Wheel position determination using revolution counter
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- counting wheel revolutions in a wheel unit of a tire monitoring system, said wheel unit mounted on one wheel of a vehicle;
transmitting an indication of the count, and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit, to a central controller of the tire monitoring system;
comparing, in the central controller of the tire monitoring system, the count with wheel speed information for the vehicle to determine if one wheel on each side of the vehicle is rotating at a different speed; and
determining, based at least in part upon the determination that one wheel is rotating at a different speed than another on each or either side of the vehicle, which wheel unit on a side of the vehicle is located on a drive axle of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel position determination system and method to count wheel revolutions in a wheel unit of a tire monitoring system. An indication of the count is transmitted, optionally along with an indication of a left/right side position of the wheel on the vehicle, and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit, to a central controller of the tire monitoring system. In the central controller of the tire monitoring system, the count is compared with wheel speed information for the vehicle, such as from an ABS system, to determine if one wheel on each side of the vehicle is rotating at a different speed. Based at least in part upon a determination that each wheel speed is unique, a determination of wheel location may be made.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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counting wheel revolutions in a wheel unit of a tire monitoring system, said wheel unit mounted on one wheel of a vehicle; transmitting an indication of the count, and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit, to a central controller of the tire monitoring system; comparing, in the central controller of the tire monitoring system, the count with wheel speed information for the vehicle to determine if one wheel on each side of the vehicle is rotating at a different speed; and determining, based at least in part upon the determination that one wheel is rotating at a different speed than another on each or either side of the vehicle, which wheel unit on a side of the vehicle is located on a drive axle of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A tire monitoring wheel unit, comprising:
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an accelerometric device; a wheel unit controller, said controller comprising a module for receiving signals from said accelerometric device and determining a direction of rotation of a wheel unit mounting said wheel, and a number of rotations of said wheel unit; and a transmitter capable of transmitting to a central receiving unit of a vehicle, an indication of a side of said vehicle on which said wheel unit is mounted, based at least in part on the determination of direction of rotation of the wheel unit, and transmitting an indication of the number of rotations of said wheel, and transmitting an identification unique to said wheel unit, wherein said accelerometric device comprises one or more of a shock or acceleration sensor, and said determining a number of rotations of said wheel comprises counting the number of wheel revolution signals received from said one or more shock or acceleration sensor mounted in a wheel unit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A tire monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:
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a tire monitoring wheel unit disposed in each wheel of said vehicle, each of said wheel units comprising; one or more accelerometric devices; a wheel unit controller, said controller comprising a module for receiving signals from said one or more accelerometric devices and capable of determining a direction of rotation of a wheel mounting said wheel unit, and a number of rotations of said wheel unit; and a transmitter capable of transmitting, to a central receiving unit, the number of rotations of said wheel; a central controller capable of receiving the transmissions from each of the wheel units, and further capable of comparing the number of rotations with wheel speed information for the vehicle, to determine if one wheel on each side of the vehicle is rotating at a different speed than the other wheel on the same side, and determining, based at least in part on this determination for each or either side of the vehicle, which wheel unit on a side of the vehicle is located on a drive axle of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification