Abstract: A tire system is configured to enable a general-purpose communication device to establish data communication with a tire-side device, thereby enabling transmission of data indicating a tire-related condition from the tire-side device to the general-purpose communication device. The general-purpose communication device acquires the tire-related condition, and reports the tire-related condition to the user via a notification unit. Based on the above, it is possible to report the tire-related condition via the general-purpose communication device based on the communication between the general-purpose communication device and the tire-side device.

Abstract: A tire mount sensor detects a road surface condition such as a type of a road surface and a road surface ?, and transmits road surface data indicating a detection result to a communication center. The communication center collects road surface data more precisely, and the vehicle receives the more precise road surface data from the communication center. Based on received more precise road surface data, the risk of the vehicle is determined. Thus, the road surface condition is detected using the tire mount sensor, so that the road surface condition is detected without braking. Accordingly, it is possible to detect the road surface condition with high frequency, so that the road surface condition is detected in wider area, and it is possible to perform the control more appropriately for avoiding the risk based on the road surface condition during a travel.

Abstract: A road surface condition identification apparatus for identifying a road surface condition is provided. The road surface condition identification apparatus includes a vibration detector unit configured to output a detection signal being an analog signal according to magnitude of vibration of the tire. For identifying the road surface condition, the road surface condition identification apparatus performs A-D conversion of converting the detection signal of the vibration detector unit into a digital signal. Based on data on vehicle speed, the road surface to condition identification apparatus sets a conversion range of the magnitude of the vibration of the tire used in the AD conversion from the detection signal into the digital signal.

Abstract: A tire air pressure detection device includes a plurality of transceivers and a receiver. The plurality of transceivers are correspondingly provided in a plurality of wheels of a vehicle. Each wheel has a tire. The receiver is attached to a vehicle body. Each of the plurality of transceivers outputs a detection signal indicative of an air pressure of the tire of the corresponding wheel. Each of the plurality of transceivers processes the detection signal, and generates a frame storing the processed detection signal as data related to the air pressure of the tire. The receiver receives the frame. The receiver detects the air pressure of the tire based on the data stored in the received frame.

Abstract: A road surface state determination device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is attached to a tire of a vehicle. The vehicle-body-side system is included in a vehicle body. The tire-side device outputs a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The tire-side device generates road surface data indicative of a road surface state shown in a waveform of the detection signal. The tire-side device transmits the road surface data. The vehicle-body-side system receives the road surface data transmitted from the tire-side device. The vehicle-body-side system determines the road surface state of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the road surface data and learning data.

Abstract: A road surface state estimation device includes a tire-side device and a vehicle-body-side system. The tire-side device is disposed in a tire. The vehicle-body-side system is disposed in a vehicle body. The tire-side device outputs a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of the tire, generates road surface data based on the detection signal, and performs data communication with the vehicle-body-side system. The vehicle-body-side system acquires information related to the road surface state, performs the data communication with the tire-side device, transmits vehicle-body-side information indicating that the change in the road surface state occurs to the tire-side device when determining that a change in the road surface state occurs based on the information related to the road surface state, and estimates the road surface state based on the road surface data received by the second transceiver.

Abstract: In a tire-mounted sensor attached to a tire, the rotation direction of which is predetermined with respect to the direction of forward movement, a left/right determination as to which of a right wheel or a left wheel has the tire-mounted sensor attached thereto is made on the basis of a detection signal of an acceleration sensor. The result of left/right determination is transmitted to a receiver. In this way, without requesting an operator's manual operation or equipment for bidirectional communication, which of the right wheel or the left wheel has the tire-mounted sensor attached thereto can be determined.

Abstract: In a road surface condition determining device, when determining a road surface condition, a vibration detection unit, a waveform processing unit and a data transmission unit for implementing a sensing function and a data transmission function are not set continuously to an active state for all tire side device, but at least only one tire side device is set to an active state. Remaining one or more is set to a sleep state. A reduction in power consumption of the tire side devices set to the sleep state can thus be achieved. Further, with regard to the at least one tire side device, since the sensing function and the data transmission function remain in the active state, the road surface condition can be reliably determined based on the road surface data of the tire side device.

Abstract: A tire-mounted sensor fixed to an inner wall of a tire includes: a sensor holding member including a sensor as a built-in sensor for detecting a physical amount applied to the tire and having a sensor terminal being exposed, a base portion as an attachment surface attached to the tire; and a sensor device being detachable from the sensor holding member including a controller receiving an input of a detection result of the sensor and performing signal processing, a transmitter transmitting information according to the detection result of the sensor acquired by the signal processing at the controller, and a terminal inputting the detection result of the sensor to the controller which is being exposed to have an electrical connection to the sensor terminal when the sensor device is attached to the sensor holding member.

Abstract: A protruding portion is provided on a molded resin portion of a tire mount sensor, and the longitudinal direction of the protruding portion is aligned with the longitudinal direction of an antenna. Further, the longitudinal direction of the antenna is set at a predetermined angle with respect to the acceleration detection direction of the G sensor. For example, with a predetermined angle of 0°, the longitudinal direction of the antenna may be matched with the acceleration detection direction of the G sensor.

Abstract: In order to detect a road surface condition, a road surface condition estimation device extracts a detection signal of a portion that detects vibration in a tire tangential direction in a vibration detection and power generation unit which is in a ground contact section, for example, a vibration power generation element. In this case, it is identified that the vibration detection and power generation unit is in the ground contact section, based on whether a centrifugal force acting on the vibration detection and power generation unit is generated, or not, and it is identified that a time when no centrifugal force is generated is in the ground contact section. As a result, even if a pulse level of an output voltage of the vibration detection generation unit changes according to a traveling speed of the vehicle, the ground contact section can be accurately identified.

Abstract: A road surface condition estimation device extracts a detection signal of a vibration power generation element during a ground contact section to detect a road surface condition. A threshold used for determination of the ground contact section is variable according to a traveling speed of a vehicle. As a result, even if a pulse level of an output voltage of the vibration power generation element changes according to the traveling speed of the vehicle, the threshold corresponding to the change can be set. The ground contact section is determined with the use of the above thresholds, thereby being capable of performing the determination with high accuracy. Therefore, the road surface condition can be detected with high accuracy based on the ground contact section determined with high accuracy.

Abstract: A tire-side device is attached to a tire included in a vehicle and applied to a tire apparatus for estimating a condition of a road surface on which the vehicle travels. The tire-side device includes: a vibration detector outputting a detection signal according to a level of vibration of the tire; a controller having a feature quantity extraction device extracting a feature quantity of the detection signal in one rotation of the tire; and a transmitter transmitting road surface data including the feature quantity extracted by the feature quantity extraction device.

Abstract: A collision detection unit corrects a threshold value to a larger value, which a collision check unit uses to compare an output value of a collision detection unit, in case of a rough road surface than in case of a flat road surface. Thus, it becomes possible to suppress erroneous detection on the rough road surface while detecting a collision sensitively on a flat road surface. The rough road is detected by a vibration detection unit provided in a tire side device.

Abstract: A vehicle control device including a tire-side device and a vehicle-side device is provided. The tire-side device includes a vibration detection unit that outputs a detection signal corresponding to a magnitude of vibration of a tire, a signal processing unit that generates ? data representing a friction coefficient between the tire and a road surface by processing the detection signal, and a transmitter that transmits the ? data. The vehicle-side device includes a receiver that receives the ? data and a travel control unit that estimates the friction coefficient based on the ? data, acquires a braking distance of the vehicle based on the friction coefficient, and controls acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle based on the braking distance.

Abstract: A power generation device is provided. A weight may vibrate in one direction as an axial direction in response to an external vibration. A beam may be arranged in at least one side with respect to the weight in the axial direction of the weight, and vibrate together with the weight. A piezoelectric element may be mounted on the beam. A guide may include a hollow guiding a movement of the weight in the axial direction. A stopper may be included in the weight. The stopper may restrict an amount of the movement of the weight in the axial direction within a predetermined amount. A stopper wall may stop the movement of the weight in the axial direction by contacting with the stopper.

Abstract: In a tire-mounted sensor attached to a tire, the rotation direction of which is predetermined with respect to the direction of forward movement, a left/right determination as to which of a right wheel or a left wheel has the tire-mounted sensor attached thereto is made on the basis of a detection signal of an acceleration sensor. The result of left/right determination is transmitted to a receiver. In this way, without requesting an operator's manual operation or equipment for bidirectional communication, which of the right wheel or the left wheel has the tire-mounted sensor attached thereto can be determined.

Abstract: When a road surface condition does not change, road surface data is transmitted by a tire-mounted sensor at a rate of once every time a tire rotates a plurality of times, in order to reduce the power consumption from a power source. Further, when the road surface condition changes, the road surface data is transmitted by the tire-mounted sensor with a transmission interval that is shorter than when the road surface condition does not change. In this way, reducing the amount of road surface data that is transmitted when the road surface condition does not change makes it possible to reduce the amount of power required for data transmission. Further, using a transmission interval that is shorter when the road surface condition changes than when the road surface condition does not change makes it possible for changes in the road surface condition to be conveyed rapidly to a vehicle body side system.

Abstract: A user identification system is provided, which includes an in-vehicle apparatus used by multiple users and a vehicular portable device carried by a user acting as a driver and associated with the in-vehicle apparatus. The vehicular portable device detects received signal strength of signals received from the portable terminals at multiple time points, and based on the received signal strength detected by the received signal strength detector, determines a driver terminal which is the portable terminal carried by the user acting as the driver. The vehicular portable device determines as the driver terminal the portable terminal that provides a smallest degree of change of the received signal strength detected multiple times.

Abstract: A tire-mounted sensor is provided to check whether a chain is attached or not so that a monitor person manages a chain regulation based on a check result. Specifically, a communication center is notified of a vehicle in violation which is not in compliance with the chain regulation. Based on violation information which is communicated to the communication center, the monitor person easily identifies the vehicle which is in violation. In addition, whether the chain regulation is complied with or violated is stored in a memory circuit unit of the tire-mounted sensor as tire state data. When the monitor person sends an instruction command by using a tool, the tire state data is transmitted from the tire-mounted sensor to the tool. It is thus made possible for the monitor person to confirm whether the vehicle is in violation or not by simply referring to the tool.