TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080055062A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Christenson, Keith Albert
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders

Abstract

A tire monitoring system for a vehicle having tires determines if two tires share a same side of the vehicle based on a state of each of the two tires. In at least one embodiment, a first output signal indicative of a state of a first tire and a second output signal indicative of a state of a second tire are transmitted and received. A determination as to whether the first tire and the second tire are on a same side of the vehicle based on the state of the first tire and the state of the second tire is made.

Claims

1. A vehicle tire monitoring system for use in a vehicle having tires, the system comprising:

a first sensor arrangement located at a first tire of the vehicle and configured to transmit a first output signal indicative of a state of the first tire;

a second sensor arrangement located at a second tire of the vehicle and configured to transmit a second output signal indicative of a state of the second tire; and

a receiver arrangement configured to receive the first output signal and the second output signal and to determine if the first tire and the second tire are on a same side of the vehicle based on the state of the first tire and the state of the second tire.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the state of the first tire is a direction of rotation of the first tire and the state of the second tire is a direction of rotation of the second tire.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first sensor arrangement transmits the first output signal periodically and the second sensor arrangement transmits the second output signal periodically.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an initiator arrangement configured to produce an initiation signal, and wherein the first sensor arrangement is configured to, in response to the producing of the initiation signal by the initiator arrangement, transmit the first output signal.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first sensor arrangement.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the receiver arrangement is further configured to cause the initiator arrangement to produce the initiation signal and to determine if the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first sensor arrangement based on if, in response to causing the initiator arrangement to produce the initiation signal, the receiver arrangement receives the first output signal within a predetermined period of time.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the receiver arrangement is further configured to determine a location of the first tire based on if the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first sensor arrangement.

9. A vehicle tire monitoring system for use in a vehicle having tires, the system comprising:

a first sensor arrangement located at a first tire of the vehicle and configured to transmit a first output signal indicative of a state of the first tire including a direction of rotation of the first tire;

a second sensor arrangement located at a second tire of the vehicle and configured to transmit a second output signal indicative of a state of the second tire including a direction of rotation of the second tire; and

an initiator arrangement configured to produce an initiation signal;

wherein the first sensor arrangement is configured to, in response to the producing of the initiation signal by the initiator arrangement, transmit the first output signal.

8. The system of claim 9 wherein the initiator arrangement comprises a low frequency initiator.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the second sensor arrangement transmits the second output signal periodically.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first sensor arrangement.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the first output signal is further indicative of the identity of the first tire.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a receiver arrangement configured to receive the first output signal and the second output signal and to determine if the first tire and the second tire are on a same side of the vehicle based on the state of the first tire and the state of the second tire.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the receiver arrangement is further configured to cause the initiator arrangement to produce the initiation signal and to determine if the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first sensor arrangement based on if, in response to causing the initiator arrangement to produce the initiation signal, the receiver arrangement receives the first output signal within a predetermined period of time.

15. A method of vehicle tire monitoring for use in a vehicle having tires comprising:

transmitting a first output signal indicative of a state of a first tire;

transmitting a second output signal indicative of a state of a second tire;

receiving the first output signal and the second output signal; and

determining if the first tire and the second tire are on a same side of the vehicle based on the state of the first tire and the state of the second tire.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the state of the first tire is a direction of rotation and the state of the second tire is a direction of rotation.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first output signal is transmitted periodically and the second output signal is transmitted periodically.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting an initiation signal and transmitting the first output signal in response to the transmitting of the initiation signal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the vehicle further includes an initiator arrangement, the method further comprising determining if the initiator arrangement is located proximate the first tire.