Method and apparatus for monitoring tires
First Claim
1. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, at least two of the tires being mated, comprisingthermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires, said thermal radiation detecting means being structured and arranged to detect the temperature of the tires, processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means and arranged to receive the detected temperature of the tires and determine whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the mated tires, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Arrangement and method for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle in which thermal radiation detecting devices are arranged external of and apart from the tires for detecting the temperature of the tires. The detected temperature of the tires is analyzed, e.g., relative to a threshold or as to the magnitude of a difference between mated tires, and an action is effected in response to the analysis. The thermal radiation detecting devices are preferably supplied with power wirelessly, e.g., through an inductive system, a capacitive system or a radio frequency energy transfer system.
158 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, at least two of the tires being mated, comprising
thermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires, said thermal radiation detecting means being structured and arranged to detect the temperature of the tires, processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means and arranged to receive the detected temperature of the tires and determine whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the mated tires, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires.
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20. A method for monitoring tires mounted to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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detecting the temperature of the tires by means of detectors located external of and apart from the tires, determining whether a difference in temperature is present between associated mated pairs of the tires, and responding to the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
supplying power wirelessly to the at least one thermal radiation detecting device.
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23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:
coupling the at least one thermal radiation detecting device to circuitry capable of receiving power inductively from a source of inductive coupled power.
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24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:
arranging a radio frequency energy transfer device in connection with the at least one thermal radiation detecting device to enable energy to be transferred to the at least thermal radiation detecting device through radio frequency energy transfer.
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25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:
transmitting the detected temperature of the tires from the detectors to a processor remote from the transmitters, the difference in temperature between associated mated pairs of tires being determined in the processor.
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26. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of detecting the temperature of the tires comprises the step of:
arranging infrared radiation receivers on the vehicle, each having a clear field of view of at least one of the tires.
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27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:
mounting the infrared radiation receivers in tire wells around each of the tires.
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28. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of responding to the determined difference in temperature between associated mated pairs of tires comprises the step of emitting noise into the passenger compartment.
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29. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of responding to the determined difference in temperature between associated mated pairs of tires comprises the step of at least one displaying an indication or representation of the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires and emitting light into the passenger compartment from a specific location.
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30. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of responding to the determined difference in temperature between associated mated pairs of tires comprises the step of sending a signal to a remote vehicle service facility.
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31. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of responding to the determined difference in temperature between associated mated pairs of tires comprises the step of determining whether the determined difference in temperature is above a predetermined threshold and responding to the determined difference in temperature only if the determined difference is above the predetermined threshold.
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32. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, comprising
thermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires and associated rotating parts, said thermal radiation detecting means being structured and arranged to detect the temperature of the tires, processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means and arranged to receive the detected temperature of the tires and analyze the detected temperature of the tires, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires.
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44. A method for monitoring tires mounted to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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arranging tire temperature detectors external of and apart from the tires and associated rotating parts, detecting the temperature of the tires by means of the detectors, analyzing the detected temperature of the tires, and responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
supplying power wirelessly to the at least one thermal radiation detecting device.
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47. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:
coupling the at least one thermal radiation detecting device to circuitry capable of receiving power inductively from a source of inductive coupled power.
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48. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:
arranging a radio frequency energy transfer device in connection with the at least one thermal radiation detecting device to enable energy to be transferred to the at least thermal radiation detecting device through radio frequency energy transfer.
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49. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of:
transmitting the detected temperature of the tires from the detectors to a processor remote from the transmitters, the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires being performed in the processor.
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50. The method of claim 44, wherein the detectors include infrared radiation receivers, further comprising the step of arranging the infrared receivers such that each has a clear field of view of at least one of the tires.
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51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of:
mounting the infrared radiation receivers in tire wells around each of the tires.
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52. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires comprises the step of emitting noise into the passenger compartment.
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53. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires comprises the step of at least one displaying an indication or representation of the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires and emitting light into the passenger compartment from a specific location.
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54. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires comprises the step of sending a signal to a remote vehicle service facility.
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55. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of analyzing the detected temperature of the tires comprises the step of analyzing the detected temperature of the tires relative to a threshold and the step of responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires comprises the step of responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires relative to the threshold.
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56. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:
varying the threshold based on the environment in which the tires are situated.
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57. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:
varying the threshold based on the load of the vehicle on the tires.
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58. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, comprising
thermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires and associated rotating parts for detecting the temperature of the tires, said thermal radiation detecting means comprising infrared radiation receivers each arranged to have a clear field of view of at least one of the tires, processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means for receiving the detected temperature of the tires and analyzing the detected temperature of the tires, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires.
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59. A vehicle including tires, a tire well around each of the tires and an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, comprising
thermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires for detecting the temperature of the tires, said thermal radiation detection means being arranged in said tire wells, processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means for receiving the detected temperature of the tires and analyzing the detected temperature of the tires, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the analysis of the detected temperature of the tires.
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60. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle, at least two of the tires being mated, comprising
thermal radiation detecting means arranged external of and apart from the tires for detecting the temperature of the tires, said thermal radiation detecting means comprising detector means for generating an output signal responsive to thermal emitted radiation, means for defining first and second fields of view relative to said detector means, said first field of view encompassing a first one of the mated tires and said second field of view encompassing a second one of the mated tires, and switching means for switching the field of view detected to generate a combined output signal; -
processor means coupled to said thermal radiation detecting means for receiving the detected temperature of the tires and determining whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the mated tires, said processor means deriving an indication of a difference in thermal radiation between the mated tires from the combined output signal, and response means coupled to said processor means for responding to the determined difference in thermal radiation between mated pairs of the tires.
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Specification