Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: at each tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; and at each respective tire, transmitting data words responsive to the data representative of the tire characteristic during a plurality of time windows, transmission timing of the plurality of timing windows being defined by a preassigned, respective different starting point of a predetermined, multiple-valued code common to the plurality of tires of the vehicle to form a unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: at each tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; and at each respective tire, transmitting data words responsive to the data representative of the tire characteristic during a plurality of time windows, transmission timing of the plurality of timing windows being defined by a preassigned, respective different starting point of a predetermined, multiple-valued code common to the plurality of tires of the vehicle to form a unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said act of transmitting data words comprises the act of transmitting a data word during a transmit time followed by a variable duration silent time until a predetermined number of data words have been transmitted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the act of timing duration of the silent time in response to the unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 her comprising the act of timing start of successive time windows in response to the unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the unique code for the respective tire comprises a portion of the predetermined, multiple-valued code common to the plurality of tires of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said act of transmitting data words comprises transmitting identical data words during sequential time windows.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of, at each tire, waiting a variable time delay after collecting the data before transmitting the data words, the variable time delay at each tire differing from the variable time delay at other respective tires.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the acts of collecting data and transmitting data word are repeated at an update frequency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising the acts of: at each tire, detecting a signal indicative of vehicle speed; and when the signal exceeds a threshold, varying the update frequency, the threshold at each tire differing from the threshold at other respective tires.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the data comprise data indicative of air pressure of the tire.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; (b) transmitting a data word in response to the data; (c) after a time delay, transmitting a next data word; and (d) repeating acts (b) and (c) for a predetermined number of data words, the time delay for each respective data word being defined according to a local copy of a repeating pattern common to the plurality of tires, the local copy being preassigned to the each tire so that transmission at each tire begins at a different location in the repeating pattern.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; (b) transmitting a data word in response to the data; (c) after a time delay, transmitting a next data word; and (d) repeating acts (b) and (c) for a predetermined number of data words, the time delay for each respective data word being defined according to a local copy of a repeating pattern common to the plurality of tires, the local copy being preassigned to the each tire so that transmission at each tire begins at a different location in the repeating pattern.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the act of: repeating acts (a) through (d) at an update frequency.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the acts of: determining the time delay as a product of a time unit and a selected element of the local copy of the repeating pattern; and for subsequent words, determining the time delay as a product of the time unit and a sequentially selected element of the local copy of the repeating pattern.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the act of, at each tire, upon initiation of operation, selecting as a first selected element a different element of the local copy of the repeating pattern.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
211 words
A method for interference-free communication of data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system including a plurality of transmitters associated with tires of a vehicle and a receiver in radio communication with the plurality of transmitters, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each respective transmitter, establishing a respective repeating pattern of data elements, the respective repeating pattern being a unique version of a code which is common to each transmitter by having a different starting point of said code so that each transmitter has a unique transmission code; (b) collecting respective data representative of a tire characteristic of an associated tire; (c) transmitting respective first data words in response to the respective data; (d) at each transmitter, determining a respective first delay time using a respective first data element of the respective repeating pattern; (e) at each transmitter, (e1) waiting the respective first delay time, (e2) transmitting respective next data words, (e3) determining a respective next delay time using a respective next data element of the repeating pattern, (e4) repeating acts (e1), (e2) and (e3) until a predetermined number of data words has been transmitted; and (f) at the receiver, receiving without interference at least some data words and next data words from each of the plurality of transmitters.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
211 words
A method for interference-free communication of data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system including a plurality of transmitters associated with tires of a vehicle and a receiver in radio communication with the plurality of transmitters, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each respective transmitter, establishing a respective repeating pattern of data elements, the respective repeating pattern being a unique version of a code which is common to each transmitter by having a different starting point of said code so that each transmitter has a unique transmission code; (b) collecting respective data representative of a tire characteristic of an associated tire; (c) transmitting respective first data words in response to the respective data; (d) at each transmitter, determining a respective first delay time using a respective first data element of the respective repeating pattern; (e) at each transmitter, (e1) waiting the respective first delay time, (e2) transmitting respective next data words, (e3) determining a respective next delay time using a respective next data element of the repeating pattern, (e4) repeating acts (e1), (e2) and (e3) until a predetermined number of data words has been transmitted; and (f) at the receiver, receiving without interference at least some data words and next data words from each of the plurality of transmitters.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said act of determining the respective first delay time comprises the acts of: selecting the respective first data element; and producing the respective first delay time as a product of the respective first data element and a time unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 16 said act of wherein the determining the respective next delay time comprises the acts of: selecting the respective next data element; and producing the respective next delay time as a product of the respective next data element and the time unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
A transmitter for use in a tire pressure monitoring system of a vehicle having a plurality of tires, the transmitter comprising: a sensor for detecting an operating condition of a tire associated with the transmitter and producing an indication; and a controller coupled to the sensor and including: a data receiving circuit configured to receive the indication, and a control circuit which formats data words for communication to a remote receiver during a plurality of time windows having timing defined by a preassigned, respective different starting point of a predetermined, multiple-valued code common to the plurality of tires of the vehicle to form a unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
A transmitter for use in a tire pressure monitoring system of a vehicle having a plurality of tires, the transmitter comprising: a sensor for detecting an operating condition of a tire associated with the transmitter and producing an indication; and a controller coupled to the sensor and including: a data receiving circuit configured to receive the indication, and a control circuit which formats data words for communication to a remote receiver during a plurality of time windows having timing defined by a preassigned, respective different starting point of a predetermined, multiple-valued code common to the plurality of tires of the vehicle to form a unique code for the respective tire.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The transmitter of claim 18 further comprising a radio frequency (RF) circuit coupled to the controller for RF transmission of the data words to the remote receiver.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transmitter of claim 18 further comprising a timing circuit coupled to the controller to establish reference timing, the controller being responsive to the reference timing to space the time windows in time according to a repeating pattern defined by the predetermined, multiple-valued code.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The transmitter of claim 20 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a data word during a time window, wait a predetermined time defined at least in part by the repeating pattern, and transmit a next data word during a next time window.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The transmitter of claim 21 further comprising a memory coupled to the control circuit for storing data defining the predetermined, multiple-valued code.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transmitter of claim 21 wherein the repeating pattern comprises a plurality of integer numbers and wherein the control circuit includes a logic circuit configured to combine selected ones of the plurality of integer numbers with a time unit to establish the predetermined time.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The transmitter of claim 23 wherein the control circuit selects in sequence one integer number of the plurality of integer numbers for combination with the time unit, and, upon exhaustion of the sequence, repeats the sequence.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for communicating data in a remote tire pressure monitor system, the system including a plurality of transmitters associated with tires of a vehicle and a receiver configured to receive information from the plurality of transmitters, the method comprising the acts of: at each respective transmitter, collecting data representative of a characteristic of a tire associated with the transmitter at a data collection time; waiting a respective variable delay time which is defined by a respective phase of a code which is common to the plurality of transmitters, the respective phase having been preassigned to the respective transmitter, so that the respective variable delay time is different from respective variable delay times at other transmitters of the plurality of transmitters by having different starting point of said code for each respective tire; and transmitting respective data words in response to the data after the respective variable delay time has elapsed to reduce clashing of data words at the receiver.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for communicating data in a remote tire pressure monitor system, the system including a plurality of transmitters associated with tires of a vehicle and a receiver configured to receive information from the plurality of transmitters, the method comprising the acts of: at each respective transmitter, collecting data representative of a characteristic of a tire associated with the transmitter at a data collection time; waiting a respective variable delay time which is defined by a respective phase of a code which is common to the plurality of transmitters, the respective phase having been preassigned to the respective transmitter, so that the respective variable delay time is different from respective variable delay times at other transmitters of the plurality of transmitters by having different starting point of said code for each respective tire; and transmitting respective data words in response to the data after the respective variable delay time has elapsed to reduce clashing of data words at the receiver.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each respective tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; (b) transmitting a respective data word based on the data; (c) determining a respective time delay as a product of a time unit and a selected element of a preassigned, respective repeating pattern which is based on a pattern common to the plurality of tires, the selected element defining a different respective local-starting point of the repeating pattern for each respective tire; (d) after the time delay, transmitting a respective next data word; and (e) repeating (c) and (d) for a predetermined number of data words, the respective time delay for each respective data word being defined according to a sequentially selected element of the preassigned, respective repeating pattern.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for transmitting data in a remote tire pressure monitoring system, the method comprising the acts of: (a) at each respective tire of a plurality of tires of a vehicle, collecting data representative of a tire characteristic; (b) transmitting a respective data word based on the data; (c) determining a respective time delay as a product of a time unit and a selected element of a preassigned, respective repeating pattern which is based on a pattern common to the plurality of tires, the selected element defining a different respective local-starting point of the repeating pattern for each respective tire; (d) after the time delay, transmitting a respective next data word; and (e) repeating (c) and (d) for a predetermined number of data words, the respective time delay for each respective data word being defined according to a sequentially selected element of the preassigned, respective repeating pattern.