Two axis antenna for TPMS sensor

• US 8,686,847 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lickfelt, Brian K., Strock, Nicky
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKI, MUNEAR T
• Application Number:
  US12/851,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 340/447, 340/426.33, 116/34.R, 116/34.A, 343/788
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0418 Sharing hardware components like housing, antenna, receiver or signal transmission line with other vehicle systems like keyless entry or brake control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/044 Near field triggers, e.g. magnets or triggers with 125 KHz
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0442 the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data
• 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 23/0445 Means for changing operating mode, e.g. sleep mode, factory mode or energy saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/045 Means for detecting electromagnetic field changes being not part of the signal transmission per se, e.g. strength, direction, propagation or masking
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• 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 23/0461 externally triggered, e.g. by wireless request signal, magnet or manual switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0462 Structure of transmission protocol

Abstract

A vehicle entry/tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle includes an ECU, LF antennas mounted on the vehicle and being in communication with the ECU, and tire sensors mounted in, on or adjacent respective tires of the vehicle. Each LF antenna is configured to transmit an LF tire sensor wake up field and a SMART entry LF search field to wake up a portable transmission/reception unit for keyless entry of the vehicle tire sensor. Each tire sensor includes a two-axis receiver antenna and an RF transmitter configured to transmit an RF signal. Each two-axis receiver antenna is configured such that a first axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by one of the LF antennas and a second axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by another of the LF antennas.

Claims

1. A vehicle entry/tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an electronic control unit (“

ECU”

);

low frequency (“

LF”

) antennas mounted on the vehicle and being in communication with the ECU, each LF antenna being configured to transmit an LF tire sensor wake up field and a SMART entry LF search field to wake up a portable transmission/reception unit for keyless entry of the vehicle; and

tire sensors mounted in, on or adjacent respective tires of the vehicle, each tire sensor being configured to take air pressure measurements for the respective tire including a two-axis receiver antenna and an RF transmitter configured to transmit a radio frequency (“

RF”

) signal, wherein the two-axis antenna is configured such that a first axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by one of the LF antennas and a second axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by another of the LF antennas,

wherein the LF antennas include a first LF antenna mounted nearer a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle as compared to an outboard side of the vehicle and a second LF antenna mounted nearer the outboard side of the vehicle as compared to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, and

wherein the first axis is arranged generally transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, and the second axis is arranged generally parallel with the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RF signal transmitted from each tire sensor includes an identification signal associated with a respective tire sensor, wherein the ECU is configured to receive the identification signals from the respective tire sensors and to determine locations of the respective tire sensors based on which antenna woke up the tire sensor transmitting the respective identification signal and whether the respective identification signal matches other received identification signals.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a memory associated with the ECU, wherein the ECU is further configured to store the identification signals in the memory upon detecting an ignition of the vehicle is OFF, wherein the identification signals are associated with the respective tires or tire sensors.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein each LF antenna is positioned closer to one of two tire sensors woken up by the LF antenna transmitting the LF field, wherein each tire sensor includes a received signal strength indication (“

RSSI”

) circuit for generating a RSSI data that is a function of radiated power from respective LF fields being picked up by the two-axis antenna, wherein the RF signal transmitted by the tire sensors includes the RSSI data, wherein the ECU is further configured to determine locations of the respective tires based on RSSI data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a radio configured to receive AM broadcast signals in communication with the ECU, wherein the ECU is configured to (1) delay start up of the radio while the antennas transmit LF fields to wake up the tire sensors, or (2) inhibit the radio from emitting sound from speakers in communication with the radio while the antennas transmit LF fields to wake up the tire sensors.

6. A vehicle entry/tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an electronic control unit (“

ECU”

);

low frequency (“

LF”

) antennas mounted on the vehicle and being in communication with the ECU, each LF antenna being configured to transmit an LF tire sensor wake up field and a SMART entry LF search field to wake up a portable transmission/reception unit for keyless entry of the vehicle; and

tire sensors mounted in, on or adjacent respective tires of the vehicle, each tire sensor being configured to take air pressure measurements for the respective tire including a two-axis receiver antenna and an RF transmitter configured to transmit a radio frequency (“

RF”

) signal, wherein the two-axis antenna is configured such that a first axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by one of the LF antennas and a second axis of the two-axis antenna is configured to detect a respective LF field transmitted by another of the LF antennas,

wherein the LF antennas includes a front LF antenna mounted towards a front of the vehicle, a rear LF antenna mounted towards a rear of the vehicle, a left side LF antenna mounted adjacent, in or on a left door of the vehicle, and a right side LF antenna mounted adjacent, in or on a right door of the vehicle,

wherein the first axis is arranged generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the second axis is arranged generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.