into a frame of the data to be transmitted; and

a transmitting unit that transmits the frame of data toward the body of the wheel.

20. A receiver attached to a body of a vehicle provided with a plurality of wheels including right and left front wheels and right and left rear wheels, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives frames to be transmitted from a plurality of transceivers attached to the right and left four wheels, each of the frames containing data indicating a reception intensity of a triggering signal received at each wheel; and

a processing unit comprising

means for commanding, by using a command signal, a first triggering device and a second triggering device to radio-transmit the triggering signal containing a startup command and an execution command toward the right and left front wheels and the right and left rear wheels, respectively, the startup command causing the transceivers to start up and the execution command causing the transceivers to calculate the reception intensity of the triggering signal;

means for receiving the four frames transmitted from the transceivers at the front and rear four wheels; and

processing means for i) using an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left front wheels to determine which front-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left front wheels and ii) using an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right and left rear wheels to determine which rear-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right and left rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

21. The receiver of claim 20, wherein the processing means comprises

means for i) determining, of the right and left front wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the first triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal,

means for ii) determining, of the right and left rear wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the second triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal, and

means for iii) determining, of the right and left front wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the first triggering device than the other wheel and, of the right and left rear wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the second triggering device than the other wheel, based on both the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal and the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal.

22. A receiver attached to a body of a vehicle provided with a plurality of wheels including right front and rear wheels and left front and rear wheels, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives frames to be transmitted from a plurality of transceivers attached to the right and left four wheels, each of the frames containing data indicating a reception intensity of a triggering signal received at each wheel; and

a processing unit comprising

means for commanding, by using a command signal, a first triggering device and a second triggering device to radio-transmit the triggering signal containing a startup command and an execution command toward the right front and rear wheels and the left front and rear wheels, respectively, the startup command causing the transceivers to start up and the execution command causing the transceivers to calculate the reception intensity of the triggering signal;

means for receiving the four frames transmitted from the transceivers at the front and rear four wheels; and

processing means for i) using an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the right front and rear wheels to determine which right-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the right front and rear wheels and ii) using an amplitude of the reception intensity stored in the frame transmitted from the transceivers attached to the left front and rear wheels to determine which left-wheel-side transceiver is attached to which of the left front and rear wheels, whereby the positions of the four wheels are detected.

23. The receiver of claim 22, wherein the processing means comprises

means for i) determining, of the right front and rear wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the first triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal,

means for ii) determining, of the left front and rear wheels, which wheel is positionally nearer to the second triggering device than the other wheel based on the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers, when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal, and

means for iii) determining, of the right front and left wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the first triggering device than the other wheel and, of the left front and rear wheels, which wheel is positionally farther from the second triggering device than the other wheel, based on both the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the first triggering device outputs the triggering signal and the data stored in the frames transmitted from the transceivers when the second triggering device outputs the triggering signal.