Tire pressure monitoring system

• US 7,893,821 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Shiao-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US12/332,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 340/447, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/446, 340/448, 340/449, 340/431, 340/539.1, 731/46, 731/464, 731/465
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/007 having multiple wheels arranged side by side
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• 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 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0483 Wireless routers between wheel mounted transmitters and chassis mounted receivers

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system includes receiving antennas installed in a vehicle corresponding to vehicle wheels, a monitoring main unit disposed near a driver'"'"'s seat, tire pressure sensors respectively installed in the wheels of the vehicle to wirelessly transmit detected data in the form of a data packet for being received by one corresponding adjacent antenna, and a signal combining circuit formed of multiple combiners and having multiple input terminals electrically connected to the receiving antennas and an output terminal electrically connected to the monitoring main unit for combining data packets received from the receiving antennas and transmitting the combined data signal to the monitoring main unit by means of a wired transmission path.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring system adapted for installation in a vehicle for detecting tire pressures of vehicle wheels of said vehicle through tire pressure sensors respectively installed in the vehicle wheels of said vehicle and capable of wirelessly transmitting detected tire pressure data in the form of a data packet, said tire pressure monitoring system comprising;

a monitoring main unit adapted to be disposed near a driver'"'"'s seat of said vehicle for enabling a driver of said vehicle to monitor the operation status of each vehicle wheel of said vehicle;

a plurality of receiving antennas adapted to be installed in a bottom side of said vehicle, each said receiving antenna being adapted to receive a wireless communication signal transmitted from at least one said tire pressure sensor nearby; and

a plurality of combiners, each of which has two input terminals and an output terminal, said combiners including at least one first combiner and at least one second combiner, the two input terminals of said first combiner being respectively electrically connected to two said receiving antennas and the output terminal of said first combiner being electrically connected to one of said input terminals of said second combiner and the output terminal of said second combiner being electrically connected to said monitoring main unit so that the wireless communication signals received by said receiving antennas are transmitted through said at least one second combiner to said monitoring main unit through a wired transmission path.

2. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distance between one said receiving antenna and one said tire pressure sensor that is nearest in location to aforesaid one receiving antenna is shorter than the distance between any two of said receiving antennas.

3. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said vehicle defines a vehicle head portion and a vehicle tail portion;

said at least one second combiner is installed in said vehicle head portion;

said at least one first combiner is installed in said vehicle tail portion.

4. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said combiners comprises two said first combiners installed in said vehicle head and tail portions respectively, and one said second combiner.

5. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said combiners comprises one said first combiner installed in said vehicle tail portion, and one said second combiner installed in said vehicle head portion.

6. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two input terminals of said second combiner are respectively connected to said output terminal of said first combiner and one of said receiving antennas.

7. The tire pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combiners form a signal combining circuit having at least three input terminals respectively electrically connected to said receiving antennas and an output terminal electrically connected to said monitoring main unit.