Schrader Electronics Limited

Sensata Technologies, Inc.

Schrader-bridgeport International, Inc.

Samuel Kane Strahan

William David Stewart

John Greer

Emmanuel Marguet

Nicolas R Henriet

Alan Kenneth McCall

Samuel D Houston

Mark Duffy

Philip Craig

Idir Boudaoud

Ian S Elliott

Paul McGrotty

Jonathan Edward Barr

Philip Dorman

A Tugay Arslan

Ravindra P Singh

Peter Mackel

Thomas Guillemin

Andrew Burgess

Jeremy E Loraine

Trevor Anthony Jordan

Nevin Robert Molyneaux

Neil Bilcliff

Christopher Ainsworth

Ivan Andrew David Bailie

Gary Smith

John Wilson

Robert McKellar

Dominic Douglas

Emmanuel Marquet

Alan Kenneth Mccall

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for wheel theft detection and notification using a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, wheel theft detection and notification using a TPMS includes monitoring, by an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle, one or more parameters associated with a tire monitoring sensor (TMS) coupled to a wheel assembly of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the ECU determines, based on the monitored one or more parameters, that the wheel assembly is in a compromised state associated with the wheel assembly being dislocated from the vehicle or in danger of being dislocated from the vehicle. In response to determining that the wheel assembly is in the compromised state, the ECU triggers an alarm of a vehicle security system.

Wheel theft detection and notification using a tire pressure monitoring system

Methods, system, apparatuses, and computer program products for securely pairing a vehicle-mounted wireless sensor with a central device are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, securely pairing a vehicle-mounted wireless sensor with a central device in accordance with the present disclosure includes a vehicle sensor device pairing with a vehicle control system (VCS) using a pre-shared passkey. The pre-shared passkey is shared between the vehicle sensor device and the VCS via an out-of-band exchange. This embodiment also includes the vehicle sensor device transmitting an identifier for a resolvable private address (RPA) to the VCS. In addition, the vehicle sensor device communicates with the VCS using the RPA. In this example embodiment, the RPA is periodically regenerated by the vehicle sensor device.

Securely pairing a vehicle-mounted wireless sensor with a central device

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for persistent alarm transmissions associated with a vehicle mounted wireless sensor device are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, persistent alarm transmission includes a vehicle mounted wireless sensor device monitoring one or more operational parameters of a vehicle and detecting that the one or more operational parameters violates a configurable threshold that is configured by another device. In response to detecting that the one or more operational parameters violates the configurable threshold, the vehicle mounted wireless sensor device persistently transmits an alarm message.

Persistent alarm transmission associated with a vehicle mounted wireless sensor device

According to one embodiment, a method of improved communication between a wheel unit sensor and a master controller is disclosed. In this particular embodiment, the method includes determining, by the wheel unit sensor, whether a receive schedule of the wheel unit sensor indicates that a receive window has started. The method also includes in response to determining that the receive schedule indicates that the receive window has started, turning-on, by the wheel unit sensor, for the duration of the receive window, a wireless receiver of the wheel unit sensor. In this embodiment, the wireless receiver is configured to receive messages from the master controller.

Communication between a wheel unit sensor and a master controller

Tire mounted sensors have controlled orientation with respect to a direction of vehicle travel when fitted to a tire of the vehicle. The tire mounted sensor includes a sensor housing containing a pressure and/or other type of sensor and electronic components which is inserted into a sensor mount attached to the tire. Controlling the orientation of the orientation-sensitive components relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle is achieved by indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle on the sensor mount. Controlling the orientation of the sensor housing within the sensor mount, preferably in all six axes of freedom, is achieved by an orientation key or asymmetrical feature on the sensor mount that corresponds to a mating feature on the sensor housing.

Tire mounted sensors with controlled orientation and removal detection

A tire pressure monitoring device for a wheeled vehicle that is capable of detecting vehicle motion from the output of a pressure sensor. The device determines from the output signal an indication of the power of the signal, for example the variance of the signal, and detects if the vehicle is stationary or in motion depending on the determined indication of power. The device may determine that the vehicle is in motion if the determined indication of power exceeds a threshold value.

Apparatus and method for detecting vehicle motion in a tire pressure monitoring system

A tire monitor for mounting on a wheel rim, the tire monitor comprising a housing having a first part (A) configured to receive a component substrate () and a second part (B) configured to receive one or more other components of the tire monitor, for example a battery. The first and second parts of the housing are non-coplanar and non-parallel with one another. When the tire monitor is mounted on the wheel rim, the substrate is non-coplanar and non-parallel with a plane (T) that is tangential to the wheel rim at the location where the tire monitor is mounted on the rim and preferably the substrate plane is substantially radial with respect to the wheel rim.

Wheel monitoring device with non-coplanar component arrangement

An apparatus for measuring parameter values from an electrical input signal comprises a signal sampling device operable to sample the input signal and to produce a corresponding output comprising a measured parameter value; a signal level detector configured to detect changes in the level of the input signal by more than a threshold amount; and a controller co-operable with the signal sampling device and the signal level detector. The controller is configured to operate the signal sampling device to sample the input signal in response to the signal level detector detecting a change in the input signal level by more than the threshold amount.

Reduced power consumption method for sampling parameters within a TPMS

A TPM system wheel unit measures rotational period over a number of wheel revolutions, calculates a value of a period of the revolutions and wirelessly transmits the calculated value of the period to a tire pressure monitoring system receiver in the vehicle mounting the wheel. Alternatively, each wheel unit transmits an RF burst of a predetermined length and a received RF burst envelope modulated with a periodic modulation pattern is used to calculate the period of one wheel rotation for each wheel. A central vehicle electronic control unit monitors wheel speed signals for each wheel of the vehicle and calculates a period for the wheel speed signal for each wheel of the vehicle, bounded by a rolling window which may be of variable length. The calculated values are compared and the wheel unit and the wheel location are correlated therefrom.

Tire pressure monitoring system wheel rotation auto location

A wheel monitoring system that includes a tracking filter apparatus for tracking a signal that has a varying main frequency. The tracking filter apparatus has an adjustable filter and a filter controller arranged to measure the amplitude of the filtered signal and to compare amplitude against a reference value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency of the filter if the measured amplitude differs from the reference value by an amount that exceeds a threshold value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency such that the main frequency lies within the roll off region of the filter's frequency response. The system may be used to track signals that are produced by shock sensors in a wheel mounted monitoring device.

Tracking filter apparatus for wheel monitoring systems

A method carried out in a wheel unit of a tire pressure monitoring system comprises detecting, using a controller in the wheel unit, increases and decreases in loading of a tire on a wheel associated with the wheel unit during acceleration and deceleration. Front/rear position of the wheel unit on a vehicle mounting the tire pressure monitoring system is determined, using the controller in the wheel unit, based on the loading and unloading of the tire and wheel during acceleration and deceleration. Rotation direction of the wheel in the wheel unit is determined and the controller in the wheel unit determines left/right position of the wheel unit on the vehicle based on the rotation direction of the wheel. An indication of the front/rear and left/right position of the wheel on the vehicle and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit are transmitted.

Load based wheel position determination

A wheel position determination system and method to count wheel revolutions in a wheel unit of a tire monitoring system. An indication of the count is transmitted, optionally along with an indication of a left/right side position of the wheel on the vehicle, and an identification unique to the transmitting wheel unit, to a central controller of the tire monitoring system. In the central controller of the tire monitoring system, the count is compared with wheel speed information for the vehicle, such as from an ABS system, to determine if one wheel on each side of the vehicle is rotating at a different speed. Based at least in part upon a determination that each wheel speed is unique, a determination of wheel location may be made.

Wheel position determination using revolution counter

Auto-location systems and methods of tire pressure monitoring sensor units arranged with a wheel of a vehicle detect a predetermined time (T) when a wheel phase angle reaches angle of interest using a rim mounted or a tire mounted sensor. The systems and methods transmit a radio frequency message associated with a wheel phase angle indication. The wheel phase angle indication triggers wheel phase and/or speed data such as ABS data at the predetermined time (T) to be stored. A correlation algorithm is executed to identify the specific location of a wheel based on the wheel phase and/or speed data at the predetermined time (T). TPM sensor parameters from a tire pressure monitoring sensor unit are assigned to the specific location of the wheel.

System and method for performing auto-location of a tire pressure monitoring sensor arranged with a vehicle wheel

Systems and methods for auto-location of tire pressure monitoring sensor units on a vehicle measure the angle of a wheel at two different times using a rim mounted or a tire mounted sensor and determines a difference in measured angles. The systems and methods provide for transmitting the angles and/or the difference in the measured angles along with a sensor identification to an electronic control module. Alternatively, the systems and methods provide for transmitting time differences to the electronic control module. The electronic control module correlates information transmitted from the wheel unit with antilock brake system data. A location of the wheel mounting the sensor is determined and the sensor identification is assigned.

Vehicle wheel auto-location using wheel phase angle information

A tire pressure detector employs a reduced power consumption mechanism comprising a PLL circuit including a VCO, that is operated in response to the logic states of an input data stream and a power amplifier configured to be externally located to an integrated circuit. The input data stream includes tire pressure information and is configured to be encoded to have multiple logic states. A micro-controller is employed to control the VCO, turning the VCO, and/or the amplifier, on and off for a certain period, according to the pattern of each data bit of the input data stream thus providing reduced current consumption. This tire pressure detector thus embodies an optimized circuit arrangement in terms of power efficiency.

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Ballymena, United Kingdom

Samuel Kane Strahan