A tire replacement forecasting system includes a tire supporting a vehicle. A sensor unit is mounted on the tire and includes a footprint centerline length measurement sensor and a pressure sensor. A processor is in electronic communication with the sensor unit and receives the measured centerline length and the measured pressure. An electronic vehicle network transmits selected vehicle parameters to the processor. A wear state predictor is stored on the processor and receives the measured centerline length, the measured pressure, and the selected vehicle parameters to generate an estimated wear state of the tire. A forecasting model is stored on the processor and receives multiple estimated wear states of the tire, and predicts future wear states of the tire. A forecast tire replacement date is generated by the forecasting model when the predicted future wear states of the tire are estimated to pass a predetermined wear threshold.

Methods and apparatus forming part of a vehicle sensor system (100) comprising a plurality of sensor units (104a-f) and a controller (102). A sensor unit comprises: a motion sensor (417) configured to determine a first speed of the sensor unit; and a transmitter (402) configured to transmit first identification data to the controller if the first speed of the sensor unit exceeds a first threshold. The motion sensor is further configured to determine a second speed of the sensor unit a period of time after determination of the first speed of the sensor unit, and the transmitter is configured to transmit to the controller second identification data if the second speed of the sensor unit exceeds a second threshold. The controller comprises: a receiver (304) configured to receive the first identification data, and further configured to receive the second identification data a period of time later; and a sensor unit assigner (320) configured to assign the sensor unit to the controller if the first identification data and the second identification data are received.

A tire information acquisition device includes: a sensor unit mountable on a tire inner surface and including a sensor configured to acquire tire information; and a power supply unit mountable on a wheel. The power supply unit includes a power supply mechanism configured to supply power to the sensor unit in a non-contact manner. The sensor unit includes: a power reception mechanism configured to receive power from the power supply unit in a non-contact manner; and an information transmission unit configured to wirelessly transmit acquired tire information.

A method of communicating with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor module includes transmitting, by the TPMS sensor module, a TPMS signal that includes a sensor identifier of the TPMS sensor module; performing, by an interface device, an angle of arrival measurement on the TPMS signal to whether an angular direction thereof with respect to an antenna array of the interface device is within a predetermined angular window; and determining, by the interface device, whether or not to communicate with the TPMS sensor module including establishing communication with the TPMS sensor module on a condition that the angular direction is within the predetermined angular window and not establishing communication with the TPMS sensor module on a condition that the determined angular direction is not within the predetermined angular window.

A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) includes a communication interface device configured to communicate with a target TPMS sensor module. The communication interface device include a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to generate at least one wake-up signal; an antenna array configured to transmit each wake-up signal as a directional RF beam; a processing circuit configured to monitor for a response signal in response to the antenna array transmitting the at least one wake-up signal; and a power amplifier configured to set a power of each wake-up signal according to an adjustable power setting such that the power of each subsequent wake-up signal is increased in discrete steps until the response signal is received by the RF transceiver.

A device (10) for securing an electronic component to a wall of a tire comprises a base (11) that is able to be secured to the wall of a tire and a retaining wall (12), connected to the base (11). The interior surfaces (14, 15) of these elements define a volume (13) able to accommodate the electronic member (100). The base (11) has an opening (18) via which the electronic member is introduced so that when the base (11) is secured to the wall of the tire, the opening (18) is closed by the wall of the tire. The securing device (10) is such that the retaining wall (12) is able to be torn in order to form a fault that allows the electronic member to be extracted and inserted, and such that the retaining wall (12) has a retaining device (19) for a clamping system (20) for clamping the retaining wall (12).

A transmitter includes a power source of the transmitter, a condition detecting section that detects a condition of a tire, a data generating section that generates transmission data that contains tire condition data indicating the condition of the tire detected by the condition detecting section, a transmitting section that modulates the transmission data and transmits the modulated data, a storage section storing a correspondence relationship in which values of a specific bit among bits of the transmission data that change as the wheel assembly rotates are respectively assigned to specific angles set for the rotation angle of the wheel assembly, and a transmission control section that transmits the transmission data from the transmitting section when detecting that the rotation angle of the wheel assembly is any of the specific angles.

A tire fitted with a transponder comprises: a crown comprising a crown reinforcement having an axial end at each of its edges, connected at each of its axial ends by a sidewall to a bead having an interior end; a carcass reinforcement layer formed of parallel reinforcers, which is anchored in each bead around a bead wire to form a main part and a turn-up; and the transponder comprising a dipole antenna consisting of a spring defined by a pitch P and a diameter D. A ratio between the pitch (P1) and the diameter (D1) for a loop of a first region of the spring is greater than 0.8, and the transponder is situated axially on the outside of an interior end of the bead and radially between the upper end of the bead wire and the axial end of the crown reinforcement.

A tire management system is provided for automatically inflating and deflating tires of a vehicle. The system comprises: couplings, for releasably coupling to each of the tires of the vehicle; an inlet, for receiving compressed gas, the inlet selectively couplable to the couplings for inflating the tires of the vehicle; an outlet, selectively couplable to the couplings for deflating the tires of the vehicle; and a controller, configured to receive a desired target pressure for one or more of the tires and automatically couple the inlet or outlet to the one or more tires to achieve the target pressure. The tires are grouped into two or more groups of tires, and wherein the controller is configurable to inflate and/or deflate the tires according to the groups of tires.

The invention concerns a system and a method for detecting potential damages to tires of motor vehicles due to impacts against/on obstacles.