Method for measuring pressure in a tire

• US 8,269,610 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Fenkanyn, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US12/604,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.5, 340/12.36, 340/12.5, 340/5.6, 340/505
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A method for sensing pressure in a pressurized article utilizing an electronic tag includes: calculating the impedance of a tag antenna, the tag antenna being flexible and at least partially composed of a flexible conductive pressure sensitive material including rubber; measuring changes in antenna impedance resulting from changes in pressure exerted on the tag antenna; calculating changes in tag transmission signal strength resulting from changes in antenna impedance; at least partially embedding the electronic tag within a wall portion of the article, the wall portion at least partially defining an article cavity and exerting a compressive force on the tag antenna of a magnitude determined by the magnitude of air pressure within the cavity; measuring the tag transmission signal strength with the tag antenna subjected to pressure from the article wall portion; determining the magnitude of air pressure within the cavity required to effect a compressive force on the tag antenna by the article wall sufficient to result in the measured tag transmission signal strength.

Claims

1. A method for sensing pressure in a pressurized article utilizing an electronic tag, the tag being of a type having an electronic device storing article-specific data and an antenna coupled to the electronic device for transmitting a tag transmission signal to a remote reader device, the method comprising:

calculating the impedance of the tag antenna, the tag antenna being flexible and at least partially composed of a flexible conductive pressure sensitive material including rubber;

measuring changes in antenna impedance resulting from changes in pressure exerted on the tag antenna;

calculating changes in tag transmission signal strength resulting from changes in antenna impedance;

at least partially embedding the electronic tag within a wall portion of the article, the wall portion at least partially defining an article cavity and exerting a compressive force on the tag antenna of a magnitude determined by the magnitude of air pressure within the cavity;

measuring the tag transmission signal strength with the tag antenna subjected to pressure from the article wall portion;

determining the magnitude of air pressure within the cavity required to effect a compressive force on the tag antenna by the article wall sufficient to result in the measured tag transmission signal strength.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising connecting a first and a second antenna arm comprising the antenna to opposite sides of the electronic device to form a bi-pole antenna configuration.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein further comprising separating inward ends of the first antenna arm from the second antenna arm by a separator component composed at least partially of non-conductive flexible rubber.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein further comprising substantially embedding the entirety of the tag within the article wall.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein further comprising encasing the electronic device by the separator component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein further comprising overlapping the inward ends of the first and the second antenna arms by the separator component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein further comprising aligning the separator component m electronic device, and the first and the second antenna arms in a co-linear alignment within the article wall.