System for determining failure of remote sensing device
AssigneeUnited Technologies Automotive, Inc.
InventorMark M. Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for detecting failure in one of a plurality of remote sensing devices utilizes a plurality of counters, each associated with one of the remote sensing devices. Each counter is initially loaded with an initial value. When a signal is received from a remote sensing device, its associated counter is reset to the initial value while the counters of the other remote sensing devices are stepped down. If a sensing device does not send a signal, its associated counter is stepped down numerous times, but never reset to the initial value. When a counter reaches a pre-determined value, typically zero, the associated sensing device is deemed to have failed.
Claims20
A system for determining the failure of a remote tire pressure sensor comprising:
- a plurality of remote tire pressure sensors, each of said sensors disposed in a tire on a vehicle and sending signals relating to the pressure in said tire at generally regular time intervals;
- a control unit receiving signals from said sensors;
- and
- a system for determining that a failed one of said sensors has failed based upon said control unit receiving a predetermined number of signals from said sensors without receiving a signal from said failed one of said plurality of sensors.
A system for determining the failure of a sensor comprising:
- a plurality of sensors, each sensor sending signals at generally regular time intervals;
- a control unit receiving signals from said each sensor;
- and
- a system for determining that a failed one of said plurality of sensors has failed based upon said control unit receiving a predetermined number of signals from sensors other than said failed sensor without receiving a signal from said failed sensor.
A method for determining the failure of a sensor comprising the steps of:
- receiving signals from a plurality of sensors, said sensors sending said signals at generally regular independent time intervals;
- counting the number of said signals received from said plurality of sensors other than a failed one of said plurality of sensors without receiving a signal from said failed sensor;
- comparing the counted number to a predetermined number;
- and
- generating a warning based upon said comparison of said counted number to said predetermined number.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.