Tire pressure sensor modules, tire pressure monitoring system, wheel, methods and computer programs for providing information related to a tire pressure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016445-A1
Application number	US-201514802152-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A first tire pressure sensor module is configured to provide information related to a pressure of a tire of a vehicle and comprises a pressure sensor configured to determine the information related to the pressure of the tire. The pressure module further includes a controller configured to selectively operate the tire pressure sensor module in an active state and in an inactive state, wherein an energy consumption of the tire pressure sensor module is lower in the inactive state than in the active state. The controller is further configured to control an output of the information related to the pressure of the tire in the active state, and operate the tire pressure sensor module in the inactive state based on determining that information related to a velocity of the tire indicates a velocity above a threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tire pressure sensor module, comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to determine information related to a pressure of a tire; and a controller configured to selectively operate the tire pressure sensor module in an active state and in an inactive state, wherein an energy consumption of the tire pressure sensor module is lower in the inactive state than in the active state, wherein the controller is further configured to control an output of the information related to the pressure of the tire in the active state, and wherein the controller is configured to operate the tire pressure sensor module in the inactive state based on determining that information related to a velocity of the tire indicates a velocity above a threshold.

2 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 1 , further being configured for valve mounting or being comprised in a valve of the tire.

3 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 1 , further comprising a battery operably coupled to the controller.

4 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 1 , further comprising a rechargeable energy device operably coupled to the controller and a power interface which is configured to charge the rechargeable energy device.

5 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 4 , wherein the power interface is configured to be coupled with another tire pressure sensor module, the other tire pressure sensor module being configured to charge the rechargeable energy device through the interface.

6 . A tire pressure sensor module configured to provide information related to a pressure of a tire of a vehicle, comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to determine the information related to the pressure of the tire; an energy harvester configured to supply power to the tire pressure sensor module; and a controller configured to selectively operate the tire pressure sensor module in an active state and in an inactive state, wherein an energy consumption of the tire pressure sensor module is lower in the inactive state than in the active state, wherein the controller is further configured to control an output of the information related to the tire pressure in the active state, and wherein the controller is configured to operate the tire pressure sensor module in the inactive state based on determining that information related to a velocity of the tire indicates a velocity above a threshold.

7 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 6 , further being configured for wall or tread mounting inside the tire.

8 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 6 , further comprising an interface configured to supply power to another tire pressure sensor module.

9 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor configured to determine information related to a dynamic driving condition of the vehicle.

10 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the information related to the dynamic driving condition of the vehicle using the sensor when the tire pressure sensor module is in the active state.

11 . The tire pressure sensor module of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured to determine information related to at least one of a temperature of the tire, a dynamic behavior of a contact area of the tire, a shape of the contact area of the tire, a pressure distribution of the contact area of the tire, a deformation of the contact area of the tire, or an acceleration of the tire.

12 . A tire pressure monitoring system, comprising:
a first pressure sensor module at a first location of a tire; and a second pressure sensor module at a second location of the tire different from the first location, wherein the second pressure sensor module is powered by an energy harvester, and wherein the tire pressure monitoring system is configured to transmit, in a first rotating state of the tire, pressure information sensed by the first pressure sensor module to an electronic control unit and, in a second, different rotating state of the tire, pressure information sensed by the second pressure sensor module to the electronic control unit.

13 . A wheel for a vehicle comprising a tire monitoring system according to claim 13 .

14 . The wheel of claim 13 , wherein the first pressure sensor module is configured to provide information related to a tire pressure in a first lower velocity range of the wheel and wherein the second pressure sensor module is configured to provide information related to a tire pressure in a second higher velocity range.

15 . The wheel of claim 14 , wherein the first velocity range of the wheel starts at or above zero velocity.

16 . A method, comprising:
sensing a tire pressure with a first sensor module mounted at a first location of a tire; transmitting first tire pressure information based on the sensing of the tire pressure with the first sensor module to an electronic control unit at least in a first time interval; operating the first sensor module in an inactive state at least in a second time interval; sensing the tire pressure at least during the second time interval with a second sensor module, wherein the second sensor module is mounted at a second location of the tire, wherein the second location is different from the first location; and transmitting second tire pressure information based on the sensing of the tire pressure with the second sensor module to an electronic control unit at least during the second time interval.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the second sensor module is powered by an energy harvester.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second sensor module is mounted inside of the tire.

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Peine Andre
• Lange Thomas

Classifications

• B60C23/041

  Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel · CPC title

• B60C23/0474

  Measurement control, e.g. setting measurement rate or calibrating of sensors; Further processing of measured values, e.g. filtering, compensating or slope monitoring · CPC title

• B60C23/0459

  self triggered by motion sensor · CPC title

• B60C23/0488

  Movement sensor, e.g. for sensing angular speed, acceleration or centripetal force · CPC title

• B60C23/0486 Primary

  comprising additional sensors in the wheel or tyre mounted monitoring device, e.g. movement sensors, microphones or earth magnetic field sensors · CPC title