Motor vehicle tire pressure monitoring system and diagnosis method using this system

• US 7,973,650 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Caldichoury, Anne, Costes, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/096,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.33, 340442-449, 731462-1465, 116/34.R, 701 29- 35
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• 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 23/0474 Measurement control, e.g. setting measurement rate or calibrating of sensors; Further processing of measured values, e.g. filtering, compensating or slope monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

The motor vehicle tire pressure monitoring system includes a computer to receive input data including at least one tire pressure and transmit a warning to a driver of the vehicle in the event of an abnormal pressure in the tire. The system also includes a recording unit designed to record the input data from the monitoring system in the event that the warning is transmitted to the driver. The data recorded in this recording unit is accessible for diagnosis.

Claims

1. A vehicle tire monitoring system to be mounted on a vehicle for monitoring a parameter of at least one tire on the vehicle, the monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of wheel units each respectively associated with a tire of the vehicle to measure a tire parameters thereof including tire pressure, distance traveled and speed of the vehicle;

a transmission module coupled to the wheel units to transmit the tire parameters;

a processor to receive the tire parameters as tire input data from the plurality of wheel units via the transmission module and to transmit a warning to a driver of the vehicle based upon the measured tire pressure, distance traveled and speed of the vehicle; and

a recording unit to record the tire input data from the processor before, during and after the warning is transmitted to the driver, and including a memory configured to store the tire input data even during loss of electrical power to the system, the recorded input data being accessible for diagnosis by an external apparatus used to access the tire pressure, distance traveled and the speed of the vehicle recorded before, during and after the warning was transmitted to the driver.

2. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tire parameters also include tire temperatures.

3. A diagnosis method for monitoring a parameter of a vehicle tire, the method comprising:

measuring tire parameters for the tire including tire pressure, distance traveled and speed of the vehicle;

transmitting the tire parameters;

using a vehicle tire monitoring system including a processor to receive the transmitted tire parameters as input data and to transmit a warning to a driver of the vehicle based upon measured tire pressure, distance traveled and speed of the vehicle, and a recording unit to record the input data from the processor before, during and after the warning is transmitted to the driver including use of a memory configured to store the tire input data even during loss of electrical power to the system;

reading the input data recorded in the recording unit via an external apparatus to access the tire pressure, distance traveled and the speed of the vehicle recorded before, during and after the warning was transmitted to the driver;

identifying the input data associated with the warning; and

examining the identified input data over a time range including the warning.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tire parameters also include tire temperatures.