Tire pressure monitoring system

• US 9,174,500 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Jong-hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/016,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/443, 340/445, 340/447, 731462-1465
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0498 for rim attachments B60C23/0494, B60C23/0496 take precedence

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is provided. The TPMS includes: a plurality of sensors which output sensing signals, the plurality of sensors including a printable pressure sensor which senses an air pressure of a tire, and a temperature sensor which senses an air temperature inside the tire; a signal processor which is configured to process the sensing signals output by the plurality of sensors; a wireless power receiver which is configured to receive energy from a power source and output power; and a rechargeable battery which is configured to be charged by the power output by the wireless receiver and supply power to the plurality of sensors to sense the air pressure of the tire and the air temperature inside the tire.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensors which output sensing signals, the plurality of sensors including a printable pressure sensor which senses an air pressure of a tire, and a temperature sensor which senses an air temperature inside the tire;

a signal processor which is configured to process the sensing signals output by the plurality of sensors;

a wireless power receiver which is configured to wirelessly receive power transmitted from a power supply source, convert the received power to charging power and output the charging power; and

a rechargeable battery which is configured to be charged by the charging power output by the wireless power receiver and supply power to the plurality of sensors to sense the air pressure of the tire and the air temperature inside the tire.

2. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the printable pressure sensor comprises two films and is configured to sense the air pressure of the tire by measuring a resistance or capacitance, according to a transformation of a space between the two films due to the air pressure of the tire.

3. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the space between the two films is in a vacuum state, or is filled with a gaseous, liquid, or solid material.

4. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor includes a structure in which a heat sensing part is stacked, trenched, or embedded with respect to a flexible substrate.

5. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the heat sensing part comprises heat sensing resistive particles coated on the flexible substrate.

6. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the heat sensing resistive particles include silver nanoparticles.

7. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the heat sensing part is configured to measure the temperature using a material having pyroelectricity in order to measure a voltage generated according to the temperature.

8. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the material having pyroelectricity includes a Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).

9. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the signal processor comprises a circuit formed by printed electronics technology on a substrate formed of a polymer material, a flexible substrate, or a substrate of a complex structure of a solid substrate part and a flexible substrate part.

10. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receiver comprises a resonance coil which is formed in a pattern on a flexible substrate by a printed electronics method, coating, or electrolytic plating.

11. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the flexible substrate winds around a tire rim, and both ends of the pattern of the resonance coil formed on the flexible substrate are connected to each other to conduct electricity.

12. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the ends of the pattern of the resonance coil are connected to each other to conduct electricity by soldering.

13. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 10, further comprising an antenna structure which is provided on one side of the flexible substrate by the printed electronics method, the antenna structure is configured to transmit the processed signals output by the signal processor.

14. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one selected from a group consisting of the plurality of sensors, the signal processor, and the rechargeable battery is provided on a flexible substrate by a printed electronics method.

15. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one selected from a group consisting of the plurality of sensors, the signal processor, and the rechargeable battery is provided on a flexible substrate in a chip on board (COB) form.

16. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one selected from a group consisting of the plurality of sensors, the signal processor, and the rechargeable battery is assembled on a flexible substrate.

17. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is repeatedly rechargeable.

18. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is formed by a printed electronics method.

19. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery is formed in a lithium-polymer or lithium-ion thin film structure.

20. A tire pressure monitoring system mounted on a tire rim, the tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

a flexible substrate which is mounted on the tire rim;

a sensor device which outputs sensing signals, the sensor device senses an air pressure of a tire and an air temperature of the tire;

a signal processor which is configured to process the sensing signals output by the sensor device;

a wireless power receiver which is configured to wirelessly receive power transmitted from a power supply source, convert the received power to recharging power and output the recharging power; and

a rechargeable battery which is configured to be charged by the recharging power output by the wireless power receiver and supply power to the plurality of sensors to sense the air pressure of the tire and the air temperature inside the tire,

wherein at least one of the sensor device, the signal processor, the wireless power receiver and the rechargeable battery is provided on the flexible substrate.

21. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the tire pressure monitoring system further comprises:

at least one of a memory and a security chip arranged on the flexible substrate in a chip on board (COB) form; and

a wireless data transceiver which includes a modem.

22. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the sensor device comprises:

a printable pressure sensor which senses the air pressure of the tire; and

a temperature sensor which senses the air temperature inside the tire.

23. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the printable pressure sensor is configured to sense the air pressure by measuring a resistance or capacitance according to a transformation of a space between two films due to the air pressure of the tire.

24. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the wireless power receiver comprises a resonance coil.

25. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 24, wherein a pattern of the resonance coil is formed on the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate winds around the tire rim.

26. The tire pressure monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable battery is repeatedly rechargeable.