Wireless tire monitoring system

• US 9,796,219 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salutica Allied Solutions Sdn. Bhd.
• Original Assignee: Salutica Allied Solutions Sdn. Bhd.
• Inventors: Chong, Kean Hoo, Tan, Wee Yeoh, Ho, Chang Tih, Pan, Yoon Shing
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US15/319,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 340447, 340446, 340448, 340442, 3404261, 340438, 34042616
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless tire monitoring system for a vehicle. Accordingly, the wireless tire monitoring system (100a) includes: a) at least one sensor unit (200a) disposed at each tire of the vehicle for measuring at least one parameter relating to the condition of the tire; b) a mobile communication unit (400a) in communication with the sensor unit (200a), or in-car unit (300a) or other associated units, components/devices (if any), and distinct server/storage media/internet cloud (500a); c) a distinct server/storage media/internet cloud (500a) for storing all information relating to encryption key, user information/identities, or the parameters concerning to the condition of the tire measured by the sensor unit (200a); wherein the tire monitoring system (100a) is adapted to efficiently transmitting, storing, receiving/retrieving, pairing, sharing and/or broadcasting encryption data or other related information within the associated units, components/devices with the distinct server or storage media or the internet cloud (500a), in a parallel communication. It will appreciated that the system may optionally provide with an in-car unit (300a) in communication with the sensor unit (200a) or other associated units, components/devices (if any), the mobile communication unit (400a) and distinct server/storage media/internet cloud (500a).

Claims

1. A wireless tire monitoring system for a vehicle, the wireless tire monitoring system including:

a) at least one sensor unit disposed at each tire of the vehicle for measuring at least one parameter relating to the condition of the tire;

b) a mobile communication unit in communication with the sensor unit, or in-car unit or other associated units, components/devices (if any), and distinct server/storage media/internet cloud; and

c) the distinct server/storage media/internet cloud for storing all information relating to encryption data, user information/identities, or the parameters concerning to the condition of the tire measured by the sensor unit;

wherein the tire monitoring system is adapted for efficiently transmitting, storing, receiving/retrieving, pairing, sharing and/or broadcasting encryption data or other related information within the at least one sensor unit, or in-car unit or other associated units, components/devices with the mobile communication unit and the distinct server or storage media or the internet cloud, in a parallel communication;

wherein the mobile communication unit or the in-car unit involves a firmware or software application that is adapted for use in monitoring, observing and/or controlling all pairing and/or sharing functions or related information, including the encryption data or any other related information in between the at least one sensor unit, or the in-car unit or other associated units, components/devices (if any), and the distinct server/storage media/internet cloud, such that the firmware or software application allows the user to substitute, change, to switch to other different mobile communication unit or device, or share with other mobile communication unit or device, by obtaining all pairing, encryption data, user/identity information, or parameters concerning to the condition of the tire from the distinct server or storage media or internet cloud into the substitute or other mobile communication unit or device without the need for reinitiating the pairing process with the sensor unit(s), or the in-car unit or other associated units, components/devices (if any).

2. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication of the at least one sensor unit, in-car unit or the mobile communication unit is performed by using the Bluetooth Technology, such that any broadcast data/information from the at least one sensor unit is transmitted simultaneously to the in-car unit and/or the mobile communication unit via Radio Frequency (RF)/Bluetooth.

3. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the firmware or software application allows the user to direct the distinct server/storage media/internet cloud to share all or partially or selected information relating to encryption key, user information/identities, or the parameters concerning the condition of the tire with other trustworthy users, or to share such information from the primary mobile communication unit to other mobile communication unit or other devices without the need for such trustworthy users or mobile communication unit or other devices to reinitiate the pairing process with the sensor unit(s), in-car unit or associated units, components/devices (if any).

4. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the firmware or software application enables primary user to control or regulate the pairing and/or sharing functions, such that the encrypted data of the system is picked-up by, or being paired or shared with other mobile communication units, or devices of secondary, or other trustable user'"'"'s devices.

5. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the firmware or software application is pre-installed, pre-programmed, or to be downloaded from webserver/internet into non-volatile/flash memory of the mobile communication unit or the in-car unit.

6. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication unit or the in-car unit is capable of transmitting, storing, receiving/retrieving, pairing, sharing and/or broadcasting encryption data or any other related information within the system including the at least one sensor unit, in-car unit or any other associated units/components/devices (if any), and the distinct server/storage media/the internet cloud.

7. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein system is adapted to avoid any violation or theft issues of the at least one sensor unit or the in-car unit by integrating or incorporating encryption between the paired units into wireless communication, where the at least one sensor unit or the in-car unit are in association with the mobile communication unit.

8. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein violation or theft issues of the at least one sensor unit or the in-car unit will trigger such that alerting signal, either in sound, display, or vibration, or in combination thereof, is presented on the mobile communication unit via the firmware or software application.

9. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein all encryption keys and/or user information/identities in the mobile communication unit, the in the in-car unit or other associated units/components/devices (if any) are being stored in the distinct server or storage media or the internet cloud.

10. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the distinct server or storage media or the internet cloud is adapted to store all parameters relating to the condition of the tire measured by the at least one sensor unit, the encryption keys, user information/identities as well as other related information within the associated units, components/devices (if any).

11. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the parameters relating to the condition of the tire measured by the at least one sensor unit includes tire pressure, temperature, wheel speed, acceleration, and/or distance information of the vehicle.

12. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the system enables any faulty or missing sensor unit to be replaced, such that any unpaired replacement sensor unit does not require any pre-programmed identification of its wheel position prior to being paired, and wherein the pairing of the unpaired replacement sensor unit to the wireless tire monitoring system does not require the vehicle to be set in motion.

13. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the use of the wireless tire monitoring system does not require the vehicle to be set in motion.

14. The wireless tire monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication unit or the in-car unit is able to receive data/information via Bluetooth from the at least one sensor unit even when the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is switched off and the vehicle is stationary indefinitely.