|Publication number||US7623021 B2|
|Application number||US 11/519,346|
|Publication date||Nov 24, 2009|
|Filing date||Sep 12, 2006|
|Priority date||Feb 20, 2001|
|Also published as||DE10295892T5, DE60217826D1, DE60217826T2, EP1361963A2, EP1361963B1, US6885282, US7119661, US20020149477, US20050134428, US20070090919, WO2002066269A2, WO2002066269A3|
|Publication number||11519346, 519346, US 7623021 B2, US 7623021B2, US-B2-7623021, US7623021 B2, US7623021B2|
|Inventors||Tejas B. Desai, Jean-Christophe Deniau, Melvin Leblanc, Steve O'Connor, Kurt Van Drus, Patricia Abi-Nader|
|Original Assignee||Continental Automotive Systems Us, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (26), Referenced by (8), Classifications (39), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/035,317 filed Jan. 13, 2005 which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/079,665 filed Feb. 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,885,282 that claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60/276,210 filed Mar. 15, 2001; 60/269,959 filed Feb. 20, 2001; 60/276,325 filed Mar. 16, 2001; 60/298,258 filed Jun. 14, 2001; 60/290,923 filed May 15, 2001; and 60/352,489 filed on Jan. 23, 2002.
This invention relates to a system for monitoring conditions within a tire, and specifically to a receiver assembly for receiving transmissions of varying modulations from sensor assemblies within each of the tires and from a remote keyless entry system. It is becoming increasingly desirable to continually monitor tire pressures in a motor vehicle during operation. Such constant monitoring of tire pressures allows an operator to maintain vehicle tire pressures within an optimal range to optimize fuel economy and handling performance.
Conventional methods of monitoring tire pressure include positioning a sensor within each wheel to monitor pressure. The sensor assembly typically emits a radio frequency (RF) transmission indicative of tire conditions. A receiver disposed within the vehicle receives the RF signal and actuates a messages or warning light to signal the operator of tire conditions.
Many motor vehicles include a remote keyless entry system including a key fob carried by an operator to actuate door locks or other features. The remote keyless entry system includes a receiver disposed within the motor vehicle to receive transmissions from the key fob and actuate vehicle systems in response to transmissions received from the key fob. Some systems utilize the same type of transmission for the tire monitoring system and the remote keyless entry system.
Typically, a signal transmission is modulated either as an amplitude shift keyed ASK, or a frequency shift keyed FSK radio frequency. The ASK transmission modulation is best suited for applications in which the receiver and transmitter are relative stationary to each other. In addition ASK transmissions are favorable when there exists a relatively long distance between the transmitter and the receiver. However, an ASK transmission becomes disrupted when the receiver or transmitter are moving relative to one another. The FSK signal is suited for transmitters that are moving relative to the receiver because the amplitude remains essentially constant for the duration of any transmission. However, the FSK transmission has lower peak field strength than a comparable ASK transmission. The FSK transmission is specifically suited for use with the sensor assembly disposed within the tire and the ASK transmission is best suited for use with the remote keyless entry system.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a receiver capable of receiving both ASK and FSK transmissions to optimize the capabilities of both the tire monitoring system and the remote keyless entry system.
An embodiment of this invention is a receiver assembly comprised of an amplitude key shifted (ASK) receiver and a frequency shift keyed (FSK) receiver for receiving transmissions from sensor assemblies mounted within each of the tires, and from a remote keyless entry system.
A system for monitoring conditions within tires mounted to a motor vehicle includes five tires, each with a sensor assembly. Each of the sensor assemblies gathers data indicative of conditions within the tire and transmits that data to a receiver assembly. The receiver assembly in turn forwards that data to a vehicle controller. The vehicle controller will then process the data for display to the operator of the motor vehicle.
Each tire mounts to a rim and each sensor assembly is mounted within the rim and includes a valve stem and a circuit housing. The sensor assembly includes a sensor circuit disposed within the circuit housing. The sensor circuit includes a temperature sensor, a motion sensor and a pressure sensor. An RF transmitter receives data gathered by the sensors, and relays that data to the receiver.
Each transmission from the various sensor assemblies includes a unique identity code relating to a specific sensor assembly. An initialization or learning mode defines specific sensor assemblies disposed on a specific motor vehicle. Learning the specific identity codes of the sensor assemblies eliminates errant reception of other transmissions from other sensor assemblies installed on other motor vehicles within close proximity.
The data transmitted from each of the sensor assemblies to the receiver is transmitted at predetermined intervals. There is a probability that the receiver will receive two or more data transmissions from different sensor assemblies at the same time. The receipt of two or more data transmission simultaneously or overlapped is known as a data collision. The receiver will not recognize collided data or overlapping data transmission, therefore the current invention prevents overlapping data transmissions by varying the interval between data transmission in a random manner. Another factor considered in preventing signal collision is the transmission rate that affects the length of time required to transmit data indicative of tire conditions. The faster data is transmitted and received the lower the probability of data collision. The shorter the total transmission time, the lower the probability of signal collision.
The receiver assembly comprises an amplitude shift key (ASK) receiver and a frequency shift keyed (FSK) receiver. The FSK receiver receives signals from the sensor assemblies. The ASK receiver receives signals from a key fob for a remote keyless entry system to initiate the locking or unlocking of doors.
The ASK transmissions are favorable for situations where the transmitter and receiver are substantially stationary. The ASK radio frequency transmission is easily disrupted by abrupt changes in received field strength and therefore are not favorable for sending transmissions from a moving object such as the tires of a motor vehicle. However, the ASK provides for greater signal power which is desirable for the remote keyless entry system. The FSK transmissions are favorable for conditions were the transmitter or receiver is moving during data transmission. However, an FSK transmission is amplified upon receipt, effectively removing any amplitude disturbances.
The receiver assembly switches between the ASK receiver and the FSK receiver in response to a triggering event. The triggering event is the vehicle speed. At speeds indicative of traveling along a roadway, the FSK receiver is engaged. As appreciated, a motor vehicle traveling at speed along the roadway does not require reception of ASK transmissions from a remote keyless entry transmitter to unlock the doors of the motor vehicle. Conversely, a vehicle at rest or parked is unlikely to spontaneously encounter a tire puncture, and therefore at lower speeds the ASK receiver is engaged.
An intermediate condition is encountered when the motor vehicle is idling. In this condition, the receiver assembly engages the ASK receiver due to the low speed of the vehicle, however, the tire may become punctured or encounter a condition that changes conditions within the tire. The signal from the sensor assemblies includes an ASK wake up signal that proceeds the FSK signal transmitting data indicative of current conditions within the tire. The ASK wake up signal triggers the change over from the ASK receiver to the FSK receiver. The FSK receiver remains engaged until the FSK transmission is completed and the ASK receiver is reengaged.
The system of this invention includes a receiver capable of receiving both ASK and FSK transmissions to optimize the capabilities of both the tire monitoring system and the remote keyless entry system.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
An embodiment of this invention is a system for monitoring conditions within tires mounted to a motor vehicle 10 shown schematically in
The receiver assembly 16 in turn forwards that data to a vehicle controller 18. The vehicle controller 18 will then process the data for display to the operator of the motor vehicle 10 or to the remote keyless entry system 19 to actuate unlocking of doors 20 or other such functions as are known to a worker skilled in the art. Preferably the remote keyless entry system 19 is an active system requiring actuation, such as by depressing buttons on the key fob 22, however, it is within the contemplation of this invention for passive remote keyless entry system that do not require a positive action by the operator.
A battery 38 powers the sensor circuit 46. A battery monitor 40 measure battery 38 power and provides a warning indicator that is sent to the receiver assembly 16 when remaining battery power attains a desired level. The receiver assembly 16 forwards the low battery signal to the vehicle controller 18 and in turn to the operator. Preferably the life of the battery 38 is of an extended length such that any necessary battery change is infrequent throughout the life span of the motor vehicle 10. A controller 42 controls how the RF transmitter 42 emits data indicative of tire conditions.
The sensor circuit 46 also includes a low frequency receiver 42. The low frequency receiver 42 receives signals generated to initiate the transmission of an identity code 68 (
The system of this invention includes a method of preventing repeated data collisions. The sensor assemblies 14 of this invention prevent overlapping data frames 72 by varying the predetermined interval 80 between data frames 72 in a random manner. The length of the data frame 72 is preferably 50 milli-seconds (ms) with the interval 80 varying according to the below listed equation.
Interval length=standard length*(beta*standard length)
Preferably the standard length of time is 100 ms; therefore the interval length will vary between 100 ms and 200 ms depending on the value of beta. Each transmission from the sensor assemblies 14 are sent with differing variable intervals 80, such that even if one or more data packets 72 overlap for any one transmission, subsequent data packets 72 will not overlap, thereby preventing cyclical or repeated overlap. As appreciated, differing intervals and lengths of data frames are within the contemplation of this invention, and a worker skilled in the art would recognize the application of this method to other lengths of data transmission.
In another embodiment of this invention, the length of the variable interval 80 is transmitted to the receiver assembly 16. The receiver assembly 16 will then expect the next data packet 72 at the communicated interval. This allows the receiver assembly 16 to switch back to the ASK receiver between data frames 72.
Another factor considered in preventing signal collision is the transmission rate. The faster data is transmitted and received the lower the probability of data collision. Prior art
The antenna 48 is preferably of a length one quarter that of the wavelength of the transmission received. Transmissions received by the antenna 48 proceed through a resistor 54 to the RF receiver 16. A controller 60 controls which of the receivers 58 and 52 are engaged to receive incoming transmissions.
Transmission from the various sensor assemblies 14 includes the unique identity code 68 (
Another embodiment of initialization requires no external trigger. Instead an acceleration value from the motor vehicle 10 is communicated to the vehicle controller 18 and compared to accelerometer data transmitted from each of the sensor assemblies 14. The accelerometer 34 of each sensor assembly 14 transmits acceleration information of the tire 12. The acceleration value of each tire 12 is compared to the acceleration value provided by another vehicle system, such as the anti-lock braking system or transmission system (indicated schematically in
The initialization or learning process using the compared values of acceleration may be repeated whenever the motor vehicle 10 is in a non-moving position for a predetermined length of time. The purpose of the re-learning of the sensor assembly identification codes is to allow for changing or rotating of the tires 12 and thereby the sensor assembly 14. The predetermined amount of time allows for the possibility that one of the sensor assemblies 14 may have been changed, for instance when a spare tire is installed.
In the instance, where a new tire, and thereby a new sensor assembly 14 is installed, the receiver assembly 16 receives the new identity code of the new sensor assembly 14 during initial movement of the motor vehicle 10. The receiver assembly 16 compares the acceleration signal belonging to the new identity code of the new sensor 14 and compares it to the acceleration of the vehicle 10. If the vehicle acceleration is comparable, the receiver assembly 16 will recognize the new sensor assembly 14 after a predetermined amount of time or number of data frames. This is transparent to the operator of the motor vehicle.
In one embodiment of localization the front to rear location of the tire 12 is accomplished by detecting signal strength of the transmission sent from each of the sensor assemblies 14. In this embodiment, the receiver assembly 16 includes front and rear antennas 92, 94. Transmissions received at each antenna 92, 94 are measured for field strength. The rear antenna 94 will receive transmissions having higher field strength from the sensor assemblies 14 disposed on the rear tires of the motor vehicle 10. The front antenna 92 will receive a stronger transmission from sensor assemblies 14 disposed on the front tires of the motor vehicle 10. The field strength data provides the data indicating the front or rear position of each sensor assembly 14 and the acceleration data correlated to the turning radius of the motor vehicle 10 provides the left or right position of each of the sensor assemblies 14.
The receiver assembly 16 of this system is also used with the remote keyless entry system 19. The receiver assembly 16 is configured to receive transmission from both the sensor assemblies 14 and the key fob 22 (
The receiver assembly 16 includes the ASK receiver 52 and the FSK receiver 58. This configuration allows the receiver assembly 16 to be used for both the remote keyless entry system 19 and the tire monitoring system.
ASK transmissions are favorable for situations where the transmitter and receiver are substantially stationary. The ASK radio frequency transmission is easily disrupted by abrupt changes in received field strength and therefore are not favorable sending transmission from a moving object such as the tires 12 of a motor vehicle 10. The changes from received field strength can change for any number or reasons within a motor vehicle including interference created by other onboard systems, to the specific environment present at the time of the signal. However, the ASK provides for greater signal power which is desirable for the remote keyless entry system of this invention. The ASK transmission allows for higher peak output field strength, relative to a comparable FSK transmission. However, the ASK transmission decreases typical battery life and is therefore not desirable for applications such as tire condition sensing that require longer battery life due to the difficulty of changing batteries of the sensor assemblies disposed within the tire of the motor vehicle.
FSK transmissions are favorable for conditions were the transmitter or receiver is moving during data transmission. As appreciated, rotation of a tire will introduce amplitude variations in the transmission caused by the changes in interference patterns. If sensor assembly 14 data was transmitted by way of an ASK transmission, the noise caused by rotation of the tire would cause data in the transmission to become corrupted. However, an FSK transmission is amplified upon receipt to effectively remove any amplitude disturbances. Further, the FSK transmission is less power intensive and therefore more adaptable to the sensor assembly application that requires longer battery life.
The conditions of the motor vehicle 10 traveling above the desired speed or in a parked position provide definite indicators for the switch between FSK and ASK receivers 58, 52. However, when the vehicle 10 is idling, for instance in a traffic jam, but not moving at the desired speed to switch from the ASK receiver 52 and the FSK receiver 58 the system will not switch over to the FSK receiver 58 unless another conditions is satisfied. Each transmission 64 (
Preferably, each of the sensor assemblies 14 will transmit a signal indicative of tire conditions at differing rates depending on the speed of the motor vehicle. At speeds above a predetermined speed the sensor assemblies 14 will transmit tire condition data at a greater frequency. At lower speeds, indicative of a parked vehicle, the sensor assemblies 14 transmit at a lower rate. Preferably, the predetermined speed is 10 mph and the sensor assemblies 14 will transmit signals indicative of tire conditions once every minute. Below the 10 mph predetermined speed threshold the sensor assemblies 14 will transmit signals only after sensing a change in tire pressure above a desired amount indicative of a tire 12 losing air pressure. Once an initial loss of pressure is sensed, the sensor assemblies 14 are triggered to transmit signals at one-minute intervals. Although, specific speeds and intervals of data transmission are discussed, a worker knowledgeable in the art will understand that it is within the contemplation of this invention to use other speeds and data transmission intervals according to specific application criteria. The selective actuation of the transmitter 40 for each sensor assembly and the switching between the ASK and FSK receivers 52, 58 prevent signal collisions between ASK and FSK transmission emitted by the remote keyless entry system 19 and the tire monitoring system. Preventing signal collisions optimizes function of the receiver assembly 16.
The foregoing description is exemplary and not just a material specification. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications are within the scope of this invention. It is understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
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|U.S. Classification||340/5.61, 340/10.1, 340/539.26, 340/539.21, 340/5.6, 340/5.62, 340/10.5, 340/442, 340/10.2, 340/5.64, 340/426.33|
|International Classification||H04L27/14, G07C9/00, H04L27/00, B60C23/04, H04L27/06, G05B19/00|
|Cooperative Classification||B60C23/0416, B60C23/0433, H04L27/14, H04L27/06, G07C9/00182, B60C23/0464, H04L27/0012, H04L27/0008, G07C2009/00793, B60C23/0466, G07C2009/00404, B60C23/0494|
|European Classification||G07C9/00E2, H04L27/06, H04L27/00M, B60C23/04E2, H04L27/00F, H04L27/14, B60C23/04C6D, B60C23/04C4A, B60C23/04C6D2K9B, B60C23/04C6D2K9|
|Jun 9, 2009||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:022797/0608
Effective date: 20071203
|Mar 14, 2013||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Feb 11, 2015||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.;REEL/FRAME:034954/0971
Effective date: 20121212
|May 15, 2017||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8