Relative Wheel Speed Patents (Class 340/444)
  • Patent number: 8471695
    Abstract: A tire air pressure monitoring device for monitoring the air pressure of a tire on a vehicle having two or more tires, including an air pressure sensing device that senses air pressure information of the tire and is adapted to be mounted at a prescribed position on the tire so as to rotate with the tire, a transmitting device that transmits the sensed air pressure information, a rotary position sensing device that senses the rotary position of the air pressure sensing device as the tire rotates, a period of rotation calculating device that calculates the period of rotation of the tire, a period of rotation disruption sensing device that senses disruption in the period of rotation based on a change in the period, and a transmission control device that outputs commands to transmit the air pressure information to the transmitting device based on a disruption in the period of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Maekawa, Syoji Terada
  • Patent number: 8452477
    Abstract: Wireless transmission from sensor devices included in tires is coordinated by a receiving unit associated with the tire, or transmission coordinator. In more detail, every sensor device is made aware of an overall time window available for transmission, and based on at least this information, it calculates a dedicated timeslot for the transmission of its data within such time window. This coordinated transmission makes possible a strong reduction of the probability of collisions and transmission errors, and reduces the number of transmissions, so as to comply with the limited power resources available at each sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sinem Coleri Ergen, Xuening Sun
  • Patent number: 8405495
    Abstract: A method and device for locating n wheels of a vehicle each equipped with an electronic module designed to emit, to a central unit, electromagnetic signals representative of operating parameters of each wheel and an identification code of the latter. There is, in a fixed position on the vehicle, in the vicinity of at least (n-1) wheels, a radio-tag in which is stored a location code, able to be identified by the central unit and enable the latter to locate the position of the radio-tag on the vehicle. In order to locate the wheels, an activation of each radio-tag is controlled so as to deliver to the central unit a signal incorporating the location code of this radio-tag associated with the identification code of the wheel located in the vicinity of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Heller, Dominique Rantet
  • Patent number: 8350688
    Abstract: A method of indirect tire pressure monitoring for indicating when a pneumatic tire on a wheel at one end of a motor vehicle axle is underpressurized relative to a pneumatic tire on a wheel at an opposite end of the axle while the vehicle is being driven on a road surface. ABS wheel sensors are used as inputs to a devoted processor for indirect tire pressure monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengming Wang, Gregory A. Jean-Baptiste, Huihui Duan
  • Patent number: 8337060
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing adequate lighting and sighting for a bicycle are disclosed. A lighting system that includes an illumination ring configured to be coupled to a wheel is also disclosed. The illumination ring is configured to simultaneously project light forward and to the side of a front wheel and to project light rearward of and to the side of a rear wheel. The illumination ring may be mounted to or integrated with the bicycle wheel. Methods of controlling light sources on the illumination ring are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: John Kent Frankovich
  • Patent number: 8330593
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a vehicle. The method includes the steps of establishing a first wireless connection between a first portable wireless device and a vehicle communications system thereby creating a data transfer network between the first portable wireless device and the vehicle communications system, monitoring, by the vehicle communications system, at least one sensor for a specific vehicle activity, and if the specific vehicle activity occurs, sending a notification via the wireless connection from the vehicle communications system to the first portable wireless device via the data transfer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ease Diagnostics
    Inventor: Stephen S. Golenski
  • Patent number: 8326480
    Abstract: Method for monitoring the state of a tire, in which at least one analysis value (UR i), from which the state of a tire is determined, is formed from wheel speed signals (?rot i) of the vehicle wheels, wherein the analysis value (UR i) is an absolute rolling circumference of a tire or a variable which represents the absolute rolling circumference of a tire, in particular a dynamic tire radius which is determined by evaluating wheel speed signals (?rot i) and signals from at least one sensor in order to measure the speed of the vehicle over an underlying surface, and the analysis value (UR i) is used to determine a loss of pressure and/or working loads of the tire, as well as a device for monitoring the state of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Andreas Köbe, Frank Schreiner, Daniel Fischer
  • Patent number: 8319621
    Abstract: A vehicle which evaluates tire wear properly even in a road condition that tires easily slip or lock up. The vehicle, which has a driven wheel and a driving wheel with tires attached thereto, includes: a revolution speed detector for detecting revolution speeds of the driven and driving wheels; a wheel speed detector for detecting wheel speeds of the driven and driving wheels based on the detected revolution speed data of the driven and driving wheels; a wheel speed ratio detector for detecting a wheel speed ratio between the driven and driving wheels based on the detected wheel speed data of the driven and driving wheels; and a tire condition evaluator for outputting an evaluation result indicating that the tire(s) attached to the driven wheel and/or driving wheel is(are) worn when the wheel speed ratio is higher than a preset threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Motoo Futami, Toshikazu Minoshima, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Sato, Kichio Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8305237
    Abstract: The aircraft tire pressure loop link is formed of first and second single metal loops connected by parallel spaced apart metal shafts, and provides for coupling a magnetic field between a wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor coil to provide electromagnetic communication between a control unit connect to the wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor connected to the tire pressure sensor coil. The current induced in the first single metal loop travels the distance from the edge of the wheel axle coil to the periphery of the of the wheel rim to the second single metal loop, which generates the flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil necessary to power the tire pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Eldec Corporation
    Inventors: Jeff Lamping, Mark Finefrock
  • Patent number: 8299909
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a decrease in a tire air pressure includes; a rotation velocity information detection means for regularly detecting tire rotation velocity information regarding the respective wheels of a vehicle; a resonance frequency estimation means for estimating a resonance frequency of the rotation velocity information based on the rotation velocity information obtained by the rotation velocity information detection means; and a determination means for determining, based on the estimated resonance frequency, a decrease in the tire air pressure. The apparatus includes a data rejecting means for rejecting data of rotation velocity information hindering the estimation of the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Fujita, Hiroaki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8296006
    Abstract: In a tire pressure monitoring device, a receiving apparatus 1 detects a received signal level from sensor units 2 to judge, based on the signal level, tires, a front wheel or a rear wheel, provided with the sensor units 2. It estimates collision of data signals from the sensor units 2a, 2b of the front wheel and from the sensor units 2c 2d of the rear wheels. When it estimates that the data signals from the sensor units 2a, 2b of the front wheel and from the sensor units 2c 2d of the rear wheels collide with each other, it executes a process for acting an antenna shifting part 13 so as to produce a difference between the reception intensity levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8279056
    Abstract: The invention includes: a rotation velocity information detection means for regularly detecting tire rotation velocity information regarding the respective wheels of a vehicle; a frequency characteristic estimation means for estimating a frequency characteristic of the rotation velocity information based on the rotation velocity information obtained from the rotation velocity information detection means; and a determination means for determining a decrease in the air pressure of the tire based on the estimated frequency characteristic. The frequency characteristic estimation means is configured to extract a resonance peak of the rotation velocity information by calculating a gain corresponding to an arbitrary frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Fujita, Hiroaki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8266955
    Abstract: A tire monitoring device may be used in conjunction with a tire monitoring system for a vehicle. The tire monitoring device includes a tire monitoring sensor unit having a state monitoring sensor monitoring a tire state, such as a tire pressure, and a first acceleration sensor and a second acceleration sensor respectively measuring accelerations in first and second directions on a plane perpendicular to a wheel axis, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a wheel is on the left or right side of the vehicle on the basis of a relationship between alternating signals of the first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor and determining whether or not a tire event has occurred with reference to a calculated value based on the accelerations measured by the first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Seetron, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyu Cheol Lee, Sung Sun Uh, Hee Yong Jung
  • Patent number: 8266465
    Abstract: A battery operated device includes a receiver for receiving a transmission that includes a postamble. A sensor, in a tire, measures a parameter of the tire and outputs data indicative of the parameter. A microprocessor is coupled to the receiver and the sensor. The microprocessor is configured to periodically partially awaken to determine whether the transmission is likely a forward link packet (FLP) by examining the postamble, and to transmit the data in a reverse link packet (RLP) in response to confirming that the transmission is a FLP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon E. Hardman, John W. Pyne, Molly A. Hardman, David A. Przygocki, David M. Coombs, Paul B. Wilson, Ronald C. Grush, Philip B. Loudin, Brett W. Floyd
  • Patent number: 8258932
    Abstract: An occupant detection system for detecting an occupant within a vehicle includes a sensor for sensing movement or acceleration of the vehicle, first and second processors and a decider. The sensor generates a sensor output. The first processor processes the sensor output in a first manner and generates a first output indicative of the possibility of the presence of an occupant within the vehicle. The second processor processes the sensor output in a second manner and generates a second output indicative of the possibility of the presence of an occupant within the vehicle. The decider processes the first and second outputs and determines whether the combination of the first and second outputs is indicative of an occupant in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventor: Jonas Erik Ragnar Wahlstrom
  • Patent number: 8248224
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a decrease in a tire air pressure includes: a rotation information detection means for periodically detecting tire rotation information regarding the respective wheels of a four-wheel vehicle; a wheel speed calculation means for calculating tire wheel speeds based on the rotation information; a comparison value calculation means for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one diagonal positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other diagonal positions as a first comparison value and for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one same side positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other same side positions as a second comparison value; a determination means for determining a tire having a decreased pressure; and an alarming means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Fujita
  • Patent number: 8237553
    Abstract: The invention provides a monitoring device and tire combination wherein an antenna is mounted to the tire in a location spaced from the monitoring device. In one embodiment, the antenna may be mounted to the tire sidewall outside the body cords of the tire. The antenna may be mounted on the outer surface of the sidewall or embedded within the body of the sidewall. The antenna is connected to the monitoring device with a connector. The connector may be electrically coupled to the monitoring device or may be connected to the monitoring device with a plug and socket connection. When the antenna is outside the body cord, the connector may extend from the antenna through the bead filler, over the top of the turn up, or under the bead ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Paul B. Wilson, Russell W. Koch, Robert J. Trew
  • Patent number: 8183992
    Abstract: In a tire sensor monitoring system for a motor vehicle, each of a plurality of tire sensors periodically emits an identifying signal and a parameter signal and the monitoring system receives and processes the identifying and parameter signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Doran Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Stegman, Scott Comisar
  • Patent number: 8135537
    Abstract: A route data base generating system avoids GPS satellite signals sources for land based vehicle azimuth and heading determinations in areas where reception of the satellite signals is unavailable or impaired and relies on vehicle part movements that are equatable to the heading and azimuth changes of the vehicle for determining such vehicle orientations. Part movements equatable to the heading changes are found in the vehicle wheel assemblies. A route data base founded on interconnecting linear route segments that are arranged in and end-to-end serial order is advocated and wherein the angular deviation between connecting segments in the order is predetermined. Various uses of the generating systems and related procedures are advocated for both on-the-road and off-road usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Inventors: Roger L. Martin, Thurman Sasser
  • Patent number: 8130090
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a decreased air pressure of a tire includes an acceleration calculation circuit for calculating, based on rotation velocity information of tires of respective wheels of a vehicle; an acceleration variation calculation circuit for calculating acceleration variations of the respective tires; a comparison circuit for comparing the acceleration variations of the respective tires; an estimation component for estimating, when a comparison result of the comparison shows that an acceleration variation of a certain tire is greater than acceleration variations of the other tires, a decrease in air pressure of the certain tire; a test circuit for determining a tire having a rotation velocity that is faster than the rotation velocities of the other tires or that is further slower than a predetermined reference; and a judgment circuit for judging, when a certain tire identified by the estimation is identical with the tire identified by the test, a decrease in air pressure of the certain tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Oshiro
  • Patent number: 8130091
    Abstract: A tire pressure detecting apparatus has a micro-controller, a detecting module and a transceiver. The detecting module is electronically connected to the micro-controller and has a tire pressure detecting unit controlled by the micro-controller to detect a tire pressure inside a tire. The transceiver is electronically connected to the micro-controller, transmits a high frequency signal corresponding to detected characteristic tire parameters from the detecting module to a monitoring system inside a car and receives an external high frequency signal sent from external tire pressure detecting apparatus for the micro-controller, with the micro-controller temporarily delaying sending of the high frequency signal until a waiting time has expired to prevent signal collision between the high frequency signal and the external high frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Orange Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Chih Yu
  • Publication number: 20120025968
    Abstract: A tire air pressure monitoring device for monitoring the air pressure of a tire on a vehicle having two or more tires, including an air pressure sensing device that senses air pressure information of the tire and is adapted to be mounted at a prescribed position on the tire so as to rotate with the tire, a transmitting device that transmits the sensed air pressure information, a rotary position sensing device that senses the rotary position of the air pressure sensing device as the tire rotates, a period of rotation calculating device that calculates the period of rotation of the tire, a period of rotation disruption sensing device that senses disruption in the period of rotation based on a change in the period, and a transmission control device that outputs commands to transmit the air pressure information to the transmitting device based on a disruption in the period of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro MAEKAWA, Syoji Terada
  • Patent number: 8098146
    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: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Measurement Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Petrucelli, Mark Kuskovsky
  • Patent number: 8090492
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a measured signal detector 11, a vehicle parameter obtainer 12, a sideslip angle temporary estimator 13, a sideslip angle differential corresponding value computer 14 and a sideslip angle real estimator 15. A sideslip angle temporary estimate value is computed from one or plural vehicle parameters including at least the mass. A sideslip angle differential corresponding value is computed from a measured signal and the vehicle parameters including no mass. A sideslip angle is derived from the sideslip angle temporary estimate value and the sideslip angle differential corresponding value. A sideslip can be detected without a steering angle detection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: National University Corporation Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
    Inventors: Masao Nagai, Yohei Michitsuji, Pongsathorn Raksincharoensak
  • Patent number: 8063756
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitor provided on a wheel of a vehicle includes a pressure sensor, a transmitter, an acceleration sensor, and a controller. The pressure sensor works to output a pressure signal representative of the inflation pressure of a tire fitted on the wheel. The transmitter works to transmit the pressure signal. The acceleration sensor works to output an acceleration signal representative of a centrifugal acceleration which increases with the running speed of the vehicle. The controller is configured to: 1) determine a change in the centrifugal acceleration for a predetermined time period based on the acceleration signal, 2) determine the vehicle as being in running state when the determined change is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and 3) control the transmitter to transmit the pressure signal when the vehicle is determined as being in running state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuya Watabe
  • Patent number: 8059014
    Abstract: The aircraft tire pressure loop link is formed of first and second single metal loops connected by parallel spaced apart metal shafts, and provides for coupling a magnetic field between a wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor coil to provide electromagnetic communication between a control unit connect to the wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor connected to the tire pressure sensor coil; the current induced in the first single metal loop travels the distance from the edge of the wheel axle coil to the periphery of the of the wheel rim to the second single metal loop, which generates the flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil necessary to power the tire pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Eldec Corporation
    Inventors: Jeff Lamping, Mark Finefrock
  • Patent number: 8054169
    Abstract: A method for detecting a pressure loss of a tire in a vehicle equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. The method includes the following steps carried out in the parked state of the vehicle: deactivate the tire pressure monitoring system, which contains at least one electronic wheel device disposed in a vehicle wheel, activate the tire pressure monitoring system after a first defined period of time or upon a vehicle-side request, determine tire-related information of the vehicle wheels associated with the electronic wheel devices by the respective electronic wheel device and generate status signals containing the tire-related information, communicate the status signals to an evaluation device, return to the first method step at the latest after a second period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Bettecken, Frank Fischer
  • Publication number: 20110260849
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a decrease in a tire air pressure includes: a rotation information detection means for periodically detecting tire rotation information regarding the respective wheels of a four-wheel vehicle; a wheel speed calculation means for calculating tire wheel speeds based on the rotation information; a comparison value calculation means for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one diagonal positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other diagonal positions as a first comparison value and for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one same side positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other same side positions as a second comparison value; a determination means for determining a tire having a decreased pressure; and an alarming means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventor: Hajime FUJITA
  • Patent number: 8042888
    Abstract: A wheel position identification apparatus includes: braking force fluctuation generating means controlling the braking force-applying means to generate a braking force fluctuation of the wheel independently. The apparatus further includes response probability obtaining means for obtaining a presence, or an absence, of a response of the wheel relative to the braking force fluctuation based upon a wheel rotational speed fluctuation of the wheel. The wheel rotational speed fluctuation is obtained from a rotation state sensor mounted on each wheel. The apparatus still further includes associating means for associating the wheel with the braking force-applying means respectively. The association is based upon a combination of a presence, or an absence, of the braking force fluctuation at each braking force-applying means and the presence, or the absence, of the response obtained by the response probability obtaining means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeyasu Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8040229
    Abstract: An object is to provide a method capable of reducing calculation number of times for obtaining a primary regression line of a slip ratio and acceleration, and detecting a decrease in internal pressure of tires with high accuracy even in the case where is no evenness in a road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Kitano
  • Patent number: 8035501
    Abstract: A tire monitoring system in or for a vehicle for determining tire-specific parameters has a distributed bus architecture. At least one intelligent receiving device is configured to receive transmit signals of a wheel electronic system. The receiving device has a signal processing device that carries out an evaluation of the received transmit signals and/or an evaluation of received signals of another subscriber of the bus architecture. The invention also relates to methods for operating the intelligent receiving devices of a distributed bus architecture of the novel tire monitoring or tire pressure system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: VDO Automotive AG
    Inventors: Alexander Fink, Frank Fischer, Gregor Kuchler
  • Patent number: 8026802
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle abnormality detection method detecting an abnormal state in which a high temperature occurs due to maladjustment of a vehicle bearing mechanism section or vehicle brake mechanism section, and a device thereof and a sensor unit thereof. By use of the sensor unit 100 mounted in a rim 31, an air temperature within a tire 2 is sensed as a first temperature and a temperature (second temperature) of the rim 31 is sensed as a temperature related to at least one of a temperature of the vehicle bearing mechanism section and a temperature of the vehicle brake mechanism section 40. Then a temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is calculated and when the temperature difference is a predetermined value or more, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the vehicle bearing mechanism section or vehicle brake mechanism section 40. The abnormality is thus detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 8022817
    Abstract: The invention provides a monitoring device and tire combination wherein an antenna is mounted to the tire in a location spaced from the monitoring device. In one embodiment, the antenna may be mounted to the tire sidewall outside the body cords of the tire. The antenna may be mounted on the outer surface of the sidewall or embedded within the body of the sidewall. The antenna is connected to the monitoring device with a connector. The connector may be electrically coupled to the monitoring device or may be connected to the monitoring device with a plug and socket connection. When the antenna is outside the body cord, the connector may extend from the antenna through the bead filler, over the top of the turn up, or under the bead ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Paul B. Wilson, Russell W. Koch, Robert J. Trew
  • Patent number: 8019502
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a tire during running includes acquiring and storing, at least temporarily, a first curve representing an acceleration profile of a first point of a tread area of the tire; acquiring and storing, at least temporarily, at least one second curve representing an acceleration profile of a second point of the tread area; and comparing the first curve and the at least one second curve, or parameters derived from the first curve and the at least one second curve, so as to determine a dynamic behavior of the tire. The first and second points are located substantially on a same meridian plane of the tire. A related tire, wheel for a vehicle, system for monitoring a tire during running, and method for controlling a vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Brusarosco, Anna Paola Fioravanti, Federico Mancosu
  • Patent number: 8013759
    Abstract: A transmitter unit has a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a trailing vehicle. The housing also has a multiple axis accelerometer adapted to sense the status of the transmitter unit and a trailing vehicle. The housing also has electronic components coupled with the accelerometer. A receiver unit has a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a leading vehicle. A user in audio proximity to the receiver unit is wirelessly signaled in the event of an anomaly at the transmitter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventors: James D. Aid, Norman F. Cameron, Shahid Q. Din
  • Patent number: 8013724
    Abstract: A tire-pressure control apparatus includes time calculation means for calculating an up time over which the tire pressure of each wheel increases from a lower limit set value to an upper limit set value and a down time over which the tire pressure of the wheel decreases from the upper limit set value to the lower limit set value, on the basis of the detection value of a corresponding pressure sensor; average-rotational-speed calculation means for calculating an average rotational speed of the wheel during the up time on the basis of the detection value of a corresponding wheel speed sensor; first-pump-supplied-air-quantity calculation means (403) for calculating a first pump-supplied air quantity Qvw* of a corresponding air pressure generation unit in a single generation and non-generation cycle on the basis of the up time and the average rotational speed; second-pump-supplied-air-quantity calculation means (404) for calculating a second pump-supplied air quantity Qp* of the air pressure generation unit in a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Isono
  • Patent number: 7969293
    Abstract: A read station and method for a vehicle includes a support pad for admitting and exiting a vehicle onto an upper pad surface; two or more data-receiving systems, one or both of such systems receiving a data transmission from a vehicle situated on the read station pad surface. The data-receiving systems include an identification-data transmission system and a monitored parameter-data transmission system. One or more of the read station data-receiving systems may be configured to effect data transmission from the vehicle as the vehicle moves across the support pad. The information-data transmission system couples a vehicle wheel unit based RFID tag with an electric field established by one or more system antennae disposed on the support pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Robert Leon Benedict, Joseph Carmine Lettieri, Robert Edward Lionetti, Anthony William Parsons
  • Patent number: 7948380
    Abstract: A remote sensing device includes a plurality of components arranged to form a resonant electrical circuit. The plurality of components includes at least one sensing component having sensing elements distributed among regions of an area of interest. The sensing elements are arranged so that a resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit is modifiable by an external event affecting an element associated with a region. The sensing component may be a capacitor having spatially distributed capacitive elements or an inductor having spatially distributed inductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David W. Kuhns, M. Benton Free
  • Patent number: 7945361
    Abstract: A method for determining a load exerted on a tire, fitted on a vehicle, during running of the vehicle on a rolling surface, is disclosed. The method includes acquiring a first signal comprising a first signal portion representative of a radial deformation; measuring an amplitude of the radial deformation in the first signal portion; estimating a rotation speed of the tire corresponding to the radial deformation; estimating an inflation pressure of the tire corresponding to the radial deformation; and deriving the load exerted on the tire from the amplitude, the rotation speed, and the inflation pressure. The first signal portion is representative of the radial deformation to which a first tread area portion of the tire is subjected during passage of the first tread area portion through a contact region between the tire and the rolling surface. A system for determining the load exerted on the tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Brusarosco, Federico Mancosu, Daniele Arosio
  • Patent number: 7930132
    Abstract: A method for determining whether a tire is in rotation is provided. A measured acceleration is compared to a first threshold after a first timer indicates that a first period has lapsed, and indication that the tire is in rotation is provided if at least one of the measured accelerations is greater than the first threshold. If an absolute difference between consecutive measured accelerations is greater than a second threshold, an indication that the tire is in rotation is also provided. Additionally, the second timer is started if the absolute difference is greater than the second threshold and if a second timer is not running, and indication that the tire is rotating is provided if the absolute difference is less than a predetermined threshold and if the second timer is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Toshiaki Watasue
  • Patent number: 7920056
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus has a display mounted in a vehicle, a driving information receiving unit receiving a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle, and a control unit. The control unit produces a vehicle figure imitating a shape of the vehicle and a tire figure imitating a shape of a tire of the vehicle in a bird's-eye view, calculates a predicted running locus of the vehicle, detects positions of portions of an obstacle facing the vehicle one after another, and controls the display to display a driving support image including the vehicle figure, the tire figure, the running locus and obstacle detecting marks indicating the positions of the obstacle while changing a direction of the tire figure with respect to the vehicle figure according to the steering angle. A driver recognizes a turning rate of the vehicle from the direction of the tire figure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hattori, Kiyonari Kojima, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Naoki Kamikawa, Mitsuru Fujita
  • Patent number: 7920057
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for localization of the position of a wheel (2) of a vehicle (1). According to the method of the invention, the vehicle (1) is equipped with two transmitting antennas—a lateral antenna (11) and a frontal antenna (13) —placed so as to have coverage zones comprising a common zone in which is located the wheel (2) to be localized, and the transmission by the two transmitting antennas (11 and 13) of two identical, in phase identification request signals of powers suited to obtain in the area of wheel (2) to be localized a resulting signal of power greater than the detection threshold of an electronic box (6) with which said wheel is equipped is ordered simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventor: Olivier Costes
  • Patent number: 7911332
    Abstract: A wheel having a controlled pressure includes a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure; a tire mounted on the rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure at a reference temperature, the operating pressure being lower than the first pressure; and at least one valve assembly adapted to establish a communication between the tank, the inner volume of the tire and the external environment. The valve assembly includes a command valve, an exhaust valve and a compensation valve operatively associated with each other. The command valve controls communication between the tank and the inner volume of the tire. The exhaust valve is connected to the external environment, to the inner volume, to the command valve and to the compensation valve. The compensation valve is connected to the exhaust valve and the command valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Pier Giuseppe Piantanida, Stefano Sangiovanni, Maurizio Marchini, Giorgia Sgalari
  • Patent number: 7893820
    Abstract: Method of transmitting an electromagnetic identification request signal, generated by an antenna (11-14) connected to a central unit (15) mounted on a vehicle (1), to an electronic housing (6-9) mounted on a wheel (2-5) of the vehicle. This transmission method includes successively transmitting, after starting of the vehicle (1), a plurality of identical identification request signals (S1 . . . , Si, Si+1, . . . ), and wherein, after each transmission at an instant Ti of a signal Si, the speed of travel V of the vehicle (1) is measured, the time Tr of a complete rotation of the wheel (2-5) is calculated for the speed V, and the following signal Si+1 is triggered at an instant Ti+1 such that: Ti+1=Ti+nTr+T? with n integer ?1 and 0<T?<Tr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventor: Olivier Costes
  • Patent number: 7884706
    Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor comprises a pair of conductive plates surrounding a compressible dielectric to form a capacitor. Changes in pressure create changes in the capacitance of the capacitor which in turn may be measured to determine the changes in pressure. The pressure sensor may be constructed to be temperature and centripetal force compensated so that it may be positioned in a tire. A further embodiment uses the conductive plates to form a radiating element for the sensor such that it may wirelessly communicate with a remote interrogator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC
    Inventor: Ian J. Forster
  • Patent number: 7884708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring system for vehicle wheels and a wireless measurement module. The wireless measurement module is configured to be attached to a vehicle wheel and comprises: an acceleration measurement unit for determining acceleration information associated with wheel motion of the vehicle; a state determination unit for determining a value of at least one parameter characterizing a characteristic or state of the vehicle wheel by using the acceleration information; and a module communication unit for communicating the value of said at least one parameter by means of a wireless communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: W-Secure OY
    Inventors: Jarkko Honkonen, Yrjo Jurvansuu, Teijo Hilden, Toivo Vilmi
  • Patent number: 7880600
    Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor comprises a pair of conductive plates surrounding a compressible dielectric to form a capacitor. Changes in pressure create changes in the capacitance of the capacitor, which in turn may be measured to determine the changes in pressure. The pressure sensor may be constructed to be temperature and centripetal force compensated so that it may be positioned in a tire. A further embodiment uses the conductive plates to form a radiating element for the sensor such that it may wirelessly communicate with a remote interrogator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC
    Inventor: Ian J. Forster
  • Patent number: 7868749
    Abstract: The method includes: a step of calculating wheel rotation information; a judgment step of judging a decrease in a tire air pressure by comparing a predetermined reference value with a decreased pressure judgment value showing a wheel speed ratio of the front and rear axes; an initialization step of storing the wheel speed ratio between the front and rear axes at the regular internal pressure; and a step of determining whether the distribution of the front and rear driving torque is equidistribution or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Miyamoto, Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 7839270
    Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system which may easily identify information transmitted from each of detecting devices without registration of identification information of the detecting devices and a transponder thereof are provided. A display is disposed in a distal end of the transponders all connected in series through a cable. Each of the detecting devices detects conditions in a predetermined portion of a vehicle and transmits vehicle information including measurement results, its own identification information and the number of transmissions. Each of the transponders determines whether the vehicle information transmitted from the detecting devices is received or not based on the identification information of the detecting devices registered in advance, and transmits the vehicle information to the transponder connected to the transmitting side or the display, when it determines that the vehicle information is to be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 7826936
    Abstract: The vehicle stationary/moving determination apparatus includes an antenna mounted on a vehicle body of a vehicle; and a determination device determining whether or not the vehicle is moving or stationary on the basis of a reception intensity of a radio signal transmitted from a radio transmitter device mounted on the vehicle at a portion other than the vehicle body and received by the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Saito, Akihiro Taguchi, Nobuya Watabe