Tire Deflation Or Inflation Patents (Class 340/442)
  • Patent number: 8674821
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring apparatus includes a plurality of transceivers, a receiver and a warning device. Each transceiver is mounted on a respective wheel having a tire in a vehicle. The receiver is mounted on a body of the vehicle. The warning device receives a warning signal transmitted from the receiver. Each transceiver includes a sensing unit, a first control unit and a transmitting unit. The receiver includes a receiving unit and a second control unit. Each transceiver or the receiver includes a determination unit, which determines whether the tire pressure increases while the vehicle is parked. When the determination unit determines that the tire pressure is increased while the vehicle is parked, the second control unit calculates the selected threshold value, and stores the selected threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hideshi Togawa
  • Publication number: 20140070935
    Abstract: An instantaneous/real-time wireless dynamic tire pressure sensor (DTPS) for characterizing pavement qualities and for detecting surface and subsurface pavement defects under normal driving conditions. Signal processing provides quantitative assessment of surface conditions. DTPS includes a vehicle tire valve stem-mounted pressure sensor and wheel hub-mounted signal conditioning, amplification, and transmitting circuitry. A signal processing computer within the vehicle is wirelessly coupled to the hub-mounted circuitry. Tire pressure changes caused by ground vibration excitation from the interaction between the tire and pavement at normal driving speeds are detected. When acoustic radiation from a surface wave is significantly stronger than acoustic noise, subsurface information can be extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ming WANG, Qi WANG, Gregory J. MCDANIELS, Nian X. SUN
  • Patent number: 8667837
    Abstract: A wireless tire pressure sensing device, a method for setting a standard tire pressure thereof and a wireless tire pressure sensing activation device adjust the tire pressure of each tire in a vehicle to a standard tire pressure according to a requirement of the vehicle after the wireless tire pressure sensing device is mounted in each tire, maintain each tire at the standard tire pressure for a preset time period or employ the wireless tire pressure sensing activation device to transmit a setup instruction to the wireless tire pressure sensing device to set a current tire pressure as the standard tire pressure. The wireless tire pressure sensing device can be set up with the standard tire pressure and conveniently modified. As no threshold value of tire pressure needs to be pre-stored, wireless tire pressure sensing devices with different threshold values are not necessarily prepared beforehand, thereby effectively lowering the stocking pressure on inventory management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Orange Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Chih Yu
  • Publication number: 20140055255
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for monitoring tire pressure, and in particular, a method of identifying a position of a TPM sensor attached to a tire using tooth data of ABS. The apparatus identifies the position of the TPM sensor using a point where tooth data of ABS has a variation different for each wheel, by estimating wheel tooth data from wheel position angle information measured by a rotation sensor of the TPM sensor, comparing the actual measured value with the estimated value, and recognizing that the TPM sensor is attached to a tire where the actual measured value is the same as or closest to the estimated value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Kwon KIM
  • Patent number: 8659412
    Abstract: A tire pressure measuring device is configured with a plurality of communication protocols. Tire pressure information is sensed using the tire pressure measuring device. The tire pressure information is transmitted from the tire pressure measuring device to an external receiver device according to each of the plurality of communication protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Christophe Deniau
  • Patent number: 8659411
    Abstract: A method, a sensor, a detector and a system are provided for locating at least one wheel on a vehicle. A signal is received from a first sensor mounted on the wheel, the signal providing a position of the wheel. Additionally, a measurement value is received from a second sensor that measures the angular position of a wheel and that is associated with a specific position of the vehicle. When the phase position of the first signal stays within a predefined tolerance range relative to the measured value within a specific observation period, the first sensor can be associated with the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Fink
  • Publication number: 20140052332
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system which is linked to the control unit or other control device of a vehicle which limits the operation, or completely disables the operation of, the vehicle when the pressure in one or more of the tires of the vehicle is insufficient. The operation of the vehicle may be limited so as to completely disable the operation of the engine, transmission, or a combination of both. The rotational speed of the engine may be limited, or the operation of the transmission may be limited. A combination of limitations may be placed on both the engine and transmission, to prohibit the vehicle from being operated at unsafe speeds due to the tire pressure in one or more of the tires being at an undesirable level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Juan Armando Hernandez Jimenez, Jose Dario Rizo Barbosa, Octavio Chiman Amador
  • Patent number: 8648703
    Abstract: A vehicle having a sensor apparatus includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion disposed on a side surface of a vehicle frame, wherein the first and second mounting portions are spaced apart in a vehicle length direction, wherein the first and second mounting portions configured to receive a load platform of the vehicle, a wheel assembly comprising a sensor transmitter, and a receiver mounted to the side surface between the first and the second mounting portions, the receiver configured to receive a signal from the sensor transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Inoue, Masanori Usui
  • Patent number: 8649181
    Abstract: A tire condition detecting device according to the present invention includes: an electronic component including a sensor configured to detect a tire condition; and a casing configured to house the electronic component. The casing includes a casing main body configured to house the electronic component and having an opening surface formed thereon, and a lid unit configured to cover the opening surface. An inside of the casing main body having the opening surface covered by the lid unit is filled with a sealant. Accordingly, tire conditions such as inner pressure and temperature of a tire can be surely detected and a breakdown of an electronic component can be prevented even in an environment where water content such as a coolant is injected in the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8640535
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for tire temperature measurement is disclosed. The apparatus includes a thermocouple having a measurement junction and a pair of first and second conductive leads. The measurement junction is mounted in a passage provided in the tire. The pair of first and second conductive leads extend through the passage in the tire and exit the tire at an interface. A patch is mounted to the tire at the interface. The pair of first and second conductive leads extend from the interface into a passage provided in the patch. The first and second conductive leads are surrounded by the patch at the interface where the first and second conductive leads exit the surface of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: David Alan Weston
  • Patent number: 8634983
    Abstract: A method for indirectly monitoring tire pressure or for detecting damage to a wheel suspension, wherein a pressure loss detection variable (DVE) is determined using an analysis of a vibratory behavior of a wheel of a motor vehicle, and a pressure loss in the tire of the wheel or damage to the wheel suspension is detected by comparing a momentarily determined pressure loss detection variable (DVEakt) to a learned pressure loss detection variable (DVEsoll), wherein at least two dimensional variables are determined from a wheel speed signal (w) of the wheel, each representing a dimension for the extent of a frequency or a frequency range in the vibratory behavior of the wheel, and that the pressure loss detection variable (DVE) is derived from the two dimensional variables (e1, e2, e3), particularly from a ratio of the two dimensional variables (e2/e3), and a tire pressure monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Markus Irth, Daniel Fischer, Andreas Köbe, Christian Suβmann
  • Patent number: 8626413
    Abstract: A tire module for sensing wheel and/or tire state variables is provided. The module includes at least one acceleration switch which determines a wheel state variable and/or a tire state variable. A method for sensing wheel state variables and/or tire state variables is also provided. In the method, a characteristic variable which is a measure of the length of the contact area of the tire or the contact area run-through time is determined by an acceleration switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventor: Stefan Kammann
  • Publication number: 20140002257
    Abstract: There is provided a tire location discrimination device, including: a plurality of pressure gauges each measuring internal pressure of a plurality of tires; and an operation unit receiving and processing pressure signals each generated from the plurality of pressure gauges, respectively, according to curves of a road surface, wherein signals values or phase differences of the pressure signals are compared with each other by the operation unit to discriminate the tire locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Han, Jong Hyeong Song, Kyung No Lee, Hae Seung Hyun, Jong Woo Han
  • Patent number: 8618924
    Abstract: A tire inspection apparatus arranged with a plurality of cameras located at relatively displaced circumferential positions and set for the respective shooting positions different from each other in the axial direction of the tire. Thus the images of the inner circumferential surface of the tire are shot by the plurality of cameras as the tire is rotated circumferentially relative to the plurality of cameras. During this operation, markers are inserted at the same time in the images shot by all of the cameras. The images are synthesized using these markers as reference positions in aligning the shot images in accordance with the relative displacements of the cameras in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Bridgestone
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 8618933
    Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed, which includes a base station and at least one sensor unit that is separate from the base station. The at least one sensor unit resides in a dormant state until it is awakened by the triggering of a vibration-sensitive switch. Once awakened, the sensor may take a measurement, and then transmit to the base station the measurement. Once data is transmitted from the sensor to the base station, the sensor may return to its dormant state. There may be various sensors for each base station and the various sensors may optionally measure different quantities, such as current, voltage, single-axis and/or three-axis magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Scott L. Jensen, George J. Drouant
  • Patent number: 8618925
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring using wireless network includes a remote command device and a valve-stem mountable tire pressure gauge. The tire pressure gauge includes a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of a fluid in a tire and providing an output signal indicative of the detected fluid pressure, and a first radio-frequency module for transmitting data indicative of the detected fluid pressure based on the output signal of the pressure sensor. The remote command device includes a second radio-frequency module for wirelessly receiving the data transmitted by the data transmitted by the first radio frequency module, a wireless communication module for communicating via a wireless network, information based at least one data received by the second radio frequency module, and a display for displaying at least the fluid pressure detected by the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Measurement, Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Petrucelli, Mark Kuskovsky
  • Patent number: 8615344
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, system and program product for monitoring the rate of deflation or inflation in vehicular tires to determine the time or distance it takes before the tire pressure of one or more tires enters an undesirable state. Under the present invention, tire specifications, environmental modifiers, vehicular modifiers, road and weather conditions, and current tire pressure for each tire are recorded as input to provide an alert with a route plan for a driver to bring a vehicle to a service station before tire pressure reaches an undesirable condition. In one embodiment, the system can inform the driver at what time in the future a tire will reach an undesirable condition. In another embodiment, the system can inform the driver at what distance (measured in miles, for example) a tire will reach an undesirable condition. In yet another embodiment, the system can modify a route in order to avoid an unsafe tire condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory J. Boss, Andrew R. Jones, Kevin C. McConnell, John E. Moore, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130335215
    Abstract: A monitoring component of an onboard power-taking port includes a power-taking component disposed inside a power-taking space of the power-taking port and engaged with the power-taking port so as to realize power taking, a control circuit powered by the power coming from the power-taking component, a carrier for carrying the control circuit, and a display unit electrically connected with the control circuit. The control circuit receives an external signal by the antenna and process the external signal so that the signal is provided to the display unit for displaying the same; and the antenna and display unit are disposed at an external end of the power-taking component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Steelmate Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhitao Li
  • Publication number: 20130335214
    Abstract: A flow indication system for a central tire inflation system is provided. The flow indication system provides a venturi in fluid communication with the conduit providing air to a tire. A pressure reading is taken at the inlet and throat of the venturi and the air flowing through the venturi is calculated based on the pressure differential. According to some embodiments, the pressure readings are provided to a microcontroller that uses a table and interpolation algorithms to calculate the flow of the air flowing through the venturi, such as the mass of air in a given unit of time (grams/second for example). In one embodiment, two separate pressure sensors are coupled to different ends of a narrowed orifice that causes a pressure change in the flow as flow rate increases in the throat of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: STEMCO LP
    Inventor: Stemco LP
  • Patent number: 8610552
    Abstract: A system and method of initializing a vehicle TPMS using a moving TPMS antenna that tracks vehicle movement over some distance. Data received from the moving TPMS antenna is transmitted to a central data storage device. Stored TPMS data is subsequently retrieved by a downstream device connected to a controller of a vehicle TPMS and TPMS information is written to the controller, which may be the vehicle ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norm Bagozzi, John Hays
  • Patent number: 8610553
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tire pressure monitoring system, including an electrical device unit including a pressure sensor for detecting an air pressure of a tire; a housing that is accommodated in the electrical device unit and into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a valve antenna having one end that is inserted into the housing and the other end into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a conduction member having one end that is electrically connected to the electrical device unit and the other end that is electrically connected to the valve antenna; and a coupling member fixing and coupling the housing and the valve antenna to each other, wherein the valve antenna transmits a pressure signal about the air pressure of the tire, which is detected by the pressure sensor, to a receiver of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won Han, Jong Hyeong Song, Kyung No Lee, Hae Seung Hyun, Jong Woo Han
  • Publication number: 20130328674
    Abstract: Localization of a tire pressure monitor is achieved. The tire pressure monitor is disposed at one of the tires on a vehicle equipped with dualies. A message is received from a tire pressure monitor and the message has an associated received signal strength. The message includes information indicating a direction of rotation of a tire and a tire identifier from the tire pressure monitor sensor. The tire pressure monitor is disposed at one of the tires of a vehicle equipped with dualies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.
    Inventors: MATTHEW D. McINTYRE, JEAN-CHRISTOPHE DENIAU, BRIAN FARRELL
  • Patent number: 8606461
    Abstract: A vehicle electronic control unit includes a power input port, which receives electric power from a vehicle battery, and a power output port, which provides electric power to a vehicle electronic device including an antenna. The electronic device receives data transmissions from a vehicle sensor. The power output port provides substantially uninterrupted electric power from the vehicle battery to the vehicle electronic device. A communication port is electrically connected to a vehicle communication bus. The communication port receives data transmissions from the vehicle electronic device via the communication port. An electronic component, electrically connected to the communication port, is initially in a first state when a vehicle ignition is off. The electronic component, while in a second state and while the vehicle ignition is off, receives additional data transmissions from the vehicle electronic device indicating statuses of respective vehicle sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Shawn D. Lammers, Robert Patterson, Timothy J. Frashure, Thomas Weed, Daniel P. Zula
  • Patent number: 8606535
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for temperature compensation of measured pressure values in a tire pressure control system of a vehicle, which is equipped with wheels with pneumatic tires in which a pressure sensor arranged below the tire obtains the pressure values and a temperature sensor arranged below the tire obtains temperature values and the measured pressure values are referred to a predefined reference temperature, giving due consideration to the known proportionality between the pressure and the temperature at a volume of air in the tire which is assumed to be constant. The invention provides that an offset of the temperature supplied by the temperature sensor from the mean air temperature prevailing in the tire is estimated for the temperatures measured at any time in the tire, and the currently measured temperature values are corrected using the estimated temperature offset as a correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Inventors: Ulrich Häfele, Michael Dennig
  • Publication number: 20130321138
    Abstract: A wrong operation detection device is disclosed for monitoring whether or not a calibration start for determining an initial deflation index is issued in a tire pressure unadjusted state after a deflation warning in a tire pressure monitoring system for detection of deflation of a tire. The device includes comparison means for comparing a first deflation index serving as a deflation index at any time point in a period from issue of the deflation warning to vehicle stop after the issue of the warning, with a second deflation index serving as a deflation index obtained after the calibration start; detection means for detection of wrong operation of a reset button based on a comparison result by the comparison means; and warning means for issuing a warning when the detection means detects the wrong operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Seigou SAKAGAMI, Yusuke FUKUBA
  • Patent number: 8599044
    Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a number of tires for a vehicle, a number of systems, and a number of processor units. The number of systems is configured to generate data about the number of tires and the vehicle. The number of processor units is configured to monitor the data and manage the health of the number of tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeanne C. Maggiore, Wayne R. Majkowski, David A. Followell
  • Patent number: 8600607
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for allocating identifiers of wheel electronics of a tire pressure monitoring system to positions of wheels of a vehicle, the simultaneously occurring rotation speeds of the wheels, normalized on a consistently chosen rolling radius of the wheels differ during cornering because of the different positions of the wheels on the vehicle, so that the positions of the wheels can be sorted according to increasing speed of the wheels during cornering, the wheel electronics of each wheel comprising a pressure sensor, a motion sensor, a memory and a transmitter, which transmits signals to a receiver being connected to an evaluation device, which receives the transmitted identifiers and compares the distances which the corresponding wheels have traveled in a defined time span, sorts the identifiers according to the length of the distance traveled in the defined time span and allocates the identifiers to the wheel positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Kessler, Andreas Kraft, Markus Wagner, Juergen Schoenbeck, Peter Brand
  • Patent number: 8593273
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to unidirectional TPMS utilizing information from a corresponding vehicle system in order to correlate with vehicle speed information to be used in a tire localization methodology. In an embodiment, the vehicle system is an anti-lock brake system (ABS), and the vehicle speed can be used in a localization scheme that reconstructs a +/?1 g ripple with waveform, amplitude, frequency and phase parameters. Because the waveform is known to be sinusoidal (due to the wheel rotation), the amplitude is known to be 2 g peak-to-peak (due to the gravitational +/?1 g), the frequency depends on vehicle speed (which can be estimated from centrifugal force measurements), and an algorithm is discussed herein for determining the phase by correlation, the +/?1 g ripple can be reconstructed and the wheels localized therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Martin Gotschlich, Thomas Lange
  • Publication number: 20130307679
    Abstract: A wading vehicle (100) having a water level sensor (114) comprising a hydrostatic pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Thuy-Yung Tran, Edward Hoare, Nigel Clarke
  • Patent number: 8584517
    Abstract: A method carried out in a wheel unit of a tire pressure monitoring system comprises detecting, using a controller in the wheel unit, increases and decreases in loading of a tire on a wheel associated with the wheel unit during acceleration and deceleration. Front/rear position of the wheel unit on a vehicle mounting the tire pressure monitoring system is determined, using the controller in the wheel unit, based on the loading and unloading of the tire and wheel during acceleration and deceleration. Rotation direction of the wheel in the wheel unit is determined and the controller in the wheel unit determines left/right position of the wheel unit on the vehicle based on the rotation direction of the wheel. An indication of the front/rear and left/right position of the wheel on the vehicle and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit are transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Schrader Electronics Ltd
    Inventor: Samuel Strahan
  • Patent number: 8581717
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for monitoring and wirelessly signaling data that contains information on the pressure states prevailing in tires of wheels of a vehicle. In the method, electronic modules that are arranged in the wheels wirelessly transmit the data to control device which is arranged in the vehicle. No data is transmitted during a first mode associated with a standstill state of the vehicle, while the respective electronic module transmits the data to the control device in the form of telegrams, during at least one other mode associated with another state of the vehicle. The respective electronic module at least temporarily transmits n telegrams containing the data per time unit to the control device, n being a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Wagner
  • Publication number: 20130293371
    Abstract: A method and system for managing tire pressure in a vehicle is disclosed. The system is a tire pressure monitoring system associated with the tire pressure sensors. The method includes the general steps of informing the operator that air pressure in a tire is below a desired level, causing the sensor to undertake a rapid sampling of pressure of the tire during an interim state while the vehicle is being driven, advising the operator to manually add pressure to the tire in discrete increments of, for example, between 5 and 10 seconds, causing the sensor to undertake a rapid sampling of tire pressure while air is being manually added to the tire, and causing the sensor to transmit tire air pressure data until the operator stops adding air. The method may also include the step of providing the operator with feedback when a predetermined tire air pressure is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dilip B. Patel, Steven Yellin Schondorf, Greg Swadling, Mohsen Katiba, Thomas Michael McQuade
  • Patent number: 8576058
    Abstract: A method is described for monitoring and wirelessly signaling data that contains information on the pressure states prevailing in tires of wheels. In the method, electronic modules that are arranged in the wheels wirelessly transmit the data to a control device which is arranged in the vehicle. No data is transmitted during a first mode associated with a standstill state of the vehicle, while the respective electronic module transmits the data to the control device in the form of telegrams during at least one other mode associated with another state of the vehicle, the transition from a first mode into at least one other mode being determined by means of at least one acceleration sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Wagner
  • Patent number: 8576059
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring tires of a vehicle are provided. The systems can include a sensing device adapted to engage a tire of a vehicle and sense properties of a tire such as pressure and/or temperature. The sensing devices can be adapted to transmit sensed data to a system receiver adapted to provide the data to a user. The systems and methods can provide a user the desired information pertaining to one or more tires of a vehicle that are to be monitored, and the respective locations of the tires. The systems and methods can be adapted to monitor tires on any vehicle with inflatable tires, including off-the-road (OTR) vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Dill Air Controls Products, LLC
    Inventors: Brian P. Rigney, Larry Schlesinger, Miguel B. Cavas
  • Patent number: 8576060
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting tire pressure signals includes a transmission buffer and a transmitter. The transmission buffer is configured to store tire pressure monitoring data. The transmitter is configured to transmit a signal including the tire pressure monitoring data. The signal includes a burst that includes plurality of frames and each of the frames includes the tire pressure monitoring information. A plurality of pause spaces is disposed between at least some of the frames in the burst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Deniau, Brian J. Farrell
  • Patent number: 8573045
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to indirect tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMSs) and methods that utilize anti-lock braking system (ABS) signals. In embodiments, information from the ABS Hall signal is obtained before pulse forming. The information can be analyzed for resonance within the ABS sensor. In some embodiments, the digitized information can be modulated onto the conventional ABS wheel speed clock signal for transmission to and analysis by the indirect TPMS electronic control unit (ECU). According to embodiments, additional information about higher-order harmonics of the wheel rotation can be provided to the TPMS ECU, which can then calculate a more accurate estimation of tire pressure while reducing warning latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Martin Gotschlich
  • Patent number: 8570191
    Abstract: Systems and methods facilitate the monitoring of tire pressure, the detection/determination of wheel speed, or a combination thereof. A system is provided comprising a hub cap, a target coupled to the hub cap, and at least two displacement sensors configured to measure a displacement between each displacement sensor and the target. The target has a variable thickness, and the target comprises a hollow vessel in fluid communication with a tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Eric D. Cahill
  • Patent number: 8567240
    Abstract: A tire force detection apparatus estimates the force exerted on a tire at the contact point of the tire in a vehicle that includes: a tire/wheel assembly having a wheel and a tire held on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel; and a wheel support member that rotatably supports the wheel via a wheel support portion. The tire force detection apparatus includes: an elastic body disposed between the wheel and the wheel support portion, the elastic body having column portions that each abut, at opposite ends thereof, the wheel and the wheel support portion and a plate-shaped portion that is integrated with the column portions and extends around the column portions; stress detectors that detect stress applied to the elastic body by detecting a strain of the plate-shaped portion; and an electronic circuit device that calculates the force exerted on the tire, based on the stress detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Shigehiro Yoshiuchi
  • Patent number: 8570165
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitor system tool that stores information regarding a plurality of tire pressure monitor systems. The information may include procedures for resetting and diagnosing the tire pressure monitor system. The tool may include a storing module that stores the information and a displaying module that causes the information to be displayed on a display of the tool. The tool may enable a user to input data regarding a vehicle. Based on the vehicle data input by the user, the tool may determine a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle using the information stored. Based on the tire pressure monitoring system installed on the vehicle, the tool may determine one or more reset or diagnostic procedures that may be performed by the tool. The tool may also reference the owner's manual of the vehicle. The tool may also include an updating module that updates the information stored by the tool. The tool may also include an update interface that may be, for example, an RS232 port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Service Solutions U.S. LLC
    Inventor: Robert Kochie
  • Publication number: 20130278406
    Abstract: Systems and methods of determining tire load from measured tire parameters include using a piezoelectric based sensor to obtain one or more contact patch parameters (e.g., contact patch entry time, contact patch exit time total contact patch time and contact patch angle) and one or more additional sensors to obtain tire pressure. Selected contact patch parameter measurements and pressure values are then compared with known combinations of contact patch parameter values and pressure values stored in a look-up table. A corresponding determined tire load value is then provided as electronic output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE et TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: David Alan Weston
  • Patent number: 8565959
    Abstract: Multiple leak rate methodologies are combined and operate in parallel in a system for providing optimal results under different tire conditions. The methodologies may operate continuously or alternatively. Tandem large leak rate and low leak rate algorithms and methodology, for example, may deployed in a system in which, for large leak rates, a large leak rate methodology is employed and used to trigger a warning. At some pre-designated low leak rate threshold value, the system employs a low leak rate methodology either as an exclusive diagnostic monitor or in parallel with the companion large leak rate methodology. In the low leak rate analytical system, a change in tire pressure is correlated to a change in energy within a vehicle system pursuant to the algorithm W=??P*dx and derivative algorithms are used to calculate a final time and pressure drop at the final time as a basis for issuing a low pressure warning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Jack Edward Brown, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8564427
    Abstract: An apparatus to be attached to a rotary portion includes a substrate and a flat-shaped battery buried in resin. The substrate and the flat-shaped battery are connected to each other via a terminal in such a manner that one of a positive electrode can and a negative electrode can constituting the flat-shaped battery, the can having a smaller amount of deformation caused by bulging at a time of the expansion of the flat-shaped battery, is opposed to the substrate. A surface of the flat-shaped battery having a smaller amount of deformation is opposed to the substrate, and hence, adverse effects on the apparatus, such as the displacement of the terminal and the deformation of the substrate, can be reduced even when the flat-shaped battery expands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Yabushita, Toshikazu Yoshiba
  • Patent number: 8564429
    Abstract: A wireless dual tire pressure monitor and equalizer apparatus is adapted to install on a vehicle dual wheel and connect to the two tire valve stems. The apparatus includes capabilities of monitoring individual tire pressure and transmitting tire data to be received by a remote receiver, equalizing pressure in the two tires when pressure is above a selected level, isolating the two tires when pressure is below the selected level, and transmitting warning signals upon detection of low pressure and air leaks. The apparatus further includes capability to integrate with available tire inflation systems for providing tire pressure monitoring and equalizing functionalities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Joe Huayue Zhou
  • Patent number: 8564428
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a plurality of tire sensors, a plurality of low frequency (“LF”) antennas and an ECU. Each tire sensor is mounted in a respective tire of the vehicle. Each LF antenna is mounted on the vehicle and is configured to transmit an LF field to wake up two tire sensors. The ECU is in communication with the tire sensors, via a receiver, and the LF antennas. The ECU is configured to receive 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. The ECU is further configured to store the identification signals in the memory with the identification signals being associated with the respective tire sensors that transmitted the identification signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian K. Lickfelt, Hideaki Arai, Nicky Strock
  • Patent number: 8560159
    Abstract: In order to monitor and wirelessly signal data (D, D*) containing information (DRK) about the pressure conditions present in pneumatic tires of wheels of a vehicle, it is proposed to transmit the data from electronic modules (wheel electronics) disposed in the wheels wirelessly to a controller disposed in the vehicle, wherein no data is transmitted during a stopped mode of the vehicle, and wherein the data (D*) is transmitted in the form of datagrams (DT*) during at least one further mode, which is preferably associated with a starting mode of the vehicle, in that at least intermittently a plurality of, preferably shortened, datagrams (DT*) containing the same data (D*) are consecutively transmitted in a cumulative manner to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Wagner
  • Publication number: 20130257610
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus for monitoring tire conditions and a method thereof. The apparatus for monitoring tire conditions includes a plurality of transmitters transmitting condition report signals that do not include a measured internal condition, when the plurality of transmitters measure an internal condition of tires to determine that a change in the internal condition of the tires is in a predetermined range; and a receiver determining the internal condition of the tires previously transmitted by the corresponding transmitters as a current internal condition, when the receiver receives the condition report signals that do not include the internal condition transmitted from the transmitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyung No Lee, Jong Woo Han, Jong Hyeong Song, Won Han, Hae Seung Hyun
  • Patent number: 8532872
    Abstract: A tire pressure adjustment method and system is provided. The method includes receiving from a plurality of sensors in a vehicle, tread depth data associated with tread depths at multiple points on a tire tread comprised by a tire on the vehicle. The tread depth data is analyzed. A tire pressure value for an internal portion of the tire is determined based on results of the analysis. The tire pressure value is associated with modifying a group of tread depths during operation of the vehicle. In response, a command signal is generated. The command signal is configured to command a tire pressure modification device to adjust a current tire pressure value of the internal portion of the tire to the determined tire pressure value. The command signal is transmitted to the tire pressure modification device resulting in the current tire pressure value being adjusted to determined tire pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory J. Boss, Andrew R. Jones, Kevin C. McConnell, John E. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8527237
    Abstract: A method of detecting at least one suspended threadlike object by telemetry, the object lying in the detection field of a telemeter on board a vehicle. The method wherein in step iii), for each vertical plane taken into consideration, and for each set of at least four candidate points close to the vertical plane in question, using the least squares method to calculate the values of three parameters a, b, and c of a catenary having an equation of the form: y=a cos h[(x?b)/a]+c the catenary containing the projections on the vertical plane of the points in the set under consideration; and determining that at least one suspended threadlike object is present as a function of the value of the correlation coefficient associated with said least squares method for all of the sets of at least four candidate points close to the vertical plane under consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventors: Richard Pire, Marianne Gillet
  • Patent number: 8525657
    Abstract: Various embodiments may include methods and systems for determining a tire pressure status. The system may include at least one computer. An input defining an inflation status of one or more vehicle tires, as well as tire inflation data of the one or more tires, may be received. A specific value associated with an inflation event of the one or more vehicle tires may be calculated based on the inflation data. Further, one or more messages for outputting the specific value from one or more vehicle components may be generated and transmitted to the one or more vehicle components. The specific value may be output as one or more messages from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dilip B. Patel, Steven Yellin Schondorf, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Brian Bennie, Gregory Swadling
  • Patent number: 8525658
    Abstract: An interior tire power generation apparatus includes a piezoelectric section having an inorganic piezoelectric body of a perovskite type oxide represented by General Formula (PX) below; a pair of electrodes for extracting an electric charge generated in the piezoelectric section when strained by an external force exerted on the tire; and an energy storage unit for storing the extracted electric charge. (Bix, A1-x) (By, C1-y)O3 ??(PX) where, A is an A-site element, other than Pb, with an average ionic valence of 2, B is a B-site element with an average ionic valence of 3, C is a B-site element with an average ionic valence of greater than 3, and each of A, B, and C is one or a plurality of types of metal elements. O is oxygen. B and C are of different compositions. 0.6?x?1.0, x-0.2?y?x.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutoshi Hirabayashi, Yukio Sakashita