Tire pressure monitoring system with low frequency initiation approach

• US 20030164035A1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nantz, John S., Ghabra, Riad, King, Ronald O., Tang, Qingfeng, Turovsky, Art, Walker, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 6,829,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/326 the resonator being an acoustic wave device, e.g. SAW or BAW device
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 1/46 Modulators with mechanically-driven or acoustically-driven parts

Abstract

For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, an initiator generator includes an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to a switched, regulated voltage. The output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency.

Claims

1. For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, an initiator generator comprising:

an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to a switched, regulated voltage, wherein the output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency.

2. The generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a switching circuit configured to generate a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal; and

a regulator configured to generate the switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage.

3. The generator of claim 1 wherein the oscillator/divider comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to the switched, regulated voltage and a signal having an oscillation frequency.

4. The generator of claim 3 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of the oscillation frequency.

5. The generator of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises a pre-driver/signal conditioning circuit configured to present the output signal to a driver circuit.

6. The generator of claim 5 wherein the generator is configured to drive a differential FET current switch for powering a series RLC circuit for magnetic field generation.

7. The generator of claim 5 wherein the generator is configured to drive a single transistor, an FET, a high current device, or a high voltage device.

8. The generator of claim 3 wherein the signal having the oscillation frequency is generated by a crystal oscillator.

9. For use in a tire pressure monitoring system, a method of generating an initiator output signal, the method comprising:

generating the output signal at a fundamental frequency in response to a switched, regulated voltage; and

gating the output signal at a gating frequency.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to an oscillation signal.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal; and

generating the switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of a frequency of the oscillation signal.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

generating the output signal via a pre-driver/signal conditioning circuit; and

presenting the output signal to a driver circuit.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising presenting the output signal to a differential FET current switch for powering a series RLC circuit for magnetic field generation.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising presenting the output signal to a single transistor, an FET, a high current device, or a high voltage device.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the oscillation signal via a crystal oscillator.

17. A reduced power consumption tire pressure monitoring system initiator generator comprising:

a switching circuit configured to generate a switched, unregulated voltage in response to a supply voltage and an enable signal;

a regulator configured to generate a switched, regulated voltage in response to the unregulated voltage; and

an oscillator/divider configured to generate an output signal in response to the switched, regulated voltage, wherein the output signal has a fundamental frequency and a gating frequency.

18. The generator of claim 17 wherein the oscillator/divider comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency in response to the switched, regulated voltage and a signal having an oscillation frequency.

19. The generator of claim 18 wherein the signal having the oscillation frequency is generated by a crystal oscillator.

20. The generator of claim 18 wherein the fundamental frequency and the gating frequency are the same as, multiples of, or dividends of the oscillation frequency.