Multiple protocol reception and differentiation

• US 7,991,527 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Desai, Tejas B., Ostrander, Gerald, Marlett, Brian, Farrell, Brian, Kachouh, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen; Lin B
• Application Number:
  US12/014,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 370/469, 370/474
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A receiver receives transmission containing information from different vehicle systems and determines an origin of that transmission according to the length of the transmission.

Claims

1. A method of determining transmission origin comprising the steps of:

receiving one of a first transmission including a first number of data bits from a first origin for a first system or a second separate transmission including a second number of data bits from a second origin for a second system with a receiver, wherein each of the first transmission and the second transmission are of a common protocol;

determining an origin of the received transmission with a controller associated with the receiver based on the total number of data bits contained in the received transmission after receipt of all of the received transmission; and

forwarding the received data bits to one of the first and second systems responsive to the determination of origin.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first number of data bits is different than the second number of data bits.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first transmission originates from a tire pressure monitoring system and the second transmission originates from a remote keyless entry system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determination of origin occurs upon completion of receipt of one of the first transmission and the second transmission.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises one receiver for receiving the first transmission and the second transmission.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the receiver considers the first transmission and the second transmission the same until one of the first and second transmissions are complete.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further including receiving a third transmission including a third length of data bits, and the step of determining that the third transmission originates from a third system is responsive to the third number of data bits.

8. A receiver assembly for communicating with a plurality of vehicle systems, the receiver assembly comprising:

a receiver capable of receiving at least a first transmission from a first system and a second transmission from a second system, wherein each of the first transmission and the second transmission are of a common protocol; and

a controller operating the receiver and determining an origin of a received transmission responsive to a number of data bits contained in the received transmission after receipt of the entire received transmission.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first transmission includes a first number of data bits and the second transmission includes a second number of data bits different than the first number of data bits.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first system comprises a tire pressure monitoring system and the second system comprises a remote keyless entry system.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 8, further including the receiver capable of receiving a third transmission having a protocol common with the first and second transmissions from a third system, wherein the third transmission includes a third number of data bits different than both the first transmission and the second transmission.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the controller forwards the transmission to one of the first system and the second system responsive to the determination of the origin.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive both the first transmission and the second transmission.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiver cycles between receipt of the first transmission and receipt of the second transmission.