Tire pressure monitoring sensor enabling fast configuration and software updates
AssigneeWegmann Automotive GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsBartlomiej Wicher, Andreas Riemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel unit including an environmental pressure sensor, a non-volatile memory for storing a first program and a second program and configuration code, a processing unit for executing the programs, a communication module comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting at least one parameter indicative of conditions within a tire and a wireless or wired receiver for loading the second program into the non-volatile memory and a battery for powering the wheel unit. The second program may be loaded to the memory by the first program and configured by the configuration code to operate within a specific TPM system.
Claims15
A wheel unit comprising at least:
- an environmental sensing component configured to measure at least one parameter indicative of at least one environmental condition within or of a tire,
- a non-volatile memory configured to store a first program, a second program, and configuration code,
- a processing unit configured to control the wheel unit and configured to execute at least one of the first program and the second program,
- a wheel unit communication module further comprising:
- a wireless transmitter configured to transmit at least tire condition related information and
- a receiver configured to receive at least one of the first program, the second program, and the configuration code, the receiver being wireless or wired,
- wherein the first program comprises a first upload manager operably cooperated with the wheel unit communication module to receive and load into the non-volatile memory the second program,
- wherein the second program is adapted to use the first upload manager to receive the configuration code or comprises a second upload manager to receive the configuration code, and
- wherein the configuration code is adapted to provide information about at least one tire-pressure monitoring (TPM) system to the second program;
- wherein the information is adapted to be used by the second program to configure the behavior of the wheel unit so as to adapt the wheel unit to operate according to requirements of the at least one TPM system.
A method for operating a wheel unit configuration system that includes a wheel unit and a programming unit,
- the wheel unit further comprising:
- an environmental sensing component configured to measure at least one parameter indicative of at least one environmental condition within or of a tire,
- a non-volatile memory configured to store at least one of a first program, a second program, and a configuration code,
- a programming unit configured to control the wheel unit and configured to execute at least one of the first program and the second program,
- a wheel unit communication module comprising a wireless transmitter configured to transmit at least tire condition related information, and
- a wireless or wired receiver configured to receive at least one of the first program, the second program, and the configuration code,
- the programming unit further including microcontroller or microprocessor, and a programming unit communication module,
- the method including at least one of the steps of:
- loading the first program into the non-volatile memory of the wheel unit, and
- loading the second program into the non-volatile memory of the wheel unit,
- transmitting the configuration code to the wheel unit, and
- using the configuration code by the second program to configure the wheel unit to operate according to a specification of at least one tire-pressure monitoring (TPM) system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.