Tire air pressure detection system

• US 7,266,348 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Watabe, Nobuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAGLAWI, AMAR A
• Application Number:
  US11/012,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.14, 455/63.1, 455/115.1, 455/91, 455/456.4, 455/214, 455/68, 455/317, 340/442, 340/443
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• 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 23/0464 to avoid signal interference

Abstract

A tire air pressure detection system, able to prevent a strong electric field or strong radio interference from affecting transmitters and causing mistaken data relating to tire air pressure to be sent out and a driver from being mistakenly warned, having transmitters with controllers, detection circuits, and sensing units and a receiver, the controllers stopping detection signals from being sent to the receiver at current transmission timings when the detection circuits detect a strong electric field or radio interference in the interval from a previous communication timing to a current communication timing, whereby even if the strong electric field or radio interference affects detection signals from sensors provided at the sensing units, the transmitters can be prevented from sending out mistaken data relating to tire air pressure.

Claims

1. A tire air pressure detection system comprising:

a transmitter provided at each of a plurality of wheels provided with tires, having a sensing unit for detecting data relating to air pressure of a corresponding tire, and sending out a detection signal of that sensing unit and

a receiver provided at a chassis side and provided with a first controller receiving detection signals and finding the air pressures of the tires provided at the plurality of wheels based on the detection signals, wherein

each transmitter has a strong electric field detecting function unit for detecting a strong electric field or strong radio interference and a second controller for receiving as input the detection signal of the sensing unit and sending a transmission signal toward the receiver at predetermined transmission timings, and

the second controller is operative to stop a detection signal from being transmitted to the receiver at a current transmission timing when the strong electric field detecting function unit detects a strong electric field or strong radio interference in the interval from a previous communication timing to a current communication timing.

2. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each second controller sends out a detection signal at a current transmission when the strong electric field detecting function unit fails to detect a strong electric field or radio interference from the previous transmission timing to the current transmission timing and judges that a radio wave is one transmitting a detection signal even when the strong electric field detecting function unit detects a strong electric field or radio interference at the current transmission timing.

3. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the system is provided with a display for displaying information relating to said tire air pressure, and

the receiver can display by the display the fact that a strong electric field or radio interference prevents detection of tire air pressure when failing to receive a detection signal from a transmitter regardless of it being the current transmission timing.

4. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

each transmitter has a radio unit turned on/off upon receiving a power supply control signal from its second controller, the radio unit being turned on when a detection signal is to be sent from the second controller toward the receiver, and

each second controller is operative to output a power supply control signal turning the radio unit off when the strong electric field detecting function unit detects a strong electric field or radio interference.

7. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strong electric field detecting function unit has a detection circuit for detecting a radio wave having a predetermined electric field strength as a strong electric field or radio interference.

9. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

each sensing unit is provided with a plurality of sensors and is designed to output detection signals from the plurality of sensors, and

each strong electric field detecting function unit is provided with a function unit for changing a level by which a strong electric field or radio interference is detected in accordance with levels of resistance to a strong electric field at the plurality of sensors.

5. A tire air pressure detection system comprising:

a transmitter provided at each of a plurality of wheels provided with tires, having a sensing unit for detecting data relating to air pressure of a corresponding tire, and sending out a detection signal of that sensing unit and

a receiver provided at a chassis side and provided with a first controller receiving detection signals and finding the air pressures of the tires provided at the plurality of wheels based on the detection signals, wherein

each transmitter has a strong electric field detecting function unit for detecting a strong electric field or radio interference and a second controller for receiving as input a detection signal of a sensing unit and sending a transmission signal toward the receiver at a predetermined transmission timing, and

each second controller is operative to send dummy data different from a detection signal to the receiver at a current transmission timing when the strong electric field detecting function unit detects a strong electric field or radio interference in the interval from the previous communication timing to the current communication timing.

6. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

the system is provided with a display for displaying information relating to said tire air pressure, and

the receiver can display on the display the fact that a strong electric field or radio interference prevents tire air pressure from being detected.

8. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said strong electric field detecting function unit has a detection circuit for detecting a radio wave having a predetermined electric field strength as a strong electric field or radio interference.

10. A tire air pressure detection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

each sensing unit is provided with a plurality of sensors and is designed to output detection signals from the plurality of sensors, and

each strong electric field detecting function unit is provided with a function unit for changing a level by which a strong electric field or radio interference is detected in accordance with levels of resistance to a strong electric field at the plurality of sensors.