Wireless and powerless sensor and interrogator

• US 20040130442A1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: DuVall, Wilbur E., Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., Shostak, Oleksandr T., Kolomeyko, Anatoliy V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/443
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• 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: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23519 Resin for coating fabric B60R2021/23514
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23523 Composite coated fabric B60R2021/23514
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23557 Molding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2358 Bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2359 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 : Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 : comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 : characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/30 : with means to draw ambient air into the flow line and mix such air with the inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 : comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 : slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 : Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2411 : based on the proximity to a decision surface, e.g. support vector machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 : including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 : Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 : Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/194 : References adjustable by an adaptive method, e.g. learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Arrangement and method for monitoring a tire mounted to the vehicle in which a thermal radiation detecting device detects the temperature of the tire at different circumferential locations along the circumference of the tire. The detected temperatures of the tire are analyzed to determine, for example, whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the circumferential locations of the tire, and if so, an action is effected in response to the analysis. The thermal radiation detecting devices are preferably supplied with power wirelessly, e.g., through an inductive system, a capacitive system or a radio frequency energy transfer system.

Claims

1. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring a tire mounted to the vehicle, comprising

thermal radiation detecting means for detecting the temperature of the tire at different circumferential locations along the circumference of the tires,

processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means for receiving the detected temperatures of the tire and analyzing the detected temperatures of the tire, and

response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the analysis of the detected temperatures of the tire.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the analysis performed by said processor means is a determination of whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the circumferential locations of the tire, said response means thus responding to the determined difference in thermal radiation between the circumferential locations of the tire.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said processor means are structured and arranged to determine whether the difference between the temperature of the tire at different circumferential locations exceeds a threshold.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said thermal radiation detecting means are arranged external of and apart from the tires.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said thermal radiation detecting means are structured and arranged to detect the temperature of the tire at the different circumferential locations.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising power receiving means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means and structured and arranged to receive power wirelessly and to supply the received power to said thermal radiation detecting means.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising power receiving means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means for receiving power wirelessly and supplying power to said thermal radiation detecting means.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the vehicle includes a source of inductive coupled power proximate said power receiving means and through which current flows, said power receiving means being arranged to receive power inductively from said inductive power source

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein said power receiving means comprise an electronic circuit for receiving power through radio frequency energy transfer.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising coupling means for coupling said thermal radiation detecting means to said processor means.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said coupling means comprise a transmitter mounted in connection with said thermal radiation detecting device and a receiver mounted in connection with or integrated into said processor means such that the detected temperature of the different circumferential locations of the tire is transmitted wirelessly from said thermal radiation detecting means to said processor means.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor means are arranged to analyze the detected temperatures of the tire relative to a threshold and said response means responding to the analysis of the detected temperatures of the tire relative to the threshold.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a tire well around the tire, said thermal radiation detection means being arranged in said tire well.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said thermal radiation detecting means comprise at least one infrared radiation receiver each arranged to have a clear field of view of at least one circumferential location of the tire.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said response means comprise at least one of a display for displaying an indication or representation of the analysis of the detected temperatures of the tire, a warning light for emitting light into the passenger compartment from a specific location and a telecommunications unit for sending a signal to a remote vehicle service facility.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor means are structured and arranged to analyze the detected temperature of the tire at each circumferential location relative to the temperature of the tire at the other circumferential locations.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor means are structured and arranged to average the detected temperatures of the tire during one revolution, compare the temperature of the tire at each circumferential location to the average temperature and determine whether the temperature of the tire at any circumferential location is above the average by a threshold difference.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said response means comprise an alarm for emitting noise into the passenger compartment.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said thermal radiation detecting means comprising

detector means for generating an output signal responsive to thermal emitted radiation;

means for defining first and second fields of view relative to said detector means, said first field of view encompassing a first circumferential location of the tire and said second field of view encompassing a second circumferential location of the tire; and

switching means for switching the field of view detected to generate a combined output signal;

said processor means deriving an indication of a difference in thermal radiation between the first and second circumferential locations of the tire.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said detector means comprises a differential thermal emitted radiation detector.

21. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said means for defining first and second fields of view comprise optics having first and second optical elements.

22. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said means for defining first and second fields of view comprise optics having a single optical element capable of movement between a first position and a second position corresponding to respective first and second fields of view.

23. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said switching means comprises a shutter operable between first and second positions corresponding to allowing respective first and second fields of view to be detected.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein said shutter includes an opaque panel pivotally mounted between said detector means and said means for defining first and second fields of view, a spring biasing said panel to the first position and an electromagnet for attracting said panel to the second position.