Tire pressure monitor system tool with parts number database

• US 8,183,993 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Wittliff, Bill, de Schepper, Ray, Kalel, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/022,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340443-448, 340/426.33, 340/438, 731/46, 731/462, 116/34.R, 116/34.A
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0454 Means for changing operation mode, e.g. sleep mode, factory mode or energy save mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0471 System initialisation, e.g. upload or calibration of operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations

Abstract

A tool for use with a tire pressure monitor system includes a storing module configured to store a plurality of communication protocols used by the tire pressure monitor system to interface with a vehicle electronic control unit, the storing module further including a database having parts numbers of sensors utilized with the tire pressure monitor system, the database further includes a vehicle data associated with the tire pressure monitor system, a requesting module configured to request the vehicle data from the storing module, a receiving module configured to receive the vehicle data from the storing module, an accessing module configured to access the storing module to retrieve at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data, a communications module to receive and transmit the at least one communication protocol to and from the electronic control unit and to and from a sensor, and a processor.

Claims

1. A tool for use with a tire pressure monitor system, comprising:

a storing module configured to store a plurality of communication protocols used by the tire pressure monitor system to interface with a vehicle electronic control unit, the storing module further including a database having part numbers of sensors utilized with the tire pressure monitor system, the database further includes a vehicle data associated with the tire pressure monitor system;

a requesting module configured to request the vehicle data from the storing module;

a receiving module configured to receive the vehicle data from the storing module;

an accessing module configured to access the storing module to retrieve at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data;

a communications module to receive and transmit the at least one communication protocol to and from the electronic control unit and to and from a sensor; and

a processor in communication with the storing module, the requesting module, the receiving module, the accessing module, and the communications module, the processor configured to operate the various modules of the tool.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the communications module further comprises a transmitting module.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the part number is based on the sensor used in the tire pressure monitor system of a vehicle.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the communications module transmits and receives the at least one communication protocol to and from a display on a dashboard of a vehicle.

5. The tool of claim 1 further comprising a simulating module in communication with the processor and simulates the sensor used in a vehicle.

6. The tool of claim 1 further comprising an update port in communication with the processor and configured to update the various modules in the tool.

7. The tool of claim 1 further comprising a diagnostic module in communication with the processor and configured to diagnose the tire pressure monitor system.

8. The tool of claim 1 further comprising a resetting module in communication with the processor and configured to reset the tire pressure monitor system.

9. The tool of claim 1 further comprising a selecting module configured to select the at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data.

10. A tool for use with a tire pressure monitor system of a vehicle, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of communication protocols used by the tire pressure monitor system to interface with a vehicle electronic control unit, the means for storing further including a database having part numbers of sensors utilized with the tire pressure monitor system, the database further includes a vehicle data associated with the tire pressure monitor system;

means for requesting the vehicle data from the means for storing;

means for accessing the means for storing to retrieve at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data;

means for communicating the at least one communication protocol to and from the electronic control unit and to and from a sensor; and

means for processing in communication with the means for storing, the means for requesting, the means for accessing, and the means for communicating, the means for processing configured to operate the tool and its functionality.

11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the means for communicating further comprises a transmitting module.

12. The tool of claim 10, wherein the part number is based on the sensor used in the tire pressure monitor system of the vehicle.

13. The tool of claim 10 further comprising means for displaying at least one of vehicle information and tire pressure monitor system information, the means for displaying being in communication with the means for processing.

14. The tool of claim 10 further comprising a simulating module in communication with the means for processing and simulates the sensor used in the vehicle.

15. The tool of claim 10 further comprising a diagnostic module in communication with the means for processing and configured to diagnose the tire pressure monitor system.

16. The tool of claim 10 further comprising means for diagnosing the tire pressure monitor system and being in communication with the means for processing.

17. The tool of claim 10 further comprising means for resetting the tire pressure monitor system and being in communication with the means for processing.

18. The tool of claim 10 further comprising means for selecting the at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data.

19. A method of using a tool with a tire pressure monitor system, comprising:

storing in a memory a plurality of communication protocols used by the tire pressure monitor system to interface with a vehicle electronic control unit, and a database having parts numbers of sensors utilized with the tire pressure monitor system, wherein the database further includes a vehicle data associated with the tire pressure monitor system;

requesting vehicle data from the memory;

receiving vehicle data from the memory;

accessing the memory to retrieve at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data; and

communicating with electronic control unit utilized by the tire pressure monitoring system with the at least one communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying at least one of vehicle information and tire pressure monitor system information on a display of the tool.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying at least one of vehicle information and tire pressure monitor system information on a display of a vehicle.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising diagnosing the sensor by activating the sensor with the tool.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising communicating with the sensor utilized by the tire pressure monitoring system, wherein if communicating with the sensor is unsuccessful, then comparing the sensor part number with the sensor information in the vehicle database to see if the unsuccessful communication is due to an error in the communication protocol associated with the vehicle data.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising communicating with the sensor utilized by the tire pressure monitoring system.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining at least one communication protocol based on the vehicle data.