Tire pressure monitoring system for motorcycles

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system for a motorcycle includes a tire valve stem mounted tire pressure gauge and an externally powerable remote display unit. The pressure gauge includes a pressure sensor, a wake circuit, a processor, and a first radio frequency (RF) module. The remote display unit includes a second RF module and a display. The wake circuit is adapted to activate the processor periodically at a predetermined interval of time and causes the processor to receive an output signal from the pressure sensor. The output of the pressure sensor is indicative of a tire pressure detected by the pressure sensor. The remote display unit is adapted to display the measured tire pressure value without any user input.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates to tire pressure measurement and tire pressure gauges.BACKGROUNDPressure gauges are conventionally used for measuring the pressure of a gas or a liquid, such as an air pressure. Tire pressure gauges, as an example, measure the inflation pressures of vehicle tires, such information being useful for maintaining optimal tire performance and avoiding unnecessary wear. Conventional tire pressure gauges are held in the hand, and require the user to locate a tire valve, unscrew a cap from the valve, and engage the tire pressure gauge with the valve. At night, it is difficult to locate the valve. Tire valve caps are usually covered in a film of dirt, which comes off on the user's fingers when removing and replacing the cap. While some vehicles have systems for monitoring of tire pressure using tire pressure gauges with radiofrequency transmitters installed in the tires, and systems for interrogating the gauges and receiving readings installed ...

Images