Tire pressure monitoring system with low current consumption
View Patent ↗A tire pressure monitoring system, comprising: a pressure measuring sensor in fluid communication with the ambient pressure of the tire; a noise detector, adapted to detect the noise produced by the vehicle when it is started; a management module, adapted to receive and process data supplied by the pressure sensor on the one hand and on the other hand by the noise detector such that, when the vehicle is stopped, the pressure sensor operates in “economy” mode; when the vehicle is running, the pressure sensor operates in “normal” mode.
1. A battery-powered tire pressure monitoring system for use on a vehicle, comprising:
a pressure-measuring sensor arranged in fluid communication with a tire for periodically providing tire pressure measurements;
a management module operably connected to the pressure-measuring sensor for controlling the pressure-measuring sensor; and
a noise detector for detecting noise produced by the vehicle, the noise detector being operably connected to the management module, wherein the pressure-measuring sensor is caused to switch from a normal operational mode to an economy operational mode when a detected noise level is below a predetermined value, to extend battery life.
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the noise detector comprises a piezo-electric member.
3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the noise detector comprises a pressure variation sensor in which the piezo-electric member is in fluid communication with a tire.
4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the noise detector provides an indication of tire blow-out.
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the noise sensor is sensitive to noises produced by a vehicle engine.
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the noise detector is sensitive to noises produced by tire rotation.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the noise detector causes the measuring frequency pressure-measuring sensor to be switched out of economy operational mode in response to starting-up the vehicle engine.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the noise detector causes the pressure measuring sensor to be switched out of economy operational mode in response to movement of the vehicle from a stopped condition.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the management module control a tire pressure measuring frequency of the pressure measuring sensor, the tire pressure measuring frequency being reduced in the economy mode.
10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the management module is operable to switch the pressure-measuring sensor from the economy operational mode, sequentially to an accelerated operational mode, and to the normal operational mode, wherein the accelerated operational mode is at a higher frequency than the economy mode, and the normal operational mode is at a shorter tire pressure measuring frequency than the accelerated operational mode, the economy operational mode converting to the accelerated operational mode during a transition period when the measured noise exceeds a predetermined value.