PUMP WITH TIRE FILL ASSIST

• US 20150059918A1
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Kleve, Robert Bruce, Swadling, Greg, Patel, Dilip B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,086,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/4
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/046 using electrical or electronical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

A pump system includes a pneumatic pump, a hose, a nozzle that can attach to a tire of a vehicle, and a processing device. The processing device receives a target tire pressure for the tire, receives a current tire pressure of the tire, and controls the operation of the pneumatic pump according to the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure. A method includes receiving a target tire pressure for a tire of a vehicle, receiving a current tire pressure of the tire, and controlling operation of a pneumatic pump according to the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure.

Claims

1. A pump system comprising:

a pneumatic pump;

a hose attached to the pneumatic pump;

a nozzle disposed on the hose and configured to attach to a tire of a vehicle; and

a processing device configured to receive a target tire pressure for the tire, receive a current tire pressure of the tire, and control operation of the pneumatic pump according to the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure.

2. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to enable the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is less than the target tire pressure.

3. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to disable the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is substantially equal to the target tire pressure.

4. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to disable the pneumatic pump and open a pressure release valve to reduce a pressure of the tire if the current tire pressure is greater than the target tire pressure.

5. The pump system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device, wherein the processing device is configured to prompt a user to confirm the target tire pressure via the user interface device.

6. The pump system of claim 1, further comprising a placard reader configured to receive the target tire pressure from the vehicle and communicate the target tire pressure to the processing device.

7. The pump system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface device configured to wirelessly communicate with the vehicle, wherein the wireless interface device is configured to receive at least one of the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure from the vehicle.

8. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to associate payment information and the target tire pressure to the vehicle.

9. The pump system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device interface configured to receive at least one of the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure from a mobile device in communication with the vehicle.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a target tire pressure for a tire of a vehicle;

receiving a current tire pressure of the tire; and

controlling operation of a pneumatic pump according to the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the operation of the pneumatic pump includes enabling the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is less than the target tire pressure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the operation of the pneumatic pump includes disabling the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is substantially equal to the target tire pressure.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising opening a pressure release valve to reduce a pressure of the tire if the current tire pressure is greater than the target tire pressure.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting a user to confirm the target tire pressure via a user interface device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a communication session with the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication session includes wirelessly communicating with the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a communication session with a mobile device; and

wherein at least one of the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure are received from the mobile device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions that cause a processor to execute operations comprising:

receiving a target tire pressure for a tire of a vehicle;

receiving a current tire pressure of the tire; and

controlling operation of a pneumatic pump according to the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure, wherein controlling the operation of the pneumatic pump includes;

enabling the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is less than the target tire pressure,

disabling the pneumatic pump if the current tire pressure is substantially equal to the target tire pressure, and

reducing a pressure of the tire by disabling the pneumatic pump and opening a pressure release valve if the current tire pressure is greater than the target tire pressure.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising prompting a user to confirm the target tire pressure via a user interface device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

establishing a communication session with at least one of the vehicle and a mobile device in communication with the vehicle,

wherein the target tire pressure and the current tire pressure are received from at least one of the vehicle and the mobile device in communication with the vehicle.