Portable tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool
AssigneeAteq
InventorsJacques Mouchet, Pascal Keller, Bruno Rousseau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool includes a tire sensor trigger device ensuring the TPMS tool is in close proximity to a TPMS tire sensor to trigger or awaken the sensor to emit measured tire data. In one example, a manually displaceable trigger signal contact device in the form of a push button is used. On manual displacement of the push button against the tire, the tool generates the tire sensor trigger signal. In another example, the tool includes a first power source in the form of a high density capacitor. In another example, a second power source in the form of a lithium button-type battery is used to selectively provide power or recharge the first power source between function cycles.
Claims21
A portable tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool comprising:
- a housing;
- a first power source positioned in the housing;
- a TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator positioned in the housing and in communication with the power source;
- an antenna in communication with the trigger signal generator, the antenna operable to transmit the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal;
- and
- a tire sensor trigger device comprising a manually displaceable push button engaged with the antenna and in communication with the trigger signal generator, wherein the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator is operable to generate the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal on displacing activation of the push button.
A method for generating a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tire sensor trigger signal with a TPMS tool having a tire sensor trigger generator and an antenna in communication with the tire sensor trigger generator, the method comprising:
- positioning the TPMS tool adjacent to a vehicle tire having a TPMS tire sensor;
- detecting a predetermined close distance between the TPMS tool and the vehicle tire;
- signaling the TPMS tire sensor trigger generator that the predetermined close distance between the TPMS tool and vehicle tire is satisfied;
- generating the tire TPMS tire sensor trigger signal by the TPMS tire sensor trigger generator;
- and
- transmitting the generated TPMS tire sensor trigger signal through the antenna.
A portable tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool comprising:
- a housing;
- a first power source comprising a high-density capacitor positioned in the housing;
- a TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator positioned in the housing and in communication with the power source;
- an antenna in communication with the trigger signal generator, the antenna operable to transmit the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal;
- and
- a tire sensor trigger device in communication with the trigger signal generator, wherein the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator is operable to generate the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal on activation of the tire sensor trigger device.
A portable tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tool comprising:
- a housing;
- a first power source positioned in the housing;
- a TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator positioned in the housing and in communication with the power source;
- an antenna in communication with the trigger signal generator, the antenna operable to transmit the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal;
- and
- a tire sensor trigger device comprising a non-contact sensor in communication with the trigger signal generator, the non-contact sensor operable to detect a distance between the tool and a predetermined vehicle component without physical contact with the predetermined vehicle component, wherein the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal generator is operable to generate the TPMS tire sensor trigger signal on a determination that the detected distance is within a predetermined distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.