Methods and apparatus to facilitate TPMS broadcast mode selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10625545-B2
Application number	US-201916279249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed to facilitate TPMS broadcast mode selection. An example vehicle comprises sensors, a processor, and memory. The processor is in communication with the memory and with the sensors. The processor is configured to: receive an unencrypted signal indicating an abnormal tire pressure, enter an encrypted mode with the sensors, receive an encrypted follow up tire pressure status from the sensors, and determine whether the unencrypted signal is authentic based on the encrypted follow up tire pressure status.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle tire pressure monitoring system comprising:
a tire pressure sensor including:
memory storing a threshold value;
a controller to:
determine whether a tire pressure data measured by the tire pressure sensor is abnormal based on the threshold value; and
when the tire pressure data measured by the tire pressure sensor is abnormal, transmit a mode switch request to enter an encrypted mode with a body control module, and transmit the tire pressure data using an encrypted signal; and

the body control module to accept the tire pressure data after authenticating the encrypted signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, wherein in response to receiving the tire pressure data that is indicative of being abnormal via an unencrypted signal, the body control module is to:
associate location data from the GPS receiver with the unencrypted signal; and
store the associated unencrypted signal and location data in vehicle memory.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a synchronization clock, wherein in response to receiving the tire pressure data that is indicative of being abnormal via an unencrypted signal, the body control module is to:
associate time data from the synchronization clock with the unencrypted signal; and
store the associated unencrypted signal and time data in vehicle memory.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an infotainment head unit (IHU), wherein, if the encrypted signal is authentic, the IHU is configured to display a message indicating the abnormal tire pressure data.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the IHU is configured to display the message until the tire pressure data is within a predetermined range.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body control module is to determine that the encrypted signal is authentic when the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body control module is to determine that the encrypted signal is authentic when the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key and when the tire pressure sensor is within a threshold distance based on time of flight localization.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body control module is to determine that the encrypted signal is authentic when the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key and when arrival angles of the received signals match a predetermined range of arrival angles.

9. A method of a tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:
determining, by tire pressure sensors each including memory storing a threshold value and a controller, whether tire pressure data measured by the tire pressure sensors is abnormal based on the threshold value;
when one of the tire pressure sensors determines the tire pressure data measured by it is abnormal, transmitting a mode switch request to enter an encrypted mode with a body control module, and transmitting the tire pressure data using an encrypted signal; and
accepting, by the body control module, the tire pressure data after authenticating the encrypted signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a location of the vehicle in response to receiving the tire pressure data that is indicative of being abnormal via an unencrypted signal;
associating, by the body control module, the location with the unencrypted signal; and
storing the associated unencrypted signal and location in vehicle memory.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by a synchronization clock, time data in response to receiving the tire pressure data that is indicative of being abnormal via an unencrypted signal;
associating, by the body control module, time data from the synchronization clock with the unencrypted signal; and
storing the associated unencrypted signal and time data in vehicle memory.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising when the encrypted signal is authentic, displaying, on an infotainment head unit, a message indicating the abnormal tire pressure data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the IHU is configured to display the message until the tire pressure data is within a predetermined range.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the encrypted signal is authentic includes determining that the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the encrypted signal is authentic includes determining that the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key and determining that an originating one of the tire pressure sensors is within a threshold distance based on time of flight localization.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the encrypted signal is authentic includes determining that the encrypted signal is encrypted with a mutually agreed upon secret key and determining that arrival angles of the received signals match a predetermined range of arrival angles.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Hassani Ali
• Patel Dilip B

Classifications

• B60C23/0442 Primary

  the transmitted signal comprises further information, e.g. instruction codes, sensor characteristics or identification data · CPC title

• H04L67/12 Primary

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• B60C23/0462

  Structure of transmission protocol · CPC title

• B60C23/0464

  to avoid signal interference · CPC title

• H04W12/1006

  Electricity · mapped topic