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Method and apparatus for identifying remote sending units in a vehicle
Assignee: August Us Holding Company Inc
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Filing: 1998-06-26
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Granted: 2000-03-28
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Expires: 2018-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A remote tire pressure monitoring system includes a sending unit for each monitored tire, and the sending units transmit RF signals, each including an identifier ID(i) and a pressure indicator P(i). A receiver operates in a learn mode in which the receiver associates specific identifiers either with the vehicle or with specific tires. During the learn mode the vehicle is driven at a speed above a threshold speed, such as thirty miles an hour, and identifiers are associated with either the vehicle or the respective tires of the vehicle only if they persist for a selected number of signals or frames during the learning period. In one example, the tires are inflated with different pressures according to a predetermined pattern, and the pressure indicators of the receive signals are used to associate individual tire positions with the respective sending units.
Inventors
- 👤 William D. Stewart
- 👤 Dermot J. Murphy
- 👤 Stephen T. McClelland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:37
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C23/00; B60C23/02; B60C23/04; B60C23/0408; B60C23/0415; B60C23/0416; B60C23/0422; B60C23/0433; B60C23/0447; B60C23/0455; B60C23/0462; B60C23/0471; B60C23/0472
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for identifying a set of radio-frequency sending units, wherein each unit associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said method comprising the following steps: a) receiving radio-frequency signals transmitted by the sending units to a receiving means, each radio frequency signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit; and b) storing information indicative of respective identifiers that persist during a learning period while the vehicle is in motion, with respective tires based on the respective tire pressure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for identifying a set of radio-frequency sending units, wherein each unit associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said method comprising the following steps: a) receiving radio-frequency signals transmitted by the sending units to a receiving means, each radio frequency signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit; and b) storing information indicative of respective identifiers that persist during a learning period while the vehicle is in motion, with respective tires based on the respective tire pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each identifier comprises a respective digitally-coded signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step (b) comprises the step of storing information indicative of those identifiers that are received repeatedly over a persistence period greater than one minute while the vehicle is in motion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency signals transmitted by the sending units comprise tire pressure indicators.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for Identifying and locating a set of remote tire pressure sending units during a learning period, each sending unit associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said method comprising the following steps: (a) inflating a set of tires comprising tires T(1) . . . T(N) with separate respective tire pressures P(1) . . . P(N), wherein each respective tire pressure is less than a next respective tire pressure P(1)< . . . <P(N); (b) receiving signals transmitted by the sending units, each signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit and a pressure indicator indicative of a respective sensed pressure; (c) associating with respective tires information indicative of the identifiers in accordance with the respective indicators.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for Identifying and locating a set of remote tire pressure sending units during a learning period, each sending unit associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said method comprising the following steps: (a) inflating a set of tires comprising tires T(1) . . . T(N) with separate respective tire pressures P(1) . . . P(N), wherein each respective tire pressure is less than a next respective tire pressure P(1)< . . . <P(N); (b) receiving signals transmitted by the sending units, each signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit and a pressure indicator indicative of a respective sensed pressure; (c) associating with respective tires information indicative of the identifiers in accordance with the respective indicators.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 5 wherein N=4; wherein the set of tires comprises tires T(1), T(2), T(3), T(4); wherein the tire pressures comprise pressures P(1), P(2), P(3), P(4); and wherein each tire pressure is less than a next tire pressure, P(1)<P(2)<P(3)<P(4).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 wherein step (c) comprises the step of associating with tire T(1) information indicative of the identifier associated with the pressure indicator indicative of the lowest tire pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 wherein step (c) further comprises the step of associating with tire T(n) information indicative of the identifier associated with the pressure indicator indicative of the n th lowest tire pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the signals are radio frequency signals.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for identifying and locating a set of remote tire pressure sending units, each associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving signals transmitted by the sending units to a receiving means, each signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit and a pressure indicator indicative of a respective sensed pressure; means for associating respective tires with information indicative of respective identifiers, based on respective pressure indicators during a learning period.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for identifying and locating a set of remote tire pressure sending units, each associated with a respective tire of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving signals transmitted by the sending units to a receiving means, each signal comprising an identifier associated with the respective sending unit and a pressure indicator indicative of a respective sensed pressure; means for associating respective tires with information indicative of respective identifiers, based on respective pressure indicators during a learning period.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 10 wherein the associating means comprises means for associating with tire T(1) information indicative of the identifier associated with the pressure indicator indicative of the lowest tire pressure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 10 where the associating means comprising means for associating with tire T(n) information indicative of the identifier associated with the pressure indicator indicative of the nth lowest tire pressure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-28 | 2003-09-27 | 2004-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-28 | 2007-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-28 | 2011-09-27 | 2012-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |