TIRE MONITOR SENSOR AND TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A tire monitor sensor (16) for a vehicle has a sensor (26, 28) being adapted to measure a condition of a tire of a vehicle, a control unit (24) being connected to said sensor (26, 26) and being adapted to obtain a condition value (C) for said condition from said sensor (26, 28), said control unit (24) being configured to transmit said condition value (C) wirelessly, and a power source (20) providing electrical power to said control unit (24) via at least one terminal line (36, 38). Said terminal line (36, 38) is orientated with respect to said control unit (24) and configured to also act as an antenna partly, said control unit (24) being capable of transmitting said condition value (C) wirelessly by means of said terminal line (36, 38). Moreover, a tire monitor system is shown, said tire monitor system having a tire monitor sensor (16) and a receiver.

Claims

1. A tire monitor sensor for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor being adapted to measure a condition of a tire of a vehicle, a control unit being connected to said sensor and being adapted to obtain a condition value for said condition from said sensor, said control unit being configured to transmit said condition value wirelessly, and a power source providing electrical power to said control unit via at least one terminal line, wherein said terminal line is orientated with respect to said control unit and configured to also act as an antenna partly, said control unit being capable of transmitting said condition value wirelessly by means of said terminal line.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said power source is a battery and said terminal line is a battery terminal being connected to one pole of said battery.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said tire monitor sensor further comprises a printed circuit board, said control unit being located on said printed circuit board, said power source being arranged adjacent to a first side of said control unit, and said terminal line extending from said power source to a second side of said control unit, which is opposite to said first side.

4. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein said terminal line extends along a longitudinal side of said printed circuit board.

5. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein said terminal line comprises a perpendicular section being perpendicular to an upper surface of said printed circuit board and a parallel section being parallel to said upper surface of said printed circuit.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein said parallel section extends distanced to said upper surface of said printed circuit board such that said control unit is located between said printed circuit board and said terminal line.

7. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein said parallel section and said perpendicular section merges into each other at a connection point, said parallel section being connected to said power source at one end of said parallel section, said one end being opposite to said connection point, and said perpendicular section being connected to said printed circuit board at one end of said perpendicular section, said one end being opposite to said connection point.

8. The sensor according to claim 7, wherein the said perpendicular section is directly connected to one side of an inductor or a capacitor.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said tire monitor sensor further comprises at least one of an inductor and a capacitor.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises a radio frequency transmitting module, said radio frequency transmitting module being adapted to transmit said condition value over said terminal line.

11. The sensor according to claim 10, wherein said radio frequency transmitting module has an output, said terminal line being assigned to said output of said radio frequency transmitting module.

12. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein at least one of an inductor and a capacitor is arranged between said terminal line and said output of said radio frequency transmitting module.

13. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein said power source is a battery, said battery being connected to a printed circuit board by means of two battery terminals, wherein said battery terminals are connected to said printed circuit board.

14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein said tire condition is at least one of a tire pressure and a tire temperature.

15. A tire monitor system for a vehicle comprising: a tire monitor sensor and a receiver, said tire monitor sensor having a sensor being adapted to measure a condition of a tire of a vehicle, said tire sensor providing a tire condition value, a control unit being connected to said sensor and being adapted to obtain the tire condition value for said condition from said sensor, said control being configured to transmit said tire condition value wirelessly, and a power source providing electrical power to said control unit via at least one terminal line, wherein said terminal line is orientated with respect to said control unit and configured to also act as an antenna partly, said control unit being capable of transmitting said condition value wirelessly by means of said terminal line to said receiver.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said tire sensor is at least one of a tire pressure sensor providing a tire pressure value and a tire temperature sensor providing a tire temperature value.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said tire monitor sensor is continuously transmitting said tire condition value and said receiver is continuously monitoring said tire condition value, wherein said receiver is configured to compare said tire condition value to a reference value.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said tire monitor sensor comprises a radio frequency transmitting module and said receiver comprise a radio frequency receiving module, said radio frequency transmitting module being mounted on a printed circuit board, said radio frequency transmitting module being adapted to transmit said tire condition value over said terminal line to said radio frequency receiving module.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said power source is a battery, said battery being connected to said printed circuit board by means of two battery terminals, wherein said battery terminals are connected to said printed circuit board.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The forgoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claimed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a vehicle provided with a tire monitor sensor according to the present disclosure,

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of a tire monitor sensor from the tire monitor system of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure, and

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the tire monitor sensor of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements, is intended as a description of various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to represent the only embodiment. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed.

[0051] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that many embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some or all of the specific details. Further, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure may employ any combination of features described herein.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic top-down view a vehicle 10 having four tires 12 and a tire monitor system 14.

[0053] Tire monitor system 14 comprises four tire monitor sensors 16, each being arranged in a respective tire 12, and a receiver 18 having a radio frequency receiving module 19.

[0054] Tire monitor sensors 16 are configured to communicate wirelessly with receiver 18 (indicated by the dashed arrows). Each tire monitor sensor 16 transmits a tire condition value C indicative for a tire condition of the corresponding tire 12.

[0055] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, tire monitor sensors 16 are direct tire monitor sensors 16 and each tire monitor sensor 16 transmits a radio frequency wave, namely a radio frequency signal, having information on tire condition value C to receiver 18. Receiver 18 receives the radio frequency wave by means of radio frequency receiving module 19 and determines the tire condition value C from the radio frequency wave.

[0056] To be precise, tire monitor sensor 16, located at the top left in FIG. 1, transmits tire condition value C for the corresponding tire 12, located at the top left in FIG. 1. Thus, receiver 18 receives four tire condition values C from the respective tires 12.

[0057] For instance, tire condition value C is a tire pressure value, i.e. a value indicative for the pressure of the air inside tire 12, and/or a tire temperature value, i.e. a value indicative for the temperature of the air inside tire 12 and/or for the temperature of tire 12 itself.

[0058] In the following, one tire monitor sensor 16 being representative for the tire monitor sensors 16 in FIG. 1 is explained in more detail by means of FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows tire monitor sensor 16 in a perspective side view and FIG. 3 shows tire monitor sensor 16 in a side view. In both Figures, tire monitor sensor 16 is shown without a housing.

[0060] Tire monitor sensor 16 has a power source 20 and a printed circuit board 22, on which a control unit 24, a pressure sensor 26 providing a pressure value P, and a temperature sensor 28 providing a temperature value T are arranged.

[0061] Pressure sensor 26 and temperature sensor 28 are connected electrically to control unit 24 by means of conductor tracks (not shown) provided on printed circuit board 22.

[0062] Pressure sensor 26 may be a piezoelectric sensor providing pressure value P and/or temperature sensor 28 may be thermistor providing temperature value T.

[0063] Thus, pressure sensor 26 and temperature sensor 28 provide both a condition of the respective tire 12, as the temperature inside tire 12 and the air pressure inside tire 12.

[0064] As indicated by arrows in FIG. 2, pressure sensor 26 and temperature sensor 28 provide the pressure value P and the temperature value T, respectively, to control unit 24.

[0065] Control unit 24 comprises a radio frequency transmitting module 30 (as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 2) and a radio frequency output 32 (electrically) connected to radio frequency transmitting module 30.

[0066] Control unit 24 is adapted to obtain pressure value P from pressure sensor 26 and temperature value T from temperature sensor 28 with a defined sampling interval. For instance, control unit 24 obtains pressure value P and temperature value T each second if vehicle 10 is moving. Thus, the sampling interval is one second.

[0067] In general, the sampling interval may be dependent on the speed of vehicle 10 (the scan interval may become smaller with increasing speed).

[0068] By means of radio frequency transmitting module 30, control unit 24 is adapted to generate radio frequency waves having information on tire condition value C, i.e. on pressure value P and/or temperature value T. This radio frequency wave will then be sent to output 32.

[0069] In FIGS. 2 and 3, power source 20 is arranged adjacent to a first side 34 of printed circuit board 22.

[0070] Power source 20 is connected electrically to printed circuit board 22 by means of two terminal lines 36, 38 and is providing electrical power to the components located on printed circuit board 22 by means of terminal lines 36, 38 and the conductor tracks (not shown) provided on printed circuit board 22.

[0071] To be precise, power source 20 is a button cell 39 and terminal lines 36, 38 are battery terminals 41.

[0072] Terminal lines 36, 38 each have a parallel section 40 and a perpendicular section 42. In this context, the parallel and perpendicular direction refer to directions relative to a upper surface 43 of printed circuit board 22.

[0073] Parallel sections 40 extend both along a longitudinal direction L of printed circuit board 22.

[0074] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, parallel section 40 of terminal line 36 extends essentially over the entire longitudinal side of printed circuit board 22. To be precise, parallel section 40 of terminal line 36 extends over more than 90% of the longitudinal side of printed circuit board 22.

[0075] Thus, parallel section 40 of terminal line 36 extends from first side 34 to a second side 44, which is opposite to first side 34.

[0076] Power source 20 is assigned to first side 34.

[0077] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, control unit 24 is arranged between printed circuit board 22 and terminal line 36.

[0078] Parallel section 40 of terminal line 38 extends only over a small fraction of the length of printed circuit board 22, i.e. over a fraction smaller than 15% of the length of printed circuit board 22.

[0079] Further, parallel sections 40 are arranged both distanced to upper surface 43 of printed circuit board 22.

[0080] In other words, parallel sections 40 are arranged at a distance D (FIG. 3) with respect to printed circuit board 22. In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the distance D of parallel section 40 of terminal line 36 is larger than distance D of parallel section 40 of terminal line 38.

[0081] The difference between distance D of terminal line 36 and of terminal line 38 corresponds to the thickness of power source 20 in addition to the thickness of terminal line 38.

[0082] Perpendicular sections 42 extend over the corresponding distance D of parallel sections 40 from printed circuit board 22 and perpendicular sections 42 merge into corresponding parallel section 40 at a connection point 46.

[0083] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, connection point 46 is realized by an edge in terminal line 36 and terminal line 38, respectively.

[0084] Hence, each of the terminal lines 36, 38 is made in one-piece and L-shaped, namely due to their parallel sections 40 and their perpendicular sections 42.

[0085] In fact, terminal lines 36, 38 are connected to different sides of power source 20, namely the battery cell.

[0086] At an end of parallel sections 40 of terminal lines 36, 38, the end being at an opposite side to connection point 46, parallel sections 40 are connected to different electrical poles of power source 20.

[0087] For instance, parallel section 40 of terminal line 36 is connected to the positive pole of power source 20 and parallel section 40 of terminal line 38 is connected to the negative pole of power source 20.

[0088] Further, perpendicular sections 42 of terminal lines 36, 38 are connected to printed circuit board 22 at an end of perpendicular sections 42, which is opposite to connection point 46.

[0089] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, perpendicular section 42 of terminal line 36 is directly connected to one side of a capacitor 48, the other side of capacitor 38 being connected to radio frequency output 32 of control unit 24.

[0090] As explained above, control unit 24 provides a radio frequency wave having information on tire condition value C at output 32. Since terminal line 36 is assigned to output 32, the radio frequency wave is transmitted by means of terminal line 36 acting as an antenna (at least partly).

[0091] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 terminal line 36 forms a loop antenna, the end of loop antenna being connected with printed circuit board 22.

[0092] In fact, the loop antenna is formed by terminal line 36 that extends along control unit 24.

[0093] Control unit 24 transmits a radio frequency wave over terminal line 36 every time a new tire condition value C is provided to control unit 24. In other words, control unit 24 transmits tire condition value continuously.

[0094] The transmitted radio frequency wave is subsequently received by receiver 18 and receiver 18 determines tire condition value C from the radiofrequency wave.

[0095] For instance, receiver 18 compares the determined tire condition value C to a reference value. The reference value may be a reference pressure value and/or a reference temperature value.

[0096] In tire monitor sensor 16, the antenna as well as the power supply is realized by means of terminal lines 36, 38. This way, tire monitor sensor 16 has one component less compared to known sensors such that tire monitor sensor 16 can be built more compact and more cost-effective compared to the known sensors.

[0097] For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that FIGS. 1 to 3 have to be understood as one exemplary embodiment. For instance, the comparison of tire condition value C may as well be done by control unit 24 of tire monitor sensor 16. Tire monitor sensor 16 may then only transmit a possible warning if tire condition value C is below or above a reference value or within a predefined reference interval. Additionally, control unit 24 may transmit tire condition value C upon a request from receiver 18 or a central control unit of vehicle 10.

[0098] Further, the arrangement of control unit 24, radio frequency transmitting module 30 and sensors 26, 28 on printed circuit board 22 is only exemplary. For instance, radiofrequency transmitting module 30 may be placed as a separate component on printed circuit board 22 and/or control unit 24 and sensors 26, 28 may be designed as one component.

[0099] In addition, battery 39 may be placed on printed circuit board 22 and terminal line 38 may be realized by electrical contacts on printed circuit board 22. In this case, the radio frequency wave is transmitted only by means of terminal line 36.

[0100] Moreover, it is conceivable to use an inductor 50 instead of or additionally to capacitor 48 as illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 2.