Electronic wheel unit for a vehicle wheel, and method for operating an electronic wheel unit of this kind

An electronic wheel unit for placement on a vehicle wheel of a vehicle, the electronic wheel unit comprising:

• a detector for detecting rotation angle positions of the vehicle wheel being present at certain detection times;
• and
• a radio transmitter for transmitting a sequence of individual electromagnetic signals including data representative of the detected rotation angle positions and their associated detection times;
• said detector being configured to detect an amount of a wheel acceleration and to set an interval of time between the detection times of the rotation angle positions to be shorter with a greater amount of wheel acceleration.

A method for localizing respective installation positions of a plurality of electronic wheel units each being disposed on one of a plurality of vehicle wheels of a vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

• using detectors for detecting rotation angle positions of the vehicle wheels being present at certain detection times;
• using radio transmitters for transmitting a sequence of individual electromagnetic signals including data representative of the detected rotation angle positions and their associated detection times;
• additionally using the detectors to detect an amount of a wheel acceleration of the vehicle wheels;
• setting an interval of time between the detection times of the rotation angle positions by the detectors to be shorter with a greater amount of wheel acceleration;
• providing the vehicle with fixed detectors each being disposed on the vehicle and associated with a respective one of the vehicle wheels for detecting rotation angle positions of a respective relevant vehicle wheel being present at certain detection times;
• providing the vehicle with a transmitter for transmitting signals including data representative of the rotation angle positions detected by the fixed detectors and their associated detection times;
• receiving and evaluating the signals transmitted by the electronic wheel units to determine rotation angle positions detected by said detectors of the electronic wheel units and their associated detection times;
• receiving and evaluating the signals transmitted by the fixed detectors of the vehicle to determine the rotation angle positions detected by the fixed detectors and their associated detection times;
• comparing the rotation angle positions determined by the detectors of the electronic wheel units and the rotation angle positions determined by the fixed detectors of the vehicle by taking into account their respective detection times, to determine a correlation between the determined rotation angle positions;
• and
• analyzing the correlation to make an association between the electronic wheel units and installation positions of the vehicle wheels.

An apparatus for localizing respective installation positions of a plurality of electronic wheel units each being disposed on one of a plurality of vehicle wheels of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• detectors disposed at the electronic wheel units for detecting rotation angle positions of the vehicle wheels being present at certain detection times;
• radio transmitters for transmitting a sequence of individual electromagnetic signals including data representative of the detected rotation angle positions and their associated detection times;
• said detectors being configured to detect an amount of a wheel acceleration and to set an interval of time between the detection times of the rotation angle positions to be shorter with a greater amount of wheel acceleration;
• fixed detectors each being disposed on the vehicle and associated with a respective one of the vehicle wheels for detecting rotation angle positions of a respective relevant vehicle wheel being present at certain detection times;
• a transmitter disposed on the vehicle for transmitting signals including data representative of the rotation angle positions detected by said fixed detectors and their associated detection times;
• and
• a central control unit and a radio receiving unit for:
• receiving and evaluating signals transmitted by the electronic wheel units to determine the rotation angle positions detected by said detectors of the electronic wheel units and their associated detection times;
• receiving and evaluating the signals transmitted by said fixed detectors of the vehicle to determine the rotation angle positions detected by said fixed detectors and their associated detection times;
• comparing the rotation angle positions determined by said detectors of the electronic wheel units and the rotation angle positions determined by said fixed detectors of the vehicle by taking into account their respective detection times, to determine a correlation between the determined rotation angle positions;
• and
• analyzing the correlation to make an association between the electronic wheel units and installation positions of the vehicle wheels.