Method and monitoring unit for monitoring a tire pressure

• US 8,279,054 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Kuchler, Gregor, Müller, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/567,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/447, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.19, 701/29, 701/209
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0406 Alarms noticeable from outside the vehicle, e.g. indication in side mirror, front light or audible alarms B60C23/0403, B60C23/0405 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A method and a monitoring unit for monitoring an air pressure in a tire of a motor vehicle register a measured value of the air pressure in the tire. The current and/or future distance of the motor vehicle relative to a service station and/or an operating situation of the motor vehicle associated with a service process is then determined. An alarm signal is only then output if the measured value does not reach a predefinable threshold value and one or both of the conditions applies: the current or future distance of the motor vehicle relative to a service station does not reach a predefinable threshold value, the registered operating situation corresponds to a predefinable operating situation.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a tire pressure in a tire of a motor vehicle, which comprises the following method steps:

a) acquiring a measured value of the tire pressure in the tire from sensors;

b) if a monitoring device determines that the measured value of the tire pressure undershoots a predefined threshold value, performing the following steps with the monitoring device;

identifying a plurality of service stations located near different points on a driving route planned in a navigation system of the motor vehicle, and

issuing an alarm notification and recommending travel to one of the plurality of service stations.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises determining a current position of the motor vehicle with the aid of GPS or GSM and determining a future position of the motor vehicle with the aid of the route planned in the navigation system.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises evaluating temporal gradients relative to the plurality of service stations or signs thereof.

4. A monitoring unit for monitoring a tire pressure in a tire of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a monitoring device for receiving a measured value of the tire pressure in the tire;

said monitoring device programmed to determine whether or not the measured value of the tire pressure undershoots a predefined threshold value and if the measured value of the tire pressure undershoots the predefined threshold value to;

identify a plurality of service stations located near different points on a driving route planned in a navigation system of the motor vehicle, and

issue an alarm notification and recommend travel to one of the plurality of service stations;

an output device for outputting the alarm notification.

5. The monitoring unit according to claim 4, which further comprises sensors for determining a current position of the motor vehicle with the aid of GPS or GSM, and wherein said monitoring device includes a processor for calculating a future position of the motor vehicle with the aid of the route planned in the navigation system.

6. The monitoring unit according to claim 4, wherein said output device is configured to evaluate temporal gradients relative to the plurality of service stations or signs thereof.

7. The monitoring unit according to claim 4, wherein said output device for outputting the alarm notification is disposed in a semiconductor module.