Tire pressure monitor
First Claim
1. A tire pressure monitor having means to sense incorrect tire air pressure, and having means for generating digital information upon a sensed incorrect tire air pressure, and further having means of communicating at least in part via radio frequency transmitting and receiving of digital information pertaining to a sensed condition of incorrect tire air pressure to an operator of a vehicle during use of the vehicle, said means for generating digital information and said radio frequency transmitting being initiated by an air pressure sensor means of said tire pressure monitor, said tire pressure monitor further characterized in that, an air pressure conductive means for communicating air pressure within a tire with said air pressure sensor means includes air flow rate restricting means for preventing transitory air pressure changes within a tire from activating said air pressure sensor means, and thereby preventing transitory air pressure changes from falsely initiating said means for generating digital information and said radio frequency transmitting, said restricting means comprising a narrow passage through a side wall of a longitudinal manifold mounted to a tire air pressure source, said passage arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the manifold, and being connected to a chamber communicating with the tire air pressure source at a first end and a chamber communicating with the air pressure sensor means at the opposite end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire pressure range monitoring apparatus or system for sensing high and low tire air pressures outside assigned limits and communicating information regarding tire pressure to an operator of a vehicle. The tire pressure monitor is comprised of a battery powered wheel attachable unit having high and low tire pressure sensors with electrical switches; a digital encoder activated by the pressure sensors; a pressure change restrictor for preventing transitory air pressure changes from activating the pressure sensor switches; and an RF transmitter and antenna for transmitting digital information. A vehicle attachable unit for receiving and processing the digital information is attachable to the vehicle remote of the wheel, and is comprised of an RF receiving antenna; an RF receiver; a digital decoder; and a display controller. One vehicle attachable unit may function with a plurality of wheel attachable units on a given vehicle. A visual display in communication with the vehicle attachable unit is located convenient to the vehicle operator, and will display for the operator an anomaly sensed in tire pressure, and precisely identify the tire and pressure condition of the tire involved. False alarms are essentially eliminate through the use of digital information pertaining to a particular tire, and through a required match in digital source identification information between wheel attachable units of a given vehicle with a vehicle attachable unit of the same vehicle prior to the vehicle attachable unit fully responding and sending information to the visual display.
250 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A tire pressure monitor having means to sense incorrect tire air pressure, and having means for generating digital information upon a sensed incorrect tire air pressure, and further having means of communicating at least in part via radio frequency transmitting and receiving of digital information pertaining to a sensed condition of incorrect tire air pressure to an operator of a vehicle during use of the vehicle, said means for generating digital information and said radio frequency transmitting being initiated by an air pressure sensor means of said tire pressure monitor, said tire pressure monitor further characterized in that, an air pressure conductive means for communicating air pressure within a tire with said air pressure sensor means includes air flow rate restricting means for preventing transitory air pressure changes within a tire from activating said air pressure sensor means, and thereby preventing transitory air pressure changes from falsely initiating said means for generating digital information and said radio frequency transmitting, said restricting means comprising a narrow passage through a side wall of a longitudinal manifold mounted to a tire air pressure source, said passage arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the manifold, and being connected to a chamber communicating with the tire air pressure source at a first end and a chamber communicating with the air pressure sensor means at the opposite end.
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2. A tire pressure monitor structured to be essentially free of false signals and having means for sensing at least a low air pressure value of a pneumatic tire on a vehicle, and alerting an operator of the vehicle of a tire air pressure condition below a given value, said tire pressure monitor comprising:
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(a) a wheel attachable unit including, a protective housing; a low air pressure sensor means contained at least partially within said housing, said low air pressure sensor means including means for effecting electrical current flow in electronic means contained at least partially within said housing; air pressure conductive means for communicating air pressure within a pneumatic tire with said low air pressure sensor means, said air pressure conductive means including air flow rate restricting means for preventing transitory air pressure changes within a tire from activating said low air pressure sensor means; an electrical power source contained at least partially within said housing, said electrical power source providing means for supplying electrical power to said electronic means; said low air pressure sensor means including means for activating said means for effecting electrical current flow upon communication with tire air pressure below a low pressure value; said electronic means including digital information generating means for generating digital information upon electrical current being effected by said means for effecting electrical current flow of said low air pressure sensor means, said digital information generating means including means for producing said digital information at least containing information identifying a specific tire responsible for activating the effected current flow from said low air pressure sensor means, said digital information further containing source indicating information capable of identifying said wheel attachable unit as being on a given vehicle; said electronic means further including a radio frequency transmitter means and antenna in communication with said digital information generating means for transmitting said digital information to (b) a vehicle attachable unit, said vehicle attachable unit including electronic means connectable to an electrical power source for operational power, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit including a radio frequency antenna and receiver means for receiving said digital information from said wheel attachable unit, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit further including a digital information processing means in communication with said receiver means, said digital information processing means being operative exclusively with said source indicating information from at least one said wheel attachable unit on a same given vehicle as said vehicle attachable unit so as to specifically prevent said digital information received from a wheel attachable unit on another vehicle from being fully processed by said digital information processing means, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit further including means for communicating information pertaining to said digital information to (c) a communication device positionable convenient to an operator of a vehicle, said communication device including means cooperative with said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit to provide means for presenting information to an operator of a vehicle indicating a specific tire of the vehicle having a tire air pressure condition below a given value. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A tire pressure monitor structured to be essentially free of false signals and having means for sensing high and low air pressure values of a pneumatic tire on a vehicle, and alerting an operator of the vehicle of a tire air pressure condition outside a given value range, said tire pressure monitor comprising:
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(a) a wheel attachable unit including, a protective housing; a high air pressure sensor means contained at least partially within said housing, said high air pressure sensor means including means for effecting electrical current flow in electronic means contained at least partially within said housing; air pressure conductive means for communicating air pressure within a pneumatic tire with said high air pressure sensor means, said air pressure conductive means including air flow rate restricting means for preventing transitory air pressure changes within a tire from activating said high air pressure sensor means; a low air pressure sensor means contained at least partially within said housing, said low air pressure sensor means including means for effecting electrical current flow in said electronic means; air pressure conductive means for communicating air pressure within a pneumatic tire with said low air pressure sensor means, said air pressure conductive means including air flow rate restricting means for preventing transitory air pressure changes within a tire from activating said low air pressure sensor means; an electrical power source contained at least partially within said housing, said electrical power source providing means for supplying electrical power to said electronic means; said high air pressure sensor means including means for activating said means for effecting electrical current flow upon communication with tire air pressure exceeding a high pressure value; said low air pressure sensor means including means for activating said means for effecting electrical current flow upon communicating with tire air pressure below a low pressure value; said electronic means including digital information generating means for generating digital information upon electrical current being effected by said means for effecting electrical current flow of at least one of said air pressure sensor means, said digital information generating means including means for producing said digital information at least containing information identifying a specific tire and air pressure condition of the specific tire responsible for activating the effected current flow from one of said air pressure sensor means, said digital information further containing source indicating information capable of identifying said wheel attachable unit as being on a given vehicle; said electronic means further including a radio frequency transmitter means and antenna in communication with said digital information generating means for transmitting said digital information to (b) a vehicle attachable unit, said vehicle attachable unit including electronic means connectable to an electrical power source for operational power, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit including a radio frequency antenna and receiver means for receiving said digital information from said wheel attachable unit, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit further including a digital information processing means in communicating with said receiver means, said digital information processing means being operative exclusively with said source indicating information from at least one said wheel attachable unit on a same given vehicle as said vehicle attachable unit so as to specifically prevent said digital information received from a wheel attachable unit on another vehicle from being fully processed by said digital information processing means, said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit further including means for communicating information pertaining to said digital information to (c) a communication device positionable convenient to an operator of a vehicle, said communication device including means cooperative with said electronic means of said vehicle attachable unit to provide means for presenting information to an operator of a vehicle indicating a specific tire and air pressure condition of the specific tire of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification