Fault detection method

Claim 1

A diagnostic method for sensing system faults in a vehicular on-board CTIS for measuring and controlling the inflation pressure of an inflatable tire, said vehicle having a known highest and a known lowest expected operating altitude, said CTIS measuring inflation pressure of said tire by fluidly connecting the interior pressurized chamber of said tire to means associated with a conduit for causing said conduit to assume a pressure equal to tire pressure and then sensing the pressure in said conduit; said CTIS having a steady state condition during which said conduit is isolated from the interior pressurized chamber of said tire and is vented to atmospheric pressure, said method characterized by, prior to tire prior measuring operations: causing said CTIS to assume the steady state condition thereof; sensing the pressurization in said conduit during steady state conditions; comparing said sensed pressure in said conduit to a predetermined reference range of pressures; and, if said sensed pressure is not within said reference range, preventing further control or measurements of the pressurizing of said tire, said reference range defined by a low reference pressure corresponding to the lowest expected atmospheric pressure at at least the highest expected operating altitude and a high reference pressure corresponding to the highest expected atmospheric pressure at no higher than the lowest expected operating altitude.