Methods and systems for determining a tire pressure status

• US 8,525,657 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Dilip B., Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Bennie, Brian, Swadling, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/712,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/447
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0484 Detecting an ongoing tyre inflation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00

Abstract

Various embodiments may include methods and systems for determining a tire pressure status. The system may include at least one computer. An input defining an inflation status of one or more vehicle tires, as well as tire inflation data of the one or more tires, may be received. A specific value associated with an inflation event of the one or more vehicle tires may be calculated based on the inflation data. Further, one or more messages for outputting the specific value from one or more vehicle components may be generated and transmitted to the one or more vehicle components. The specific value may be output as one or more messages from the vehicle.

Claims

1. A tire pressure status notification system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one computer configured to;

receive input defining an inflation status of one or more vehicle tires;

receive tire inflation data of the one or more tires;

calculate a pressure change time status, relating to the time required to reach a desired pressure;

generate one or more messages for outputting the rate of pressure change time status from one or more vehicle components; and

transmit the one or more messages to the one or more vehicle components for outputting at least the pressure change time status as one or more messages from the vehicle.

2. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to calculate a specific value associated with a tire pressure event of the one or more vehicle tires based on the inflation data,

wherein the specific value is a numeric pressure value of the one or more vehicle tires measured in a unit of pressure.

3. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 2 wherein the numeric pressure value is a pressure value of the one or more tires measured at one or more instances during the inflation event.

4. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 2 wherein the numeric pressure value is a difference between a stored placard pressure value and a pressure value of the one or more tires measured at one or more instances during the inflation event.

5. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 4 wherein the stored placard pressure value is input by a user.

6. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 1 wherein the pressure change time status is an inflation rate until the stored placard value pressure is reached.

7. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 6 wherein the inflation rate is measured in a unit of time.

8. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 1 wherein the one or more messages is audible.

9. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 8 wherein the one or more audible messages is one or more beeps, tones, horn honks, or one or more voice-based messages.

10. The tire pressure status notification system of claim 1 wherein the one or more vehicle components is one or more vehicle lights, a vehicle horn, a vehicle audio system, or a voice-based vehicle computing system.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving input defining an inflation status of one or more vehicle tires;

receiving inflation data for the vehicle tires;

calculating a calculate a pressure change time status, relating to the time required to reach a desired pressure; and

outputting one or more messages including the pressure change time status to one or more vehicle components.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the one or more messages includes selecting one or more vehicle components from which to output the one or more messages.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting the one or more vehicle components is based on a user preference.