Vehicle tire assembly including an internal inflation height and contact patch sensor using millimeter wavelength radar

A tire assembly comprising:

• a tire including a tire body with a cylindrical tread region and axially-spaced first and second sidewalls extending radially inward to respective first and second mounting beads that at least partially define a central opening of said tire body, said tire body including an inner surface with a tread region inner surface portion disposed axially between said first and second sidewalls, said cylindrical tread region including an exterior tread adapted to roll along an associated road surface, and said cylindrical tread region together with said first and second sidewalls at least partially defining an annular tire chamber with an open end in communication with said central opening of said tire body;
• a tire height and contact patch sensor at least partially disposed within said annular tire chamber and supported radially inward of said tread region inner surface portion of said tire body, said sensor including:
• an electrical power source;
• a radar source communicatively coupled with said electrical power source and operable to emit millimeter wavelength radar waves into said annular tire chamber toward a target area along said inner surface of said tire body;
• a radar receptor communicatively coupled with said electrical power source and operable to receive millimeter wavelength radar waves reflected off of said target area along said inner surface of said tire body and generate a signal having a relation to said reflected radar waves and/or receipt of said reflected radar waves;
• and,
• an antenna communicatively coupled with at least said radar receptor and operable to transmit data, signals and/or communications having said relation to said reflected radar waves and/or receipt of said reflected radar waves to an associated system external to said annular tire chamber;
• and,
• a processor communicatively coupled with at least one of said radar source, said radar receptor and said antenna, said processor operable to determine a distance between said radar source and said target area based on at least one of:
• (i) a time of flight required for said radar waves to travel from said radar source to said target area and then to said radar receptor;
• (ii) a frequency phase shift between said radar waves transmitted by said radar source and said radar waves reflected from said target area and received by said radar receptor.