VEHICULAR RFID AND SENSOR ASSEMBLIES

• US 20100207754A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Kolomeyko, Anantolly V., Duvall, Wilbur E., Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., Shostak, Oleksandr T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,786,864 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/450
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/126 the pumps being mounted on the wheel rims
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/131 activated by force of gravity
• 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

Abstract

RFID and sensor assemblies for vehicles in which an interrogator transmits RF signals and receives responsive RF signals from the RFID assemblies. Each RFID assembly includes a sensor and an RFID switch which receives an RF signal from the interrogator and upon receipt of a signal containing its identification, enables transmission of a signal from the sensor from which a property being monitored by the sensor is determinable. The sensor may be a SAW sensor which modifies a received wave as a function of the property being monitored by the sensor and thus transmits a modified wave. Each RFID assembly may include an antenna arranged to receive signals from and provide signals to the interrogator. The RFID switch is arranged to connect or disconnect the sensor from a circuit dependent on whether the antenna receives a particular signal associated with the RFID assembly.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of components including an interrogator arranged to transmit RF signals and receive responsive RF signals; and

at least one RFID assembly, each of said at least one RFID assembly including a sensor and an associated RFID switch that controls wireless transmission of data provided by said sensor,

said interrogator being arranged to include in transmissions therefrom an identification of an RFID switch associated with a sensor from which data is sought,

said RFID switch being arranged to receive an RF signal from said interrogator and only upon receipt of an RF signal containing its identification, enable said sensor to transmit a sensor signal to said interrogator, said RFID switch thereby precluding transmission of the sensor signal from said sensor to said interrogator when said RFID switch does not receive an RF signal containing its identification,

whereby a property being monitored by said sensor is determinable from said sensor signal transmitted from said sensor to said interrogator.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a passive SAW sensor that generates and transmits the sensor signal only in response to receipt by said SAW sensor of an interrogation signal from said interrogator.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one RFID assembly is arranged to receive power from said interrogator.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein power to said at least one RFID assembly is supplied by the RF signal received from said interrogator, both said sensor and said RFID switch of said at least one RFID assembly being powered by power supplied by RF signals received from said interrogator.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein a supplementary power channel is used to supply power to said at least one RFID assembly from said interrogator, wherein a channel of the RF signal containing identification information and the supplementary power channel are separated in at least one of frequency and time domain.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one RFID assembly comprises a plurality of RFID assemblies, said RFID switches of said RFID assemblies being provided with different identifications.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one RFID switch arranged to determine the status of one of said components or effect control of one of said components, each of said at least one RFID switch being arranged to receive an RF signal from said interrogator and upon receipt, provide a responsive RF signal indicative of status of said component or an indication for control of said component.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein said at least one RFID assembly and said at least one RFID switch are arranged in a common wireless network.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein said at least one RFID switch comprises a plurality of switches.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a seatbelt having a buckle, said at least one RFID switch being arranged to determined status of use of said buckle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a seatbelt, said sensor being arranged to determined tension of said seatbelt.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is arranged to determine acceleration of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a tire, said sensor being arranged to determine pressure, temperature or acceleration of said tire.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one RFID assembly further comprises an antenna arranged to receive signals from and provide signals to said interrogator.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein said RFID switch is arranged to connect or disconnect said sensor from a circuit including said antenna dependent on whether said antenna receives the RF signal containing the identification of said RFID switch, such that when said antenna receives the RF signal containing the identification of said RFID switch, said RFID switch closes and connects said sensor in said circuit with said antenna to enable the sensor signal provided by said sensor to be directed to and transmitted by said antenna to said interrogator.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a steering wheel, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said steering wheel.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a door, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said door.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a seat, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said seat.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an airbag module, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said airbag module.

20. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one RFID assembly includes an RFID tag, said interrogator being arranged to direct an interrogation signal to interrogate all RFID tags on the vehicle and process returned signals into an identification of each RFID assembly and a location of each RFID assembly.

21. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is arranged to provide a determination, detection or measurement of or is based on use of a chemical, vapor, pressure, liquid level, strain, stress, weight, switch pattern, presence of an object, temperature, acceleration, angular motion, a biological substance, pollution, shock, noise, light, radiation, environmental property, motion, heartbeat, passive infrared, electromagnetic energy, or ultrasonic waves.

22. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one RFID assembly includes a mechanism for generating energy during movement of the vehicle and supplying the generated energy to said sensor.

23. A method for enabling control of sensors and switches on a vehicle, comprising:

arranging a plurality of RFID assemblies on the vehicle, each of the RFID assemblies including a sensor and an associated RFID switch that controls wireless transmission of data provided by the sensor;

arranging each RFID switch to receive an RF signal from an interrogator and only upon receipt of an RF signal containing its identification, enable the associated sensor to transmit a sensor signal from the sensor to the interrogator, the sensors being arranged to monitor properties of the vehicle or properties of components of the vehicle, the RFID switch thereby precluding transmission of the sensor signal from the sensor to the interrogator when the RFID switch does not receive an RF signal containing its identification;

associating an RFID tag with each RFID assembly, the RFID tag having a unique identification;

directing the interrogator to transmit RFID activation signals to elicit responses from all of the RFID tags containing their identification;

determining a location of each of the RFID assemblies based on the responses from their associated RFID tags; and

converting the responses from the RFID tags into a library of the identifications of the RFID tags and thus the associated RFID assemblies and their locations.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling the interrogator to transmit the RFID activation signals after insertion of a key.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising deriving an identification of the RFID switches from the identification of the RFID tags and storing the identifications of the RFID switches.

26. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of components including an interrogator arranged to transmit RF signals and receive responsive RF signals; and

at least one RFID assembly, each of said at least one RFID assembly including a sensor and an associated RFID switch that controls wireless transmission of data provided by said sensor, said interrogator being arranged to include in transmissions therefrom an identification of an RFID switch associated with a sensor from which data is sought,

said RFID switch being arranged to receive an RF signal from said interrogator and upon receipt of a signal not containing its identification, disable said sensor from receiving an interrogation signal from said interrogator for its excitation and thus preventing said sensor from providing a return sensor signal in response to the interrogation signal,

whereby a property being monitored by said sensor is determinable from said sensor signal.

27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said sensor is a passive SAW sensor that generates and transmits the sensor signal only in response to receipt by said SAW sensor of the interrogation signal from said interrogator.

28. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said at least one RFID assembly is arranged to receive power from said interrogator.

29. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein power to said at least one RFID assembly is supplied by the RF signal received from said interrogator, both said sensor and said RFID switch of said at least one RFID assembly being powered by power supplied by RF signals received from the interrogator.

30. The vehicle of claim 28, wherein a supplementary power channel is used to supply power to said at least one RFID assembly from said interrogator, wherein a channel of the RF signal containing identification information and the supplementary power channel are separated in at least one of frequency and time domain.

31. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said at least one RFID assembly comprises a plurality of RFID assemblies, said RFID switches of said RFID assemblies being provided with different identifications.

32. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising at least one RFID switch arranged to determine the status of one of said components or effect control of one of said components, each of said at least one RFID switch being arranged to receive an RF signal from said interrogator and upon receipt, provide a responsive RF signal indicative of status of said component or an indication for control of said component.

33. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein said at least one RFID assembly and said at least one RFID switch are arranged in a common wireless network.

34. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein said at least one RFID switch comprises a plurality of switches.

35. The vehicle of claim 32, further comprising a seatbelt having a buckle, said at least one RFID switch being arranged to determined status of use of said buckle.

36. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a seatbelt, said sensor being arranged to determined tension of said seatbelt.

37. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said sensor is arranged to determine acceleration of the vehicle.

38. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a tire, said sensor being arranged to determine pressure, temperature or acceleration of said tire.

39. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein each of said at least one RFID assembly further comprises an antenna arranged to receive signals from and provide signals to said interrogator.

40. The vehicle of claim 39, wherein said RFID switch is arranged to connect or disconnect said sensor from a circuit including said antenna dependent on whether said antenna receives the RF signal containing the identification of said RFID switch, such that when said antenna receives the RF signal containing the identification of said RFID switch, said RFID switch closes and connects said sensor in said circuit with said antenna to enable the sensor signal provided by said sensor to be directed to and transmitted by said antenna to said interrogator.

41. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a steering wheel, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said steering wheel.

42. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a door, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said door.

43. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising a seat, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said seat.

44. The vehicle of claim 26, further comprising an airbag module, said at least one RFID assembly being mounted on or in association with said airbag module.

45. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said at least one RFID assembly includes an RFID tag, said interrogator being arranged to direct an interrogation signal to interrogate all RFID tags on the vehicle and process returned signals into an identification of each RFID assembly and a location of each RFID assembly.

46. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said sensor is arranged to provide a determination, detection or measurement of or is based on use of a chemical, vapor, pressure, liquid level, strain, stress, weight, switch pattern, presence of an object, temperature, acceleration, angular motion, a biological substance, pollution, shock, noise, light, radiation, environmental property, motion, heartbeat, passive infrared, electromagnetic energy, or ultrasonic waves.

47. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said at least one RFID assembly includes a mechanism for generating energy during movement of the vehicle and supplying the generated energy to said sensor.