Determination of wheel sensor position using radio frequency detectors in an automotive remote tire monitor system

A radio frequency (RF) detector for use in association with a tire monitor of a remote tire monitor system of a vehicle, the RF detector comprising:

• an antenna to sense RF signals from the tire monitor;
• an envelope detector coupled to the antenna;
• and
• an output circuit coupled to the envelope detector.

A method for a remote tire monitor system, the method comprising:

• receiving radio frequency (RF) signals including tire data from a transmitting tire monitor associated with a wheel of a vehicle;
• receiving a wire line indication from an RF detector associated with the transmitting tire monitor;
• and
• identifying position on vehicle of the transmitting tire monitor in response to the wire line indication.

A remote tire monitor system comprising:

• a plurality of tire monitors, each tire monitor being associated with a wheel of a vehicle and configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals including tire data;
• a plurality of RF detectors, each RF detector being mounted on the vehicle proximate an associated tire monitor to detect the RF signals from the associated tire monitor and produce a transmission indication in response to detected RF signals;
• a RF receiver to receive tire data in RF signals transmitted by any tire monitor of the plurality of tire monitors;
• and
• a control unit coupled with the plurality of RF detectors to receive transmission indications and coupled with the RF receiver to receive the tire data, the control unit being operative to associate a position of a transmitting tire monitor with a received transmission indication.

A method for automatically identifying positions of a plurality of tire monitors on a vehicle, the method comprising:

• initiating operation of the plurality of tire monitors upon operation of the vehicle;
• receiving from the plurality of tire monitors radio frequency (RF) signals containing tire information;
• receiving wireline indications from a plurality of RF detectors, each RF detector being associated on the vehicle with a tire monitor to detect but not demodulate RF signals transmitted by the tire monitor;
• and
• associating the tire information from each tire monitor with an RF detector in response to the wireline indications.

A method for automatically updating a remote tire monitor system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• storing identification information for each tire monitor of a plurality of tire monitors of the vehicle;
• receiving an identifier transmitted by a transmitting tire monitor;
• receiving a transmission indication from a receiving radio frequency (RF) detector associated with the transmitting tire monitor;
• and
• when the identifier does not produce a match with the identification information, updating the identification information using the identifier.