JP2010146297A - Transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transmitter surely performing a communication. <P>SOLUTION: The transmitter is provided with: a GPS part for recognizing a present location; and a transmission control part for controlling transmission by the set number of times of the transmission, and the transmission control part is provided with a transmission number-of-times setting part for setting the first number of times of the transmission on the basis of the present location recognized by the GPS part. Preferably, the transmission number-of-times setting part is provided with an each position transmission number-of-times storage part for storing the number of times of the transmission predetermined according to a frequency used at an optional position, and sets the first number of times of the transmission on the basis of the number of times of the transmission stored by the each position transmission number-of-times storage part corresponding to the present location recognized by the GPS part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a transmission apparatus capable of appropriately changing the number of transmissions.

  An apparatus for detecting the air pressure inside an automobile tire includes a tire air pressure sensor provided on a wheel, a wireless transmission device that transmits a detection pressure signal of the tire air pressure sensor, and a reception device that receives the detection pressure signal. The thing of the structure provided is known.

  The tire pressure sensor and the wireless transmission device are provided inside the wheel, and the detected pressure information of the tire pressure is transmitted from time to time by the wireless transmission device. The receiving device is provided on the vehicle body side, receives the detected pressure information transmitted from the wireless transmitting device, and monitors the tire pressure.

  The tire pressure sensor and the wireless transmission device provided on the wheel periodically operate at a predetermined cycle. The tire pressure sensor detects the tire pressure at a frequency of once / hour when the vehicle is stopped and once / minute when the vehicle is running, and the wireless transmission device transmits a tire detection pressure signal as needed.

  Conventionally, a tire air pressure detecting device is provided with hysteresis in a threshold value for performing warning determination, and the air pressure threshold value for starting the warning and the air pressure threshold value for ending the warning are set to different values. That is, a warning is issued when the tire pressure falls below the warning start threshold, and then the warning is released when the tire pressure exceeds a warning end threshold that is greater than the warning start threshold.

  This hysteresis eliminates the instability of the determination in the vicinity of the threshold, which is a concern when the determination is made with a single warning determination threshold, and the tire air pressure detection device stably determines the warning.

In addition, it is preferable that the frequency with which the in-vehicle wireless device operates is changed as appropriate according to environmental conditions and the like for the purpose of reducing power consumption. An in-vehicle wireless device that reduces the influence of power consumption due to environmental conditions and prevents overdischarge of a battery of an electric vehicle is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below.
JP 2006-115415 A

  The conventional transmission apparatus can adjust the frequency to a frequency band that can be used in the use region corresponding to the use region, but other specifications such as the number of transmissions are the same. On the other hand, for example, the ease of reception on the receiving side is different between a region where the frequency used is high and a region where the frequency is low, so it is preferable to change the number of transmissions of the transmission device depending on the region.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transmitter capable of communicating more reliably.

  An aspect of the transmission device according to the present invention includes a GPS unit that recognizes the current position and a transmission control unit that performs transmission control with the set number of transmissions, and the transmission control unit is located at the current position recognized by the GPS unit. A transmission number setting unit for setting the first transmission number based on the first transmission number is provided.

  In a certain aspect of the transmission device according to the present invention, the transmission number setting unit preferably includes a position-specific transmission number storage unit that stores a predetermined number of transmissions corresponding to a frequency used at an arbitrary position, and a GPS The first number of transmissions may be set based on the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit corresponding to the current position recognized by the unit.

  In a certain aspect of the transmitting apparatus according to the present invention, more preferably, the first number of transmissions may be greater when the frequency is higher than when the frequency is low.

  In another aspect of the transmitting device according to the present invention, preferably, the transmitter includes an air temperature detecting unit that detects the outside air temperature, and the transmission number setting unit is configured such that when the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detecting unit is lower than a predetermined air temperature threshold value, A second transmission count smaller than the first transmission count is set.

  In another aspect of the transmission device according to the present invention, more preferably, the air temperature detection unit detects the outside air temperature when the first transmission frequency is changed to a different transmission frequency corresponding to the change of the current position. Good.

  The transmission device according to the present invention is more preferably a tire air pressure alarm system in which the transmission device detects and transmits tire air pressure, and the transmission count setting unit includes a cold region storage unit that stores a cold region in advance, When the current position corresponds to a cold region, a second transmission count smaller than the first transmission count is set.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a transmission device that can communicate more reliably.

  The transmission apparatus described in the embodiment includes a GPS that acquires the current position, and sets the number of transmissions of the transmission apparatus based on the current position acquired by the GPS. In addition, the transmission device sets the number of transmissions of the transmission device to be small when the temperature detection unit that detects the outside air temperature for each region and the detected outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature.

  Thereby, even if the frequency band which can be used for each country differs, for example, the transmission apparatus can reduce the occurrence of difficulty in reception on the reception side depending on the frequency used. In general, reception on the receiving side tends to be difficult when the use frequency becomes high. However, in a region where the use frequency is high, this transmission device can increase the number of transmissions to ensure reception.

  In addition, since the power recovery of the storage battery included in the transmission device is slow in the low temperature range, in this case, the transmission device reduces the transmission frequency, for example, lengthens the transmission interval. For the same reason, when the current position acquired by the GPS corresponds to a cold region, the transmission device reduces the transmission frequency, for example, lengthens the transmission interval.

  With the above-described configuration and operation processing, the transmission device not only enables the radio wave performance to be appropriately adjusted by appropriately setting the necessary number of transmissions in real time for each country / region, but also a storage battery that is likely to occur at a certain temperature or lower. It is also possible to reduce excessive wear. In particular, when the transmission device is mounted on a vehicle, use in various regions is assumed, which is preferable.

  In addition, in a transmission device that is typically a tire pressure warning system (TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring System), an initiator that is an individual operation start device may be disposed adjacent to each tire of the vehicle. Each initiator activates the nearest transmitter to send a signal. Further, by starting the operation of each transmitter, the receiving side can recognize which tire the received signal corresponds to.

  Therefore, a tire pressure warning system, which is a typical example of a transmission device, will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram conceptually showing the structure of a tire pressure warning system 100 according to the embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, a tire pressure alarm system 100 includes a tire pressure detector 110 that detects tire pressure. The tire pressure warning system 100 also includes a GPS unit 120 that detects the current position of the vehicle. The tire pressure warning system 100 also includes an air temperature detection unit 130 that detects the outside air temperature of the vehicle.

  The tire pressure warning system 100 includes a transmission control unit 140 that transmits the detected tire pressure to a receiving side (not shown). The transmission control unit 140 includes a transmission frequency setting unit 150 that sets a transmission frequency of how many times a certain time is transmitted. The transmission count setting unit 150 may set the total number of transmissions instead of the transmission frequency. Further, a transmission control unit 140 may be provided in a TPMS ECU (not shown) that controls the entire operation and processing of the TPMS.

  The transmission number setting unit 150 includes a position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 that stores the number of transmissions (corresponding to a typical example of the first transmission number) in association with each region. That is, when the radio frequency that can be used by the tire pressure warning system 100 is different for each country, the position-specific transmission frequency storage unit 160 stores a suitable transmission frequency in relation to the usable radio frequency.

  Since the reception side tends to be difficult to receive if the radio frequency is high, the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 performs transmission in which the number of transmissions is higher in a region where the radio frequency is high than in a region where the radio frequency is low. It is assumed that the number of times is stored in advance.

  The transmission count setting unit 150 includes an air temperature threshold storage unit 170 that stores in advance a predetermined threshold temperature that is a criterion for determining whether or not to reduce the transmission count. When the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit 130 is lower than the predetermined threshold temperature stored in the air temperature threshold storage unit 170, the transmission number setting unit 150 uses the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160. In addition, by setting a small number of transmissions (corresponding to a typical example of the second number of transmissions), excessive battery consumption such as a battery can be suppressed.

  In addition, the transmission count setting unit 150 includes a cold region storage unit 180 that stores in advance a cold region that is a determination index for determining whether or not to reduce the number of transmissions. When the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120 corresponds to a cold region stored in the cold region storage unit 180, the transmission number setting unit 150 transmits a transmission smaller than the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160. By setting the number of times (corresponding to another typical example of the second number of transmissions), excessive battery consumption such as a battery can be suppressed.

  Even when the transmission number setting unit 150 sets the second number of transmissions as corresponding to the cold region stored in the cold region storage unit 180, for example, the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined threshold temperature depending on the outside air temperature. If the value is too high, the second transmission count may be reset to the first transmission count. Even in a cold region, a warm climate may be assumed. However, if the outside air temperature is high, there may be a case where the number of transmissions is not required to suppress battery consumption such as a battery.

  FIG. 2 is a flow schematic diagram illustrating an operation process of the tire air pressure warning system 100. Hereinafter, description will be made sequentially based on the flow shown in FIG.

(Step S21)
The vehicle ignition is turned on and the electrical system including the tire pressure warning system 100 is activated.

(Step S22)
The GPS unit 120 included in the tire pressure warning system 100 acquires the current position. (Step S23)
The tire pressure warning system 100 recognizes a frequency band that can be used at the current position from the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120 and the relationship between the position and the frequency stored in the position-specific transmission count storage unit 160.

(Step S24)
The tire pressure warning system 100 reads and recognizes the necessary number of transmissions corresponding to the frequency band recognized in step S23, which is stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160. In addition, when the frequency is fixed and assigned for each region (typically for each country), the above-described step S23 and step S24 may be combined. In this case, the position-specific transmission count storage unit 160 does not need to have frequency information, and can directly assign the necessary number of transmissions corresponding to the position and store the correspondence between the position and the number of transmissions. That's fine. The transmission number setting unit 150 sets a necessary number of transmissions corresponding to the current position.

(Step S25)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the vehicle has moved to an area using another frequency band based on the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120. If the vehicle has moved to an area using another frequency band, the process proceeds to step S22. If the vehicle has not moved to an area that uses another frequency band, the process waits in step S25.

  In addition, when the frequency is fixed and assigned for each region, the tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the vehicle has moved to a region where another frequency band is used. This can be dealt with by determining whether or not the stored number of transmissions has moved to a different area.

  Next, another operation processing example of the tire pressure warning system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating another operation process of the tire air pressure warning system 100.

(Step S31)
The vehicle ignition is turned on and the electrical system including the tire pressure warning system 100 is activated.

(Step S32)
The GPS unit 120 included in the tire pressure warning system 100 acquires the current position.

(Step S33)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120 corresponds to a cold region stored in the cold region storage unit 180. In this case, it is assumed that the cold region storage unit 180 stores in advance a cold region that is below a certain temperature throughout the year.

  When the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120 corresponds to the cold region stored in the cold region storage unit 180, the process proceeds to step S34. When the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120 does not correspond to the cold region stored in the cold region storage unit 180, the process proceeds to step S36.

(Step S34)
The transmission count setting unit 150 sets a transmission count smaller than the transmission count stored in the position-specific transmission count storage section 160 as the transmission count of the tire pressure warning system 100. If the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 is recognized as a standard number of transmissions based on a frequency that can be used at the current position, the transmission number setting unit can be used when the current position is a cold region. 150 is set by reducing the number of transmissions by, for example, about 20% from the standard number of transmissions. As a result, the tire air pressure warning system 100 can avoid excessive battery consumption that may occur at low temperatures.

(Step S35)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the vehicle has moved to another area different from the current position based on the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120. When moving to another area different from the current position, the process returns to step S32. If the user has not moved to another area different from the current position, the process stands by in step S35.

  Note that the tire pressure warning system 100 may identify the region divided by the use frequency as a unit as to whether or not the vehicle has moved to another region different from the current position. In this case, when the tire pressure warning system 100 moves to an area where the use frequency is different, the tire pressure warning system 100 determines that the tire pressure warning system 100 has moved to another area.

Further, the tire pressure warning system 100 may identify, as a unit, an area divided by a preset number of transmissions as to whether or not the vehicle has moved to another area different from the current position. In this case, when the tire pressure alarm system 100 moves to an area where the number of transmissions stored in advance by the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 is different, it determines that the tire pressure alarm system 100 has moved to another area.

(Step S36)
The tire air pressure warning system 100 acquires the outside air temperature from the air temperature detection unit 130.

(Step S37)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit 130 is lower than a predetermined threshold temperature stored in the air temperature threshold storage unit 170. If the outside temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 130 is lower than the predetermined threshold temperature stored in the temperature threshold storage unit 170, the process proceeds to step S38. If the outside temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 130 is not lower than the predetermined threshold temperature stored in the temperature threshold storage unit 170, the process returns to step S36.

(Step S38)
The transmission count setting unit 150 sets a transmission count smaller than the transmission count stored in the position-specific transmission count storage section 160 as the transmission count of the tire pressure warning system 100. If it is recognized that the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 is a standard number of transmissions based on a frequency that can be used at the current position, the transmission is performed when the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined threshold temperature. The number setting unit 150 sets the number of transmissions by reducing the number of transmissions by, for example, about 30% from the standard number of transmissions. As a result, the tire pressure warning system 100 can avoid excessive battery consumption that may occur at low temperatures.

(Step S39)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit 130 is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature stored in the air temperature threshold storage unit 170. If the outside temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 130 is higher than the predetermined threshold temperature stored in the temperature threshold storage unit 170, the process proceeds to step S3a. If the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit 130 is not higher than the predetermined threshold temperature stored in the air temperature threshold storage unit 170, the process stands by in step S39.

(Step S3a)
The transmission number setting unit 150 sets the number of transmissions reduced and set in step S38 to return to the base. That is, the transmission frequency setting unit 150 sets the transmission frequency stored in the position-specific transmission frequency storage unit 160 as the transmission frequency of the tire pressure warning system 100. If it is recognized that the number of transmissions stored in the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 is a standard number of transmissions based on a frequency that can be used at the current position, if the outside air temperature is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature, The transmission count setting unit 150 sets the standard transmission count. When the outside air temperature is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature, it is not necessary to adjust the number of transmissions so as to avoid excessive battery consumption that may occur at low temperatures.

(Step S3b)
The tire pressure warning system 100 determines whether or not the vehicle has moved to another area different from the current position based on the current position acquired by the GPS unit 120. When moving to another area different from the current position, the process returns to step S32. If the current position has not been moved to another area, the process returns to step S36. Note that the processing flow shown in FIG. 3 is always executed when the ignition is on.

  Note that the tire pressure warning system 100 may identify the region divided by the use frequency as a unit as to whether or not the vehicle has moved to another region different from the current position. In this case, when the tire pressure warning system 100 moves to an area where the use frequency is different, the tire pressure warning system 100 determines that it has moved to another area.

  Further, the tire pressure warning system 100 may identify, as a unit, an area divided by a preset number of transmissions as to whether or not the vehicle has moved to another area different from the current position. In this case, when the tire pressure alarm system 100 moves to an area where the number of transmissions stored in advance by the position-specific transmission number storage unit 160 is different, it determines that the tire pressure alarm system 100 has moved to another area.

  Through the above-described operation processing, the tire pressure warning system 100 not only can appropriately adjust the radio wave performance by setting the necessary number of transmissions on the spot in real time depending on the country / region, but more preferably at a constant temperature. It is also possible to reduce excessive consumption of the storage battery that easily occurs in the following. The tire pressure warning system 100 can perform more reliable communication by adjusting the number of transmissions so that reception on the receiving side is reliably performed by appropriately adjusting the radio wave performance.

  Note that the tire pressure warning system 100 does not have to have all the configurations shown in FIG. 1. The standard number of transmissions corresponding to the current position, the number of transmissions corresponding to the low temperature, the number of transmissions corresponding to the cold region, Necessary configurations can be arbitrarily selected and provided in relation to necessary functions from among them.

  The tire pressure warning system 100 described in the embodiment is not limited to the above description, and it is possible for a person skilled in the art to appropriately change the configuration within a self-evident range and appropriately change the operation and processing thereof. It is easy to understand.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows notionally the structure of the tire pressure warning system concerning embodiment. It is a flow outline figure which illustrates the operation processing of a tire pressure warning system. It is a flow schematic diagram which illustrates other operation processing of a tire pressure warning system.

Explanation of symbols

  100 ... Tire pressure alarm system, 110 ... Tire pressure detection unit, 120 ... GPS unit, 130 ... Temperature detection unit, 140 ... Transmission control unit, 150 ... Transmission count setting unit, 160 ... Transmission by position Number of times storage unit, 170... Temperature threshold value storage unit, 180... Cold region storage unit.

Claims (6)

A GPS unit that recognizes the current position, and a transmission control unit that performs transmission control with the set number of transmissions,
The transmission device includes a transmission frequency setting unit that sets a first transmission frequency based on a current position recognized by the GPS unit. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1,
The transmission number setting unit includes a position-specific transmission number storage unit that stores a predetermined number of transmissions corresponding to a frequency used at an arbitrary position, and the position corresponding to the current position recognized by the GPS unit The first transmission count is set based on the transmission count stored in the separate transmission count storage section. The transmission device according to claim 2,
The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission count is greater when the frequency is higher than when the frequency is low. In the transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
It has a temperature detector that detects the outside temperature,
The transmission number setting unit sets a second number of transmissions smaller than the first number of transmissions when the outside air temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit is lower than a predetermined temperature threshold value. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein
The temperature detector is
An outside air temperature is detected when the first transmission count is changed to a different transmission count in response to the change of the current position. In the transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The transmitting device is a tire pressure alarm system for detecting and transmitting tire pressure,
The transmission count setting unit
A transmission apparatus comprising: a cold region storage unit that stores a cold region in advance, and setting a second number of transmissions smaller than the first number of transmissions when the current position corresponds to the cold region.

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