Method and system of notifying of overuse of a mini-spare tire in a tire pressure monitoring system for an automotive vehicle

• US 6,850,155 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: McQuade, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHMOOD, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US10/064,687
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/431, 152/416, 152/152.1, 701/29
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a mini-spare tire 14e having a spare tire transmitter (16e) generating a mini-spare transmitter identification signal, a distance sensor generating a distance signal and a controller (22) coupled to the mini-spare tire. The controller (22) starts the timer in response to receiving the spare tire identification signal. The controller (22) determines a mini-spare distance signal and generates a warning signal when the mini-spare distance signal exceeds a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicative that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire;

in response to receiving the mini-spare tire identification signal, determining a distance corresponding to the traveled distance of the mini-spare; and

generating a warning signal when the traveled distance signal exceeds a predetermined distance.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a distance comprises reading an odometer signal, wherein the distance is a function of an odometer signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said determining a distance comprises determining a distance from a vehicle speed during a predetermined time.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein determining a distance comprises determining said predetermined time comprises a measure time from the step of receiving a mini-spare identification signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a display in response to said warning signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicative that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire is performed manually.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicative that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire is performed automatically.

8. A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicating that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire;

in response to receiving the mini-spare tire identification signal, starting a timer and generating a time signal;

measuring a vehicle speed;

determining a distance in response to the time signal and the speed signal; and

generating a warning signal when the distance signal exceeds a predetermined distance.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising generating a display in response to said warning signal.

10. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicating that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire is performed manually.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicative that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire is performed automatically.

12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein the receiving comprises storing a mini-spare identification in a warning status memory.

13. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising setting a mini-spare tire status in response to generating a warning signal.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein saving the mini-tire spare tire status in a memory comprises saving the mini spare tire status and the tire identification number in the memory.

15. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising generating a warning signal when the speed exceeds a mini-spare speed threshold.

16. A tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:

a warning status memory having warning statuses therein;

a mini-spare tire having a spare tire transmitter generating a mini-spare transmitter identification signal;

a distance sensor generating a distance signal; and

a controller coupled to the mini-spare tire, said controller starting a timer in response to receiving the spare tire identification signal, indicative that said mini-spare tire having replaced a rolling tire, said controller determining a mini-spare distance signal generating a warning signal when the mini-spare distance signal exceeds a predetermined distance.

17. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the distance sensor comprises a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal and a timer generating a time signal, said distance signal being a function of said time signal and said speed signal.

18. A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

receiving a mini-spare tire identification signal indicative that the mini-spare has replaced a rolling tire;

in response to receiving the mini-spare tire identification signal, determining a speed corresponding to the speed of the mini-spare; and

generating a warning signal when the speed signal exceeds a mini-spare threshold.

19. A tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:

an indicator;

a mini-spare tire having a spare tire transmitter generating a mini-spare transmitter identification signal;

a speed sensor generating a mini-spare speed signal; and

a controller coupled to the mini-spare tire transmitter, said controller monitoring said mini-spare speed in response to receiving the spare tire identification signal, indicative that said mini-spare tire having replaced a rolling tire, said controller generating a warning signal when the mini-spare speed signal exceeds a mini-spare speed threshold.

20. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein said mini-spare speed signal is derived from the tire speed.