Wheel identifying apparatus and tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus with function of wheel identification

A wheel identifying apparatus for a vehicle which includes a body, two front wheels, two rear wheels, and a spare wheel located on the body closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels, the wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• a first triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the front wheels than the rear wheels and at different distances from the front wheels;
• a second triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels and at different distances from the rear wheels;
• five transceivers each of which is located on a corresponding one of the five wheels of the vehicle away from a rotational axis of the corresponding wheel;
• a monitoring time setter located on the body of the vehicle;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the monitoring time setter sets a monitoring time according to a running speed of the vehicle;
• the first triggering device continuously transmits a first trigger signal to the transceivers on the front wheels for a first predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the first trigger signal indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the first trigger signal, each of the transceivers on the front wheels monitors the strength of the first trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the first trigger signal, determines a first physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the first trigger signal, and transmits a first response signal which indicates the determined first physical quantity;
• the receiver receives the two first response signals respectively transmitted by the transceivers on the front wheels;
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the two first response signals received by the receiver, the front wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the first response signal is located through a comparison between the first physical quantities indicated by the two first response signals;
• the second triggering device continuously transmits a second trigger signal to the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels for a second predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the second trigger signal also indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the second trigger signal, each of the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels monitors the strength of the second trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the second trigger signal, determines a second physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the second trigger signal, and transmits a second response signal which indicates the determined second physical quantity;
• the receiver receives the three second response signals respectively transmitted by the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the three second response signals received by the receiver, that one of the rear and spare wheels on which the transceiver having transmitted the second response signal is located through a comparison between the second physical quantities indicated by the three second response signals.

A wheel identifying apparatus for a vehicle which includes a body, two front wheels, two rear wheels, and a spare wheel located on the body closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels, the wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• a first triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the front wheels than the rear wheels and at different distances from the front wheels;
• a second triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels and at different distances from the rear wheels;
• five transceivers each of which is located on a corresponding one of the five wheels of the vehicle away from a rotational axis of the corresponding wheel;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the first triggering device continuously transmits a first trigger signal to the transceivers on the front wheels for a first predetermined time period during running of the vehicle;
• in response to receipt of the first trigger signal, each of the transceivers on the front wheels monitors the strength of the first trigger signal thereat for a given length of time, determines a value of the monitored strength of the first trigger signal, and transmits a first response signal which indicates the determined value of the strength of the first trigger signal;
• the receiver receives the two first response signals respectively transmitted by the transceivers on the front wheels;
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the two first response signals received by the receiver, the front wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the first response signal is located through a comparison between the values of the strength of the first trigger signal indicated by the two first response signals;
• the second triggering device continuously transmits a second trigger signal to the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels for a second predetermined time period during running of the vehicle;
• in response to receipt of the second trigger signal, each of the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels monitors the strength of the second trigger signal thereat for the given length of time, determines a value of the monitored strength of the second trigger signal, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the second trigger signal, and transmits a second response signal which indicates both the determined value of the strength of the second trigger signal and the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives the three second response signals respectively transmitted by the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the three second response signals received by the receiver, that one of the rear and spare wheels on which the transceiver having transmitted the second response signal is located through comparisons between the values of the strength of the second trigger signal indicated by the three second response signals and between the physical quantities indicated by the three second response signals.

A wheel identifying apparatus for a vehicle which includes a body, two front wheels, two rear wheels, and a spare wheel located on the body closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels, the wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• a first triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the front wheels than the rear wheels and at different distances from the front wheels;
• a second triggering device that is located on the body of the vehicle closer to the rear wheels than the front wheels and at different distances from the rear wheels;
• five transceivers each of which is located on a corresponding one of the five wheels of the vehicle away from a rotational axis of the corresponding wheel;
• a monitoring time setter located on the body of the vehicle;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the monitoring time setter sets a monitoring time according to a running speed of the vehicle;
• the first triggering device continuously transmits a first trigger signal to the transceivers on the front wheels for a first predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the first trigger signal indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the first trigger signal, each of the transceivers on the front wheels monitors the strength of the first trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the first trigger signal, determines a value of the monitored strength of the first trigger signal, and transmits a first response signal which indicates the determined value of the strength of the first trigger signal;
• the receiver receives the two first response signals respectively transmitted by the transceivers on the front wheels;
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the two first response signals received by the receiver, the front wheel on which the transceiver having transmitted the first response signal is located through a comparison between the values of the strength of the first trigger signal indicated by the two first response signals;
• the second triggering device continuously transmits a second trigger signal to the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels for a second predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the second trigger signal also indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the second trigger signal, each of the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels monitors the strength of the second trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the second trigger signal, determines a value of the monitored strength of the second trigger signal, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the second trigger signal, and transmits a second response signal which indicates both the determined value of the strength of the second trigger signal and the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives the three second response signals respectively transmitted by the three transceivers on the rear and spare wheels;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies, for each of the three second response signals received by the receiver, that one of the rear and spare wheels on which the transceiver having transmitted the second response signal is located through comparisons between the values of the strength of the second trigger signal indicated by the three second response signals and between the physical quantities indicated by the three second response signals.

A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• two transceivers that are respectively located on two running wheels of a vehicle away from a rotational axis of the respective wheel;
• a triggering device located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the running wheels;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the triggering device continuously transmits a trigger signal to the transceivers for a predetermined time period during running of the vehicle;
• in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers monitors the strength of the trigger signal thereat for a given length of time, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the trigger signal, and transmits a response signal which indicates the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives and provides to the wheel identifier the two response signals transmitted by the two transceivers;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies that one of the two transceivers which has transmitted the response signal indicating the larger physical quantity as being located on the closer one of the two running wheels to the triggering device, and the other as being located on the other running wheel.

A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• two transceivers that are respectively located on two running wheels of a vehicle away from a rotational axis of the respective wheel;
• a triggering device located on a body of the vehicle at different distances from the running wheels;
• a monitoring time setter located on the body of the vehicle;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the monitoring time setter sets a monitoring time according to a running speed of the vehicle;
• the triggering device continuously transmits a trigger signal to the transceivers for a predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the trigger signal indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers monitors the strength of the trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the trigger signal, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the trigger signal, and transmits a response signal which indicates the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives and provides to the wheel identifier the two response signals transmitted by the two transceivers;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies that one of the two transceivers which has transmitted the response signal indicating the larger physical quantity as being located on the closer one of the two running wheels to the triggering device, and the other as being located on the other running wheel.

A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• two transceivers that are respectively located on a running wheel and a spare wheel of a vehicle away from a rotational axis of the respective wheel;
• a triggering device located on a body of the vehicle;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the triggering device continuously transmits a trigger signal to the transceivers for a predetermined time period during running of the vehicle;
• in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers monitors the strength of the trigger signal thereat for a given length of time, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the trigger signal, and transmits a response signal which indicates the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives and provides to the wheel identifier the two response signals transmitted by the two transceivers;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies that one of the two transceivers which has transmitted the response signal indicating the smaller physical quantity as being located on the spare wheel, and the other as being located on the running wheel.

A wheel identifying apparatus comprising:

• two transceivers that are respectively located on a running wheel and a spare wheel of a vehicle away from a rotational axis of the respective wheel;
• a triggering device located on a body of the vehicle;
• a monitoring time setter located on the body of the vehicle;
• a receiver located on the body of the vehicle;
• and
• a wheel identifier located on the body of the vehicle,
• wherein the wheel identifying apparatus is so configured that:
• the monitoring time setter sets a monitoring time according to a running speed of the vehicle;
• the triggering device continuously transmits a trigger signal to the transceivers for a predetermined time period during running of the vehicle, the trigger signal indicating the monitoring time set by the monitoring time setter;
• in response to receipt of the trigger signal, each of the transceivers monitors the strength of the trigger signal thereat for the monitoring time indicated by the trigger signal, determines a physical quantity which represents variation in the monitored strength of the trigger signal, and transmits a response signal which indicates the determined physical quantity;
• the receiver receives and provides to the wheel identifier the two response signals transmitted by the two transceivers;
• and
• the wheel identifier identifies that one of the two transceivers which has transmitted the response signal indicating the smaller physical quantity as being located on the spare wheel, and the other transceiver as being located on the running wheel.