Tire pressure measurement system with reduced current consumption
First Claim
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1. A tire pressure measurement system, comprising:
- a capacitor; and
an integrated circuit configured to receive a supply voltage, the integrated circuit comprising;
a voltage regulator connected to the capacitor, the voltage regulator being operable to be turned on and off for predetermined periods of time such that the capacitor is charged and discharged, respectively; and
a measurement unit connected to the voltage regulator and the capacitor, the measurement unit being configured to generate a control signal to control the on and off states of the voltage regulator such that a voltage between predetermined upper and lower limits is selectively provided to the measurement unit by the regulator during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned on, and by the capacitor during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned off.
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Abstract
A tire pressure measurement system (TPMS) includes a capacitor and an integrated circuit configured to receive a supply voltage. The integrated circuit includes a voltage regulator and a measurement unit. The voltage regulator is configured to be turned on and off for predetermined periods of time such that the capacitor is charged and discharged, respectively. The voltage regulator and the capacitor are connected to the measurement unit in order to selectively provide electric charge at a voltage between predetermined upper and lower limits.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A tire pressure measurement system, comprising:
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a capacitor; and an integrated circuit configured to receive a supply voltage, the integrated circuit comprising; a voltage regulator connected to the capacitor, the voltage regulator being operable to be turned on and off for predetermined periods of time such that the capacitor is charged and discharged, respectively; and a measurement unit connected to the voltage regulator and the capacitor, the measurement unit being configured to generate a control signal to control the on and off states of the voltage regulator such that a voltage between predetermined upper and lower limits is selectively provided to the measurement unit by the regulator during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned on, and by the capacitor during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A tire pressure measurement arrangement, comprising:
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a capacitor; an integrated circuit configured to receive a supply voltage, perform measurements to determine tire pressure, and transmit data, the integrated circuit comprising; a voltage regulator connected to the capacitor, the voltage regulator being operable to be turned on and off for predetermined periods of time such that the capacitor is charged and discharged, respectively; and a measurement unit connected to the voltage regulator and the capacitor, the measurement unit being configured to generate a control signal to control the on and off states of the voltage regulator such that a voltage between predetermined upper and lower limits is selectively provided to the measurement unit by the regulator during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned on, and by the capacitor during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned off; a wheel module configured to house the integrated circuit; and an external receiver configured to receive data transmitted by the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a tire pressure measurement system including a capacitor and an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
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generating a control signal via a measurement unit of the integrated circuit to control the on and off states of a voltage regulator of the integrated circuit; turning on and off the voltage regulator for predetermined periods of time such that the capacitor is charged and discharged, respectively; and selectively providing a voltage between predetermined upper and lower limits to the measurement unit via the voltage regulator during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned on, and via the capacitor during the periods of time for which the regulator is turned off. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification