Device and method using passive element to influence signal based on tire characteristic

• US 9,718,315 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Peine, Andre, Lange, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/807,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20160031272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 340442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• 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 23/0437 Means for detecting electromagnetic field changes not being part of the signal transmission per se, e.g. strength, direction, propagation or masking
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0449 Passive transducers, e.g. using surface acoustic waves, backscatter technology or pressure sensitive resonators near field passive transducers B60C23/0428
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0483 Wireless routers between wheel mounted transmitters and chassis mounted receivers
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only

Abstract

Embodiments provide a device, an element, a passive element, methods and computer programs for obtaining tire characteristics. A device includes a transmitter inside a tire to transmit a signal at least partially indicating a first characteristic of the tire. The device further includes a passive element to at least partially influence the signal based on a second characteristic of the tire. The device further includes an element to detect the influence of the signal by the passive element and to obtain information related to the second characteristic of the tire based on the influence.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a transmitter configured to be installed or otherwise located inside a tire to transmit a signal at least partially indicating a first characteristic of the tire; and

a passive element that is distinct from the transmitter, wherein the passive element is configured to at least partially influence the signal based on a second, different characteristic of the tire.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic each comprise at least one element of the group of information related to a tire pressure, information related to a condition of a tire tread, information related to a tire temperature, information related to an acceleration of the tire, information related to a friction of the tire, information related to a modulus of elasticity of the tire, information related to a modulus of torsion of the tire, or information related to a bulk modulus of the tire.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the element and/or wherein the transmitter comprises a tire pressure sensor module.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein when the transmitter is coupled to the element the element comprises the tire pressure sensor module, wherein the first characteristic comprises information related to a tire pressure, wherein the element is configured to detect a load modulation on the transmit signal based on which the information related to the second characteristic is obtained, and wherein the second characteristic comprises information related to a condition of a tire tread of the tire.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a control unit for a vehicle the tire is attached to.

6. An element configured to detect an influence evoked by a passive element on a transmit signal transmitted by a transmitter configured to be located inside a tire, the transmit signal at least partially indicating a first characteristic of the tire, the influence on the transmit signal being based on a second, different characteristic of the tire, the element being configured to obtain information related to the second characteristic of the tire based on the influence, wherein the element is located within the transmitter.

7. The element of claim 6, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic each comprise at least one element of the group of information related to a tire pressure, information related to a condition of a tire tread, information related to a tire temperature, information related to an acceleration of the tire, information related to a friction of the tire, information related to a modulus of elasticity of the tire, information related to a modulus of torsion of the tire, or information related to a bulk modulus of the tire.

8. The element of claim 6, wherein the first characteristic comprises information related to a tire pressure of the tire, and wherein the second characteristic comprises information related to at least one element of the group of information related to a condition of a tire tread, information related to a tire temperature, information related to an acceleration of the tire, information related to a friction of the tire, information related to a modulus of elasticity of the tire, information related to a modulus of torsion of the tire, or information related to a bulk modulus of the tire.

9. The element of claim 6, comprising the transmitter configured to transmit the signal from inside a tire.

10. The element of claim 6, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the information related to the second characteristic using a subsequent transmit signal.

11. The element of claim 6, being further configured to sense the influence of the transmit signal based on a modulation of the transmit signal.

12. The element of claim 6, comprising a control device for a vehicle the tire is attached to.

13. The element of claim 12, wherein the control device is configured to obtain information related to the first characteristic based on the transmit signal from the transmitter inside of the tire, and wherein the control device is configured to obtain information related to the second characteristic based on the influence.

14. A passive element configured to at least partially influence a signal transmitted by a transmitter configured to be located inside a tire, the transmit signal at least partially indicating a first characteristic of the tire, the influence of the signal being based on a second, different characteristic of the tire, wherein the passive element is distinct from the transmitter.

15. The passive element of claim 14, configured to sense information related to a condition of a tire tread, wherein the second characteristic comprises the information related to the condition of the tire tread, and/or wherein the first characteristic comprises information related to a tire pressure.

16. The passive element of claim 14, comprising a radio frequency identification tag, a surface acoustic wave filter or a bulk acoustic wave filter, and/or wherein the passive element is configured to influence the signal using load modulation of the signal transmitted by the transmitter inside the tire.

17. The passive element of claim 14, comprising an antenna, coil or loop.

18. The passive element of claim 14, comprising a structure configured to be located within a tread of the tire.

19. The passive element of claim 18, wherein the structure comprises an electric or magnetic component, which is configured to influence an electric or a magnetic field of the signal transmitted by the transmitter inside of the tire, wherein the structure is configured to change with a change of the wear of the tire, wherein the structure is configured to wear off at least partly together with the tread of the tire, and/or wherein the structure is configured to completely wear off before the tire tread wears off completely.

20. The passive element of claim 14, being configured to at least partially modulate the signal of the transmitter inside the tire in a first wear condition of a tire tread using a first degree of modulation, and to at least partially modulate the signal of the transmitter inside the tire in a second wear condition of the tire tread using a second degree of modulation, wherein the first degree of modulation is higher than the second degree of modulation or wherein the second degree of modulation equals basically zero.

21. A method for communicating information related to a condition of a tread of a tire, comprising:

influencing a radio signal transmitted by a transmitter inside of the tire with a first intensity in a first time period, the transmit signal at least partially indicating a characteristic of the tire different from the condition of the tread of the tire;

influencing the radio signal with a second intensity in a second, different time period; and

detecting information related to the condition of the tread of the tire based on the first and second intensities transmitted in the first and second different time periods, respectively.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second intensity is basically zero.