TPMS autolocalization using direction sensitive antennas

A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), comprising:

• a plurality of axle assemblies each coupled to a different pair of wheels to which a different tire is mounted;
• a plurality of TPMS sensor modules, wherein each of the plurality of TPMS sensor modules has a unique sensor identifier (ID), and each of the plurality of TPMS sensor modules is configured to measure an internal air pressure of a corresponding tire and transmit a corresponding TPMS signal that includes at least the unique sensor ID thereof;
• and
• a localization module configured to localize each of the plurality of TPMS sensor modules based on receiving the corresponding TPMS signal of each of the plurality of TPMS sensor modules, wherein the localization module comprises:
• a phase array antenna comprising a plurality of reception antennas each configured to receive each corresponding TPMS signal;
• and
• a localization circuit configured to, for each corresponding TPMS signal, measure a phase of the corresponding TPMS signal at each of the plurality of reception antennas such that a corresponding plurality of phases for each corresponding TPMS signal is determined, and determine a location of a TPMS sensor module based on the corresponding plurality of phases associated with its corresponding TPMS signal.

A method of localizing at least one tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor module, the method comprising:

• transmitting, by a TPMS sensor module, a TPMS signal that includes at least a sensor identifier (ID) of the TPMS sensor module;
• and
• localizing, by a localization module, the TPMS sensor module based on receiving the TPMS signal at a phase array antenna comprising a plurality of reception antennas each configured to receive the TPMS signal,
• wherein localizing the TPMS sensor module comprises:
• measuring a phase of the TPMS signal at each of the plurality of reception antennas such that a plurality of phases corresponding to the TPMS signal are determined;
• and
• determining a location of the TPMS sensor module based on the plurality of phases.