US 6,518,877 B1 · Pneumatic tire monitor

Abstract

A pneumatic tire monitoring system for monitoring pneumatic tire conditions for one or more tire/wheel assemblies mounted on a vehicle, preferably in combination with a tire pressurizing and regulating apparatus, comprises a transponder with a transmitting antenna mounted on the wheel for transmitting a signal indicating tire condition, one or more receivers with receiving antennas fixedly mounted on the vehicle, and circuitry for processing the received signals; the system characterized in that: circuitry for each transponder is on a printed circuit board within a protective housing coaxial to the hub of the wheel or wheel carrier; and each transmitting antenna is selected from the group comprising a partial loop antenna, a helical antenna, a circular dipole antenna, and a small coupling coil adjacent to an endless hoop antenna. The partial loop antenna is mounted in each housing affixed around a portion of the circumference of the printed circuit board, having an angular arc length, and comprises a serpentine portion for increasing the effective length of the partial loop antenna without also extending the angular arc length. The angular arc length and the affixed placement are determined for avoiding RF signal interference due to interaction with signal-interfering objects in the housing. Additionally, the partial loop antenna has an end portion that can be trimmed for adjusting the effective length to enable tuning of the antenna for optimum transmission at different radio transmission frequencies.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring pneumatic tire conditions for one or more tire/wheel assemblies mounted on a vehicle;

each tire/wheel assembly comprising a tire mounted on a wheel or wheel carrier;
and
the system comprising:
a transponder with a transmitting antenna mounted on the wheel or wheel carrier of the one or more tire/wheel assemblies for transmitting a signal indicating the condition of the tire of the one or more tire/wheel assemblies, one or more receivers each having one or more receiving antennas fixedly mounted on the vehicle, and circuitry for processing the signals received by the one or more receiving antennas to determine the condition of the tire of the one or more tire/wheel assemblies;
the system characterized in that:
circuitry for each transponder is disposed on a printed circuit board within a protective housing coaxial to the hub of the wheel or wheel carrier;
and
each transmitting antenna is selected from the group consisting of a partial loop antenna, a helical antenna, a circular dipole antenna, and a small coupling coil adjacent to an endless hoop antenna.

5 more elements

A system for monitoring automatic tire pressure maintenance for one or more tires of a vehicle, wherein a pump system in a housing attached to each of one or more wheels or wheel carriers of the vehicle is utilized to automatically maintain a setpoint pressure in a pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel or wheel carrier, the system characterized by:

a transponder mounted in the housing with the pump system, wherein circuitry for the transponder is on a printed circuit board within the housing and coaxial to the hub of the wheel or wheel carrier;
a transmitting antenna associated with the transponder;
a receiver mounted on the vehicle;
a receiving antenna associated with the receiver;
a tire pressure sensor connected to the transponder;
and
a control circuit associated with the transponder for measuring the tire pressure using the tire pressure sensor, for converting the tire pressure measurement to an RF signal, and for transmitting the RF signal to the receiving antenna and receiver using the transmitting antenna.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pneumatic tire monitor

Life of this patent

Pneumatic tire monitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20