JP2003507231A - Method for monitoring the dynamic state of rolling elements, especially pneumatic tires - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Summary At least one dynamic state of a pneumatic tire (304, 604, 804, 904, 1004) of an automobile (802, 1002) is provided to a responder from a wireless transmitter (808, 1030). By detecting (520, 820) fluctuations in the power coupling, the response is monitored by a transponder (302, 602, 806, 1020) mounted on the tire. Coupling fluctuations give an indication of dynamic conditions such as, for example, tire angular position, rotational speed / acceleration, turning angle, lateral acceleration, and radial displacement. Alternatively, fluctuations in the coupling of the signal from the transponder to the wireless transmitter can be detected to provide an indication of the dynamic conditions associated with the pneumatic tire.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] Cross-Reference to Related Applications This application has the same filing date as the present specification, DISPOSITION OF Transponder COU
It is associated with a PCT patent application entitled PLING ELEMENTS IN TIRES ("Arrangement of Coupling Elements of Responders in Tires") (Attorney Ref. DN1999124PCT).

[0002] The present invention relates to a dynamic state of rotation (rotation) devices, and more particularly to monitoring the dynamic conditions such as rotational speed of the pneumatic tire.

[0003] over the development effort a century of ongoing background assignee of the invention, the assignee of the present invention Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company o
f Akron Ohio was a non-competitive industry leader in tire product technology. For example, as early as 1892, we obtained a patent right for anti-puncture tires. Recognized as the dawn of the run-flat era, in 1934, Goodyear announced that Litube is a cloth tube in tires used commercially by automakers and trucks.
Feguard (tm) safety tube introduced. In 1993, Goodyear's Eagle GS
-C EMT (Extended Mobility Technology) tires for Discover Award for Automoti
Received ve Technological Innovation. In 1996, Goodyear Eagle F1
Runflat tires were selected as standard equipment on the 1997 Chevrolet C-5 Corvette.

Other examples of the footprint that Goodyear has made in developing tires and related technologies include, but are not limited to, the following patented inventions:

"Signaling System for Low TI"
RE CONDITION ON A VEHICLE), shared US Pat. No. 3,665,387 (Enabnit; 1972), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, is capable of accommodating any number of wheels in a vehicle and is in motion. In the meantime, a low tire pressure warning system is disclosed which shows the system operation and low pressure conditions on the dashboard.

Shared US Pat. No. 3,831,161 (E, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, under the name “FAIL-SAFE MONITERING APPARANTUS”.
nabnit; 1974) discloses that an operator monitors vehicle tire pressure to be alerted to abnormal or dangerous conditions in one or more tires.

[Apparatus and method for transmitting auxiliary signal through wiring of existing vehicle] (APPARANTUS AND M
ETHOD FOR TRANSMITTING AUXILIARY SIGNALS ON EXITING VEHICLE WIRING), a common U.S. Patent 3,872,424, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety .
No. (Enabnit; 1975) discloses communicating with a low tire pressure monitoring circuit using power pulses carried on existing vehicle wiring (eg, turn signal circuits).

[0008] Shared US Pat. No. 4,052,696 (Enabnit; 1977), entitled “TIRE CONDITION MONITOR”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Discloses a tire condition detection circuit including a ferrite element that changes from a ferromagnetic state to a non-magnetic state in response to a temperature rise above the Curie point of a substance.

“Single Wiring Power / Signal System for Vehicle Auxiliary Equipment” (SINGLE WIRE
POWER / SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE AUXILIARY DEVICES) and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, US Pat. No. 4,099,157 (Enabnit; 1978).
Discloses using a single wire with a ground return through the vehicle frame to power and receive a sensed signal from a remotely located condition monitoring device.

[Method of making a hose to be combined with an enclosed static ground conductor] (FOR MA
KING HOSE INCORPORATING AN EMBEDDED STATIC GROUND CONDUCTOR) and shared US Pat.
ORATING AN EMBEDDED STATIC GROUND CONDUCTOR), both related US Pat . No. 4,168,198 (Stanley; 1979) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

"Pneumatic Tire Integrated Circuit Transponder for Tire Identification" (INTEGRATED CIRCUIT T
RANSPONDER IN A PNEUMATIC TIRE FOR TIRE IDENTIFICATION) and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Pat . No. 4,911,217 (Dunn, et.
al .; 1990) discloses a pneumatic tire RF transponder. Figure 1a of this patent illustrates a prior art identification system ("reader") used to wirelessly transmit and power a transponder in a tire. The identification system includes a portable, palm-sized module having an exciter and associated circuitry therein for instructing a user to identify a tire / responder digit in response to a signal from a wireless transmitter.

“Integrated Circuit Transponder with Coil Antenna for Pneumatic Tire Used for Tire Identification”
(INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TRANSPONDER WITH COIL ANNTENA IN A PNEUMATIC TIRE F
OR USE IN TIRE IDENTIFICATION), shared US Pat . No. 5,181,975 (Pollack, et. Al .; 1993), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, is an integrated circuit (IC) transponder and pressure transducer. And a pneumatic tire having As described in this patent, in already manufactured tires, transponders are attached to the inner surface of the tire by tire patches or other similar materials and devices.

“Pneumatic tire with integrated circuit transponder and pressure transducer” (PNEUMATIC TIRE HAVIN
G AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TRANSPONDER AND PRESSURE TRANSDUCER), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in US Pat. No. 5,218,816 (Bro
wn, et al .; 1993) discloses a pneumatic tire having an integrated circuit (IC) transponder and a pressure transducer mounted in the pneumatic tire. Upon radio transmission by an external RF signal provided by a "reader", the transponder transmits the tire identification and tire pressure data in digitally encoded form. The transponder is "passive" in the sense that it does not self-power, but rather derives operating power from an externally supplied RF signal.

The shared US patents referred to herein are Goodyear in the development of tire product technology.
It represents the extensive, ongoing effort undertaken by the Tire & Rubber Company.

Dynamic State Dynamic states such as the position and angular velocity of the rotating element can be easily measured.

US Pat. No. 3,831,570, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses measuring crankshaft rotational position using magnetic pickup coils, rotating gears, and permanent magnets. The gear has a number of waves corresponding to the number of spark plugs.

US Pat. No. 3,832,640 , incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses determining a large number of angular relationships (rotational positions) in a rotating element such as a crankshaft.

Simple tire change meters are well known and are disclosed, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 4,842,486 and 5,524,034, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

US Pat. No. 5,218,862, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a tire pressure monitoring system located on the wheels of a tire and having a wheel speed sensor that sends wheel speed information to an electronic controller. ing. Although the patent states that wheel speed differences between one tire and another tire suggest differences in their tire pressures,
This difference may also suggest that the car was turning, accelerating, decelerating, climbing steeply ups and downs, slipping wheels, and hitting the wind.

US Pat. No. 5,274,355, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a system for monitoring pressure and temperature of a rotating pneumatic tire. A resilient diaphragm is embedded in or attached to the inner wall of the tire.
Changes in tire pressure result in measurable expansion and contraction of the diaphragm surface. The diaphragm has a pair of reflective stripes that are separated from each other by a fixed distance that defines the size of the reference, and another pair of reflective stripes that move relative to each other when the diaphragm expands or contracts with respect to tire filling pressure. . The time interval between the pulses associated with each stripe, as detected by a photodetector attached to the vehicle, indicates the speed of the individual tire. Background infrared radiation emitted spontaneously from a tire is indicative of tire temperature.

US Pat. No. 5,345,217, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, produces a series of pulses spaced by equal increments of the angular position of each wheel (used in the Electronic Braking System Automatic Braking System). (As described), measuring the tire speed of a vehicle with a multi-tooth pulse generator on each wheel.
The speed of each wheel is compared to the others to determine if and how well the tire is underfilled.

US Pat. No. 5,569,848, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a tooth profile ring sensor associated with each wheel assembly and operatively associated with each tooth profile ring for measuring the angle of rotation of the wheel. Disclosed is a tire pressure monitoring system having a sensor that produces a signal and a computer that receives the signal from the sensor. The computer monitors the speed sensors on the wheels during operation of the vehicle and calculates and indicates vehicle speed, vehicle mileage, and low tire pressure.

US Pat. No. 5,721,528, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a low tire pressure warning system that utilizes an angular displacement sensor on each wheel. The system utilizes wheel displacement sensors already mounted on the vehicle, including ABS systems. Certain operating conditions of the vehicle, such as excessive or very low speeds, stops and turns, are determined from the sensor output.

Static state In addition to the above-mentioned dynamic state (for example, position, rotational speed / acceleration), a static state (
Pressure and temperature, for example, are also associated with rolling elements such as pneumatic tires. If you do not correct the wrong tire pressure quickly, excessive tire wear, puncture,
Fuel efficiency of gasoline becomes poor, and it becomes difficult to control. Automatic tire underfill warning systems are especially important for "runflat" tires.
This is because the insufficient filling state cannot be detected by the driver himself. The static parameter sensor is typically located in a rotating tire and associated circuitry transmits data indicative of the detected condition to an in-vehicle receiver in the vehicle.

Pneumatic Tire Transponder System A "transponder" is an electronic device capable of both receiving and transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals. Transponder systems, which typically include multiple transponders and a wireless transmitter, are known and are disclosed, for example, in US Pat . No. 5,339,073, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It is incorporated in its entirety by reference.

It is known to place transponders (and associated sensors) on the pneumatic tires of motor vehicles. These transponders transmit RF waves outside the tire, with or without variable data (eg tire pressure, temperature, position) and / or fixed data (eg tire ID), and An RF signal is received from the outside with or without data. A separate transponder is typically associated with each tire of the vehicle to monitor and transmit data regarding the tire. Typically, a "radio receiver" capable of both transmitting and receiving is used to communicate with the transponder. The wireless receiver may be carried, mounted onboard the vehicle, or located (eg, "driveover" or "driveby") along or within the road.

An “active” transponder has its own power source (eg, battery). They receive signals, and typically can also receive signals that control their function.

A “passive” transponder obtains power from the energy of an incoming RF signal, such as from a wireless receiver. Passive transponders fall into two general categories: those that have only diversion circuits, and those that have some active circuitry. Mainly discussed here is a passive transponder with some active circuitry.

US Pat. No. 5,612,671, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a low tire pressure warning system having a pressure sensor and a radio transmitter on each wheel, and an onboard receiver including a microprocessor. is doing.

US Pat. No. 4,609,905, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a passive transponder having only passive circuitry. The vehicle RF transmitter wirelessly receives the transponder and returns an RF signal of a predetermined frequency to the recipient as a function of the state of the pressure switch involved.

US Pat. No. 4,067,235, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a passive transponder having a tire pressure sensor. The electromagnetic waves generated by the power transmitter are received by the receiving antenna having the inductor and the capacitor of the tire pressure sensor. This radiation is converted to electricity by a rectifying filter and powers the active components of the transponder (oscillator, buffer amplifier, transmitter).

US Pat. No. 4,724,427, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a passive transponder that receives a carrier signal from a wireless transmitter. The carrier signal is rectified by a rectifying circuit connected across the coil of the transponder antenna to generate electricity to power the transponder. The data is encoded by the harmonic oscillator circuit and mixed with the carrier signal. The output of the harmonic oscillator circuit is sent back to the radio receiving unit.

US Pat. No. 4,730,188, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a passive transponder that is excited by inductive coupling from a wireless transmitter. The transponder responds to the wireless transmitter via inductive coupling with the signals that make up the data stream. The transponder has an inductive coil that acts as its antenna to provide a DC voltage (power) to the active circuitry within the transponder, a full wave rectifying bridge and a smoothing capacitor across the antenna.

US Pat. No. 4,911,217, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an RF transponder in a pneumatic tire. FIG. 1a shows a prior art identification system ("reader") used to power wireless transmissions and transponders in tires. The portable module has an exciter and circuitry therein to indicate the tire / responder number identification therein.

[0035] U.S. Patent 5,181,975 No. and No. 5,218,861 entirety is incorporated herein by reference, for use in tire identification and pressure data transmission, passive integrated circuit disposed within the structure of the tire A pneumatic tire having a transponder is disclosed. The radio transmitter signal is rectified by the transponder circuitry, and the transponder then utilizes the rectified signal as a power source for use in transmitting the digitally encoded signal.

US Pat. No. 4,220,907, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a low tire pressure warning system for a motor vehicle. Each wheel is equipped with a transmitter and there is a common receiver with a suitable antenna, for example a ferrite loop rod.

US Pat. No. 4,319,220, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discloses a tire pressure monitoring system having a common receiver for the tire wheel unit. Each wheel unit has an antenna with a continuous line loop located opposite the inner circumference of the tire transmitting signals and receiving power. Multiple antennas are provided on the receiver and may take the form of ferrite loop rods.

US Pat. No. 5,319,354, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an antenna structure that communicates with an electronic tag (responder) implanted in a pneumatic tire. This patent acknowledges that rotation of the transponder with respect to the antenna in communication with the transponder adversely affects the coupling between the antenna of the wireless transmitter and the antenna of the transponder. The construction of the radio transmitter antenna is described so that the coupling is always of the same quality, regardless of the location of the pneumatic tire transponder, even if the location is unknown.

The following US patents are also of interest: These are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 3,835,451, 4,755,345, 5,095,309, 5,235,326, 5, 537,867, 5,559,507, 5,594,448, 5,731,754, 5,790,016, 5,790,016, 5,824,89 1, 5,826,207

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects of the invention are defined in one or more of the appended claims and may be implemented to achieve one or more subobjectives. A method and apparatus for monitoring one or more dynamic operating conditions of a rotating element, such as a tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide data indicative of the forces exerted on the tires of a motor vehicle by increasing the functionality of existing tire response systems (eg pressure monitoring systems).

According to the present invention, fluctuations in the coupling of RF energy between the in-vehicle radio transmitter of a tire monitoring system and a tire mounted transponder may result in one or more dynamic conditions affecting the tire. It is detected as an indication. The coupling fluctuation is detected as a power fluctuation by the transponder, and the data indicating the fluctuation is transmitted to the in-vehicle wireless transmitter. (The transponder is a passive transponder powered by a wireless transmitter.)
Instead, the fluctuation is detected at the wireless transmitter based on the strength of the signal transmitted by the transponder.

For pneumatic vehicle tires, fluctuations typically exhibit periodicity related to tire rotation, including amplitude changes and phase shifts. In this case, the angular position of the tire at the moment, its time derivative, speed and acceleration can be easily determined. In addition to the angular position of the tire, the dynamic state of the pneumatic tire such as rotational speed / acceleration, lateral acceleration, radial offset, twisting effect of one or more tire shafts, turning angle can also be recognized Cause fluctuations in power (electricity).

Asymmetric deformations of a pneumatic tire in response to forces such as turning inputs to the front tire during cornering and other vehicle dynamics also cause appreciable coupling (power) fluctuations. Displacements in the up / down and bounce of the tire / wheel assembly also cause discernible coupling fluctuations. Information about the dynamic conditions acting on the tire is utilized by the vehicle operator and / or vehicle control system in any desired manner.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fine increments in angular position are interpolated between a relatively small number of positions that cause discernible coupling (power) fluctuations (events) or tire rotation. It can be determined by increasing the number of recognizable binding fluctuations detected for each.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the transponder is located adjacent to the tread of the tire, has an antenna, and is loose on a conductive wheel that is preferably located adjacent to the tread of the tire. Are connected. Many inductive elements are spaced to induce coupling fluctuations in the form of "blips" or something.

According to one aspect of the invention, the tire is a radially layered pneumatic tire,
The coupling element is a ring arranged between the framework structure and the belt structure, for example on the equatorial plane of the tire and under the tread. The wheels have the additional purpose of improving the quality of the tire runflat. As used herein, the term "runflat" refers only to the construction of the tire and does not cause the tire's sidewalls and inner surfaces to collapse or roll when the tire is operating in an uninflated condition. It means that it is strong enough to carry the load of a car without the need for any internal devices to prevent it from collapsing.

[0048]   Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Examples of preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are for purposes of illustration and not limitation. While the present invention is described in terms of these preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the spirit and scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to these particular embodiments.

Certain elements in some of the drawings are not drawn to scale for clarity of illustration.

Throughout the drawings, similar elements are often given similar reference numerals.
For example, element 199 in one figure (or embodiment) is similar in many respects to element 299 in another figure (or embodiment). Such relationships between the same or different figures will be apparent throughout the specification, including the claims and abstract, if applicable.

In some cases, similar elements are similarly numbered in the figures. For example, each of the plurality of elements 199 may individually include 199a, 199b, 199.
It is numbered as c.

All of the cross-sectional views shown here are for clarity of illustration and the background lines otherwise visible in the original cross-section have been omitted to give the shape of a “slice” or “near-field” cross-section. taking it.

The structure, operation, and advantages of this preferred embodiment of the present invention will become more apparent in view of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows four pneumatic tires 104 a mounted on each of four wheels (not shown).
． ． 1 illustrates a typical prior art tire pressure monitoring system 100 installed in a vehicle 102 (shown in phantom) having a 104d. Responder (“tag”) 106a. ． 106d includes the tires 104a. ． It is arranged in each of 104d. Transponder 106a. ． 106d is preferably a passive transponder which derives its operating power from a typical RF signal generated by an in-vehicle wireless transmitter 108 mounted in the vehicle.

The wireless transmitter 108 includes an RF transmitter 112 (eg, for powering a passive transponder), an RF receiver 114, control logic 116 including a microprocessor,
It has a display device 118 that includes an image display and optionally an audio alert. Antenna 110a. ． 110d is located on the vehicle 102 and may include tires 104a.d, such as a recess for a vehicle wheel. ． It is preferable that they are respectively adjacent to 104d. Antenna 110a. ． Suitably 110d is a ferrite loopstick antenna.

Each tire 104a. ． At each fixed position on the vehicle adjacent the vehicle antenna 110a. ． The use of 110d preferably have been well known, U.S. Patent No. 3,553,060, generally are included herein by reference, No. 3,810,090, 4, No. 220,907, No. 5,541,574, disclosed in Patent 5,774,047.

In use, the wireless transmitter 108 is the transponder 106a. ． Power is applied to 106d, which in turn causes the transponder to send back to the wireless transmitter data indicating the measured condition (eg, air pressure). In any such system, the fixed antenna 110a. ．
110d (alternatively it could be one centrally located fixed antenna) and a signal between a moving (ie when the vehicle is moving) transponder (not shown but each has its own antenna) It is desirable that they are efficiently and effectively combined.

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a typical prior art passive RF transponder 200 (106a.
(Compare any one of 106d). The antenna 202 is, for example, a coil antenna, and is connected from the wireless transmitter 108 (antennas 110a ... 110d).
(Via) to receive the carrier signal. The carrier signal at frequency F is connected to the transponder antenna 202 to generate operating power for the transponder active circuitry, in this example the clock and control logic circuit 206, the sensor interface / data generation circuit 208. Is rectified by the rectifier circuit 204. The data obtained from one or more status sensors 210, such as temperature and pressure sensors,
In some cases, it is stored in the memory 212, encoded (digitized) by the modulation circuit 214, and mixed with the carrier signal. The output of the modulation circuit 214 is sent back to the wireless transmitter 108 via the antenna 202.

It should be appreciated that the clock and control logic circuit 206 derives the clock signal directly from the RF carrier signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter 108. For example, a carrier signal that illuminates (powers) the transponder, at 125 kHz , passes through a "divide by 10" divider circuit (not shown) to produce a 12.5 kHz clock pulse. The clock signal is counted by a counter (not shown), and the cumulative count number of the counter is digitized and transmitted by the transponder.

3A, 3B, and 3C show passive transponders 302 (106a..106d, 2d) disposed in a pneumatic tire 304 (compare any one of 104a..104d).
Prior art RF response system 300, including any one of 00). In this example, transponder 302 is a passive transponder and is mounted to inner surface 306 of tire 304 in a suitable manner. The antenna 320 (compare any one of 110a ... 110d) is near the tire 304, like a recess for a wheel,
It is located on the car and not only receives signals from the transponder 302,
In the case of a passive transponder, it outputs electromagnetic radiation to power the transponder 302.

As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the automobile antenna 320 is fixedly arranged at the 12 o'clock position with respect to the tire 304, for example, in parallel with the top of the tire. It should be understood that the antenna 320 may be located anywhere suitable for electromagnetically coupling with the transponder 302 without interfering with the movement (eg, rotation, turning, rebounding) of the tire 304. is there.

As the tire 304 rotates (as indicated by arrow 330), the transponder 302 moves closer to or away from the antenna 320 instead. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the tire 304 is arranged such that the transponder 302 is at the “6 o'clock” position with respect to the antenna 320. Thus, when the transponder 302 is farthest from the antenna 320, the coupling of the RF signal between the antenna 320 and the transponder 302 causes the tire to rotate 180 degrees and the transponder 302 to move to “12” as illustrated in FIG. 3C. It is relatively weak compared to the coupling between the antenna 320 and the transponder 302 when in the "hour" position. Therefore, as tire 304 rotates, it will be apparent that there is a periodic fluctuation in the RF energy coupling between antenna 320 and transponder 302.

FIG. 4 shows an in-vehicle radio transmitter (positioned in a pneumatic tire as described above).
R between antenna (eg 320) and transponder (eg 302) of eg 108)
4 is a graph 400 illustrating fluctuations in coupling of F energies. The x-axis is the angle (°) between the transponder 302 and the car antenna 320 as the tire rotates.
Is. 0 ° is where the transponder 302 is closest to the antenna 320 (as in FIG. 3C), and 180 ° is where the transponder 302 is farthest from the antenna 320 (as in FIG. 3B). The y-axis is the bond size, in arbitrary units. In general, the coupling strength changes periodically, as opposed to the distance between the wireless transmitter antenna (eg 320) and the transponder (eg 302) as illustrated by line 402.

Detecting Transponder Fluctuations The US Pat. No. 5,319,354, noted above, recognizes that there is a coupling change as described with respect to FIG. 4, and such coupling strength fluctuations may power the transponder. , Teaches that it is detrimental to communicating with the transponder, and describes the construction of a radio transmitter antenna such that the coupling will always have the same quality regardless of the position of the pneumatic tire transponder.

[0066]   It is an object of the present invention to take advantage of this coupling fluctuation.

FIG. 5 illustrates the main functional portions of a representative passive RF transponder 500 (compare 200) of the present invention. As described with respect to the transponder 200, an antenna 502 (compare 202), such as a coil antenna, may be used for the wireless transmitter 10.
8 from carrier signals (via antennas 110a ... 110d). The carrier signal at frequency F is rectified by rectifier circuit 504 (compare 204) to produce operating power. A clock and control logic circuit 506 (compare 206) and a sensor interface / data generation circuit 508 (compare 208) are provided. The data obtained from one or more status sensors 510 (compare 210) may optionally be stored in memory 512 (compare 212) and compared to modulation circuit 514 (compare 214) for transmission back to wireless transmitter 108. Signal) to the antenna 502.

The passive RF transponder 500 of the present invention also includes a power monitor circuit 520 that can monitor the magnitude and / or phase of the signal on the antenna 502, preferably prior to rectification and regulation.

To detect fluctuations in the magnitude of the signal received by the transponder antenna 502, a power monitor circuit is disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,285,236, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus, a combination of envelope detector and threshold detector is suitable. In this way, fluctuations in the signal that powers the transponder can be detected. Note also that a circuit for monitoring changes in voltage across a coil that is proportional to peak-to-peak value in power consumption and power output, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,559,507 , incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Directed to.

From the above lessons, one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to detect “events” such as maximums, minimums, nulls in the monitored signal and obtain information regarding the duration or interval of events. You will find that changes in are relatively straightforward. For example,
The time interval between a series of events can be determined by counting clock pulses, and information about the time interval can be carried on the transmitted signal by, for example, converting the count to binary and modulating the RF transmission. Time or angle units between such "events" can be used to detect twisting effects on one or more tire axes. In this, for example, changes in the angular interval or time between "events" indicate changes in twist acting on the horizontal axis of tire rotation.

Combination of Coupling Elements As described above, regardless of the rotation of the wheel relative to the vehicle-mounted antenna, a uniform or at least sufficient coupling of the RF signal between the in-vehicle radio transmitter and the tire-mounted transponder is provided. It is generally desirable to ensure. Similarly, when using a palm-sized device for reading a tire-mounted transponder (and possibly supplying power), effective coupling independent of tire rotation is sometimes "
It is called "360 degree readable" and is generally desirable. In the worst case, rotation of the tire with respect to the onboard antenna creates a "dim light" condition during a portion of the tire's rotation. The above-mentioned US Pat. No. 5,319,354 proposes an antenna construction that improves on this problem. Commonly-owned US Pat. Nos. 5,181,975 and 5,218,861 noted above disclose improved annular tire inner lip (HOOP) that serves to improve coupling to a tire mounted transponder and functions as the first winding of a transformer. . The transponder is located near the HOOP and is loosely coupled to the HOOP and has a coil antenna that is the second winding of the transformer.

6A, 6B and 6C show an RF responsive system 600 (30) having a passive transponder 602 (compare 302) located in a pneumatic tire 604 (compare 304).
(Compare 0). The response system 600 is similar to the response system 300 described above in the following points. The transponder 602 is mounted to the inner surface 606 (compare 306) of the tire 604 in any suitable manner. Antenna 62
0 (compare 320) is located in the vehicle immediately adjacent to the tire 604, adjacent to the tire 604, such as a depression for a vehicle wheel. The antenna 620 outputs electromagnetic radiation that supplies power to the transponder 602 and receives a signal from the transponder 602.

This embodiment of the transponder system 600 incorporates a circumferentially extending ring 630 on the inner surface 606 of the tire 604. Wheel 630 is the same as US Pat. No. 5,181,975 mentioned above .
No. 5,218,861 and a conductive section that functions as the first winding of the coupling transformer, along with the coil antenna of the transponder, which functions as the second winding of the coupling transformer.

In general, the wheel 630 has a beneficial effect (enhancement) on the coupling between the transponder 602 and the external antenna 620 and, in this regard, may be considered a “coupling element”. Suitably, the loop 630 is a round wire whose end is connected (shorted) to the other end, but it may also be multiple turns or a layer of wire or conductive material. The annulus 630 should have a low electrical resistance, preferably less than 10Ω . Inclusion of the loop enhances the "360 degree" readability of the transponder 602.

With respect to the actual placement of the wheel 630, the wheel 630 is the inner surface 606 of the tire 604.
It should be understood that it is for purposes of illustration only that the illustration is shown extending around the circumference of the tire 604 and slightly offset from the equatorial plane (EP) of the tire 604. Wheel 630 is tire 60
It is also within the scope of the present invention to be disposed on the axis center line (equatorial plane) of No. 4 and pass directly below the transponder 602 or be embedded in the body of the tire 604.

With respect to the annulus 630 itself, it should be understood that the annulus is typically a complete, endless, shorted loop of any conductive material suitable to act as a coupling element. Ring 630 is suitably a brass plated high tensile strength steel that exhibits good mechanical strength and corrosion resistance when placed in the internal environment of a pneumatic tire. The annulus 630 may be a bundle of multiple such wires, or it may optionally be plated (eg, nickel or gold).

The ring 630 element may be formed in any suitable manner (eg, wound or soldered) at both ends to form a complete ring that extends around the entire circumference of the tire 604.
One or three or more wires of finite length may be joined together to form a loop having both ends, including a loop having a joining coil combined therein, or on a sidewall of a tire or its It is within the scope of the present invention that it may be formed as an elongated conductor that extends partially around the circumference of the tire, including inside. It is further within the scope of this invention that the annulus 630 element may be formed as multiple layers of tire cord material encased in conductive rubber.

In addition to the electrical properties as a coupling element, if the wheel is reasonably strong, it will enhance the quality of the runflat of the tire (eg radial rigidity when the air is insufficiently filled). Serve additional purposes.

As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, the vehicle antenna 620 is fixedly arranged at the “12:00” position with respect to the tire 604 so as to be parallel to the top of the tire. . It should be appreciated that the antenna 620 may be located in any suitable position for electromagnetically coupling with the transponder 602 without interfering with the movement (rotation, turning, rebound) of the tire 604. Is.

As described above, when tire 604 rotates (as shown by arrow 632), transponder 602 alternately approaches (as in FIG. 6C) or moves away (as in FIG. 6B) from antenna 620. Like). Therefore, the antenna 620
The "direct" coupling between the and responder 602 changes periodically.

In addition to direct coupling between transponder 602 and antenna 620, wheel 630 “indirectly” couples energy between transponder 602 and antenna 620. This indirect electromagnetic coupling between the transponder-wheel-antenna means that the distance between the wheel and the antenna, the distance between the wheel and the transponder, even when the distance between the transponder and the antenna changes periodically. The distance remains the same, so it remains relatively constant.

The inner lip of the tire of US Pat. No. 5,181,975 has a similar purpose as the wheel 630, but is exposed near a metal tire rim. The present invention addresses this problem by placing the wheel as far away from the rim as possible.

FIG. 7 illustrates an antenna (eg, 620) of an in-vehicle wireless transmitter (eg, 108) and a transponder (eg, 602) located in a pneumatic tire, as described above.
7 is a graph 700 (compare 400) illustrating the fluctuations in the RF energy coupling between the two. The x-axis is the angle (°) between the transponder 602 and the vehicle antenna 620 as the tire rotates. 0 ° is the point where the transponder 602 is closest to the antenna 602, and 180 ° is the point where the transponder 602 is farthest from the antenna 620. y
The axis is the degree of coupling / phase, in arbitrary units.

As will be apparent, the coupling changes in both magnitude and phase, as shown by line 702. To help explain the coupling (power) fluctuations below, there are a number of points 704, 706, 708, 710, 712, 714, 716, 71 on the line.
8 is shown.

The transponder 602 and the wireless transmitter antenna 620 are “indirectly” coupled by a wheel 630, which indirect coupling is relatively constant over the entire tire rotation process (between 0 ° and 360 °). Is. However, as transponder 602 approaches antenna 620, they become “directly” coupled to each other. This direct coupling is stronger than the indirect coupling and is in antiphase. The following was observed.

Between 0 ° (point 704) and about 270 ° (point 706), the coupling of energy into transponder 602 is indirect and relatively constant, eg, amplitude “A” and phase. "+
It is.

At about 270 ° (point 706), direct coupling begins to appear and is in antiphase with indirect coupling,
Cancel the indirect join. At about 280 ° (point 708), the signal received by the transponder has a "zero crossing" or "null dip" as it changes from the "+" phase to the "-" phase.

As the tire continues to rotate, the amplitude of the signal received at the transponder is approximately 290 ° (point 7
In 10), the size increases to 2A. About 290 ° (point 70) and about 330 ° (
Between points 712) the signal magnitude is relatively constant in magnitude / phase of -2A.

At about 330 ° (point 712), the direct coupling begins to disappear and the power decreases. At about 340 ° (point 714), the signal received by the transponder has another "zero crossing" or "null dip" as it changes from the "-" phase to the "+" phase.

As the tire continues to rotate, the magnitude of the signal received by the transponder is about 350.
At (point 716) it increases to the size of A. About 350 ° (point 717) and 360 ° (
Between points 718), the signal magnitude is relatively constant in magnitude / phase + A.
(Point 718 is equivalent to point 704.)

Points 708 and 714 represent “zero crossings” or “null dips”, which are easily detected by the power monitor circuitry (eg, 520) in the transponder.
Thus, for example, during the interval 720 between the two zero crossings 708 and 714,
Counting clock pulses (eg, in clock and control logic 506),
Saving the counts in a register, or other suitable memory device (eg 512), for transmission in a digital data stream to an in-vehicle wireless transmitter (eg 108) is a relatively simple matter. The length of the interval 720 represents the rotational speed of the tire, and the shorter the interval, the fewer clock pulses that can be counted during the interval and the faster the rotational speed of the tire. A typical tire of a typical passenger car running at 100 km / h makes one complete revolution in about 60 ms . Points 708 and 714
The phase shifts occurring in the are suitably detected by circuits such as those disclosed in US Pat . No. 5,764138, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The zero crossing (708, 714) means that no power is coupled to the transponder 602 at some tire angle, so the transponder power supply (eg, rectifier 504).
) Should have some storage element such as a capacitor built into it. Similarly, even if power is available "above the hump" (above the zero crossing), the signal sent by the transponder to the in-vehicle radio transmitter is also subject to a power outage at some tire locations. Will.

Fluctuation Detection in Wireless Transmitters As explained above, a problem is associated with detecting power (coupling) fluctuations in a transponder. A technique for detecting power fluctuations in the in-vehicle wireless transmitter will be described below.

FIG. 8 illustrates a tire pressure monitoring system 800 that may be compared to that described with respect to FIG. 1, including a transponder (“tag”) 806a. ． 806d (106a.
． 106d), but each tire 804a of an automobile 802 (compare 102).
． ． 804d (104a ... 104d), respectively. The in-vehicle radio transmitter 808 (compare 108) is an RF transmitter 812 (compare 112),
RF receiver 814 (compare 114), control logic 816 (compare 116)
, Display device 818 (compare 118). One or more antennas 810a., Such as ferrite loopstick antennas. ． 81
0d (compare 110a ... 110d) is placed in the automobile 802.

In this example, the in-vehicle wireless transmitter 808 comprises a power monitor circuit 820 that can be compared to the power monitor 520 of the transponder 500 to combine the RF signals transmitted by the tire transponder to the in-vehicle wireless transmitter. Detect fluctuations in. A simple prior art transponder (e.g. 200) could be used if instead of the transponder the power fluctuations at the wireless transmitter were monitored. The use of an active (eg battery powered) transponder, or a simple transmitter instead of the transponder, is also possible. If the transponder does not need to be powered by the wireless transmitter, then the wireless transmitter may simply be the receiver.

Fine increments, etc. As described above, certain events (cognitive / measurable joint fluctuations such as null points 708 and 714) are monitored and the interval between two events (eg, 720) is monitored. It is possible to determine the elapsed time. With this method, it is possible to determine the angular velocity of the tire for each rotation. Obviously, acceleration can also be determined in a direct way by changing the velocity.

The angular position of the tire can also be determined. In the example above, the null points 708 and 714 are 2
It occurs at tire angle positions of 80 ° and 340 °, respectively. Clearly, unequal spacing of null points is advantageous in determining which null point is which. (As the tire rotates, the "blip" pattern becomes recognizable as follows: "blip, blip, pose, blip, blip, pose ...") If null points 708 and 714 are 180 degrees apart. Then the phase inversion would have to be tracked to determine which null point is which.

A special point in the signal powering the transponder (instead of the signal coming from the transponder) (a recognizable coupling fluctuation) indicates the known discrete angular position of the tire, which is the tire. Varies as a function of the twisting effect of. For example, for every 180 revolutions of the tire, a "blip" or other signal shape is detected (eg, maximum and minimum values as discussed with respect to Figure 4). The time interval between these "blops" is determined (e.g., by counting the clock pulses generated by the transponder during the periods between the "blops"). This time interval is then the next time interval with an expected fixed number of discrete intervals, eg 256, each 180 °.
1/256 of, or about 0.704 ° of tire rotation. In other words, it is assumed that the time period between every 180 ° “blip” remains relatively constant for the time period between the latest “blip” and the next. This process or expected period is divided into equal time intervals based on the transponder clock frequency, but with only a half revolution of the tire, regardless of its acceleration, there is almost no real time variation during the "blip". Since there are none, the illustrated 256 pulses or time intervals actually represent a uniform interval of angular rotation of the tire. If the "blips" are not equidistant and their position is known (see, eg, FIG. 7), the angular position between discernible coupling fluctuations can be determined as well.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fine increments of angular position can be determined by interpolating between the discernible small coupling fluctuations described above. This reasonably assumes that the rotation speed of the tire is approximately constant during a particular rotation. Those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs will know how to perform interpolation in either software or hardware from the teachings provided herein. An example of a hardware interpolation technique is disclosed in US Patent No. 3,832,640 described above.

In another embodiment of the invention, fine increments of angular position can be determined by increasing the number of discernible coupling fluctuations (events) detected per tire revolution.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 6A, but with a transponder 902 (compare 602) located on the inner surface of a tire 904 (shown in dashed lines, compare 604) and inside the tire. Coupling element wheel 930 (compare 630) is shown. An antenna 920 (compare 620) of an in-vehicle radio transmitter (not shown, compare 108) is shown. The antenna 920 is shown adjacent to the "12:00" position of the tire 904 and the transponder 902 is shown in the 0 ° direction of the tire.

In this embodiment of the invention, multiple inductive elements 910, 912, 914 are shown associated with the annulus at various points around the annulus of the annulus. Such an inductive element may be a ferrite ring, a steel protrusion, or simply a widening or narrowing of the ring itself. These inductive elements cause fluctuations in RF coupling (“blips”) as each inductive element passes through the antenna 920. As shown, the inductive elements 910, 912, 914 are not evenly spaced around the circle of the annulus 930. Instead, element 910 is located at 0 °, element 912 is located at 90 °, and element 914 is located at 270 °. (The transponder 902 is placed at 180 °.) When the tire rotates, the "blip" occurs.
The pattern will be recognized as: "blip, blip, pose, blip". This non-equidistant spacing of the inductive elements and the subsequent non-equal spacing of the blips is advantageous not only to verify its rotational speed, but also to ascertain a particular rotation of the tire. It is within the scope of the present invention that the inductive element causing the discernible coupling fluctuations is incorporated into the tire around the circle of the tire, without a ring, with or without an "antenna" coupling element, as described below. It is within.

FIG. 9A is a graph 950 (compare 400) illustrating fluctuations in the coupling of RF energy between antenna 920 and transponder 902. The x-axis is the angle (°) between the transponder 902 and the vehicle antenna 920 as the tire rotates. 0 °
Is a point where the transponder 902 is closest to the antenna 920, and 180 ° is a point where the transponder 902 is farthest from the antenna 920. The y-axis is the degree of coupling, in arbitrary units. Generally, the bond changes periodically due to the rotation of the tire, which changes as illustrated by line 952, which is exaggerated for illustration. In this figure, “blips” 960, 96 caused by inductive elements 910, 912, 914.
2, 964 are shown respectively.

Other Embodiments Various embodiments have been described above, in which a wheel (eg, 630) is placed in a tire (eg, 604) and 36 together with a transponder (eg, 602).
It gives a readability of 0 °. In these embodiments, the transponder is inductively coupled to the wheel, as described in the aforementioned US Pat. Nos. 5,181,975 and 5,218,861 .

Another embodiment of the invention is that instead of a perfectly circular ring, a substantially perfectly circular wire (or other suitable conductive material) is placed in the tire. An almost perfectly circular wire has both ends and a coupling coil mounted between the ends, making it a "loop antenna". A transponder with an internal antenna in the form of a coupling coil is placed adjacent to the coupling coil of the loop antenna, affecting the transformer type coupling between the two coupling coils.
The advantage is that the coil to coil coupling is stronger than the loop to coil coupling. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a loop antenna (almost completely circular wire) is connected directly to a transponder ("wiring", as disclosed in the above-noted US Provisional Patent No. 60 / 095,176 ). Connected)). In either case (coupling coil or direct connection), the loop antenna functions as a coupling element much like the loop above.

Exemplary System FIG. 10 shows four pneumatic tires 100 mounted on each of four wheels (not shown).
Like a typical passenger car with 4a, 1004b, 1004c, 1004d,
Condition monitoring / control system 100 mounted on an automobile 1002 (shown by a broken line)
0 is an embodiment.

Vehicle 1002 preferably comprises an RS-485 (or equivalent) multiple serial data bus 1006 controlled by an in-vehicle vehicle computer 1008 having an RS-485 interface 1010. Central display unit 1012 is preferably operably connected to computer 1008, either directly or via data bus 1006 (as shown). Data bus 1006 is suitably a twisted pair of insulated wires (labeled "A" and "B"), preferably with a minimum of one twist per inch.

If the vehicle does not have a data bus at all, it is within the scope of the invention to add it there. For example, if an existing automotive data bus does not exist, it may be equipped with a dedicated data bus, such as RS-485 or other suitable bidirectional data bus that complies with appropriate serial communication standards.

Each of the four tires 1004a. ． 1004d includes electronic modules ("
Tag ") 1020a. ． 1020d, capable of monitoring one or more conditions, such as air pressure and air temperature within the tire, and a radio frequency (RF) signal (eg, as a function of the monitored condition) indicative of the monitored condition within each automobile tire. It is equipped with an associated sensor (not shown, but known) capable of transmitting (modulated). Tag 1020a. ． Suitably 1020d is a transponder, but, as mentioned above, may alternatively only include one or more status sensors and a radio frequency transmitter.

The system 1000 includes four monitors (or “radio transmission units”) 103
0a. ． 1030d, each of tires 1004a. ． Associated with each one of the 1004d is preferably located in the vicinity of the tire so as to be mounted in a recess for a vehicle wheel.

Each monitor 1030a. ． 1030d is connected to a power source (as indicated by the lines terminating in a circle and a triangle) and individually connected to multiple serial data bus 1006 for communication with in-vehicle computer 1008.

Each monitor 1030a. ． 1030d is generally comparable to any one of the wireless transmitters described above (eg, 108, 808). Each monitor 1030a. ． 1030d includes antennas 1032a. ． 1032d (110a.
． 110d, 810a. ． 810d), a receiver for receiving transmissions from the tags (not shown, compare 114, 814), tags 1020a. ． A transmitter (not shown, 112) that transmits (and in some cases supplies power) to each one of 1020d.
, 812). When the coupling fluctuation is detected by the wireless transmission unit instead of the transponder, each monitor 1030a. ． 1030d is a suitable power monitor 1034a. ． 1034d (compare 820).

Each monitor 1030a. ． The 1030d (DS36277 Dominant manufactured by National Semiconductor) facilitates two-way data transmission over the data bus 1006.
Includes a suitable data transceiver (such as a Mode Multipoint Transceiver).

The transmission of the monitor to each tag includes a carrier signal that activates the passive tag, and a signal that "wakes up" the active tag in low power power saving mode. Antenna (1
It is also within the scope of the invention that all components of the monitor (1030), including 032), be housed in one package. Alternatively, the antenna (1032) may be located outside such a package.

Each tag 1020a. ． The monitored state information carried by the RF signal from 1020d is decoded (eg, modulation decoded) and provided to the in-vehicle computer 1008, after which it is displayed on the display (1012) for the vehicle operator. It is within the scope of the invention that suitable and recognizable visual and / or audio alerts are used at the automaker's option. In addition, information on the dynamic state of the tire is available for controlling the vehicle, for example by providing relevant inputs to a "smart" stop system.

For example, in addition to tire angular position such as rotational speed / acceleration, lateral acceleration, radial offset, twisting effect on one or more tire axes, turning angle, dynamics of pneumatic tires. States also cause discernible coupling (power) fluctuations.

The power level to the transponder is analyzed in terms of frequency to obtain dynamic data. Fourier analysis of the waveform produces data containing harmonics of the fundamental frequency. This data can be used to control individual vehicle system features related to stopping, turning, or other frequencies. The vibration characteristics of these vehicle systems determine the subjective "feel" and noise treatment of the vehicle in and out. The control of these frequency-related features in various vehicle systems includes harmonic amplitudes, resonances,
Used dynamically to control sensory parameters. For example, a transponder signal or power level is used in combination with a vehicle's voice frequency generator (speaker) to activate noise cancellation in response to harmonic amplitude analysis.

Conclusion The method and apparatus for monitoring the dynamic state of a rotating element such as a pneumatic tire has been described above. Generally, the magnitude and phase of the RF energy coupled between the vehicle antenna and the tire mounted transponder is monitored and the fluctuation is used as an indication of the dynamic state of the tire. The use of a wheel in the tire and a loop antenna was described.

It is within the scope of the present invention that such things as wheels, loops, are not placed on the inner surface of the tire but are surrounded by the framework of the tire.

It is also within the scope of the present invention that something like a loop, loop that follows a non-planar “winding” path is located (or surrounded by the tire framework) on the inner surface of the tire.

It is within the scope of the invention that phenomena other than null points, dips, spikes and the like are monitored as an indication of dynamic tire condition. For example, the average level of RF coupling decreases when the tire turns (turns sideways), which
Know the turning angle of the tire.

It is within the scope of the invention that the vehicle antenna be located at a position other than about 12 o'clock with respect to the tire. For example, a car antenna is placed at the 9 o'clock position with respect to the tire, where the turning angle of the tire affects the signal coupling.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, it is to be understood that this is done by way of illustration of features and not limitation. While only preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it should be understood that all alternatives and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. Without a doubt, the above-mentioned "
Many other “changes” to the “theme” are possible to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs,
Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the invention herein disclosed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a tire pressure monitoring system according to the prior art.

[Fig. 2]   FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of a passive transponder according to the prior art.

FIG. 3A is a side view, partially sectioned, of a tire having an internally mounted transponder according to the prior art.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the tire of FIG. 3A taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A, according to the prior art.

FIG. 3C, according to the prior art, FIG. 3A rotated 180 ° and cut along line 3B-3B.
3 is a cross-sectional view of the tire of FIG.

4 is a graph of coupling strength between a wireless transmitter antenna and the transponder of FIG. 3A in accordance with the present invention.

[Figure 5]   FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of a passive transponder according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a partially cross-sectional side view of a tire having transponder and wheel coupling elements disposed therein according to the present invention.

6B is a cross-sectional view of the tire of FIG. 6A taken along line 6B-6B and taken along line 6B-6B in accordance with the present invention.

6C is a cross-sectional view of the tire of FIG. 6A rotated 180 ° and sectioned at line 6C-6C, in accordance with the present invention.

7 is a graph of coupling strength between a wireless transmitter antenna and the transponder of FIG. 6A in accordance with the present invention.

[Figure 8]   1 is a block diagram of a tire pressure monitoring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a tire having a transponder and wheel coupling element disposed therein, with the tire shown in phantom, according to the present invention.

9A is a graph of coupling strength between a wireless transmitter antenna and the transponder of FIG. 9 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a condition monitoring and control system according to the present invention.

[Procedure for Amendment] Submission for translation of Article 34 Amendment of Patent Cooperation Treaty

[Submission date] September 13, 2001 (2001.9.13)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Claims]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (81) Designated countries EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, I T, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OA (BF, BJ , CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, K E, LS, MW, SD, SL, SZ, UG, ZW), E A (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ , TM), AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA , BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, EE, ES, FI, G B, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL , IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, M G, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT , RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, V N, YU, ZA, ZW (72) Inventor Brown, Robert Walter             United States 44256 Meh, Ohio             Dina Huffman Road 3414

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A pneumatic tire (304, 604) for a vehicle (802, 1002).
, 804, 904, 1004), and a transponder (302, 602, 806, 1020) mounted on the tire, and a wireless transmitter (808, 1030) in the vehicle. And detecting coupling fluctuations in RF energy passing between the wireless transmitter and the transponder. 2. The transponder is a passive transponder, and the RF from the wireless transmitter is used.
Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is powered by a signal. 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection is carried out at the transponder. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transponder sends data about the detected coupling fluctuations to the wireless transmitter. 5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection is carried out at the radio transmitter. 6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that coupling elements (630, 930) are incorporated in the tire. 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the coupling element is a ring. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupling element is inductively coupled to the transponder. 9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the coupling element is a loop antenna. 10. The joint fluctuation is selected from the group consisting of tire angular position, rotational speed / acceleration, lateral acceleration, radial deviation, twisting effect of one or more tire shafts, and turning angle. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it exhibits a dynamic state. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the power monitor circuit (520, 820) dynamically controls vibration characteristics of the vehicle (802, 1002). 12. A pneumatic tire (304, 604, 804, 904, 1004)
And a RF transponder (302, 602, 806, 10) for each of the vehicle tires.
20) and antennas (620, 810, 90, 1032) mounted adjacent to each tire
At least one wireless transmission unit (803, which communicates with the transponder via
1030) and a power monitor circuit (520, 820) for detecting coupling fluctuations in RF energy passing between the antenna and the transponder. 13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that a radio transmission unit (1030a ... 1030d) and a corresponding antenna (1032a ... 1032d) are arranged adjacent to each tire. 14. The dynamic condition is from a group consisting of tire angular position, rotational speed / acceleration, lateral acceleration, radial offset, twisting effect of one or more tire shafts, turning angle. 13. The selection according to claim 12, characterized in that it is selected.
The system described in. 15. System according to claim 12, characterized in that each transponder comprises a power monitor (1034a ... 1034d). 16. System according to claim 12, characterized in that coupling elements (630, 930) are incorporated in the tire. 17. System according to claim 16, characterized in that the coupling element is a ring. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the coupling element is inductively coupled to the transponder. 19. The coupling element is a loop antenna.
The system of claim 16. 20. Inductive elements (910, 91) disposed around the tire causing coupling fluctuations in RF energy passing between the antenna and the transponder.
2, 914). The system according to claim 12, characterized in that 21. The wireless transmission unit (100) via a data bus (1006).
1030a. ． System according to claim 12, characterized by a computer (1008) connected to 1030d). 22. Characterizing said power monitor circuit (520, 820) for dynamically controlling frequency related characteristics of a vehicle system (802, 1002),
The system according to claim 12.