A direct tire data collection and communication device is adapted for use in a pneumatic vehicle tire. The device incorporates a tire-mounted electronics module comprising a microcontroller, and at least one tire property sensor in electronic communication with the microcontroller and capable of measuring at least one operational property of the vehicle tire. The threshold operational property value defines a positive tire safety condition and a negative tire safety condition. The electronics module calculates accumulated travel data of the vehicle tire while in the negative tire safety condition. A transmitter transmits the travel data to an electronic remote terminal.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of automotive technologies, and disclose a tire location positioning method and apparatus, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver, a tire pressure sensor, a TPMS and an automobile. The method includes: controlling a first exciter to send a first excitation signal, and controlling a second exciter to send a second excitation signal; respectively receiving response signals that are generated according to the first excitation signal or the second excitation signal by all tire pressure sensors; performing positioning on front and rear wheels according to times when the response signals are received, to identify response signals sent by tire pressure sensors of the front and rear wheels; and performing positioning on left and right wheels according to the signal strength information, to identify response signals sent by tire pressure sensors of the left and right wheels.

A method for detecting a change in position of a wheel unit of a wheel on a motor vehicle, a position of each wheel unit having been identified and stored. Communication between each wheel unit and at least one control device takes place in accordance with a standard allowing the bidirectional exchange of UHF wave signals, each wheel unit performing scanning to intercept the signals sent by a given wheel unit whose signature is established by the wheel unit performing the scanning in accordance with a detected average power value. Current and starting signatures are compared. If the current signature differs by more than an experimentally determined percentage from its starting signature for a given wheel unit, a change in position of one of the two wheels is detected.

An apparatus for determining a wheel condition on whether wheel locking occurs in each wheel of a vehicle having a main brake apparatus and an auxiliary brake apparatus. The apparatus includes: a WSS (Wheel Speed Sensor) configured to primarily detect whether wheel locking occurs; a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) configured to secondarily detect whether wheel locking occurs; and a control unit configured to determine, when the WSS fails, a wheel condition indicative of whether wheel locking occurs in each wheel, by using information detected through the TPMS.

Approaches are provided where direct communications between tire pressure sensors are provided. One sensor may act as a teacher while other sensors may act as students and learn from the teacher sensor.

A method for detecting a change in position of a wheel unit of a wheel on a motor vehicle, a position of each wheel unit having been identified and stored. Communication between each wheel unit and at least one control device takes place in accordance with a standard allowing the bidirectional exchange of UHF wave signals, each wheel unit performing scanning to intercept the signals sent by a given wheel unit whose signature is established by the wheel unit performing the scanning in accordance with a detected average power value. Current and starting signatures are compared. If the current signature differs by more than an experimentally determined percentage from its starting signature for a given wheel unit, a change in position of one of the two wheels is detected.

A system for detecting the operation of the motor or engine of a motor vehicle equipped with at least one tire-pressure-monitoring-system transmitter including: a low-frequency stage including a resonant stage connected in series with an antenna, a processing stage, a first switch and a second switch, the first switch being connected to at least two capacitors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the capacitors, the second switch being connected to at least two resistors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the resistors, outputs of the low-frequency stage being arranged to receive input from the processing stage, in order to transfer the perceived signal to a processor of the signal, which is configured to compare the level of the perceived signal to a preset threshold level.

The invention relates to a method for self-tracking of a data acquisition sensor equipping a wheel including a tire on a vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels (200) and being equipped with a system comprising an electronic unit (300) for a data acquisition sensor placed in each tire equipped with a radio-frequency transmitter for the purpose of the wireless transmission of said data to a central transmission and reception module (100) placed on the axle or frame of the vehicle, with the central transmission and reception module (100) receiving and decoding the information signals issued by the transmitters of each wheel, each electronic unit (300) being equipped to measure acceleration. The method is remarkable in that it consists of determining the front and rear of a tire by measuring the acceleration.

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

A system for detecting the operation of the motor or engine of a motor vehicle equipped with at least one tire-pressure-monitoring-system transmitter including: a low-frequency stage including a resonant stage connected in series with an antenna, a processing stage, a first switch and a second switch, the first switch being connected to at least two capacitors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the capacitors, the second switch being connected to at least two resistors so as to control the parallel connection of at least one of the resistors, outputs of the low-frequency stage being arranged to receive input from the processing stage, in order to transfer the perceived signal to a processor of the signal, which is configured to compare the level of the perceived signal to a preset threshold level.