A method of locating a wheel-mounted electronic device, such as a tire pressure monitoring device. A wireless signal is transmitted from an interrogation device from each of a plurality of interrogation locations. The signals are received by the wheel-mounted device and received signal strength is measured for each interrogation location. The wheel-mounted device then transmits, in respect of each interrogation location, a wireless signal indicating the measured signal strength. These signals are received by the interrogation device which determines from them a location of the wheel-mounted device with respect to a wheel.

A tire anti-theft system includes a transmitter attached to a tire and configured to transmit tire ID information; a first database configured to store vehicle ID information and tire ID information of a tire mounted on the vehicle; a second database configured to store the tire ID information and tire status information indicating whether or not the tire identified with the tire ID information is stolen tire; and a vehicle control apparatus, in which the vehicle control apparatus includes a reader configured to perform near field communication with the transmitter attached to the tire mounted on a vehicle to be controlled and acquire the tire ID information, and a controller configured to, in a case where the reader acquires the tire ID information, restrict operation of the vehicle to be controlled if information indicating that the tire is stolen tire is stored in association with the tire ID information.

A tire sensor device for monitoring a condition of a tire includes a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor and an accelerometer. The tire sensing device further includes memory configured to store data received by the plurality of sensors and one or more processors coupled with the memory. The one or more processors are configured to perform one or more initial processing operations on the data received by the plurality of sensors. The tire sensor device further includes an antenna, coupled with the one or more processors, configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more external devices.

An automatic dispensing device for use in storing and selectively dispensing electronic transmission devices, for example tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tire sensors. The dispensing device assists a user in determining the proper transmission device to be dispensed and programs or configures the transmission device in the dispenser prior to dispensing the programmed or configured transmission device to the user. When used for TPMS tire sensors, the dispenser determines the type of TPMS sensor to be programmed, programs the sensor with the proper communication protocol, and dispenses the programmed or configured sensor to the user for installation in the vehicle wheel and tire.

A method and device may be used for scanning communication protocols for a sensor of a motor vehicle electronic tire pressure monitoring system. The method may include selecting a make and a model of a motor vehicle. The method may include transmitting one or more activation signals. The one or more activation signals may be transmitted in sequential order according to a scanning protocol. The scanning protocol may be based on a predefined parameter. Each of the one or more activation signals may be associated with a different communication protocol. The method may include stopping the transmission of the one or more activation signals on a condition that a signal from a sensor is received.

System for monitoring the inflation pressure of the tires of an aircraft comprising a pressure sensor carried by each of the wheel rims of an aircraft and delivering an inflation pressure for each of the tires mounted on these rims, a processing unit ensuring the conversion of the different tire inflation pressures into values that can be used by a display device making these different tire inflation pressures available to a pilot or a maintenance operator, the processing unit being distributed in each of the aircraft wheel covers and configured on the one hand to communicate with the wheel pressure sensor via a short-distance wireless communication link and on the other hand to ensure the transmission of the tire inflation pressure coming from the pressure sensor towards the display device via a medium-range wireless communication link.

Received acceleration or motion information are analyzed and when the analysis of this information indicates that motion or acceleration is detected, received burst patterns from the other sensors are analyzed. Based upon analyzing the detected burst patterns from the other sensors, a first burst pattern is selectively altered to transmit according to a single communication format, the single format being for a single vehicle manufacturer.

A device for determining an operating state of an automobile from automobile data available on a CAN network of the vehicle, the device including a computer for mathematically processing the data to determine the operating state of the vehicle. The computer is hosted in a smartphone, a specific application for processing the data using the computer is implemented in the smartphone, recovery of the data from the CAN by the smartphone is carried out via a wired or wireless link, and the smartphone displays, via a graphical interface thereof, the operating state of the vehicle.

A method for adjusting the periodicity of wireless communications between a tire pressure monitoring system for a motor vehicle and a smart device for a user of the vehicle in question is disclosed. On the basis of the position and any movement of the user's smart device in the environment of the vehicle, the periodicity of the alternation, by the different units of the system, of phases of transmission/polling of ultra high frequency signals with standby phases is modified.

A method of inflating a tire of a vehicle includes connecting the vehicle to an external air pump, using a connection, to provide communication of information between the vehicle and the external air pump. The method also includes transmitting information from the vehicle to the external air pump over the connection and controlling the external air pump based upon the communicated information to provide air to a vehicle tire, connected to the air pump, until the communicated information indicates that the tire has reached a desired pressure level, at which point the air pump ceases provision of air to the vehicle tire.