# US 12,007,470 B2 · Sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,470 B2 - Document ID: US12007470B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/580,822 - Filed: 2022-01-21 - Published: 2022-07-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-22 - Assignees: Sensata Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Sensata Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Ravindra P. Singh; Jonathan E. Barr; A. Tugay Arslan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007470B2 ## CPC - G01S 13/767: {Responders; Transponders (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26)} - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - B60C 23/0416: {allocating a corresponding wheel position on vehicle, e.g. front/left or rear/right} - B60C 23/0444: {Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders} - B60C 23/045: {Means for detecting electromagnetic field changes being not part of the signal transmission per se, e.g. strength, direction, propagation or masking} - G01S 13/765: {with exchange of information between interrogator and responder} - H01Q 3/267: {Phased-array testing or checking devices} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04B: TRANSMISSION - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method of sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming includes sending a radio frequency (RF) signal beam directed towards a given tire placement direction of a vehicle. In this embodiment, the method includes receiving an acknowledgement from a sensor and determining whether one or more signal attributes indicated in the acknowledgement are within one or more predefined ranges for the one or more signal attributes and corresponding to the given tire placement direction. In response to the one or more signal attributes being within the one or more predefined ranges, the method includes determining that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming, the method comprising: storing, for each of a plurality of tire placement directions, a vehicle-specific antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; storing, for each of the plurality of tire placement directions, one or more predefined ranges for one or more signal attributes, the one or more predefined ranges corresponding to the tire placement direction and including at least a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) range; steering a radio frequency (RF) signal beam towards a given tire placement direction of a vehicle by activating two or more antennas of an antenna array in accordance with the antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; receiving, in response to the RF signal beam, an acknowledgement from a sensor, the acknowledgement indicating one or more signal attribute values, the one or more signal attribute values including at least an RSSI value determined by the sensor; determining whether one or more signal attribute values indicated in the acknowledgement are within the one or more predefined ranges for the one or more signal attributes and corresponding to the given tire placement direction, including determining whether the RSSI value is within the RSSI range for the given tire placement direction; and determining, in response to the one or more signal attribute values being within the one or more predefined ranges, that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined ranges includes a time of flight range corresponding to the tire placement direction; and wherein the one or more signal attribute values in the acknowledgement by the sensor comprises a time of flight value determined by the sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the RF signal beam is sent via a phased antenna array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction comprises determining that a number of received acknowledgements having the one or more sensor attributes within the one or more predefined ranges meets a threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement from the sensor comprises a sensor identifier for the sensor, and the method further comprises storing data associating the sensor identifier with the given tire placement direction. ### Claim 6 An apparatus for sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming, the apparatus configured to perform steps comprising: storing, for each of a plurality of tire placement directions, a vehicle-specific antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; storing, for each of the plurality of tire placement directions, one or more predefined ranges for one or more signal attributes, the one or more predefined ranges corresponding to the tire placement direction and including at least a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) range; steering a radio frequency (RF) signal beam towards a given tire placement direction of a vehicle by activating two or more antennas of an antenna array in accordance with the antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; receiving, in response to the RF signal beam, an acknowledgement from a sensor, the acknowledgement indicating one or more signal attribute values, the one or more signal attribute values including at least an RSSI value determined by the sensor; determining whether one or more signal attribute values indicated in the acknowledgement are within the one or more predefined ranges for the one or more signal attributes and corresponding to the given tire placement direction, including determining whether the RSSI value is within the RSSI range for the given tire placement direction; and determining, in response to the one or more signal attribute values being within the one or more predefined ranges, that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more predefined ranges includes a time of flight range corresponding to the tire placement direction; and wherein the one or more signal attribute values in the acknowledgement by the sensor comprises a time of flight value determined by the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the RF signal beam is sent via a phased antenna array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein determining that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction comprises determining that a number of received acknowledgements having the one or more sensor attributes within the one or more predefined ranges meets a threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the acknowledgement from the sensor comprises a sensor identifier for the sensor, and the steps further comprise storing data associating the sensor identifier with the given tire placement direction. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions for sensor auto-location using phased antenna array beamforming that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising: storing, for each of a plurality of tire placement directions, a vehicle-specific antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; storing, for each of the plurality of tire placement directions, one or more predefined ranges for one or more signal attributes, the one or more predefined ranges corresponding to the tire placement direction and including at least a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) range; steering a radio frequency (RF) signal beam towards a given tire placement direction of a vehicle by activating two or more antennas of an antenna array in accordance with the antenna activation sequence corresponding to the tire placement direction; receiving, in response to the RF signal beam, an acknowledgement from a sensor, the acknowledgement indicating one or more signal attribute values, the one or more signal attribute values including at least an RSSI value determined by the sensor; determining whether one or more signal attribute values indicated in the acknowledgement are within the one or more predefined ranges for the one or more signal attributes and corresponding to the given tire placement direction, including determining whether the RSSI value is within the RSSI range for the given tire placement direction; and determining, in response to the one or more signal attribute values being within the one or more predefined ranges, that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more predefined ranges includes a time of flight range corresponding to the tire placement direction; and wherein the one or more signal attribute values in the acknowledgement by the sensor comprises a time of flight value determined by the sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the RF signal beam is sent via a phased antenna array. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that the sensor is fitted on the given tire placement direction comprises determining that a number of received acknowledgements having the one or more sensor attributes within the one or more predefined ranges meets a threshold.