Arrangement for transmitting signals from a device monitoring tire pressure on the wheels of a motor vehicle to an evaluation device arranged in a motor vehicle

• US 6,794,993 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huf Baolong Electronics Bretten GmbH (Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Beru Aktiengesellschaft (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kessler, Ralf, Normann, Norbert, Kühnle, Andreas, Michal, Roland, Schulze, Lothar Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US09/868,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 340/447, 340/442, 340/825.54, 340/445, 731/464, 731/465, 200/61.22
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals

Abstract

An arrangement for transmitting signals from a device (3) for monitoring the tire pressure in vehicle wheels (1), being arranged in the tire preferably as one module together with a valve, and comprising a pressure sensor arranged for measuring the tire pressure and generating an electric pressure signal, a control circuit, a battery as power source, and a transmitter with a sending antenna for transmitting the measured pressure signal as a radio-frequency (RF) signal under the control of the control circuit to a central evaluation and control unit (8), which is arranged in the vehicle (2) and which is connected to receiving antennas (4), to which individual wheels (1) or groups of wheels (1) of the vehicle (2) are allocated, via a RF receiver which comprises a demodulator and transforms the received RF signals to low-frequency (LF) signals. At each receiving antenna (4), there is arranged a single-channel RF receiver (5) with demodulator (6) so that the electric lines (7) send out LF signals instead of RF signals.

Claims

1. An arrangement for transmitting signals from a device (3) for monitoring the tire pressure in vehicle wheels (1), being arranged in the tire, and comprising

a pressure sensor arranged for measuring the tire pressure and generating an electric pressure signal,

a control circuit,

a battery as power source, and

a transmitter with a sending antenna for transmitting the measured pressure signal as a radio-frequency (RF) signal under the control of the control circuit

to a central evaluation and control unit (8), which is arranged in the vehicle (2) and which is connected to receiving antennas (4), to which individual wheels (1)

or groups of wheels (1) of the vehicle (2) are allocated, via a RF receiver which comprises a demodulator and transforms the received RF signals to low-frequency (LF) signals,

characterized in that there is arranged, at each receiving antenna (4), a single-channel RF receiver (5) with demodulator (6) so that low frequency signals instead of RF signals are transmitted via unshielded electric lines (7).

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the electric lines (7) are unshieled.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that each receiving antenna (4) and the allocated single-channel RF receiver (5) with demodulator (6) are combined in one module.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the said the single-channel RF frequency receivers (5) are supplied with the voltage required for their operation from the central evaluation and control unit (8) via the electric lines (7) that serve to transmit the LF signals.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the single channel RF receiver (5) is designed to generate a digital signal strength proportional to the received RSSI level and that the

RF receiver (5) transmits said digital RSSI signal together with the demodulated digital received signal, containing the tire-pressure information, to the central evaluation and control unit (8) via the respective electric line (7).

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the module comprising the single-channel RF receiver (5) and the demodulator (6) is suitably designed to generate at its output interface (16) the data protocol of a bus system (17) installed in the vehicle which transmits the demodulated signals to the central evaluation and control unit (8).

7. The arrangements as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the device (3) for monitoring the tire pressure in a vehicle wheel (1) is arranged in conjunction with a valve in the tire.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the said the single-channel RF receiver (5) is so designed as to generate an analog signal of a strength proportional to the received RSSI level.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 8, characterized in that the analog signal is a load-independent direct voltage.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 8, characterized in that the analog signal is a direct voltage.

11. The arrangement as defined in claim 10, characterized in that the analog signal is transmitted to the central evaluation and control unit (8) via a separate line.

12. The arrangement as defined in claim 10, characterized in that the analog signal is transmitted to the central evaluation and control unit (8) via the same line (7) through which the LF signals are transmitted as well.