Tire pressure monitor with diversity antenna system and method

An automotive tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

• a primary antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window;
• a secondary antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window distal said primary antenna;
• a receiver;
• switch means selectively coupling said primary and secondary antennas with said receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory subsystem coupled to the processor, the memory subsystem storing code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the steps of:
• connecting the primary antenna to the receiver;
• detecting and measuring the strength of a message signal indicative of a vehicle tire condition received by the primary antenna;
• calculating the signal to noise ratio for the primary antenna;
• connecting the secondary antenna to the receiver;
• detecting and measuring the strength of a message signal indicative of a vehicle tire condition received by the secondary antenna;
• calculating the signal to noise ratio for the secondary antenna;
• comparing the primary antenna signal to noise ratio with the secondary antenna signal to noise ratio;
• connecting the antenna with the highest signal to noise ratio to the receiver;
• processing the received signal;
• and
• generating an output signal as a function of information contained in said received signal.

An automotive tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

• a primary antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window and coupled to a first receiver;
• a second antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window distal said primary antenna and coupled to a second receiver;
• a processor coupled to said first and second receivers;
• a memory subsystem coupled to the processor, the memory subsystem storing code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the steps of:
• processing a message signal received by said first receiver via said first antenna;
• storing said message signal in a first buffer;
• processing said message signal received by said second receiver via said second antenna;
• storing said message signal in a second buffer;
• confirming that the message signal received by the first receiver is complete and, if complete, generating an output signal as a function of information contained in said first receiver message signal;
• and
• upon confirming that the first receiver message signal in not complete, further confirming that the message signal received by the second receiver is complete and, if complete, generating an output signal as a function of information contained in said second receiver message signal.

An automotive tire pressure monitoring system comprising:

• a primary antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window;
• a secondary antenna disposed adjacent a vehicle window distal said primary antenna;
• a receiver;
• switch means selectively coupling said primary and secondary antennas with said receiver;
• a processor;
• a memory subsystem coupled to the processor, the memory subsystem storing code when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the steps of:
• connecting the primary antenna to the receiver;
• receiving, storing and timing the reception time of a message signal indicative of a vehicle tire condition;
• connecting the secondary antenna to the receiver;
• receiving, storing and timing said message;
• comparing the reception times of said message signal via said primary and secondary antennas;
• re-connecting the receiver with the antenna having the shortest reception time;
• and
• generating an output signal as a function of information contained in said received signal.