Inductive Patents (Class 340/448)
  • Patent number: 7333022
    Abstract: A safety monitoring mechanism of a wafer fabrication platform is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a vibration sensor mounted at the loading apparatus of the wafer fabrication platform for detecting vibration generated during the operation of the loading apparatus; a determination module for receiving the vibration detected by the vibration sensor and to convert the vibration into digital signals and for contrast analysis with the preset standard signal range; and an alarm apparatus which produces an alarm signal to operator when the detected digital signal by the vibration sensor exceeds the standard signal range for being abnormal after contrast analysis with that of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Welltech Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Hung Huang
  • Patent number: 7327244
    Abstract: A valve device includes a metal tube fixed to a tire rim of a vehicle. A valve is mounted in an end of an air passageway of the metal tube. A transmitter includes two switches respectively connected to two contact members fixed on the metal tube. A Bourdon tube includes a fixed end in communication with the air passageway of the metal tube and a movable end. When a tire pressure of the tire is in a normal range, the movable end of the Bourdon tube is between the contact members, leading to an open circuit. When the tire pressure is too high or too low, the movable end of the Bourdon tube is in contact with one of the contact members. One of the switches is turned on to activate the transmitter to send a signal for reminding the driver of the abnormal tire pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Inventor: Hui-Cheng Chung
  • Patent number: 7312698
    Abstract: A vehicle tire pressure monitoring system and method is provided, the system including a tire pressure transducer affixed to either the tire or wheel of a vehicle. An electromagnet system is in electrical communication with the tire pressure transducer, the electromagnet system configured to generate pulses and transfer a single bit of data to a sensor system on the vehicle body upon each revolution of the tire or wheel. The sensor system in turn transfers the received bits to an electronic control unit wherein the code is converted into a read out for the vehicle operator. One or more bits within the code may be redundant checking bits or bits representing the status of the pressure transducer or electromagnet system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Steven R. Thiele
  • Patent number: 7259663
    Abstract: A pressure detection sensor for detecting a tire internal air pressure and a wheel side communication device for transmitting a detection result of the pressure detection sensor using a preset transmission mode are provided on each wheel. The detection result from the pressure detection sensor is transmitted to an ECU via a vehicle body side communication device provided on a vehicle body. The ECU is able to notify a transmission mode determination device provided on each wheel that adjustment of the tire internal air pressure is being performed by manipulating a state of the tire internal air pressure. The transmission mode determination device determines a transmission mode to be used by the wheel side communication device such that a transmission frequency of a notification related to the occurrence of an abnormality of the wheel is reduced while adjustment of the tire internal air pressure is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7245208
    Abstract: A tire condition detecting system has transmitters and a receiver. The transmitter is installed in a plurality of wheels and the receiver is installed in a chassis of a vehicle. The receiver has a controller which determines transmission timings in which a transmitting/receiving unit transmits the electrical wave for electrical charging to the transmitters. Moreover the controller detects an electrical wave from a nearby vehicle at the transmission timing. If the detected wave from the nearby vehicle is stronger, the controller waits for a predetermined period before making the transmitting/receiving unit transmit the electrical wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuya Watabe
  • Patent number: 7239232
    Abstract: A magnetic temperature sensing device for rotatably moving parts, of the type including at least a magnetic field source element associated to the rotatably moving part and a magnetic field sensing element associated with a fixed part to measure parameters of a magnetic field determined by the magnetic field source element, the parameters of the magnetic field being a function of the temperature of the rotatably moving part. The magnetic field source element permits rotation along at least an axis the direction of the magnetic field as a function of the temperature of the rotatably moving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: CRF Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Daniele Pullini
  • Patent number: 7202778
    Abstract: A wireless tire pressure sensing system for an aircraft comprises: dual resonant circuits mounted to a wheel of the aircraft, each resonant circuit comprising: a variable capacitance sensor and a wire loop of a predetermined inductance coupled thereto, one capacitance sensor for monitoring the pressure of a tire mounted to the wheel, and the other capacitance sensor operative as a reference to the one capacitance sensor; an interrogating circuit magnetically coupleable to the dual resonant circuits and operative to induce magnetically a variable frequency current in the dual resonant circuits, the one resonant circuit responding to the induced current with an E-field signal at a first resonant frequency commensurate with the capacitance of the one sensor, and the other resonant circuit responding to the induced current with an E-field signal at a second resonant frequency commensurate with the capacitance of the other sensor; a receiving circuit E-field coupleable to the dual resonant circuits and operative t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Buenz, John A. Norlien, William G. Kunik, Wade W. Williams, Douglas C. Myhre
  • Patent number: 7145446
    Abstract: A transponder for a tire condition monitoring apparatus is provided. The transponder detects a condition of a tire and wirelessly transmits data representing the detected condition in response to radio waves having a field intensity equal to or greater than a predetermined level. The transponder is provided in a tire valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiya Katou
  • Patent number: 7132930
    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: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Paul B. Wilson, Russell W. Koch, Robert J. Trew
  • Patent number: 7132939
    Abstract: A self-powered tire revolution counter includes a motion sensitive power generation mechanism, a power conditioner, a pulse detector, a microcontroller, and, optionally, a radio frequency (RF) transmitting device. In one exemplary embodiment, the power generation mechanism corresponds to a piezoelectric patch that, during movement, provides both operating electrical power and pulsed signals indicative of tire rotation. The power conditioner receives a generator signal from the power generation mechanism and produces a conditioned output voltage that can be used to power associated electronic devices, including the microcontroller. The pulse detector receives the generator signal and produces a detection signal whenever the generator signal meets a predetermined condition. The microcontroller is programmed to determine current and lifetime-accumulated values of selected pulse indications in the detection signal that meet predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Tyndall, George Phillips O'Brien, Timothy R. Tedrow
  • Patent number: 7119670
    Abstract: In the system for monitoring tire pressure in a tire of a vehicle, temporally successive tire pressure measured values are sensed by a transmitting unit, and at least part of the tire pressure measured values is transmitted to a receiving unit with a variable frequency of occurrence, wherein the frequency of occurrence is derived from the sensed tire pressure measured values by means of a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 7116217
    Abstract: In an internal memory of a reception controller such as, for example, a ROM, a correction table is stored for correcting air pressure data. The reception controller receives a signal representing vehicle speed from a speedometer of the vehicle. The reception controller obtains a correction value from the correction table on the basis of the vehicle speed signal to add and deduct the correction value obtained and the air pressure data received. For this reason, the reception controller can obtain corrected air pressure data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youichi Okubo
  • Patent number: 7102499
    Abstract: An electronic communication device for a tire includes a radio device and an antenna intended to be attached to or embedded in a tire, the antenna being spirally or helically shaped to absorb tensile and bending stress applied by the tire. The antenna body may be a wire formed of spring steel, brass or zinc coated spring steel, or spring brass. A coating of insulating material coats the radio device and antenna for mounting on or in, and operation in, a tire structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: David Myatt
  • Patent number: 7088226
    Abstract: A tire characteristic monitoring method allows automatic programming of tire position information in a remote tire pressure monitoring system (10). The method includes, from a remotely located exciter (16) using a primary coil (18) to transmit a relatively low frequency signal to a secondary coil (L1) of a tire monitor (12) associated with a tire of a vehicle. The method further includes the step of, at the tire monitor, in response to the relatively low frequency signal, transmitting a relatively high transmitting signal to convey data. The data are received at the exciter and subsequently loaded into a receiving unit (14) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Schrader-Bridgeport International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas David Stephen McClelland, David Samuel Porter, Alastair Thomas Johnston
  • Patent number: 7084751
    Abstract: A system for facilitating training of a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle by providing an indication to the exterior of the vehicle. The system includes a receiver circuit configured to detect a wireless message including a tire sensor identifier, a memory configured to receive and store a number of tire sensor identifiers, at least one external indicator on the vehicle configured to provide an indication to the exterior of the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to provide a control signal to the external indicator on the vehicle to indicate to a user to actuate a tire sensor transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Douglas W. Klamer
  • Patent number: 7075421
    Abstract: A tire monitoring system providing tire status and notifying or warning the vehicle operator of early detection of imminent tire failure and performance degradation; thus improving safety by preventing blowouts from occurring, lengthening tire life by encouraging preventive maintenance, and improving fuel mileage by encouraging the operator to fill the tire to its proper pressure or repair it. The system monitors temperature of the rim of the wheel to which the tire is attached, such temperature being transmitted to the vehicle operator or other interested parties via means such as radio frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Inventor: John R. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 7042348
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for operating a device for monitoring and wireless signalling a pressure or a pressure change in pneumatic tires of wheels on vehicles, the device being hereinafter referred to as wheel electronics, wherein the pressure prevailing in the pneumatic tire is measured and electric pressure signals are derived from such measurements, and an information signal containing information on the pressure or on a pressure change is transmitted, the information signal being intended to be received by a receiver provided in or on the vehicle, the wheel electronics being set by a first control signal, which is transmitted in wireless fashion from outside the wheel electronics, to a first mode of operation in which the prevailing pressure or a pressure change is measured and signalled in response to the receipt of an interrogation signal generated outside the wheel electronics and transmitted to the wheel electronics in wireless fashion, and, if the wheel electronics do not receive another int
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Beru Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gunter Schulze, Michael Frank
  • Patent number: 7030743
    Abstract: An tire pressure indicator operative to provide a first visual indication if the tire pressure within a tire to which the indicator is coupled is below a first predetermined pressure and a second different visual indication if the tire pressure is above a second predetermined pressure. The indicator includes first and second magnetic members rotatably mounted within a housing that includes a transparent portion. The first magnetic member rotates in response to air pressure applied to a diaphragm that is mechanically coupled to the first magnetic member. The second magnetic member includes portions having first and second visual characteristics that are viewable through a transparent portion. The second magnetic member is cooperative with the first magnetic member to rotatably orient the second magnetic member such that the first or second visual characteristic is visible through the transparent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Tagg Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jason A. Morris
  • Patent number: 7026955
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for activating an inductance loop vehicle detection system is disclosed, wherein a magnet is attached to a vehicle. In order to activate the inductance loop vehicle detection system, the vehicle, and attached magnet, are moved in relation to an induction loop embedded within a roadway. A reaction between the magnet and induction loop causes the inductance loop vehicle detection system to register the presence of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Inventor: Scott Kauffman
  • Patent number: 7019629
    Abstract: A tire pressure indicator is disclosed including a housing having an inlet for air under pressure, a sealed chamber, the chamber containing a gas under pressure, a signaling device having an electrical power source arranged to generate an electrical signal indicative of a pressure difference between the inlet and the chamber, a flexible diaphragm separating the inlet and the chamber, the diaphragm positioned to extend into the chamber as pressure at the inlet increases, a connector operatively engaging the diaphragm and the signaling device to actuate the signaling device to generate the electrical signal, and a light source coupled to the signaling device to receive the electrical signal and generate a visual signal indicative of a pressure difference between the inlet and the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventor: David Kraft
  • Patent number: 7019630
    Abstract: A transmitter in an apparatus for monitoring a condition of a tire includes a pressure sensor, a transmission circuit, a valve stem, an MR sensor, and a magnetic ring. The valve stem has magnetic pieces. The pressure sensor measures the air pressure in the interior of the tire. The transmission circuit generates a transmission signal containing data that represents the measured air pressure. The magnetic ring magnetizes the magnetic pieces. The position of the magnetic ring relative to the magnetic pieces can be changed. A magnetized state of the magnetic pieces varies according to the position of the magnetic ring relative to the magnetic pieces. The MR sensor detects the magnetized state of the magnetic piece. The transmission signal contains data based on the detected magnetized state in addition to the tire condition data. This is capable of identifying the tire mount position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventor: Michiya Katou
  • Patent number: 6985076
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a, b, c and d) in respective rolling locations and a spare tire (14e) generating a spare tire identification. A controller (22) starts the timer (44) and sets a tire status to a rolling status, a pending rolling status, a spare status or a pending spare status in response to the timer and the vehicle speed. The controller (22) stores the status and the spare tire identification in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6967570
    Abstract: Provided is a tire air pressure monitoring system in which identification (“ID”) registration is automatically made while specifying a tire position to reduce the manpower of the registration operation and further to prevent mistaken registration. In this system, when an ignition switch is changed from an OFF state to an ON state to satisfy a tire position detection condition, a command is issued to a smart control unit so that a transmitter transmits an ID transmission request to an air pressure sensor, and the air pressure sensor returns ID data as a reply to the ID transmission request. The ID data received is collated with a previously registered ID and, if the result of the collation shows that the ID data pertains to the air pressure sensor of his/her own vehicle, the received ID data is registered as an ID related to a specific tire position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuji, Ryozo Okumura
  • Patent number: 6965306
    Abstract: A transmitter, which is operated by a battery, wirelessly transmits data including data that represents the temperature T in a tire and data that represents the voltage V of the battery. A receiver judges whether or not the life of the battery is ending depending on the battery voltage V read from the received data. More specifically, the receiver performs the judgment regarding the life of the battery based on a comparison between the battery voltage V and a variable voltage reference value V0, which is selected in accordance with the temperature T in the tire. The judgment regarding the life of the battery is thus accurately performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Tsujita, Michiya Katou
  • Patent number: 6958685
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system includes a plurality of LF initiators for initiating a localization signal from each of the tire pressure monitoring sensors associated with each of the tires. Each of the initiators requests a signal from its respective sensors on a unique frequency. Thus, a control for the vehicle can sense the reporting frequency of the signal from each of the sensors and associate the signal with a particular location on the vehicle based upon this frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Tejas B. Desai
  • Patent number: 6919799
    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: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Paul B. Wilson, Robert J. Trew, Russell W. Koch
  • Patent number: 6917286
    Abstract: The device comprises: a sensor arranged at the level of each tire whose pressure is to be monitored, a transmitter associated with each sensor, and a common receiver intended to receive the information sent by the transmitters, at least one detector device making it possible to detect a transmission in the transmission frequency range of the transmitters associated with the sensors, and each detector device being linked to a central unit in such a way as to be able to send this central unit a signal indicating that a transmission in the relevant frequency range is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignees: Siemens VDO Automotive, Siemens AG
    Inventors: Georges Fonzes, Philippe Lefaure, Martin Fischer
  • Patent number: 6914523
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing pressure in vehicle tires includes an interrogator (102) for providing a tire pressure interrogation signal, and a tire pressure monitor (70) for sensing pressure within a first tire (24) of the vehicle (20) and providing an actual tire pressure signal. A first wheel speed sensor (42) associated with the first tire (24) provides a reference wheel speed signal upon movement of the vehicle (20). A second wheel speed sensor (40) associated with a second tire (22) of the vehicle (20) provides a wheel speed signal upon movement of the vehicle. A controller (60) activates the interrogator (102), monitors the actual tire pressure signal, and correlates the reference wheel speed signal with the wheel speed signal from the second wheel speed sensor (40) for determining a tire pressure value of the second tire (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Carl A. Munch, Timothy DeZorzi
  • Patent number: 6911904
    Abstract: A system for controlling a magnetic field strength includes a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field for receipt by a responsive device and a controller in communication with the magnetic field generator for determining a strength of the magnetic field to a level sufficient for use in controlling the responsive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Nantz, Thomas J. Lemense, Qingfeng Tang, Riad Ghabra, Ronald O. King
  • Patent number: 6906624
    Abstract: A tire characteristic monitoring method allows automatic programming of tire position information in a remote tire pressure monitoring system (10). The method includes, from a remotely located exciter (16) using a primary coil (18) to transmit a relatively low frequency signal to a secondary coil (L1) of a tire monitor (12) associated with a tire of a vehicle. The method further includes the step of, at the tire monitor, in response to the relatively low frequency signal, transmitting a relatively high transmitting signal to convey data. The data are received at the exciter and subsequently loaded into a receiving unit (14) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Schrader-Bridgeport International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas David Stephen McClelland, David Samuel Porter, Alastair Thomas Johnston
  • Patent number: 6897770
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and reporting vehicle tire pressure information. The system includes tire pressure monitors mounted to the tires of a vehicle. The tire pressure monitors detect tire pressure information from their respective tires and transmit that information to transponders that are fixedly-mounted to the vehicle. Each tire pressure monitor corresponds to a single transponder. When a tire pressure monitor transmits tire pressure information, the corresponding transponder receives the signal and transmits the tire pressure signal along with a unique transponder identification code to a vehicle central system controller. Based upon the transponder identification code, the central controller associates the tire pressure information with a particular tire location. However, under certain conditions, a transmitted tire pressure signal is received by one or more of the non-corresponding transponders as well as the corresponding transponder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Lill
  • Patent number: 6885293
    Abstract: Provided is a tire air pressure monitoring system capable of grasping the tire positions where there are sensor units even in the case of tire rotation. In the tire air pressure monitoring system, a trigger signal is transmitted from a transmission coil antenna to only the corresponding sensor unit in a manner such that a magnetic field is used as a medium and, upon receipt of the trigger signal, the sensor unit measures a tire air pressure and others and transmits a transmission signal including the measurement values to a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit makes a decision on the tire position where there is the sensor unit on the basis of the transmission signal from the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Ryozo Okumura
  • Patent number: 6853297
    Abstract: A safety insert comprising a substantially circumferential base intended to come into contact with an adapted wheel rim, a substantially circumferential body intended to support a tread of a tire mounted on the rim during rolling with a pressure capable of causing at least partial flattening of a portion of the tire, and a housing intended to receive a wheel unit, characterized in that the safety insert comprises an aerial which is rigidly connected to the insert and is disposed inside its volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Francis Boulot
  • Publication number: 20040201468
    Abstract: The device has a primary circuit (1) that transmits energy or data via an intermediate circuit (2) to a secondary circuit (3) by means of induction. The intermediate circuit (2) has a very low quality factor. The inductive coupling between the intermediate circuit (2) and the secondary circuit (3) is reduced by inserting an additional leakage inductor (Ls) so that energy or data is transmitted from the primary circuit (1) to the secondary circuit (3) as effectively as possible. This has the effect of lessening the damping effect of the intermediate circuit (2) on the secondary circuit (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Herbert Zimmer
  • Patent number: 6791457
    Abstract: A data transmission-reception unit which operates by means of energy of a received electromagnetic wave and serves as a main circuit, is provided with a sensor circuit as an additional circuit, and a transponder having a sensor power circuit for supplying electric power only to the sensor circuit is constituted. From a sensor charging circuit of an interrogator, an electromagnetic wave of a lower frequency different from a frequency of electromagnetic wave for data communication is radiated, or loop coil-shaped charging antennas are electromagnetic-coupled to thereby charge a capacitor for the sensor power circuit. Thereby, a secondary battery and the capacitor such as a large scale capacitor can be easily charged from an outside, and further, a power consumption for the capacitor can be restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 6750761
    Abstract: A method is used to identify a plurality of tires of a motor vehicle by location allowing a sensed parameter of each of the plurality of tires to be monitored. The method incorporates the use of a central receiver, a plurality of sensors, a plurality of transmitters and a mobile training unit. The method includes the steps of moving the mobile training unit to a location adjacent one of the plurality of tires. Once there, the operator inputs manually the location of one of the plurality of tires with respect to the motor vehicle. The mobile training unit transmits the location to the adjacent sensor. The sensor identification is paired with the location in the sensor to create paired data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Newman
  • Patent number: 6747553
    Abstract: Provided is rotational-state-of-wheel detecting apparatus that can avoid output of an incorrect rotational direction during a halt of a wheel. In ECU 10, a signal input section 10a accurately detects wheel speeds and rotational directions of respective wheels 12, 14, 16, 18, and, based on the results, respective computers 10b, 10c, 10d execute ABS control, TC control, and VSC control. On this occasion, switching of the rotational direction is restricted with a computation result of wheel speed of zero, and it is thus feasible to prevent occurrence of a malfunction or state hunting being repetitive switching of signs, due to an external magnetic field during halts of the wheels 12, 14, 16, 18. This further optimizes the state control of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noritaka Yamada, Toshinobu Ota, Yasuhito Ishida
  • Patent number: 6744356
    Abstract: A generator system powered by a fluid fly-wheel is disclosed that generates electric current to power a tire pressure maintenance and monitoring system. A vehicle wheel including a tire and a rim. A sealed tube containing fluid is fixed around the rim. When the rim accelerates or decelerates, the fluid within the tube moves within the tube a turbine in communication with the fluid is turned by the moving fluid within the tube. The turning turbine drives an electric generator to produce an electric current through induction. In certain configurations, the turning turbine rotates gears to drive a mechanical pump. The electric generator, or mechanical pump may be used to add air pressure to the tire when a sensor indicates low air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian K. Hamilton, Brent Parks
  • Patent number: 6710708
    Abstract: A tire characteristic monitoring method allows automatic programming of tire position information in a remote tire pressure monitoring system (10). The method includes, from a remotely located exciter (16) using a primary coil (18) to transmit a relatively low frequency signal to a secondary coil (L1) of a tire monitor (12) associated with a tire of a vehicle. The method further includes the step of, at the tire monitor, in response to the relatively low frequency signal, transmitting a relatively high transmitting signal to convey data. The data are received at the exciter and subsequently loaded into a receiving unit (14) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Schrader-Bridgeport International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas David Stephen McClelland, David Samuel Porter, Alastair Thomas Johnston
  • Publication number: 20040041699
    Abstract: A system for controlling a magnetic field strength includes a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field for receipt by a responsive device and a controller in communication with the magnetic field generator for determining a strength of the magnetic field to a level sufficient for use in controlling the responsive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: John S. Nantz, Thomas J. Lemense, Qingfeng Tang, Riad Ghabra, Ronald O. King
  • Patent number: 6696936
    Abstract: An air pressure detecting device for detecting the air pressure of a wheel of a vehicle which has a tire tube disposed in a tire. The air pressure detecting device is disposed between the tire tube and the rim of the wheel portion for detecting the air pressure of the tire. The air pressure detecting device includes an annular seat mounted in an opening defined in the tire tube. A lid member is removably fitted over the seat. A detecting and transmitting unit is integrally mounted in the lid member for detecting an air pressure in the tire tube and transmitting pressure information out of the detecting and transmitting unit. When the tire is to be replaced, the lid member is removed, and the detecting and transmitting unit is attached to a new tire for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Yamagiwa, Tomoyuki Harada, Osamu Bunya, Takashi Ashigai
  • Patent number: 6691567
    Abstract: In a system for remote monitoring of vehicle tire pressure, a system and method for automatically identifying tire location. A tire pressure monitor mounted in each tire includes a sensor for sensing tire pressure, a transmitter for transmitting a signal representative of the sensed tire pressure, and a magnetic switch for actuating the transmitter. An electromagnets is mounted on the vehicle in proximity to each tire location and generates a magnetic field causing the magnetic switch to actuate the transmitter of the associated tire pressure monitor. A controller mounted on the vehicle is provided in communication with the electromagnets, processes the tire pressure signals from the transmitters, and conveys tire pressure and location information to a user. The controller energizes the electromagnets so that each received tire pressure signal is automatically associated with a specific tire location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Walker, John S. Nantz, Thomas Bejster, Bruce Conner
  • Patent number: 6664890
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an air pressure detection device for a tire which includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a tire and an air pressure sensor for measuring the air pressure of the tire. A reduced air pressure arithmetic portion is provided for calculating a reduced air pressure Pm from the temperature Tx measured by the temperature sensor and the air pressure Px measured by the air pressure sensor by the formula set forth below. An alarm signal generating portion is provided for generating an alarm signal when the reduced air pressure Pm calculated by the reduced air pressure arithmetic portion is decreased to or below a first threshold value Pa. Pm=Px−K(Tx−T0) The condition where the tire air pressure is lowered to or below a threshold value determined based on a recommended air pressure can be accurately detected, and an alarm can be issued, without being affected by tire temperature rise or temperature variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Yamagiwa, Tomoyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 6633229
    Abstract: A method for allocating identifiers, that are contained in signals issued by transmitters arranged in a tire pressure monitoring system, to the positions of the wheels by transmitting the signals to a receiving and analysis circuit, which analyses the information, contained in the signal, wherein for differentiating between wheels on the right side of the vehicle and wheels on the left side of the vehicle, the sign of a translation acceleration b is determined for each running wheel, the sign of the variation of the centrifugal acceleration z occurring during the translation acceleration b is additionally determined and multiplied by the sign of the translation acceleration b determined for the respective wheel, and the differentiation between wheels on the right side of the vehicle and wheels on the left side of the vehicle is effected by comparing the products of the two signs determined for the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Beru Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Normann, Roland Michal, Ralf Kessler, Andreas Kühnle, Lothar Gunter Schulze
  • Publication number: 20030107483
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus (2) has a coil (20) for receiving an electromagnetic wave energy applied from outside, a power supply section (21) for generating an internal power supply from the electromagnetic wave energy, and a sensing circuit (24) having a sensor device mounted thereon. The sensor apparatus receives and decodes a tolerance value intrinsic to the sensor apparatus and set by a configuration/read-out apparatus (1) based on the output of the sensing circuit of the sensor apparatus placed under a prescribed environment, and stores the tolerance value in a nonvolatile memory (23). The sensor apparatus placed under a measuring environment sends out the output of the sensing circuit and the tolerance value to the configuration/read-out apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventor: Shiro Kano
  • Publication number: 20030011472
    Abstract: A signal receiver for tire air pressure monitoring system determines whether the pressure detection signals from all transmitters have been received during an engine stop state. Upon affirmative determination, the receiver sets a timer, and deactivates the entire or partial function of the receiver. The receiver determines whether the second predetermined period has expired after the setting of the timer. Until the period passes, the receiver retains the deactivated state thereby to save electric power consumption during engine stop state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Shintarou Itou, Akihiro Taguchi
  • Patent number: 6501373
    Abstract: An apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure comprising: a rotational information detecting means for detecting rotational information of the respective tires; a rotational information memory means; a judged value calculating means for calculating judged values based on the rotational information; a judged value memory means; a transition calculating means for calculating transition of the judged values based on the stored judged values; a judging means for determining a decrease in tire air-pressure; and an alarming means for issuing preliminary alarm prior to issuing a predetermined alarm for informing decrease in internal pressure in case the judged value tends to move to exceed a predetermined threshold. It is possible to appropriately inform the driver of the vehicle of a decompressed condition of a tire for making the driver drive safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Kitano
  • Publication number: 20020190853
    Abstract: Measuring system for measuring at least one parameter indicative of the state of the tires of a vehicle, which comprises on each wheel a detector (12) having a parameter sensor (13) and an antenna (15) tuned to a defined frequency, and which comprises a central data processing unit (24) coupled by individual wire links (22) to fixed antennas that are installed near the wheels equipped with sensors. Each parameter sensor comprises a transponder associated with a capacitor to store the power from the associated fixed antenna. At least one of the fixed and mobile antennas is configured in such a way that the link with the other antenna corresponding to the same wheel is substantially independent of the angular position of the wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: TRW France SA
    Inventors: Frederic Nigon, Vincent Portet
  • Patent number: 6489888
    Abstract: A system for identifying the position of a tire on a vehicle based on wireless messages received from the tire includes a receiver circuit, a signal strength circuit, a memory, and a processing circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive the wireless messages. The signal strength circuit is configured to determine the signal strengths of the wireless messages. The memory is configured to store a predetermined frequency distribution. The processing circuit is configured to provide a frequency distribution of the wireless messages based on the signal strengths and to compare the frequency distribution to the predetermined frequency distribution to determine the position of the tire on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Brian S. Honeck, Thomas R. Olson, Emil Ureel
  • Publication number: 20020075145
    Abstract: An electronic tire maintenance system is provided for measuring a parameter of a device at a first location. The system includes a sensor for measuring the device parameter and generating a data signal representing the measured parameter. The system also includes a microprocessor coupled to the sensor for activating the sensor on a first periodic basis to measure the device parameter. The microprocessor includes a memory for storing the generated data signal representing the measured parameter. A transmitter and a receiver are coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor periodically partially awakens to determine, on a second periodic basis, if a received transmission is a valid interrogation signal and, if so, filly awakens and responds to the valid interrogation signal, via the transmitter, by at least transmitting the last stored measured parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    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