System and method for tire pressure monitoring

• US 7,528,706 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nantz, John S., Ghabra, Riad, Tang, Tom Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/458,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 340445-447, 340/142.2, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 3405721-5729, 731/422, 731/425, 731/462, 731/465
• 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 system and method for tire pressure monitoring. The system includes a receiver having a storage memory, and a transmitter corresponding to a tire. The storage memory includes a set of unique identifier. The transmitter includes a programmable memory. The receiver is configured to receive a signal, determine when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers, and process the signal when the signal corresponds to a member of the set of unique identifiers. The transmitter is configured to receive a unique member of the set of unique identifiers, store the unique member in the programmable memory, and transmit a signal corresponding to the unique member and the air pressure in the tire.

Claims

1. A system for associating a tire pressure sensor positioned within a tire to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a receiver coupled to the vehicle, the receiver being configured to;

store a set of unique identifiers that are associated with tires of the vehicle,

receive a pairing request signal indicative of a request to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver, and

transmit a unique member of the set of unique identifiers that is associated with a first tire of the vehicle in response to the pairing request signal; and

a transmitter of the tire pressure sensor configured to transmit the pairing request signal and to store the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to receive pressure readings with respect to the first tire from the transmitter in response to the transmitter storing the unique member.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes programmable memory for storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes read only memory for storing the set of unique identifiers.

5. The system of claim 1 farther comprising a tool for transmitting an operator initiated signal to the transmitter to cause the transmitter to transmit the pairing request signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes a low frequency receiver and the transmitter is configured to receive the unique member of the set of unique identifiers via the low frequency receiver.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver further comprises a low frequency initiator for transmitting the unique member of the set of unique identifiers to the transmitter.

8. A method for associating a tire pressure sensor positioned within a tire to a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing a set of unique identifiers that are indicative of a position of at least one tire of the vehicle in a receiver,

receiving, at the receiver, a pairing request signal indicative of a request to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver, and

transmitting, from the receiver, a unique member of the set of unique identifiers that is indicative of the position of a first tire of the vehicle in response to the pairing request signal;

transmitting, from a transmitter of the tire pressure sensor, the pairing request signal; and

storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver within the transmitter to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving pressure readings at the receiver with respect to the first tire from the transmitter in response to storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver further includes storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver in programmable memory of the transmitter.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein storing the set of unique identifiers that are indicative of a position of at least one tire in the vehicle in a receiver further includes storing the set of unique identifiers within read only memory of the receiver.

12. The method of claim 8 farther comprising transmitting an operator initiated signal via a tool to the transmitter to cause the transmitter to transmit the pairing request signal.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving the unique member of the set of unique identifiers via a low frequency receiver in the transmitter.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting, from the receiver, the unique member of the set of unique identifiers further includes transmitting the unique member of the set of unique identifiers from a low frequency initiator of the receiver to the transmitter.

15. A method for associating a tire pressure sensor positioned within a tire to a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing a set of unique identifiers that are associated with tires of the vehicle in a receiver,

transmitting a control signal indicative of a request to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver with a programmable device;

transmitting, from the receiver, a unique member of the set of unique identifiers that is associated with a first tire of the vehicle in response to the control signal; and

storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver within the transmitter to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein transmitting the control signal indicative of a request to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver with the programmable device further includes transmitting the control signal indicative of a request to associate the tire pressure sensor to the receiver with the programmable device prior to installing the receiver to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving pressure readings at the receiver with respect to the first tire from the transmitter in response to storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver within the transmitter further includes storing the unique member of the set of unique identifiers received from the receiver in programmable memory of the transmitter.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein storing the set of unique identifiers that are associated with tires of the vehicle in a receiver further includes storing the set of unique identifiers within read only memory of the receiver.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein transmitting, from the receiver, the unique member of the set of unique identifiers further includes transmitting the unique member of the set of unique set of identifiers from a low frequency initiator of the receiver to the transmitter.