Tire state variables management system

• US 8,368,524 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Oda, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARLSON, ADAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/678,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 340/459, 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 343/713, 731/46
• US Class Current: 340/442
• 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 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/82 where the sensing device takes the initiative of sending data
• 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

The present invention provides a tire state variables management system where an external module can reliably receive data from a specific sensor module from which data is to be acquired when an external module transmits to the sensor module a command signal for requesting data transmission. Each sensor module 3 possesses a self-identifying code for distinguishing itself from other sensor modules; the command signal transmitted by the external module 2 includes the self-identifying code possessed by the sensor module 3 from which data is to be acquired; and the sensor module 3 is adapted to transmit the data only when the self-identifying code included in the command signal from the external module 2 coincides with the self-identifying code possessed by itself.

Claims

1. A tire state variables management system provided with:

a sensor module mounted on each tire of a vehicle having plural tires, for detecting tire state variables including tire internal pressure and transmitting data of the tire state variables on the basis of a command signal from the outside of the vehicle; and

an external module disposed on the outer side of the vehicle, for transmitting the command signal to the sensor module and receiving the data transmitted from the sensor module to acquire data of the tire state variables, characterized in that;

each sensor module possesses a self-identifying code for distinguishing itself from other sensor modules;

the command signal transmitted by the external module includes the self-identifying code possessed by the sensor Module from which data is to be acquired; and

each sensor module is adapted to transmit the data only when the self-identifying code included in the command signal from the external module coincides with the self-identifying code possessed by the sensor module itself,

wherein the sensor module is adapted to possess a serial number which is inherent thereto and irrelevant to the tire state,

the tire state variables management system further comprises a vehicle body side module provided on the body side of the vehicle, for transmitting to the sensor module a command signal for requesting transmission of data regarding the tire state variables,

the command signal transmitted by the vehicle body side module includes the serial number possessed by the sensor module of which data is to be acquired, information for identifying the vehicle having the tire on which the sensor module of which data is to be acquired is mounted, and information of a position at which the tire is mounted in the vehicle, in combination, and

each sensor module has a memory and is adapted to store therein the information for identifying the vehicle and the information of a position at which the tire is mounted in the vehicle, which are included in combination in the command signal, only when the serial number included in the command signal from the vehicle body side module coincides with the serial number possessed by the sensor module.

2. The tire state variables management system of claim 1, wherein the self-identifying code comprises the information for identifying the vehicle on which the tire corresponding to the sensor module is mounted and the information of the position at which the tire is mounted, in combination.

3. The tire state variables management system of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is adapted to erase the information for identifying the vehicle and the information of a tire mounting position memorized in combination in the memory when the sensor module has not received the command signal from the vehicle body side module in a predetermined period or longer.

4. The tire state variables management system of claim 1, wherein

the vehicle body side module transmits, based on a command from a central control module provided in the vehicle or at preset timing, said command signal, and

the each sensor module is adapted to store in the memory the information for identifying the vehicle and the information of the position at which the tire is mounted in the vehicle, which are included in combination in the command signal, only when the serial number included in the command signal from the vehicle body side module coincides with the serial number possessed by the sensor module, such that the information in the memory is renewed.

5. The tire state variables management system of claim 4, wherein the sensor module is adapted to erase the information for identifying the vehicle and the information of a tire mounting position memorized in combination in the memory when the sensor module has not received the command signal from the vehicle body side module in a predetermined period or longer.