Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-29
2002-06-04
La, Anh (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
C340S447000, C340S445000, C073S146200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06400261
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention is generally concerned with a method of monitoring a tire-condition value in a pneumatic tire and more particularly with a method of automatically monitoring a tire-condition value in a pneumatic tire of a moving vehicle.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to concurrently filed application entitled A SYSTEM OF APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A TIRE CONDITION VALUE IN A PNEUMATIC TIRE Ser. No. 09/820,440.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art to combine a passive radio frequency (RF) transponder, having a RF antenna, with a tire-condition sensor and to incorporate the resulting electronic tag with a pneumatic tire. The transponder typically includes an integrated circuit that is preferably a suitable complimentary, metal-oxide, semiconductor (CMOS). The integrated circuit generally includes a logic circuit and a read only memory (ROM) circuit connected thereto. The ROM circuit preferably has stored therein a unique serial number (SN) for identifying the electronic tire tag and thus the tire with which it is incorporated. In addition, the integrated circuit typically includes an analog to digital (A/D) converter circuit that is connected between the logic circuit and the sensor, for receiving and converting respective analog sample signals received from the sensor to respective related digital signals for processing by the logic circuit. Moreover, the integrated circuit typically includes an RF rectifier circuit that is connected between the RF antenna and the logic circuit, for receiving therefrom and rectifying an RF signal, transmitted from an external transceiver, for providing a direct current (D.C.) power input signal to the logic circuit. Still further, the integrated circuit includes a clock signal generating circuit that is also connected between the RF antenna and the logic circuit for receiving the RF signal and generating therefrom a suitable timing signal for use by the logic circuit. Moreover, the logic circuit includes a transmitter circuit. And, the logic circuit is constructed and arranged to respond to receiving the D.C power input signal for energizing the ROM circuit, the A/D converter circuit and the sensor, and for causing the transmitter circuit to transmit to of the external transceiver, data corresponding to the SN and to the then current sample signal received from the sensor.
The above-described electronic tire tag is typically incorporated with a pneumatic tire by initially encapsulating the tag in a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as a urethane, epoxy or polystyrene resin, hard rubber compound or the like. Thereafter, the encapsulated tag is normally wrapped with a green rubber material to form a patch that is fixedly secured to a previously cured pneumatic tire. Alternatively, the encapsulated tag may be included between respective layers of green-rubber material forming an uncured tire and vulcanized therewith, to form a cured pneumatic tire having the encapsulated electronic tire tag embedded therein.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,609, issued Jan. 27, 1998 to Mehregany et al., it is also known in the art to provide a micro-mechanical temperature condition sensor, fabricated on a silicon or bimetallic substrate, that is constructed and arranged for sensing a threshold temperature value. As discussed in the '609 Patent, when an extreme temperature condition eventuates and is sensed by a micro-mechanical temperature sensor, the sensor latches and remains latched to provide a memory of the event available for detection purposes. Due to such characteristics, the micro-mechanical temperature sensor has come to be known in the art as a maximum temperature memory switch (MTMS). Assuming the provision of an MTMS as the sensor in the electronic tire tag discussed above, the A/D converter may be eliminated since the MTMS is a digital device. Moreover, the logic circuit would then be constructed an arranged to respond to energization thereof for performing a continuity detection test of the MTMS to determine the latched or unlatched state of the MTMS and to cause the transmitter circuit to transmit, to the external transceiver, data corresponding to the SN, followed by data corresponding the latched or unlatched state of the MTMS.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,235, issued Jan. 10, 1978 to Markland et al., it is also known in the art to provide a system for remotely measuring the air pressure in a pneumatic tire. The system calls for the provision of an electronic tire tag that includes a passive transponder and a pressure sensor in a pneumatic tire. In addition, externally of the tire the system includes a stationary power transmitter that generates an electromagnetic field in the roadway with a flat coil antenna for empowering the transponder and pressure sensor. Moreover, the system includes a signal processor. When the pressure sensor is empowered, the sensor transmits a low frequency FM signal representative of the tire pressure to the signal processor. Whereupon the signal processor generates quantitative signals representing the pressure in the tire, and visually displays and passes such signals to a computer. By means of various flat coil antenna configurations, the system can distinguish between tires mounted in various relationships. Moreover, by coding the FM signal the system can uniquely identify the vehicle as well as each tire thereof. In an additional embodiment, a current induced therein by an external magnetic field powers the pressure sensor. This embodiment calls for the pressure sensor in the tire to be rotated through a stationary magnetic field generated by permanent magnets attached to the vehicle.
Moreover, as shown in International Patent Application Publication Number WO90/12474, published Oct. 18, 1990, it is known in the art to provide system for electronically identifying a vehicle tire having a coil and signal generator internally secured to the tire. As the vehicle and thus the tire moves in a predetermined path of travel, the signal generator in the tire responds to the presence of predetermined signals at the coil, that are received from an interrogator antenna oriented at an angle of substantially 45 degrees relative to the path of travel of the vehicle, by transmitting a unique signal identifying the signal generator.
Other publications of interest found in the course of a prior art search, concerning the subject matter of the present invention, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,752,960 and 4,630,044 and 5,070,334.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a method of monitoring at least one tire condition value of each of a plurality of tires of a moving vehicle, in a system of apparatus for monitoring the at least one tire condition value of each of the tires. Each of the tires has associated therewith an electronic tire tag for sensing the at least one tire condition value of the associated tire, and the monitoring system has portable vehicle sensing apparatus and portable ramp apparatus, tire sensing apparatus, portable transceiver apparatus and has portable computer apparatus removably electrically connected thereto and to the vehicle sensing apparatus and tire sensing apparatus. The method comprises the steps of the computer apparatus determining whether the vehicle sensing apparatus has sensed the moving vehicle and the ramp apparatus supporting the moving vehicle. In addition the method includes the steps of the computer apparatus determining whether respective tires of the moving vehicle have been sensed by the tire sensing apparatus, and causing the transceiver apparatus to transmit an interrogation signal when the tire sensing apparatus senses at least one tire. Further, the method includes the step of the transceiver apparatus receiving and demodulating modulated tire tag signals independently of one another from different tire tags for providing different demodulated tire tag signals. Moreover, the method includes the step of the transceiver apparatus digitizing the different demodulated tire tag signals a
Letkomiller Joseph Michael
Pollack Richard Stephen
Starkey Gene Raymond
Cohn Howard M.
La Anh
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
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