Systems and methods for vehicle sensor learning using a low power wake-up receiver is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a tire monitoring that comprises a low power receiver and a transceiver receives, at the low power receiver, a radio frequency (RF) activation signal from a remote device, transitions to a wake state in response to receiving the activation signal, and transmits, via the transceiver, an RF response signal including an identification code to the remote device. The remote device, such as a handheld activation tool or an activation station in an assembly line, transmits the activation signal, receives the response signal, and associates the identification code of tire monitoring sensor with a location on the vehicle. The identification code and location may be provided to the vehicle control system.

A transmitter is configured to be attached to each of wheel assemblies provided in a vehicle and execute a process in accordance with a command included in a trigger signal transmitted from a trigger device. The transmitter includes a battery, which serves as a power source for the transmitter, a condition detecting section, which is configured to detect a condition of the transmitter, a trigger receiving section, which is configured to receive, as the trigger signal, an unmodulated wave having a received signal strength indication greater than or equal to a predetermined received signal strength indication, a transmitting section, which is configured to transmit a signal, a controlling section, which is configured to perform response transmission, by which the signal is transmitted to the transmitting section in response to the unmodulated wave, when the trigger receiving section receives the unmodulated wave, and a memory section, which is configured to store at least one of reception time of the unmodulated wave and a number of times of the response transmission.

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 tool device for use with a motor vehicle tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) operable to send and receive signals to a TPMS tire pressure sensor and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag positioned in a vehicle tire. In one example, the tool is operable to communicate with the RFID tag to receive information from the RFID tag through an ultra-high frequency communication module and send that received RFID tag information to the tire pressure sensor for storage on the tire pressure sensor. The tool may then retrieve the tire pressure sensor information and associated RFID tag information from the sensor and transmit that information to the motor vehicle on-board computer.

A tire fitting system and a method for discriminating between tire sensors of a wheel to be assembled on a vehicle is provided. The tire fitting system comprising a processing circuitry configured to receive an identity of an RFID tag mounted on a rim, or in a tire, of a wheel. The processing circuitry is also configured to receive, from the at least two tire sensors, tire sensor signals comprising status information indicating how their respective tire sensor was activated. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine which identity of the at least two tire sensors is to be associated with the identity of the RFID tag based on the status information.

A method for controlling a trigger of an activation of a function by a control module housed in a wheel unit and communicating, via a communication module, which includes a first clock employing a crystal oscillator and which communicates via UHF radio waves, with outside the wheel unit, requests to activate a function to be performed at a predetermined time being transmitted to the control module. When an activation is required, a first count of time to activation is started in the communication module by the first clock, a request to activate being transmitted from the communication module to the control module which, upon receipt, is reconfigured in order to activate the function at the predetermined time, an end of the count in the communication module being transmitted to the control module, in order for the trigger to occur at the predetermined time.

A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor module as provided herein includes a pressure sensor configured to measure an internal air pressure of a tire and generate tire pressure information; a transducer configured to receive a structure borne sound signal induced by sound waves; a receiver circuit electrically connected to the transducer and configured to detect the structure borne sound signal and generate a detection indication that the structure borne sound signal has been detected; a processing circuit electrically connected to the pressure sensor and the receiver circuit, and configured to receive the tire pressure information from the pressure sensor, receive the detection indication from the receiver circuit, and generate a communication signal in response to receiving the detection indication; and a transmitter electrically connected to the processing circuit and configured to transmit the communication signal.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer program products for tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor authentication are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle receives a first radio frequency (RF) transmission that includes TPMS data and a first signature value. In this particular embodiment, the ECU uses a key value to generate a second signature value and determines whether the second signature value corresponds with the first signature value. In this example embodiment, the ECU uses a determination of whether the second signature value corresponds with the first signature value to determine whether the first RF transmission is from a particular TPMS sensor authenticated to the key value.

A system for monitoring of a vehicle with an inflation signaling apparatus having at least one inflation reporting assembly. The inflation reporting assembly may be configured to wirelessly transmit an information signal including an identification (ID) code. The system may also include at least one vehicle monitoring apparatus configured to monitor a characteristic of the vehicle based upon the inflation signaling apparatus associated with the vehicle. The vehicle monitoring apparatus may be configured to sense a presence of the inflation reporting assembly proximate to the vehicle monitoring apparatus via reception by the monitoring apparatus of a transmission of the ID code by the inflation signaling apparatus associated with the vehicle.

A system and method for resetting or reprogramming tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tire sensor data in a vehicle control system or electronic control unit (ECU). The system and method uses a single TPMS relearning tool which (a) receives a first TPMS tire sensor data signals from the TPMS tire sensors, (b) initiates the vehicle control system to enter into a relearning or resetting mode, and (c) re-emits the first TPMS tire sensor data signal as a second TPMS tire sensor data signal to the vehicle control system to reset the vehicle control system to the present TPMS tire sensor data. In one example, the TPMS relearning tool decodes, stores in memory, encodes and transmits a second TPMS tire sensor data signal which simulates the first TPMS tire sensor data signal.