Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

M Scott Buck

Thomas H Tu

Ryan M Frakes

David A Osinski

Thomas E Utter

Mark A Walters

A method is presented for identifying a first wheel on a vehicle, the vehicle including a wireless receiver. The method comprising receiving a plurality of wheel identifiers at the wireless receiver and selecting one of the plurality of wheel identifiers that corresponds to the first wheel based on the number of times that the selected one of the plurality of wheel identifiers is received at the wireless receiver.

System and method for identifying a spare wheel

Methods and apparatus are provided for a combined vehicle keyless entry and garage door (GD) opener fob. The fob comprises a receiver, transmitter, processor, memory, user activated function switches, and preferably a display. In a GD function learn mode, the fob memorizes the signal parameters of a GD activate signal received directly from a nearby GD opener. In the normal GD operate mode, the fob transmits a replica of the GD activate signal using the learned signal parameters stored in the memory. The optional display preferably tells the user that the learn mode is active, prompts the user to operate the nearby GD opener during the learn mode, indicates whether the learn operation was successful or not and shows when the fob has returned to normal (non-learn mode) operation. The GD modes of the fob are entirely self-contained and do not depend upon the vehicle electronics system.

Combined garage door and keyless entry fob

Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting when a spare wheel (SP) is used to replace a previously rolling wheel on a vehicle, where each wheel can transmit wheel ID and motion status signals. The apparatus comprises a receiver, a memory for storing information relating wheel ID and location, a processor coupled to the receiver and memory for analyzing the wheel signals to determine if the SP is rolling, and a timer coupled to the processor that measures how long the SP has been rolling. When the SP has been rolling for predetermined time T, the processor looks at the motion status signals from remaining wheels to determine which is stopped, and then modifies the information stored in the memory to associate the SP ID with the wheel location formerly occupied by the now stopped wheel and associate the stopped-wheel ID with the storage location for the spare.

Spare tire usage detection

Methods and apparatus are provided for relearning associations between tire pressure detectors and tire locations on an automobile. An apparatus comprises tire pressure detectors installed on each wheel having a tire, each configured to transmit a unique identification code in response to a tire pressure change greater than a predetermined magnitude in a predetermined time. The apparatus also includes a monitor having a receiver for receiving and a memory for storing the transmitted identification codes and a processor for associating the identification codes with predetermined locations. A method comprises exciting the tire pressure detectors in a predetermined sequence while monitoring transmitted identification codes. The method may further include storing the received unique identification codes in a predetermined order corresponding to the predetermined sequence.

Method and apparatus for monitoring tire pressure

A tire pressure detection system including a pneumatic tire, a valve system coupled to the pneumatic tire, a switch contained within the valve system, the switch including a transmitter, a receiver in wireless communication with the transmitter; and where when the switch is actuated the switch will transmit tire pressure information to said transmitter.

Growing community of inventors

Commerce Township, MI, United States of America

M Scott Buck