Data communication apparatus with intermittent activation control circuit

• US 7,397,348 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yoichi, Saitou, Akira, Kobayashi, Keiko, Iwazumi, Keiichi, Higuchi, Fujio, Ooba, Tomotake
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/242,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/426.33, 731/46, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/426.33
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data

Abstract

A data communication device includes a receiving circuit configured to receive a data signal in an active state. An intermittent activation control circuit activates the receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval. A control unit operates in response to the data signal received by the receiving circuit. Also, the control unit controls the time interval of the intermittent activation control circuit.

Claims

1. A data communication device comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a data signal in an active state;

an intermittent activation control circuit configured to activate said receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval; and

a control unit configured to operate in response to said data signal received by said receiving circuit,

wherein said control unit controls said time interval of said intermittent activation control circuit based on a command of said data signal received by said receiving circuit, and

wherein said command is determined based on a time length of a next one of said data signal.

2. A data communication device comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a data signal in an active state;

an intermittent activation control circuit configured to activate said receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval; and

a control unit configured to operate in response to said data signal received by said receiving circuit,

wherein said receiving circuit is set to the active state in response to an activation signal, and

said intermittent activation control circuit comprises;

an oscillator configured to generate an oscillation signal;

a frequency divider configured to frequency-divide the oscillation signal; and

a timer configured to output the oscillation signal after the frequency-division as the activation signal to said receiving circuit in said time interval based on a time interval data.

3. The data communication device according to claim 2, wherein said frequency divider has a plurality of frequency division ratios, and

said intermittent activation control circuit further comprises:

a switch provided between said frequency divider and said timer to select one of said plurality of frequency division ratios based on said time interval data.

4. A communication control module provided for a target, comprising:

first and second antennas;

a receiving circuit configured to receive a command data signal through said first antenna in an active state;

an intermittent activation control circuit configured to activate said receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval;

a sensor section including at least a sensor for said target;

a transmission interface configured to transmit a measurement data signal through said second antenna; and

a control unit configured to control said sensor section and said transmission interface such that said measurement data signal from said sensor section is transmitted, when said command data signal received by said receiving circuit includes a measurement command.

5. The communication control module according to claim 4, wherein said control unit controls said time interval of said intermittent activation control circuit based on said command data signal received by said receiving circuit, when said command data signal received by said receiving circuit includes an interval setting command.

6. The communication control module according to claim 5, wherein said command is determined based on a time length of a next one of said data signal.

7. The data communication device according to claim 5, wherein said receiving circuit is set to the active state in response to an activation signal, and

said intermittent activation control circuit comprises:

an oscillator configured to generate an oscillation signal;

a frequency divider configured to frequency-divide the oscillation signal; and

a timer configured to output the oscillation signal after the frequency-division as the activation signal to said receiving circuit in said time interval based on a time interval data outputted from said control circuit in response to said command data signal.

8. The communication control module according to claim 7, wherein said frequency divider has a plurality of frequency division ratios, and

said intermittent activation control circuit further comprises:

a switch provided between said frequency divider and said timer to select one of said plurality of frequency division ratios based on said time interval data.

9. The communication control module according to claim 4, wherein a duration time of said command data signal is equal to or longer than said time interval.

10. A TPMS (tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system) comprising:

a plurality of sensor communication modules provided for tires, each of plurality of sensor communication modules having first and second antennas;

a plurality of sensor initiators provided or said tires, each of said plurality of sensor initiators having third and fourth antennas; and

a communication control module provided for a car body, and connected with said third and fourth antennas through a LAN,

wherein said communication control module transmits an electromagnetic wave of a command data signal through said third antenna to each of said plurality of sensor communication modules, and

each of said plurality of sensor communication modules intermittently receives said command data signal through said first antenna, and transmits a measurement data signal of at least one of a tire pneumatic pressure and a tire temperature to said communication control module from said second antenna through said fourth antenna when said command data signal includes a measurement command.

11. The TPMS according to claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of sensor communication modules comprises:

a receiving circuit configured to receive said command data signal through said first antenna in an active state;

an intermittent activation control circuit configured to activate said receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval;

a sensor section including at least one of a sensor for the tire pneumatic pressure and a sensor for the tire temperature;

a transmission interface configured to transmit said measurement data signal obtained from said sensor section through said second antenna; and

a control unit configured to control said sensor section and said transmission interface such that said measurement data signal from said sensor section is transmitted, when said command data signal received by said receiving circuit includes said measurement command.

12. The TPMS according to claim 11, wherein said control unit controls said time interval of said intermittent activation control circuit based on said command data signal received by said receiving circuit, when said command data signal includes an interval setting command.

13. The TPMS according to claim 12, wherein said command is determined based on a time length of a next one of said data signal.

14. An operation method in a TPMS (tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system), comprising:

transmitting a communication control module an electromagnetic wave of a command data signal through a first antenna to each of a plurality of sensor communication modules provided for tires;

intermittently receiving said command data signal through a second antenna provided for each of said plurality of sensor communication modules; and

transmitting a measurement data signal of at least one of a tire pneumatic pressure and a tire temperature to said communication control module from a third antenna though a fourth antenna when said command data signal includes a measurement command.

15. The operation method according to claim 14, wherein said intermittently receiving comprises:

intermittently activating a receiving circuit into an active state in a predetermined time interval; and

receiving said command data signal through said first antenna in the active state of said receiving circuit.

16. The operation method according to claim 14, wherein said transmitting a measurement data signal comprises:

sensing at least one of the tire pneumatic pressure and the tire temperature; and

transmitting said measurement data signal as a result of said sensing to said communication control module from said third antenna through said fourth antenna when said command data signal includes the measurement command.

17. The operation method according to claim 14, further comprising:

controlling said time interval based on said command data signal received by said receiving circuit, when said command data signal includes an interval setting command.