Transense Technologies, Plc

Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

John Peter Beckley

Victor Alexandrovich Kalinin

David Daniel George Vile

Bryn James Dixon

George Phillips O'Brien

Raymond David Lohr

Arthur John Leigh

Arthur Richard Metcalf

Victor Alexandrovich Kallnin

George E Bown

David Vile

George Edward Andrew Bown

A method of wirelessly interrogating a sensing device comprising a plurality of passive sensors, to determine a measurement parameter, comprises the steps of repeatedly interrogating the sensing device using a predetermined transmission signal and detecting the response; estimating the measurement parameter for each sensor by means of an analysis of the data accumulated as a result of the interrogation step, and determining the average of the parameters derived from the estimating step for each sensor, using a weighted average, in which the weightings depend on the amplitude of the sensor response. The measurement parameter may be a resonant frequency where the passive sensors are resonant devices, and the sensors may be SAW devices.

Interrogation method for passive wireless sensor interrogation system

Aspects of the present invention are directed to using surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors mounted on a disc coupling component in a powertrain to measure the torque generated by an automobile engine. The sensor may be positioned and oriented on the disc coupling component so that the phase velocities of SAWs propagating through active elements of the SAW sensors are aligned with principal strain components due to torque in the disc coupling component. The torque may be calculated by determining the difference between resonant frequencies of the active elements to suppress common-mode interference factors. In addition, SAW resonant frequencies may be communicated in a non-contacting manner by utilizing rotary and stationary couplers employing radio frequency (RF) signals. Moreover, SAW sensors may be activated and interrogated by employing targeted RF pulses having different carrier frequencies at or near respective resonant frequencies of each resonator in a SAW sensor.

Torque measurement within a powertrain

A rotary coupler comprises a statorhaving a first faceand a rotorhaving a second face, the first and second facesbeing spaced apart from and facing each other. A first electrically conducting trackis provided on the first faceof the statorwhich forms a transmission line and has spaced apart ends A, B and a second electrically conducting trackis provided on the second surfaceof the rotoralso forming a transmission line and having spaced apart ends C, D. One end A of the first track, in use, is connected to signal generating means and the other end B of the first track is connected to earth through a resistor substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line. The first trackextends along a generally circular arc substantially around the first faceof the stator, the first trackhaving a length substantially equal to an integer number of wavelengths of the signal produced, in use, by the signal generating means. The second track () extends along a generally circular arc partially around the second faceof the rotor, the second trackhaving a length substantially equal to one quarter of the wavelength of the signal produced, in use, by the signal generating means.

Large diameter RF rotary coupler used with a passive RF sensor

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing the condition of a wheel particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and apparatus for assessing the condition of a tire rotating on a vehicle wheel. Apparatus is provided comprising a plurality of antennas () for transmitting an interrogation signal to a sensor (), the sensor being mounted to a wheel to be assessed and being adapted to detect the condition of the wheel; wherein the antennas are arranged in a line along a path to be followed by a wheel to be assessed.

Remote interrogation of a vehicle wheel

A self-contained radio apparatus for the transmission of data includes a resiliently deformable patch, a resiliently deformable antenna carried by the patch, a post secured to the patch and upstanding from an upper surface of the patch, the post providing at an end remote from the patch a mounting for a radio device, and, electrical conductors extending from the antenna to the end of the post remote from the patch for operably connecting the antenna to a radio device mounted on the post. The radio apparatus is useful for attaching to objects that undergo bending stresses, such as tires.

Self-contained radio apparatus for transmission of data

A split ring coupler comprising a stator ring having at least one split in it such that the stator has at least a first and a second end and a rotor ring having at least one split in it such that the rotor ring has at least a first and a second end, said rotor ring being oriented substantially coaxially with and axially spaced apart from said stator ring. At least one SAW resonator is electrically directly coupled between said first and second ends of the rotor ring in series therewith, neither of said ends of said stator ring being connected to ground.

Split-ring coupler incorporating dual resonant sensors

A system for interrogating a tire sensor. The disclosure provides a wheel () including a sensor () and an electrical conductor () extending about a rotational axis () of the wheel (), the sensor () being electrically coupled to said electrical conductor (). Communication between the sensor and a remote interrogating apparatus is thereby improved.

Tire sensor interrogation and valve therefore

An arrangement for tracking resonant frequency of electrically resonant structures through a single channel includes a variable frequency oscillator associated with each resonant structure which provides an excitation signal of a variable frequency encompassing a possible resonant frequency of the associated resonant structure. Coupling device(s) are provided which connect each variable frequency oscillator to said resonant structure(s). An I-mixer is provided for each oscillator which forms a synchronous detector, a first input of each I-mixer being connected to its associated oscillator and a second input being connected to the coupling device, each I-mixer mixing the excitation signal from the associated variable frequency oscillator with a response signal generated by the resonant structure(s) in response to each excitation signal. The output of each I-mixer is filtered to remove sum products of the excitation and response signals, thereby leaving an amplitude modulation component of the signal, which is processed in a control loop to track the resonant frequency of each resonant structure.

Method and apparatus for tracking a resonant frequency

A method of determining the frequency of a plurality of resonant devices (for example three SAW devices) includes determining optimal interrogation frequencies for each of the devices, the optimal interrogation frequencies having maximum power spectral densities, accumulating a plurality of responses for each sensor, performing discrete Fourier transforms on the sampling results to estimate the three resonant frequencies, and averaging the results of the Fourier transforms to provide an indication of resonant frequencies. The averaging step may include the calculation of a standard deviation and the rejection of any results which fall more than a pre-determined multiple of the standard deviation from the average frequency result. The frequency determined by the method may be employed to calculate the pressure and temperature of the sensor devices. The sensor devices may be located in a vehicle tire.

Interrogation method for passive sensor monitoring system

A pressure monitoring system has a first chamber ( ) and a second chamber ( ) separated by a diaphragm. The diaphragm carries respective SAW devices on the respective sides thereof, the SAW devices having different resonant frequencies. Variations in pressure within the second chamber ( ) relative to the pressure within the first chamber ( ) will cause deflection of the diaphragm and the resulting changes in resonant frequency of the SAW devices can be analyzed to indicate the pressure differential between the chambers. The pressure-measuring device is incorporated within a valve assembly for a vehicle tire. When the vehicle tire is inflated, the inflation pressure is trapped within the first chamber ( ) as a reference. Any subsequent loss of pressure from the second chamber ( ), e.g. as a result of a puncture, will cause deflection of the diaphragm and a corresponding output from the SAW devices.

Pressure monitoring system and inflation valve using same

An electrical signal coupling device and more particularly, a rotary signal coupler suitable for use in transmitting electrical signals between transducers mounted on a shaft and wiring which is fixed relative to the structure in which the shaft is rotatably mounted. The coupling device includes a first part mounted on a rotary shaft and a second part mounted on the shaft in juxtaposition to the first part. The first and second parts include respective first and second conductors for electrically coupling the parts. The coupling device also includes means for maintaining a predetermined and substantially constant annular gap between the first and second parts and means, disposed on the second part, for preventing rotation of the second part as the first part rotates with the shaft.

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Bicester, United Kingdom

John Peter Beckley