Process for checking air pressure in vehicle wheel tires

• US 5,880,363 A
• Filed: 08/06/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Meyer, Hans-Joachim, Ulke, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Biegel, Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US08/906,999
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 73/48, 73/49, 73/146.2, 73/146.3, 73/146.4, 73/146.5, 340/442, 340/443, 340/445, 340/446, 340/447
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0416 allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right

Abstract

A process for checking the air pressure in the tires of motor vehicle wheels wherein at least a pressure signal characteristic for the air pressure will be picked up as a measured signal by a measurement device located in or on the tire of each motor vehicle wheel, wherein at least. a data signal containing a measured air pressure value derived from the pressure signal as well as an identification value characteristic for the respective transmitter device will be generated and output by a transmitter device located in or on the tire of each motor vehicle wheel, wherein the data signal output by the transmitter devices will be received by a reception device located at a distance to the motor vehicle wheels, and wherein the identification value of the transmitter device contained in the data signal will be compared by a control unit to identification comparison values assigned to the respective transmitter devices such that further processing of the data signal by the control unit will be effected only, if the identification value and the identification comparison value meet a specified assignment criterion.

Claims

1. Process for checking the air pressure in the tires (12, 14, 16, 18) of motor vehicle wheels (11, 13, 15, 17) wherein by means of

a measurement device (32), located in or on each tire (12, 14, 16, 18) of each motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17), at least a pressure signal characteristic for the air pressure will be picked up as a measured signal,

transmitter device (31), located in or on each tire (12, 14, 16, 18) of each motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17), at least a data signal (DS) containing a measured air pressure value derived from the pressure signal as well as an identification value characteristic for the respective transmitter device (31) will be generated and output,

a reception device (22) located at a distance to the motor vehicle wheels (11, 13, 15, 17), the data signal (DS) output by the transmitter devices (31) will be received,

a control unit (21), the identification value of the transmitter device (31) contained in the data signal (DS) will be compared to identification comparison values assigned to the respective transmitter devices (31) such that further processing of the data signal (DS) by the control unit (21) will be effected only, if the identification value and the identification comparison value meet a specified assignment criterion,

the assignment criterion, an assignment of the respective position (front left, front right, rear left, rear right) of the motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17) will be effected where the delete identification comparison value will be adapted to the identification value of the respective transmitter device (31),

and wherein the assignment of the respective position (front left, front right, rear left, rear right) of the motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17) to the data signals (DS) is effected by means of a bi-directional data transmission process, in which

an activation signal (AS) generated by the control unit (21) will be fed as a long-wave signal (LWS) selectively to one respective motor vehicle wheel each (11 or 13 or 15 or 17),

the long-wave signal (LWS) is respectively received by a long-wave unit (4) located in or on each motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17) and respectively assigned to a transmitter device (31),

the long-wave unit (4) provides the long-wave signal (LWS) to the respective assigned transmitter device (31) which generates therefrom a long-wave identification signal (LWIS),

a data signal (DS) containing the long-wave identification signal (LWIS) and the identification value of the respective transmitter device (31) will be output as high frequency signal from the transmitter device (31 ) to the control unit (21), and

the control unit (21) identifies the position (front left, front right, rear left, rear right) of the motor vehicle wheel (11, 13, 15, 17) by means of the long-wave identification signal (LWIS).

2. Process according to claim 1 wherein the control unit (21) feeds the long-wave signal (LWS) successively to all motor vehicle wheels (11, 13, 15, 17).

3. Process according to claim 1 wherein the control unit (21) generates the activation signal (AS) if certain specified conditions exist.

4. Process according to claim 3 wherein the activation signal (AS) is generated at specified time intervals, and/or after the Motor vehicle (1) has been driven over a specified distance, and/or in relation to the traveling speed of the motor vehicle (1), and/or when starting the engine of the motor vehicle (1), and/or when requested manually.

5. Process according to claim 1 wherein the long-wave identification signal (LWIS) is generated as the reading of a counter or as a voltage value of an analog integrator.

6. Process according to claim 1 wherein the data signal (DS) received by the reception device (22) and processed by the control unit (21) will be displayed by means of a display unit (51).