Method for assigning tire pressure measurement devices in a motor vehicle to wheel positions and device for measuring the tire pressure

• US 20030076222A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Martin, Fonzes, Georges
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right

Abstract

When a vehicle travels a bend, tire pressure measurement devices (2) are assigned to wheel positions. For this purpose, it is determined by means of ABS (4) whether it is a left-hand or right-hand bend. Wheel revolution counts are then measured in each tire and sent along with identification codes to a central analysis unit (3). There the wheel revolution counts are collated with the bend data determined by the ABS. The two higher wheel revolution counts are then assigned to the side of the vehicle on the outside of the bend and the two lower wheel revolution counts are assigned to the other side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Method for assigning tire pressure measurement devices in a motor vehicle to wheel positions, wherein

when the motor vehicle is traveling, wheel parameters and assigned wheel positions are recorded by means of an existing driver support system located in the motor vehicle and used in the driver support system as bend data to determine whether a left-hand or right-hand bend is traveled and which bend is then being traveled, with the bend data being transferred to an analysis unit,

when a bend is identified, assignment mode is activated for the tire pressure measurement devices,

a sensor in each tire is used to measure a physical variable proportion to the speed of the relevant wheel and the value of the physical variable is sent along with identification codes of the relevant tire pressure measurement devices to the analysis unit in wireless fashion, and

in the analysis unit the bend data is collated with the variables measured by the sensors in the tire or variables calculated from these and used to assign identification codes and therefore the tire pressure measurement devices to wheel positions.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein centrifugal acceleration is measured in the tires as a physical variable and wheel revolution counts are calculated from the centrifugal acceleration values, which are then collated with the bend data from the driver support system.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein assignment of the tire pressure measurement devices to wheel positions takes place automatically at least once after starting the motor vehicle, as soon as a bend with a bend radius below a target value is identified.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the tire pressure measurement devices are assigned to wheel positions on the front axle and rear axle on the basis of pressure measurement by the tire pressure measurement devices and analysis of the measured values over time.

5. Device for measuring the tire pressure of any wheel on a motor vehicle, each of which has a tire pressure measurement device in each tire, which in turn has pressure and/or temperature sensors and acceleration sensors, with the tire pressure measurement devices communicating in wireless fashion with an analysis unit in the motor vehicle and with which the tire pressure measurement devices are assigned to a wheel position according to the method according to claim 1 at least once during the journey.

6. Arrangement for measuring the tire pressure of a plurality of wheels of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor arrangement within each wheel to be measured coupled with a data transceiver unit;

wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a pressure sensor and a sensor for measuring the physical variable proportional to the speed of the wheel;

a driver support system for receiving and evaluating a plurality of travel information;

an evaluation unit being coupled with a data transceiver for transmitting and receiving data from said sensor arrangements, wherein said driver support system provides bend data to determine whether a left-hand or right-hand bend is traveled to said evaluation unit; and

said evaluation unit assigns from the physical variable proportion to the speed of the relevant wheel the received tire pressure value to a respective wheel within the motor vehicle.

7. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the sensor for measuring the physical variable is a kinematic sensor.

8. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a microcontroller coupled with said sensors and said transceiver.

9. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the driver support system is a antilock system.

10. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the driver support system is a drive slip control system.

11. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the driver support system is an electronic stability program system.

12. Arrangement as in claim 6, wherein the driver support system is a traction control system.