Sensor module management device

Abstract

This invention provides a sensor module management device that facilitates power management of sensor modules while reducing environmental impact. [Solution] A management device for a sensor module 20 that integrally houses a power receiving unit 21 for receiving power, a power storage unit 22 for storing the received power, and a sensor unit including a sensor 23 for detecting tire information, comprises an information acquisition unit 11 for acquiring individual identification information of the sensor 23, a voltage acquisition unit 12 for acquiring the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit 22, a power receiving necessity determination unit 13 for determining whether power receiving by the power receiving unit 21 is necessary by comparing the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12 with a predetermined threshold, and a power receiving plan creation unit 14 for creating a power receiving plan when the power receiving necessity determination unit 13 determines that power receiving by the power receiving unit 21 is necessary.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor module management device, and more particularly to a sensor module management device that enables easy implementation of power management of a sensor module and reduction of environmental load.

Background Art

[0002] In order to obtain tire information such as internal pressure and temperature, various sensors are installed in the tire cavity (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In such sensors, a rich power supply is required to continuously obtain advanced tire information. For example, when a battery is used as the power supply of the sensor, there is a problem that power cannot be continuously supplied over a long period of time and the battery needs to be replaced in a timely manner. In addition, when it is structurally difficult to take out the battery enclosed inside the sensor, there is a problem that the battery has to be discarded simultaneously with the replacement of the sensor, and it is required to solve this problem and reduce the environmental load.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor module management device that enables easy implementation of power management of a sensor module and reduction of environmental load.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a sensor module management device that integrally houses a sensor unit including a power receiving unit for receiving power, a power storage unit for storing the received power, and a sensor for detecting tire information, and is characterized by comprising: an information acquisition unit for acquiring individual identification information of the sensor; a voltage acquisition unit for acquiring the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit; a power receiving necessity determination unit for determining whether power receiving by the power receiving unit is necessary by comparing the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold; and a power receiving plan creation unit for creating a power receiving plan when the power receiving necessity determination unit determines that power receiving work by the power receiving unit is necessary. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The sensor module management device of the present invention includes an information acquisition unit that acquires individual identification information of sensors, a voltage acquisition unit that acquires the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit, a power reception necessity determination unit that compares the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold to determine whether or not power reception by the power receiving unit is necessary, and a power reception plan creation unit that creates a power reception plan when the power reception necessity determination unit determines that power reception work by the power receiving unit is necessary. For example, when an administrator (mobility service provider or tire retailer) who owns multiple vehicles or multiple tires manages tires equipped with the above sensor modules or vehicles equipped with them, the sensor module management device of the present invention creates an appropriate power reception plan according to the power status of each sensor module, and the power receiving worker supplies power to the sensor modules using a power transmission device on the outside of the tire based on this power reception plan. As a result, the administrator can easily manage the power of multiple sensor modules simultaneously, thereby reducing the labor required for managing the power of the sensor modules. Furthermore, the sensor module, equipped with both a power receiving unit and a power storage unit, eliminates the need to replace batteries as in conventional systems, enabling long-term use. This reduces the frequency of discarding batteries and the sensor module itself, contributing to a reduction in environmental impact.

[0007] In the sensor module management device of the present invention, it is preferable to include a notification unit that notifies pre-registered contacts when a power receiving plan is created. This allows the person responsible for power receiving the sensor module who receives the notification to perform the power receiving work with sufficient time to spare. Furthermore, it is preferable from the viewpoint of convenience for vehicle and tire users, as they can be sure that the sensor will be fully charged when it is reused.

[0008] It is preferable to include a power reception status recording unit that records the power reception status of the power reception unit when power reception work is performed by the power reception unit based on the power reception plan. This prevents a situation where there is insufficient power when the sensor is reused and allows the information to be reflected in the power reception plan for the next time.

[0009] It is preferable to have a reading means for reading individual tire identification information from a tire that is equipped with an identification means that includes individual tire identification information. By reading the individual tire identification information in this way, for example, the individual identification information of the sensor and the individual identification information of the tire can be linked, allowing for the understanding of changes over time and utilization in tire quality control. Furthermore, if the sensor needs to be replaced due to a malfunction, the process of linking the sensor and the tire can be easily carried out.

[0010] It is preferable that the sensor module is fixed to the inner surface of the tire, and the power receiving unit is positioned parallel to the inner surface of the tire, and that the power receiving unit performs power receiving operations based on a power receiving plan. This is suitable when the power receiving unit receives power supplied from a power transmission device on the outside of the tire. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This flowchart shows an example of a procedure for creating a power supply plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]This is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the procedure for creating a power receiving plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating another modification of the procedure for creating a power supply plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a meridian cross-sectional view showing an example of a pneumatic tire that can be used as the target of a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] (A) and (B) show an example of a sensor module attached to a pneumatic tire via a container in Figure 5, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a cross-sectional view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The configuration of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 shows a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The sensor module management device 10 (hereinafter referred to as the management device 10) creates an appropriate power receiving plan according to the power status of the sensor module 20 fixed to the inner surface Ts of the tire T (see, for example, Figure 5). This management device 10 may be mounted on the vehicle itself to which the tire T equipped with the sensor module 20 is attached, or it may be configured as a separate device from the vehicle, or it may be mounted on a portable dedicated terminal.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the management device 10 includes an information acquisition unit 11, a voltage acquisition unit 12, a power reception necessity determination unit 13, and a power reception plan creation unit 14. The management device 10 may further include a notification unit 15, a power reception status recording unit 16, and a storage area 17.

[0015] The information acquisition unit 11 acquires individual identification information for the sensor 23. Examples of this individual identification information for the sensor 23 include the sensor 23's identification number, the date it was installed on the tire, its placement on the tire, and its position on the vehicle. The voltage acquisition unit 12 acquires the voltage value [V] of the power stored in the power storage unit 22. These information acquisition unit 11 and voltage acquisition unit 12 are configured to communicate with the sensor 23 of the sensor module 20.

[0016] The power reception necessity determination unit 13 compares the voltage value [V] of the energy storage unit 22 acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12 with a predetermined threshold [V] to determine whether power reception by the power reception unit 21 is necessary. This predetermined threshold can be set to any value. For example, the predetermined threshold can be set based on the operating voltage or power consumption of the control circuit mounted on the sensor module 20, or based on the voltage value calculated from the current consumption of the sensor module 20 and the initial battery capacity, or an arbitrary ratio to the voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 when fully charged can be set as the predetermined threshold. The power reception necessity determination unit 13 determines that power reception by the power reception unit 21 is necessary when the voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12 falls below the predetermined threshold.

[0017] When the power reception necessity determination unit 13 determines that power reception work by the power reception unit 21 is necessary, the power reception plan creation unit 14 creates a power reception plan. This power reception plan can include the priority order of power reception work, the date and time of power reception work, the location of power reception work, the content of power reception work (working hours, costs, etc.), user information of the vehicle and tires (such as vehicle information and the presence or absence of storage of the vehicle or tires), product information of the tires (brand, size, etc.), the individual identification information of the sensor 23, and the like. In particular, when simultaneously managing a plurality of sensor modules 20, it is important to include the priority order of power reception work in the power reception plan. For example, it includes specifying the priority order for each vehicle among a plurality of vehicles or specifying the priority order for each of the four tires on one vehicle. Furthermore, if the state of the tires (for example, wear condition, the presence or absence of damage such as scratches or cracks) or the state of the sensors (for example, battery remaining amount, error occurrence status of sensing functions and communication functions, information regarding the usage of individual sensors represented by sensing frequency, etc.) can be grasped in advance, the working hours for replacing the sensors mounted on used tires that need to be replaced from used tires to new tires and the working hours for replacing them with new sensors are also considered, and the priority order can be set appropriately. Regarding the battery remaining amount, since it can be used to estimate the time required for full charge, this is also useful information for determining the priority order. Thus, including the priority order of power reception work in the power reception plan is very beneficial for an administrator who owns a plurality of vehicles or a plurality of tires. In addition, the power reception plan creation unit 14 can update the power reception plan as necessary.

[0018] [[ID=*4]]When the power reception plan is created by the power reception plan creation unit 14, the notification unit 15 notifies a pre-registered contact. Examples of the contact can include an administrator, a vehicle occupant, and a user of the vehicle or tires. Also, examples of the notification means include sending an email, displaying on a display mounted on the vehicle, and displaying on an information terminal outside the vehicle. Further, the notification information can include the information included in the above-described power reception plan. For example, it can include the date and time of power reception work, the location of power reception work, the content of power reception work, user information of the vehicle and tires, product information of the tires, and the like.

[0019] When the power receiving operation by the power receiving unit 21 is executed based on the power receiving plan created by the power receiving plan creation unit 14, the power receiving status recording unit 16 records the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21. Examples of the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21 include the power receiving date and time, the power receiving time, the voltage value of the power storage unit 22 after power receiving, the operation status of the sensor 23, and the like. In this embodiment, an example where the power receiving status recording unit 16 is mounted on the management device 10 is shown, but it may be mounted on the power transmission device 100. In this case, the power transmission device 100 is configured to be communicable with the sensor module 20, and the sensor module 20 acquires the above power receiving status from the power receiving status recording unit 16 mounted on the power transmission device 100 and stores it in the storage area 17.

[0020] The storage area 17 stores various types of data. In the storage area 17, for example, data acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 and the voltage acquisition unit 12, the determination result by the power reception necessity determination unit 13, a predetermined threshold value used at the time of determination by the power reception necessity determination unit 13, a power reception plan created by the power reception plan creation unit 14, contact information used at the time of notification by the notification unit 15, the power reception status of the power reception unit 21, user information of the vehicle and tires, product information of the tires, individual identification information of the sensor 23, and the like are stored. Further, the storage area 17 can be configured by an external storage device such as a hard disk, an internal storage device such as a RAM, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, as the storage area 17, a storage area (cloud) on a network communicably connected to the management device 10 may be used.

[0021] On the other hand, the sensor module 20 includes a power receiving unit 21 that receives power supplied from the power transmission device 100 outside the tire, a power storage unit 22 that stores the received power, a sensor 23 that detects tire information, and various electronic components 24, and these are integrally accommodated in a module body (housing). Further, the sensor 23 and the electronic component 24 are integrally configured as a sensor unit and incorporated in the sensor module 20.

[0022] The power receiving unit 21 receives power wirelessly from the power transmission device 100 located on the outside of the tire. While there are no particular limitations on the wireless power supply method, electromagnetic induction and magnetic field resonance can be used. The power receiving unit 21 can, for example, consist of a coil, a capacitor, and a rectifier circuit.

[0023] The power storage unit 22 stores the power received by the power receiving unit 21. The power storage unit 22 can be made up of, for example, a secondary battery. The power storage unit 22 is electrically connected to the power receiving unit 21 and is electrically connected to a sensor unit including a sensor 23 and electronic components 24, and can supply power to the sensor 23.

[0024] The electronic component 24 includes a transmitter, receiver, control circuit, etc. This allows the sensor 23 to communicate with the information acquisition unit 11 and voltage acquisition unit 12 of the management device 10. Examples of tire information acquired by the sensor 23 include the internal temperature and pressure of a pneumatic tire, and the amount of wear on the tread. For example, a temperature sensor or pressure sensor is used to measure the internal temperature and pressure. When detecting the amount of wear on the tire tread, for example, a piezoelectric element is provided as a sensor element constituting the sensor, and this sensor element generates an output voltage corresponding to the tire deformation during driving, and the amount of wear on the tread is detected based on this output voltage. In addition, it is also possible to use an acceleration sensor or a magnetic sensor.

[0025] Figure 2 shows the procedure for creating a power receiving plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management device 10 is initially positioned near a tire T to which a sensor module 20 is attached, or near a vehicle equipped with it. In step S1, the information acquisition unit 11 of the management device 10 acquires individual identification information of the sensor 23. At that time, the storage area 17 stores the individual identification information of the sensor 23 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

[0026] Next, the process proceeds to step S2, where the voltage acquisition unit 12 of the management device 10 acquires the voltage value of the power stored in the energy storage unit 22. At this time, the memory area 17 stores the voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12.

[0027] Next, the process proceeds to step S3, where the power supply necessity determination unit 13 of the management device 10 compares the voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12 with a predetermined threshold. If the acquired voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 is lower than the predetermined threshold, the power supply necessity determination unit 13 concludes that power supply work by the power supply unit 21 is necessary, and proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the acquired voltage value of the energy storage unit 22 is higher than the predetermined threshold, the power supply necessity determination unit 13 concludes that power supply work by the power supply unit 21 is unnecessary, and terminates the determination.

[0028] If the power supply necessity determination unit 13 determines that power supply work by the power supply unit 21 is necessary, the process proceeds to step S4, and the power supply plan creation unit 14 of the management device 10 creates a power supply plan. After the power supply plan is created, the process ends.

[0029] The execution frequency of steps S1 to S4 can be set arbitrarily and may be performed regularly (for example, every month or every few months), or in accordance with the frequency at which sensor 23 acquires tire information. Alternatively, the execution frequency of steps S1 to S4 may be set individually for each sensor, in accordance with how each sensor is used, such as the sensing frequency (for example, the vehicle operating time changes depending on the vehicle it is installed on and the content of the mobility service, and this changes the sensing frequency of sensor 23).

[0030] Figure 3 shows a modified example of the procedure for creating a power receiving plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management device 10 includes a notification unit 15. The procedure shown in Figure 3 is the same as the procedure shown in Figure 2 up to step S4. After step S4, the process proceeds to step S5, where the power receiving plan creation unit 14 creates the power receiving plan, and then the notification unit 15 notifies the pre-registered contacts. The flow then ends.

[0031] In this way, the notification unit 15 notifies pre-registered contacts when a power receiving plan is created by the power receiving plan creation unit 14, allowing the power receiving worker for the sensor module 20 who receives the notification to perform the power receiving work with sufficient time to spare. Furthermore, vehicle and tire users can be assured that the sensor 23 will be fully charged when it is reused, which is advantageous from a convenience standpoint. The notified power receiving worker can check tire inventory and make arrangements in advance. Vehicle and tire users can, for example, consider the date, time, and location of the notified power receiving work in advance and communicate any change requests to their administrator, which is advantageous from a convenience standpoint.

[0032] Figure 4 shows a modified example of the procedure for creating a power receiving plan using a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management device 10 includes a notification unit 15 and a power receiving status recording unit 16. The procedure shown in Figure 4 is the same as the procedure shown in Figure 3 up to step S5. After step S5, the process proceeds to step S6, where the notification unit 15 contacts a pre-registered contact person, and then the power receiving status recording unit 16 records the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21. More specifically, immediately after the notification unit 15 contacts a pre-registered contact person, the power receiving status recording unit 16 may provisionally record the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21. In this case, after the power receiving operation is actually performed by the power receiving unit 21, the power receiving status recording unit 16 records (updates) the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21 again. Alternatively, after the power receiving operation is actually performed by the power receiving unit 21, the power receiving status recording unit 16 may record the power receiving status of the power receiving unit 21. Then the flow ends.

[0033] By recording the power reception status of the power reception unit 21 in this way, the power reception status recording unit 16 can prevent the sensor 23 from being insufficient in power when it is reused, and this information can be reflected in the power reception plan for the next time. In addition, information on how each sensor is used, such as sensing frequency, can also be recorded, and based on this information, the execution frequency of the steps S1 to S4 flow shown in Figures 2 to 4 can be set individually for each sensor. Furthermore, when performing the power reception work, the operation of the sensor 23 can be checked (operation check of TPMS function and operation check of other detection functions), and the operation status of the sensor 23 can be recorded in the power reception status recording unit 16. This is preferable from the standpoint of convenience as administrators and users can check the operation status of the sensor 23.

[0034] The sensor module management device described above includes an information acquisition unit 11 that acquires individual identification information of the sensor 23, a voltage acquisition unit 12 that acquires the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit 22, a power reception necessity determination unit 13 that compares the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit 12 with a predetermined threshold to determine whether or not power reception by the power reception unit 21 is necessary, and a power reception plan creation unit 14 that creates a power reception plan when the power reception necessity determination unit 13 determines that power reception work by the power reception unit 21 is necessary. For example, when an administrator (mobility service provider or tire retailer) who owns multiple vehicles or multiple tires manages tires T equipped with sensor modules 20 or vehicles equipped with them, the management device 10 creates an appropriate power reception plan according to the power status of each sensor module 20, and the power reception worker supplies power to the sensor modules using the power transmission device 100 on the outside of the tire based on this power reception plan. As a result, the administrator can easily manage the power of multiple sensor modules 20 simultaneously, thereby reducing the labor required for managing the power of the sensor modules 20. Furthermore, the sensor module 20, equipped with a power receiving unit 21 and a power storage unit 22, eliminates the need to replace batteries as in conventional systems, enabling long-term use. This reduces the frequency of discarding batteries and the sensor module 20 itself, leading to a reduction in environmental impact.

[0035] Such a management device 10 may include a reading means 42. The reading means 42 reads individual identification information from the tire T equipped with a sensor module 20. Examples of individual identification information for the tire T include manufacturing information and usage history. Here, the tire T is equipped with an identification means 41 that includes its individual identification information. Examples of the identification means 41 include a QR code (registered trademark), a barcode, a label, and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag. In particular, it is preferable to embed an RFID tag inside the tire to prevent reading failures due to wear or peeling of the identification means 41. A reader / writer corresponding to the identification means 41 can be used as the reading means 42. The information read by the reading means 42 may be configured to be stored directly in the storage area 17, or it may be configured to be transmitted to the management device 10.

[0036] By reading the individual identification information of the tire T in this way, for example, the individual identification information of the sensor 23 can be linked with the individual identification information of the tire T, allowing for the tracking of changes over time and utilization in quality control of the tire T. Furthermore, if the sensor 23 needs to be replaced due to a malfunction, the linking process between the sensor 23 and the tire T can be easily performed.

[0037] Figure 5 shows a pneumatic tire (tire T) that can be used as the target of a sensor module management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion 1 that extends in the circumferential direction of the tire and forms an annular shape, a pair of sidewall portions 2 arranged on both sides of the tread portion 1, and a pair of bead portions 3 arranged radially inward of these sidewall portions 2.

[0038] A carcass layer 4 is mounted between a pair of bead sections 3. This carcass layer 4 includes multiple reinforcing cords extending in the radial direction of the tire, which are folded back from the inside to the outside of the tire around the bead core 5 located in each bead section 3. A bead filler 6 made of a rubber composition with a triangular cross-section is placed on the outer circumference of the bead core 5. An inner liner layer 9 is placed in the region between the pair of bead sections 3 on the inner surface Ts of the tire. This inner liner layer 9 forms the inner surface Ts of the tire.

[0039] On the other hand, multiple belt layers 7 are embedded on the outer circumference of the carcass layer 4 in the tread portion 1. These belt layers 7 include multiple reinforcing cords that are inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and the reinforcing cords are arranged to intersect each other between layers. In the belt layers 7, the inclination angle of the reinforcing cords with respect to the tire circumferential direction is set to, for example, a range of 10° to 40°. Steel cords are preferably used as the reinforcing cords of the belt layers 7. On the outer circumference of the belt layers 7, at least one belt cover layer 8 is arranged, in which the reinforcing cords are arranged at an angle of, for example, 5° or less with respect to the tire circumferential direction, for the purpose of improving high-speed durability. Organic fiber cords such as nylon or aramid are preferably used as the reinforcing cords of the belt cover layer 8.

[0040] The tire internal structure described above is a typical example of a pneumatic tire, but is not limited to this example.

[0041] In the above-described pneumatic tire, at least one sensor module 20 can be attached to the inner surface Ts of the tire via a container 30. In this case, it is preferable that the power receiving section 21 of the sensor module 20 is arranged substantially parallel to the inner surface Ts of the tire. More specifically, it is preferable that the surface of the power receiving section 21 facing the inner surface Ts of the tire is arranged substantially parallel to an imaginary line perpendicular to the normal of the inner surface Ts of the tire on which the sensor module 20 is installed. In such a substantially parallel arrangement, considering that the inner surface of the tire generally has double curvature in the circumferential and width directions, the following angles are permissible. The angle between the surface of the power receiving section 21 facing the inner surface Ts of the tire and the inner surface Ts of the tire is preferably in the range of -10° to +10°, more preferably in the range of -5° to +5°, and most preferably in the range of -3° to +3°. Furthermore, an RFID tag is used as the identification means 41, and this RFID tag is embedded in the sidewall section 2.

[0042] By positioning the power receiving unit 21 on the inner surface Ts of the tire in this manner, it is suitable for the power receiving unit 21 to receive power supplied from the power transmission device 100 on the outside of the tire. It can be attached to the inner surface Ts of the tire corresponding to any of the tread portion 1, sidewall portion 2, and bead portion 3, but if the sensor function is intended to detect road surface detection, wear detection, or fault detection, it is desirable to detect the behavior of the tire contact surface, so it is preferable to attach it to the inner surface Ts of the tire corresponding to the tread portion 1.

[0043] As shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), the container 30 comprises a base portion 31 joined to the inner surface Ts of the tire via an adhesive layer, a cylindrical side wall portion 32 protruding from the base portion 31, and an opening 33 communicating with the side wall portion 32. The sensor module 20 is configured to be housed within the container 30, so it can be replaced as needed in the event of a malfunction. Furthermore, using a flexible material, such as rubber, as the material constituting the container 30 is preferable because it expands and contracts when inserting and removing the sensor module 20 through the opening 33.

[0044] In the embodiments described above, an example of use with pneumatic tires was explained, but the invention is not limited to this, and the sensor module management device according to the present invention can also be used with non-pneumatic tires. Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, an example was described in which an RFID tag was used as the identification means 41 and embedded in the sidewall portion 2, but the invention is not limited to this, and any type of identification means 41 can be placed at any location.

[0045] This disclosure encompasses the following inventions [1] to [5]. The invention [1] is a sensor module management device that integrally houses a power receiving unit for receiving power, a power storage unit for storing the received power, and a sensor unit including a sensor for detecting tire information, and is characterized by comprising: an information acquisition unit for acquiring individual identification information of the sensor; a voltage acquisition unit for acquiring the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit; a power receiving necessity determination unit for determining whether or not power receiving by the power receiving unit is necessary by comparing the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold; and a power receiving plan creation unit for creating a power receiving plan when the power receiving necessity determination unit determines that power receiving work by the power receiving unit is necessary. Invention [2] is a sensor module management device according to Invention [1], characterized in that it includes a notification unit that notifies a pre-registered contact when the power receiving plan is created. Invention [3] is a sensor module management device according to Invention [1] or [2], characterized in that it includes a power receiving status recording unit that records the power receiving status of the power receiving unit when power receiving work is performed by the power receiving unit based on the power receiving plan. Invention [4] is a sensor module management device according to any one of Inventions [1] to [3], characterized in that it includes a reading means for reading individual identification information of a tire from a tire which is equipped with an identification means that includes individual identification information of the tire. Invention [5] is a sensor module management device according to any one of Inventions [1] to [4], characterized in that the sensor module is fixed to the inner surface of the tire and the power receiving unit is positioned parallel to the inner surface of the tire, and the power receiving unit performs a power receiving operation based on the power receiving plan for the tire. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10 Sensor Module Management Device 11 Information acquisition department 12 Voltage acquisition section 13 Power supply necessity determination unit 14. Power Reception Planning Department 15 Notification Department 16 Power Reception Status Recording Unit 17 Storage area 20 Sensor Modules 21 Power receiving section 22 Energy Storage Unit 23 sensors 24 Electronic Components 30 containers T-tire Ts inner surface of tire

Claims

1. In a sensor module management device that integrally houses a power receiving unit for receiving power, a power storage unit for storing the received power, and a sensor unit including a sensor for detecting tire information, A sensor module management device comprising: an information acquisition unit for acquiring individual identification information of the sensor; a voltage acquisition unit for acquiring the voltage value of the power stored in the power storage unit; a power receiving necessity determination unit for determining whether power receiving by the power receiving unit is necessary by comparing the voltage value acquired by the voltage acquisition unit with a predetermined threshold; and a power receiving plan creation unit for creating a power receiving plan when the power receiving necessity determination unit determines that power receiving work by the power receiving unit is necessary.

2. The sensor module management device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a pre-registered contact when the aforementioned power receiving plan is created.

3. The sensor module management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a power reception status recording unit that records the power reception status of the power reception unit when power reception work is performed by the power reception unit based on the power reception plan.

4. The sensor module management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a reading means for reading individual identification information of a tire from a tire equipped with an identification means that includes individual identification information of the tire.

5. The sensor module management device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor module is fixed to the inner surface of the tire, and the power receiving unit is positioned parallel to the inner surface of the tire, and the power receiving unit performs power receiving operations based on the power receiving plan for the tire.

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