System for obtaining vehicular information

• US 20050273218A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• 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: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• 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: 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers

Abstract

System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein, comprising:

a plurality of sensors each arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency signal; and

a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array, each of said antenna elements being directed toward a respective one of said sensors and arranged to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals toward said respective sensor and receive return signals from said sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the transmission of the RF signals from said antenna elements.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said control means are arranged to cause said antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals therefrom and receive the return signals from said sensors.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said control means are arranged to cause said antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from said sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each of said antenna elements such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching or phase changing of said antenna elements.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said array is centrally located relative to said sensors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said array is offset relative to said sensors such that the return signals naturally are spaced in time due to varying distances from said array to each of said sensors, the return signals having a different phase and being separable by the phase difference.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are constructed to be arranged in connection with tires of the vehicle or other sensors, including at least one selected from a group consisting of a seat position sensor, a door status sensor and a window-open sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are seat position sensors, weight sensors and/or fluid level sensors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said sensors is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said sensors is arranged to operate on a different frequency than the other of said sensors, said antenna elements being controlled by control circuitry to send a chirp sweep frequency, or frequency hoping signal such that the return signals are separated in frequency domain.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said antenna elements is arranged to transmit an identification signal to permit separation of the return signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said sensors are SAW or RFID sensors, the identification signal is an alpha-numerical character string or being obtained by providing each of said SAW or RFID sensors with a different length SAW substrate or electronic delay to thereby cause a different delay which permits signal separation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said array is a smart antenna array.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said antenna elements is a distributed loaded monopole antenna, a plasma antenna, a dielectric antenna or a nanotube antenna.

15. A system for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein, comprising:

a plurality of sensors each arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency signal; and

first and second antennas, each of said antennas being arranged to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals toward said sensors from a different direction and receive return signals from all of said sensors at a different time and different amplitude or phase, each of the return signals being separable by looking at the return signals from both said first and second antennas since each of the return signals is received differently based on its angle or time of arrival or phase.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising control means coupled to said antennas for separating the return signals from said first and second antennas based on the angle of arrival of the return signals.

17. A method for obtaining information about tires on wheels of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

arranging a wireless tire condition measuring device on each wheel of the vehicle, each of the measuring devices transmitting a radio frequency signal containing at least one of inflation pressure, air temperature and acceleration information about the tire on the wheel;

arranging a multi-antenna system on the vehicle, the multi-antenna system comprising a plurality of antenna elements;

coupling an interrogator to the multi-antenna system which generates radio frequency signals to be transmitted by the multi-antenna system and receives responsive radio frequency signals transmitted by the measuring devices via the multi-antenna system;

controlling the interrogator to periodically generate radio frequency signals to which the measuring device are responsive;

determining a location of each tire based on the responsive radio frequency signals; and

associating the inflation pressure, air temperature or acceleration information with the location of each tire.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the multi-antenna system to situate each of the tires at a different distance from each antenna element, the determining step comprising comparing the return time of the radio frequency signals sensed by the antenna elements.

19. A vehicle including a tire monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of wireless tire condition measuring device each arranged on a respective wheel of the vehicle, each of said measuring devices transmitting a radio frequency signal containing at least one set of modulated information containing inflation pressure, air temperature and acceleration information about the tire on the wheel;

a multi-antenna system and comprising a plurality of antenna elements; and

an interrogator coupled to said multi-antenna system and generating radio frequency signals to be transmitted by said multi-antenna system and receiving responsive radio frequency signals transmitted by said measuring devices via said multi-antenna system,

a location of each tire being determined based on the responsive radio frequency signals and the inflation pressure, air temperature or acceleration information about the tires being associated with the location of each tire.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein each of said antenna elements is situated at a different distance from each tire, the location of each tire being determined by comparing the return time of the radio frequency signals sensed by said antenna elements.