ID registration method for tire pressure sensor, ID registration apparatus, ID registration tool for tire pressure monitoring system, and tire with air pressure sensor

• US 20030227379A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Itou, Shintarou
• Granted Patent: US 7,079,033 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0472 to manually allocate ID codes or mounting positions, e.g. by service technicians
• 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

Provided is a tire pressure monitoring system capable of preventing mistaken registration of ID due to radio interference. In the system, a tire pressure monitoring apparatus is switched into an ID registration mode while an ID is read out from a bar code or the like and is transmitted to the tire pressure monitoring apparatus. The tire pressure monitoring apparatus registers the received ID in a memory. After the completion of the registration of a necessary number of IDs, the tire pressure monitoring apparatus is switched into a normal mode, before the ID registration operation comes to an end. On the other hand, in the case of tire replacement, through the use of an ID registration tool, an ID is read out from a bar code adhered onto a tire detached and is transmitted to the tire pressure monitoring apparatus. The tire pressure monitoring apparatus removes an ID corresponding to this ID from the memory, and through the use of the ID registration tool, an ID is read out from a bar code adhered onto a tire to be newly mounted and is transmitted to the tire pressure monitoring apparatus to be registered therein.

Claims

1. A method of registering a tire air pressure sensor ID in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle from said air pressure sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising:

a step of reading said ID offered as readable information; and

a step of writing the read ID in an ID storage unit of each of said air pressure sensors and in an ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of, when an ID is read out from said readable information and is inputted in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, removing, of IDs already written in said ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, an ID corresponding to said ID inputted this time.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, as said readable information, are used optically-readable information including bar code, data code, QR code, maxi code, CP code, PDF417, code 49, code 16K and coder block, and said ID is read out through the use of an optical information reading unit and said ID read by said optical information reading unit is written in said ID storage unit through the use of a predetermined unit.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said optical information reading unit and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are connected to each other through a signal line so that the read ID is transmitted from said optical information reading unit through said signal line to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

2. A method of registering a tire air pressure sensor ID in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle from said air pressure sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising:

a step of indicating a sensor ID as readable information on each of said air pressure sensors, each of said tires, a wheel of each of said tires or a wheel cover of each of said tires;

a step of reading said ID from said readable information; and

a step of writing the read ID in an ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of, when an ID is read out from said readable information and is inputted in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, removing, of IDs already written in said ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, an ID corresponding to said ID inputted this time.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein, as said readable information, are used optically-readable information including bar code, data code, QR code, maxi code, CP code, PDF417, code 49, code 16K and coder block, and said ID is read out through the use of an optical information reading unit and said ID read by said optical information reading unit is written in said ID storage unit through the use of a predetermined unit.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said optical information reading unit and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are connected to each other through a signal line so that the read ID is transmitted from said optical information reading unit through said signal line to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

9. A tire air pressure sensor ID registration apparatus for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle from said air pressure sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising:

an ID indicating unit for indicating readable information including an ID;

a reading unit for reading out said ID from said readable information indicated by said ID indicating unit; and

ID writing unit for writing said ID, read by said reading unit, in an ID storage unit of each of said air pressure sensors and in an ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an ID deletion unit for, when said ID read out by said reading unit is inputted in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, removing, of IDs already written in said ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, an ID corresponding to said ID inputted this time.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, as said readable information, are used optically-readable information including bar code, data code, QR code, maxi code, CP code, PDF417, code 49, code 16K and coder block, and said ID is read out through the use of an optical information reading unit and said ID read by said optical information reading unit is written in said ID storage unit through the use of said ID writing unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, as said readable information, are used optically-readable information including bar code, data code, QR code, maxi code, CP code, PDF417, code 49, code 16K and coder block, and said ID is read out through the use of an optical information reading unit and said ID read by said optical information reading unit is written in said ID storage unit through the use of said ID writing unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said optical information reading unit and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are connected to each other through a signal line so that the ID to be stored in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus is transmitted through said signal.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said optical information reading unit and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are connected to each other through a signal line so that the ID to be stored in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus is transmitted through said signal.

10. A tire air pressure sensor ID registration apparatus for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle from said air pressure sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising:

a readable information indication label including a sensor ID and adhered onto each of said air pressure sensors, each of said tires, a wheel of each of said tires or a wheel cover of each of said tires;

a reading unit for reading out said ID from said readable information indication label; and

an ID writing unit for writing said ID, read out by the reading unit, in an ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising an ID deletion unit for, when said ID read out by said reading unit is inputted in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, removing, of IDs already written in said ID storage unit of said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, an ID corresponding to said ID inputted this time.

17. An ID registration tool for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle from said air pressure sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires mounted on said vehicle, comprising:

a reading unit for reading out a sensor ID from a readable information indication label including said sensor ID and adhered onto each of said air pressure sensors, each of said tires, a wheel of each of said tires or a wheel cover of each of said tires;

ID transmitting unit for transmitting said ID, read out by said reading unit, to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus; and

a storage state instruction unit for giving an instruction on registration or deletion of said ID transmitted from said ID transmitting unit.

18. The tool according to claim 17, wherein said reading unit is an optical information reading unit for optically reading optically-readable information including bar code, data code, QR code, maxi code, CP code, PDF417, code 49, code 16K and coder block.

19. The tool according to claim 17, further comprising a signal line for making connection with respect to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus or a connector for connection of said signal line.

20. The tool according to claim 17, further a trigger signal transmitting unit for transmitting a trigger signal for setting an ID registration mode to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

21. A tire with an air pressure sensor in which an optically-readable information label indicating information including an ID of said air pressure sensor is adhered onto said air pressure sensor, said tire itself, a tire wheel or a tire wheel cover.

22. The tire according to claim 21, wherein said optically-readable information label is one of a bar code label, a data code label, a QR code label, a maxi code label, a CP code label, a PDF417 label, a code 49 label, a code 16K label, and a coder block label.

23. A method of registering an ID of each of tire air pressure sensors for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with said ID from said air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires, wherein each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are placed into an ID registration mode, while said ID is transmitted to each of said sensors to be stored therein and the same ID is also transmitted to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus to be stored therein.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein said ID is set on the basis of peculiar vehicle information on production management, including a vehicle production number, and is stored in each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein said ID is set on the basis of a random number, and is stored in each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein said ID is a peculiar ID for each tire position.

24. A method of registering an ID of each of tire air pressure sensors for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with said ID from said air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires, wherein each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus are placed into an ID registration mode, while said ID is transmitted to each of said sensors through the use of an ID registration tool to be stored in each of said sensors and is also transmitted to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus through said ID registration tool to be stored in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein, when said ID is stored in each of said air pressure sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, connections between each of said sensors and said ID registration tool and between said tire pressure monitoring apparatus and said ID registration tool are made through signal lines so that said ID is transmitted from said ID registration tool through said signal lines to each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein said ID is set on the basis of peculiar vehicle information on production management, including a vehicle production number, and is stored in each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein said ID is set on the basis of a random number, and is stored in each of said sensors and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

31. The method according to claim 24, wherein said ID is a peculiar ID for each tire position.

32. A tire air pressure sensor ID registration apparatus for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with a registration ID from an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires, said ID registration apparatus comprising:

a receiver mode switching unit for switching said tire pressure monitoring apparatus into an ID registration mode;

a transmitter mode switching unit for switching said air pressure sensor of each of said tires into an ID registration mode;

an ID setting unit for setting said registration ID to be stored in said air pressure sensor; and

an ID registration tool including an ID transmitting unit for transmitting the set registration ID to said air pressure sensor switched into said ID registration mode by said transmitter mode switching unit and further to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus switched into said ID registration mode by said receiver mode switching unit.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said ID registration tool is connected through signal lines to said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus so that said registration ID is transmitted through said signal lines to said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus to be stored in said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said ID registration tool is made to be connectable to a production management computer, and said ID setting unit is made to set said registration ID on the basis of production management information peculiar to each vehicle, including a vehicle body number or a vehicle production number, given from said production management computer.

35. An ID registration tool for use in a tire pressure monitoring system in which a tire pressure monitoring apparatus mounted on a body of a vehicle receives an air pressure signal transmitted together with a registration ID from an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on said vehicle to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires, and made to register said registration ID in said tire pressure monitoring apparatus, said tool comprising:

an ID setting unit for setting said registration ID to be stored in said air pressure sensor to be mounted on said vehicle; and

an ID transmitting unit for transmitting said registration ID, set in said ID setting unit, to said air pressure sensor and further to said tire pressure monitoring apparatus.

36. The tool according to claim 35, further comprising:

signal lines for making connections with respect to said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus or connectors for establishing connections with respect to said signal lines.

37. The tool according to claim 35, further comprising:

a trigger signal transmitting unit for transmitting a trigger signal to said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus for placing said air pressure sensor and said tire pressure monitoring apparatus into an ID registration mode.

38. The tool according to claim 35, wherein said ID setting unit comprises a sensor-peculiar ID producing unit for producing an registration ID peculiar to each of said sensors on the basis of peculiar vehicle information on production management, including a vehicle body number or a vehicle production number.

39. The tool according to claim 35, wherein said ID setting unit comprises a random-number producing unit for producing a random number and a sensor-peculiar ID producing unit for producing an ID peculiar to each of said sensors on the basis of said random number produced by said random-number producing unit.

40. The tool according to claim 35, wherein said tool is made to be connectable to a production management computer, and said ID setting unit is made to set an ID including a portion of or all of production management information peculiar to each vehicle, including a vehicle body number or a vehicle production number, given by said production management computer.

41. A tire air pressure sensor mounted on each of tires of a vehicle, comprising:

an air pressure detecting unit for detecting an air pressure of said tire;

an ID storage unit for storing an ID of said tire air pressure sensor;

a transmitting circuit for transmitting the detected tire air pressure together with said air pressure sensor ID; and

a receiving circuit for receiving an ID to be stored in said ID storage unit, wherein the received ID is stored as said air pressure sensor ID in said ID storage unit.

42. The sensor according to claim 41, wherein said receiving circuit has a circuit arrangement made to receive said ID through wired means.

43. The sensor according to claim 41, wherein said ID storage unit is constructed using a storage element which allows rewriting through overwriting

44. A tire with an air pressure sensor, said air pressure sensor comprising:

an air pressure detecting unit for detecting an air pressure of said tire;

an ID storage unit for storing an ID of said tire air pressure sensor;

a transmitting circuit for transmitting the detected tire air pressure together with said air pressure sensor ID; and

a receiving circuit for receiving an ID to be stored in said ID storage unit,

wherein the received ID is stored as said air pressure sensor ID in said ID storage unit.

45. A tire pressure monitoring apparatus which registers an ID of an air pressure sensor of each of tires mounted on a vehicle and receives, through an antenna, an air pressure signal transmitted together with said ID from said sensor to monitor an air pressure of each of said tires on the basis of a result of the reception, said apparatus comprising:

a signal line connecting unit for making a connection through a signal line to a predetermined ID registration tool;

an ID registration mode activating unit for activating an ID registration mode;

a tire position judging unit for making a judgment on a tire position on the basis of registration ID data received through said signal line in a state where said ID registration mode is activated;

an ID registration unit for registering said ID of said air pressure sensors in the form of specifying a tire position on the basis of a result of the judgment in said tire position judging unit;

a re-registration judging unit for making a judgment on the basis of a command received from said ID registration tool as to whether or not the present registration is re-registration; and

a re-registration unit for, when the judgment in said re-registration judging unit indicates the re-registration, re-registering an air pressure sensor ID in a memory on the basis of a result of the judgment in said tire position judging unit so that an ID already registered with respect to an air pressure sensor existing at a tire position undergoing the tire position judgment is actually replaced with said air pressure sensor ID.