Method for identifying a pressure sensor of a vehicle tyre

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (Pr) for identifying a pressure sensor (1) of a tyre (2) of a vehicle (3), the identification method (Pr) comprising: – an activation device (4) activating the pressure sensor (1); – the activation device (4) receiving and reading sensor information (i) of the pressure sensor (1) that has been activated, characterised in that the identification method (Pr) further comprises: – the activation device (4) generating a code (c) based on the sensor information (i); and – the activation device (4) displaying the code (c) on a human-machine interface (43) so that a diagnostic device (5) can read and decode the code (c).

Description

METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A VEHICLE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR [1] The present invention relates to a method for identifying a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire. It also relates to a device for activating a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire allowing the implementation of said identification method. It finds a particular, but non-limiting, application in the field of motor vehicles. [2] In the field of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, a method for identifying a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire known to those skilled in the art comprises: - activation by a pressure sensor activation device, - reception and reading by said activation device of sensor information from said pressure sensor necessary to diagnose the condition of the tire. [3] The activation device is a tire pressure monitoring tool, otherwise known as a TPMS tool (in English “Tire Pressure Monitoring System”). It allows communication with an electronic tire pressure monitoring system, otherwise known as a TPMS system, which comprises an electronic control unit on board the vehicle, as well as one or more pressure sensors arranged inside the tires, configured to measure the internal pressure of the tires, and configured to communicate in particular pressure information to this electronic control unit of the vehicle. The electronic control unit of the motor vehicle can thus alert a user of the vehicle if one of the tires were to puncture or deflate so as to avoid any risk to their safety. [4] Diagnostic devices are used, for example, by garages to check various elements on the vehicle, including the tires, and to diagnose any malfunctions on the vehicle. Thus, a complete diagnosis of the vehicle can be presented to the owner of the motor vehicle. However, these diagnostic devices must integrate the sensor information retrieved by the tire activation device. It is therefore necessary to find a solution to transfer the sensor information retrieved by the tire activation device to the diagnostic device. [5] In this context, the present invention aims to propose a method for identifying a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire which makes it possible to solve the technical problem mentioned. [6] To this end, the invention proposes a method for identifying a pressure sensor of a tire of a vehicle, said identification method comprising: - an activation by an activation device of said pressure sensor, - a reception and a reading by said activation device of sensor information of said pressure sensor which has been activated, characterized in that the identification method further comprises: - a generation by said activation device of a code based on said sensor information, - a display by said activation device of said code on a human-machine interface so that a diagnostic device can read and decode said code. [7] Thus, as we will see in detail later, thanks to the code generated and displayed on the human-machine interface, the sensor information is easily transferable from the sensor activation device to the diagnostic device. [8] According to non-limiting embodiments, said method for identifying a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire may further comprise one or more additional characteristics taken alone or in all technically possible combinations, among the following. [9] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said code is a barcode or a QR code.

[0010] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said sensor information comprises an identification of said pressure sensor, and pressure information and / or temperature information of said tire and / or a DOT number and / or battery information. Thus, the code comprises all of this sensor information in coded manner.

[0011] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the generated code is also based on a position of said pressure sensor in the vehicle. Thus, the code also includes this position information in a coded manner.

[0012] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said identification method further comprises a selection by said activation device of a make, a model and a year of manufacture of said vehicle and said activation is based on said selection.

[0013] There is further provided a device for activating a pressure sensor of a tire of a vehicle, characterized in that said activation device comprises: (a) an activation module which is configured to activate a plurality of pressure sensors of said vehicle, (b) a receiving module which is configured to receive sensor information from said plurality of pressure sensors, (c) a first electronic control unit which is configured to: - read said sensor information from a pressure sensor that has been activated, - generate a code based on said sensor information, (d) a human-machine interface that is configured to display said code.

[0014] According to non-limiting embodiments, said activation device may further comprise one or more additional characteristics taken alone or in all technically possible combinations, among the following.

[0015] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said code is a barcode or a QR code.

[0016] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said sensor information comprises an identification of said pressure sensor, and pressure information and / or temperature information of said tire and / or a DOT number and / or battery information.

[0017] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said first electronic control unit is further configured to select a make, a model and a year of manufacture of said vehicle, and said activation module is configured to activate a pressure sensor based on said selection.

[0018] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the activation device further comprises additional means for recovering pneumatic information and transmitting it to the first electronic control unit.

[0019] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the tire information comprises: information on the manufacturer, model, week and year of manufacture, and / or information on the dimensions of the tire and / or information on the state of wear of the tire.

[0020] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the pneumatic information also comprises an identification of an RFID electronic chip.

[0021] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the additional means are: - a keyboard, and / or - an RFID module, and / or - an optical character recognition module.

[0022] According to a non-limiting embodiment, the first electronic control unit is further configured to receive its pneumatic information from said additional means and to generate said code also from said pneumatic information.

[0023] Further provided is a vehicle diagnostic device, characterized in that said diagnostic device comprises: - a reading module which is configured to read a code displayed by a human-machine interface of a device for activating a pressure sensor of a tire of said vehicle, said code comprising sensor information of said pressure sensor, - a second electronic control unit which is configured to decode said code so as to recover said sensor information.

[0024] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said second electronic control unit is further configured to perform a relearning process of a tire pressure monitoring system with a third electronic control unit of the vehicle by means of an OBD connection.

[0025] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said second electronic control unit is further configured to save said sensor information in memory.

[0026] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said second electronic control unit is further configured to save in memory a position of said pressure sensor corresponding to said sensor information.

[0027] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said reading module and said second electronic control unit are independent of each other.

[0028] According to a non-limiting embodiment, said reading module and said second electronic control unit are combined. Thus, the same element performs the reading and decoding of the code.

[0029] A computer program product is further provided, said computer program product comprising one or more sequences of instructions executable by an information processing unit, the execution of said sequences of instructions allowing an implementation of said identification method characterized according to any one of the preceding characteristics, when said sequences of instructions are loaded onto a computer.

[0030] Further provided is a non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium having stored instructions therein which, when executed by a information processing unit, cause said information processing unit to execute the identification method characterized in any one of the preceding characteristics.

[0031] The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the accompanying figures:

[0032] - [Fig. 1] is a diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of a method of identifying according to the invention a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire,

[0033] - [Fig. 2] is a diagram illustrating a device for activating a pressure sensor of a vehicle tire according to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, said activation device being configured to implement said identification method of FIG. 1, and a diagnostic device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention configured to read a code generated by said activation device,

[0034] - [Fig. 3] is a diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of the activation device of Figure 2 with the functions that it performs,

[0035] - [Fig. 4] is a diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of the diagnostic device of Figure 2 with the functions it performs.

[0036] Identical elements, by structure or function, appearing in different figures retain, unless otherwise specified, the same references.

[0037] The method of identifying Pr of a pressure sensor 1 of a tire 2 of a vehicle 3 according to the invention is described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0038] In a non-limiting embodiment, the vehicle 3 is a motor vehicle. The vehicle 3 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The non-limiting embodiment of the motor vehicle 3 is taken as a non-limiting example in the remainder of the description.

[0039] The motor vehicle 3 is equipped with tires 2 in which pressure sensors 1 are housed. There is a single pressure sensor 1 per tire 2. The vehicle 3 also comprises an electronic control unit 30, designated by the acronym ECU in the remainder of the description, or otherwise called on-board computer 30. The terms electronic control unit 30 or on-board computer 30 are used interchangeably in the remainder of the description. The assembly consisting of pressure sensors 1 and on-board computer 30 is designated by the term "electronic tire pressure monitoring system" (or in English "Tire Pressure Monitoring System" with the associated acronym "TPMS").

[0040] Each pressure sensor 1 is conventionally equipped with a radiofrequency transmitter to enable the transmission of data to the electronic control unit 30. The electronic control unit 30 receiving the data from the pressure sensors 1 can thus alert a user of the motor vehicle 3 if one of the tires 2 were to puncture or deflate, and thus avoid any risk to the safety of the user of the motor vehicle 3.

[0041] It will be noted that each pressure sensor 1 is configured to communicate according to a specific communication protocol with the electronic control unit 30 of the motor vehicle 3. Thus, a specific communication protocol is defined according to the type of a pressure sensor 1. The type is defined by the make, model and year of manufacture of the motor vehicle 3, and is referenced under the acronym MMY for “Make Model Year” in English. Depending on the type of motor vehicle 3, each vehicle comprises one or more types of pressure sensors 1. To determine the communication protocol used by each pressure sensor 1 of a motor vehicle 3, the type of the motor vehicle 3 must be selected.It will be noted that in a non-limiting embodiment, the selection of the type of the motor vehicle 3 is carried out manually beforehand by an operator by means of the activation device 4 via a database which is loaded into memory or accessible on a remote server by the sensor activation device 4 in non-limiting examples. The database comprises different types of motor vehicles 3 with the associated types of pressure sensors 1 as well as the communication protocols specific to the different pressure sensors 1.

[0042] The pressure sensor 1 makes it possible to provide sensor i information. In a non-limiting embodiment, the sensor i information is: - identification information of pressure sensor 1, and - pressure i2 of tire 2, and / or - temperature i3 of tire 2, and / or - a DOT i4 number, and / or - i5 battery information.

[0043] It should be remembered that the DOT number is an acronym meaning “Department Of Transportation” in English, which is a series of four numbers that correspond to the date of manufacture (week and year) of the tire 2.

[0044] In a non-limiting embodiment, the sensor information further comprises information relating to a state of a battery of the pressure sensor 1.

[0045] The pressure sensor 1 which is housed in a tire 2 is not usually removable, so changing a tire 2 involves changing the pressure sensor 1. pressure 1, the new pressure sensor 1 is then no longer recognized by the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3. It is therefore necessary, when changing the tires 1, to pair (or associate) the pressure sensors 1 housed in the new tires 2 with the electronic control unit 30 of the motor vehicle 3.

[0046] Whether to retrieve sensor i information from a pressure sensor 1 already paired with the motor vehicle 3 or to pair a new pressure sensor 1 with the motor vehicle 3 when a tire 2 has been changed, each pressure sensor 1 must first be identified.

[0047] The identification method Pr makes it possible to retrieve sensor information i from a pressure sensor 1 and to identify it. This identification is done by means of an activation device 4 illustrated in FIG. 2. The activation device 4 is a dedicated learning tool (generally referred to in English as “TPMS tool”).

[0048] Thus, as illustrated in Figure 1, the Pr identification method comprises the following steps.

[0049] In a non-limiting embodiment, in an illustrated EDO step F00(4, MMY) the activation device 4 selects the make, model and year of manufacture of said motor vehicle 3, the assembly being referenced under the acronym MMY as explained previously. In this case, the following activation is based on said selection.

[0050] In a step Eli illustrated Fll(4, 1, si) in Figure 1, the activation device 4 activates the pressure sensor 1 from which the sensor i information is to be recovered and which is to be identified. For this purpose, in a manner known to those skilled in the art, it emits an activation signal si to the pressure sensor 1, said activation signal si being a low-frequency radiofrequency signal.

[0051] The activation signal si wakes up pressure sensor 1. Initially, pressure sensor 1 is in a sleep mode, which preserves its battery. The activation signal si is emitted according to the communication protocol specific to pressure sensor 1.

[0052] It will be noted that the activation device 4 knows the position pl of the tire 2 in which the pressure sensor 1 is housed and to which it emits the activation signal si. As the pressure sensor 1 is not removable from the tire 2 in which it is housed, the position pl also represents the position of said tire 2. In the remainder of the description, we will thus speak indiscriminately of the position pl of the tire 2 or the position pl of the pressure sensor 1.

[0053] In a non-limiting embodiment, the activation signal si is emitted at a frequency of between 30 kHz and 300 kHz. In a non-limiting alternative embodiment, the activation signal si is emitted at a frequency of between 100 kHz and 150 kHz. In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the activation signal si is emitted at a frequency of 125 kHz. It will be noted that said activation signal si is an electromagnetic signal, continuous or modulated.

[0054] In a step E12 illustrated F12(4, 1, s2(i)) in FIG. 1, following the emission of the activation signal si, the activation device 4 receives the sensor information i. It receives them via return radiofrequency signals s2 emitted by the pressure sensor 1, said return radiofrequency signals s2 being high-frequency signals emitted at a frequency of 433 MHz or 315 MHz in non-limiting examples. The return radiofrequency signals s2 thus comprise the sensor information i described previously.

[0055] In a non-limiting example, the identification information 11 is an alphanumeric code specific to each pressure sensor 1. Thanks to this alphanumeric code, the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3 can distinguish the four tires 2 in which the pressure sensors 1 are housed and thus warn the user of the vehicle 3 of any problem occurring on one of the tires 2. Thus, the identification information 11 of the pressure sensor 1 is recovered and can thus subsequently be associated with the position 11 of the tire 2 in which said pressure sensor 1 is housed. The same goes for the other information i2 to i6 described previously.

[0056] Following the reception of the return radiofrequency signals s2, the activation device 4 extracts the sensor information i from the return radiofrequency signals s2. It can thus read them in a step E13 illustrated F13(4, i). In a non-limiting embodiment, the activation device 4 stores this sensor information i in memory (step E13' illustrated F13'(4, 44, i). They are stored in a memory 44 described later.

[0057] In a step E14 illustrated F14(4, i, c), the activation device 4 generates a code c based on the sensor information i.

[0058] In a non-limiting embodiment, the generated code c is also based on the position pl of the pressure sensor 1 in the motor vehicle 3. This makes it possible to transmit the position pl with the sensor information i to a diagnostic device 5 described later.

[0059] In non-limiting embodiments, the code c is a barcode or a QR code. Since data-based barcode or QR code generation is known to those skilled in the art, it is not described here.

[0060] Following the generation of the code c, in a step E15 illustrated F15(4, 43, c), the activation device 4 displays the code c on a human-machine interface 43.

[0061] In a non-limiting embodiment, in a step E16 illustrated F16(4, 44, pl, i), a position pl of the corresponding tire 2 is associated with the sensor information i. Thus, the activation device 4 comprises a first memory 44 (illustrated in FIG. 3) comprising a database with the position pl of each tire 2 and the identification information il of the corresponding pressure sensor 1 as well as the corresponding pressure i2 and / or temperature i3 and / or DOT number i4 and / or battery i5 information. In a non-limiting embodiment, the first memory 44 is a rewritable non-volatile memory of the EEPROM or FLASH type.

[0062] Note that the position pl of the tire 2 in which the pressure sensor 1 is housed: - is entered manually by an operator (via a human-machine interface of the activation device 4, for example a keyboard 47 in a non-limiting example), or - is defined according to a predetermined order of activation of said pressure sensor 1 among the set of pressure sensors 1 of tires 2 of the motor vehicle 3. The predetermined order of activation indicates an order for activating the pressure sensors 1. In a non-limiting example, the predetermined order of activation is: front-left tire; front-right tire; rear-left tire; rear-right tire. Thus, the first pressure sensor 1 which is activated by the activation device 4 is the one housed in the front-left tire, and the last pressure sensor 1 which is activated by the activation device 4 is the one housed in the rear-right tire.

[0063] It will be noted that this step E16 can be carried out at the same time as step E13' of storing the sensor i information in memory. The association is thus saved in the first memory 44 by the activation device 4.

[0064] The method Pr for identifying a pressure sensor 1 of a tire 2 of a vehicle 3 is thus implemented by an activation device 4 of a pressure sensor 1 of a tire 2 of a motor vehicle 3.

[0065] As illustrated in Figure 3, the activation device 4 comprises: - an activation module 40, - a reception module 41, - a first electronic control unit 42, - a human-machine interface 43.

[0066] The activation module 40 is configured to activate a plurality of pressure sensors 1 of the motor vehicle 3 (illustrated function f400(40, 1, si)). In other words, it is configured to emit an activation signal si described previously. The activation module 40 is a data communication module configured to establish a wireless communication link with the pressure sensor 1. It comprises an antenna 400 (illustrated in FIG. 3) configured to emit the activation signal si.

[0067] The receiving module 41 is configured to receive sensor information i from the plurality of pressure sensors 1 (illustrated function f410(41, 1, s2)). In other words, it is configured to receive the return radio frequency signals s2 described previously, return radio frequency signals s2 which include the sensor information i. The receiving module 41 is a data communication module configured to establish a wireless communication link with the pressure sensor 1. It comprises an antenna 410 (illustrated in FIG. 3) configured to receive the return frequency radial signals s2.

[0068] The first electronic control unit 42 is configured to: - read sensor i information from a pressure sensor 1 that has been activated. In other words, it is configured to decode the return radio frequency signals s2 to extract the sensor i information (illustrated function f420(42, s2, i)), - generate the code c (described previously) based on this sensor i information (illustrated function f421(42, i, c)).

[0069] In a non-limiting embodiment, the first electronic control unit 42 is further configured to select a make, a model, and a year of manufacture, and MMY of said vehicle 3 (illustrated function f422(42, MMY)), said activation by the activation module 40 thus being based on said selection.

[0070] In a non-limiting embodiment, the first electronic control unit 42 is further configured to save the sensor information i in memory (illustrated function f423(42, 44, i)).

[0071] In a non-limiting embodiment, the first electronic control unit 42 is further configured to associate the position pl of the pressure sensor 1 with the retrieved sensor information i and to save this association in memory (illustrated function f424(42, 44, pl, i)).

[0072] The human-machine interface 43 is configured to display the code c (illustrated function f430(43, c)). The human-machine interface 43 is a display device, such as a screen in a non-limiting example. In non-limiting examples, the screen is an LCD or TFT screen.

[0073] The activation device 4 further comprises: - a housing 45 illustrated in figure 1, in a non-limiting example made of plastic material, - a battery 46 illustrated in figure 3, - a keyboard 47 illustrated in figure 1, and - an OBD socket 48 configured to allow, for example, the connection of the activation device 4 to the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3, in particular via an OBD cable. In a non-limiting example, the OBD socket is an OBD-II socket.

[0074] In a non-limiting embodiment, the activation device 4 further comprises a communication port 49. In a non-limiting example, the communication port 49 is a USB type port. The communication port 49 is configured to connect said activation device 4 to an electronic device, such as a computer. The communication port 49 is further configured to be connected to a power source to receive electrical energy intended to charge said battery 46. Said power source may be a mains socket, but also any type of electronic or electrical device capable of electrically powering the battery 46, such as a computer.

[0075] It will be noted that the implementation of the steps of the identification method Pr set out above can be carried out by means of a microprogrammed device “software”, wired logic and / or electronic components “hardware”.

[0076] Thus, the activation device 4 may comprise one or more computer program products Pg comprising one or more sequences of instructions executable by an information processing unit, the execution of said sequences of instructions allowing implementation of the steps of the identification method Pr described previously, when they are loaded onto a computer.

[0077] In non-limiting embodiments, the information processing unit is a microprocessor, or a processing unit of a microcontroller, an ASIC, etc.

[0078] Such a computer program may be written in writable non-volatile memory of the ROM type or in rewritable non-volatile memory of the EEPROM or FLASH type. Said computer program may be written to memory at the factory or loaded into memory or downloaded remotely into memory. The instruction sequences may be sequences of machine instructions, or sequences of a command language interpreted by the processing unit at the time of their execution.

[0079] In the non-limiting example of figure s, a computer program product Pg is written in the first memory 44 of the activation device 4.

[0080] Thus, the computer program product Pg comprises one or more sequences of instructions executable by an information processing unit, the execution of said sequences of instructions allowing implementation of the following steps, when it is loaded onto said activation device 4, the steps being: - an activation of said pressure sensor 1, - a reception and reading of sensor i information from said pressure sensor 1 which has been activated, - a generation of a code c based on said sensor information i, - a display of said code c on a human-machine interface 43 so that a diagnostic device 5 can read and decode said code c.

[0081] In a non-limiting embodiment, the steps are furthermore the steps EDO, and / or E13', and / or E16 described previously when they are implemented. Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the computer program product Pg comprises one or more sequences of instructions executable by an information processing unit, the execution of said sequences of instructions allowing an implementation of the following steps, when it is loaded on said activation device 4, the steps being the steps EDO, and / or E13' and E16 described previously.

[0082] The computer program product Pg is incorporated on a non-transitory data recording medium Md readable by a computer in which are stored instructions which, when executed by an information processing unit, cause said information processing unit to execute the identification method Pr described above.

[0083] In non-limiting embodiments, the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium Md is an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In non-limiting examples, the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium Md is a ROM or the like such as a PROM, an EPROM or the like such as an EEPROM, a Flash memory, a semiconductor memory, a DVD, etc. In the non-limiting example limiting of figure 3, the non-transitory data recording medium Md readable by computer is the memory 44 described previously.

[0084] Although the non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium Md is shown, as in the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, as a single medium, the term non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium should be considered to include a single medium or multiple mediums.

[0085] A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium Md as used herein should not be construed as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium, or an electrical signal transmitted through a wire.

[0086] The sensor i information thus recovered by the activation device 4 thus makes it possible in particular to identify the pressure sensor 1 which has been activated and to characterize the state of the corresponding tire 2.

[0087] A diagnostic device 5 illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 for a motor vehicle 3 can read the code c generated from the sensor i information encoded in this code c and decode it so as to recover the sensor i information from the pressure sensor 1.

[0088] The diagnostic device 5 is used by mechanics to check various elements on the motor vehicle 3 including the tires 2 and to diagnose any malfunctions on the motor vehicle 3. The diagnostic device 5, also commonly called a diagnostic case, is a manufacturer device dedicated to communicating with vehicles of the manufacturer's brand.

[0089] Retrieving the sensor i information by the diagnostic device 5 makes it possible to have a single tool which groups together all the information relating to the motor vehicle 3.

[0090] As illustrated in Figure 4, the diagnostic device 5 comprises: - a 50 reading module, - a second electronic control unit 51.

[0091] In a non-limiting embodiment, the reading module 50 and the second electronic control unit 51 are independent of each other. In another non-limiting embodiment, the reading module 50 and the second electronic control unit 51 are combined.

[0092] The diagnostic device 5 further comprises a human-machine interface 52. The human-machine interface 52 is a display device, such as a screen in a non-limiting example. In non-limiting examples, the screen is an LCD or TFT screen.

[0093] The diagnostic device 5 further comprises a second memory 53. In a non-limiting embodiment, the second memory 53 is a rewritable non-volatile memory of the EEPROM or FLASH type.

[0094] The reading module 50 is configured to read the code c displayed by the human-machine interface 43 of the activation device 4, said code c comprising sensor information i of said pressure sensor 1 (illustrated function f500(50, c)). In non-limiting embodiments, the reading module 50 is a camera or a scanner. Thus, the camera or the scanner are capable of decoding the code c, such as a barcode or a QR code by techniques known to those skilled in the art and not described here.

[0095] The second electronic control unit 51 is configured to decode the code c so as to recover said sensor information i (illustrated function f510(51, c, i)).

[0096] In a non-limiting embodiment, the second electronic control unit 51 is further configured to save this decoded sensor i information in memory (illustrated function f511(51, 53, pl, i)). It saves them with the position pl of the corresponding tire 2, position pl transmitted by the activation device 4 through the code c. In a non-limiting embodiment, it saves them locally; in a non-limiting example illustrated in the memory 53. In another non-limiting embodiment, it saves them in a cloud.

[0097] In a non-limiting embodiment, the second electronic control unit 51 is further configured to perform a relearn process with the electronic control unit 30 of the motor vehicle 3 by means of an OBD connection, here the OBD socket 48 (illustrated function f512(51, 30, 48, 1, pl)). The relearn process is called "relearn" in English and is performed when a tire 2 is changed on the motor vehicle 3. The relearn process allows pairing of the new pressure sensor 1 integrated in the new tire 2 with the motor vehicle 3.

[0098] Indeed, the identification of a pressure sensor 1 is used in particular for the pairing of the pressure sensors 1 with the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3. The pairing (or the association) allows the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3 to identify a new pressure sensor 1 which has been installed on the vehicle 3 when replacing a tire 2, this new pressure sensor 1 comprising identification information which is new and different from the old pressure sensor 1 which has been replaced. The electronic control unit 30 must be made aware of this new information. identification in order to recognize and receive the radio frequency signals if emitted by this new pressure sensor 1, which is done by the relearn process.

[0099] In a first non-limiting embodiment, the relearning is done: - by transmitting to the electronic control unit 30 of the vehicle 3 directly all of the sensor information i of each pressure sensor 1 as well as their respective associated positions pl, which have been previously saved in memory, and - by directly writing this data into a memory of the electronic control unit 30 of the motor vehicle 3.

[0100] This transmission is thus carried out between the diagnostic device 5 (which has stored in the second memory 53 the sensor information i of each pressure sensor 1 and their respective associated positions pl) and the electronic control unit 30 of the motor vehicle 3. In this case, in a non-limiting example, wired means such as an OBD connector, here the OBD socket 48, are used for the transmission.

[0101] The human-machine interface 52 of the diagnostic device 5 is configured to display the sensor information i extracted by the second electronic control unit 51 (illustrated function F520(52, i)). Thus, the operator can read the sensor information i on the human-machine interface 52. In a non-limiting embodiment, the human-machine interface 52 is further configured to also display the position pl corresponding to the sensor information i. Thus, the diagnostic device 5 can subsequently use this sensor information i to establish, for example, an overall report on the vehicle 3 or for other future uses.

[0102] Of course, the description of the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and to the field described above. Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the display device 43 and the keyboard 47 of the activation device 4 can be replaced by a single element such as a touch screen allowing on the one hand the display of information and on the other hand the activation of functions via dedicated pictograms or the confirmation of an operation via an operator. Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the activation device 4 further comprises additional means for recovering pneumatic information and transmitting it to the first electronic control unit 42. In a non-limiting embodiment, the pneumatic information comprises: information on the manufacturer, model, week and year of manufacture, the whole being known by the acronym MMM for “Manufacturer, Model, Manufacturing week and year” in English, and / or information on the dimensions of the tire and / or information on the condition tire wear 2. In a non-limiting embodiment, the pneumatic information also includes an identification of an RFID electronic chip. In non-limiting embodiments, the additional means are: - a keyboard configured to manually enter the pneumatic information, and / or - an RFID module to read an RFID tag in the tire, and / or - an optical character recognition module commonly called OCR module for reading OCR text. In this case, the first electronic control unit 42 is further configured to receive its pneumatic information from said additional means and to generate said code c also from said pneumatic information.

[0103] Thus, the invention described presents in particular the following advantages: - it allows sensor information to be transmitted very easily to a diagnostic device 5 via the c code, thus allowing the integration of the diagnosis of the pressure sensors 1 into an overall diagnostic process 5; thus the final diagnostic step is carried out by a single diagnostic device 5, - it facilitates interfacing with any diagnostic device 5, - it allows the diagnostic device 5 to support the relearning process, - it is easy to implement.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Method for identifying (Pr) a pressure sensor (1) of a tire (2) of a vehicle (3), said identification method (Pr) comprising: - activation by an activation device (4) of said pressure sensor (1), - a reception and a reading by said activation device (4) of sensor information (i) from said pressure sensor (1) which has been activated, characterized in that the identification method (Pr) further comprises: - a generation by said activation device (4) of a code (c) based on said sensor information (i) / - a display by said activation device (4) of said code (c) on a human-machine interface (43) so that a diagnostic device (5) can read and decode said code (c).

2. Identification method (Pr) according to claim 1, wherein said code (c) is a bar code or a QR code.

3. Identification method (Pr) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sensor information (i) comprises an identification of said pressure sensor (1), and pressure information and / or temperature information of said tire (2) and / or a DOT number and / or battery information.

4. An identification method (Pr) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said identification method (Pr) further comprises a selection by said activation device (4) of a make, model and year of manufacture (MMY) of said vehicle (3) and wherein said activation is based on said selection.

5. Activation device (4) for a pressure sensor (1) of a tire (2) of a vehicle (3), characterized in that said activation device (4) comprises: (a) an activation module (40) which is configured to activate a plurality of pressure sensors (1) of said vehicle (3), (b) a receiving module (41) which is configured to receive sensor information (i) from said plurality of pressure sensors (1), (c) a first electronic control unit (42) which is configured to: - reading said sensor information (i) from a pressure sensor (1) which has been activated, - generate a code (c) based on said sensor information (i), (d) a human-machine interface (43) which is configured to display said code (c).

6. Activation device (4) according to the preceding claim, wherein said code is a bar code or a QR code.

7. Activation device (4) according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said sensor information (i) comprises an identification of said pressure sensor (1), and pressure information and / or temperature information of said tire (2) and / or a DOT number and / or battery information.

8. An activation device (4) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said first electronic control unit (42) is further configured to select a make, model, and year of manufacture (MMY) of said vehicle (3), and said activation module (40) is configured to activate a pressure sensor (1) based on said selection.

9. Diagnostic device (5) for vehicle (3), characterized in that said diagnostic device (5) comprises: - a reading module (50) which is configured to read a code (c) displayed by a human-machine interface (43) of an activation device (4) of a pressure sensor (1) of a tire (2) of said vehicle (3), said code (c) comprising sensor information (i) of said pressure sensor (1), - a second electronic control unit (51) which is configured to decode said code (c) so as to recover said sensor information (i).

10. Computer program product (Pg), said computer program product (Pg) comprising one or more sequences of instructions executable by an information processing unit, the execution of said sequences of instructions allowing an implementation of said identification method (Pr) characterized according to any one of claims 1 to 4, when said sequences of instructions are loaded onto a computer.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium (Md) in which are stored instructions which, when executed by an information processing unit, cause said information processing unit to execute the identification method (Pr) characterized in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4.

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