Method and electronic device for determining positions of sensors for monitoring state of tire

Abstract

This method by which an electronic device determines the positions of sensors for monitoring the state of a tire installed in a vehicle, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: identifying traveling direction information about the vehicle; receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the vehicle; identifying reception strength information for wireless signals received from the plurality of sensors; and determining, on the basis of the traveling direction information, the acceleration information, and the reception strength information, information about the positions at which the plurality of sensors are installed respectively, wherein the step of determining the information about the positions includes a step for determining lateral position information among the information about the positions on the basis of the traveling direction information and the acceleration information about the vehicle, and a step for determining longitudinal position information among the information about the positions on the basis of the reception strength information.

Description

Method for determining the location of a sensor monitoring the condition of a tire and electronic device

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire through an electronic device.

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing number of cases where vehicle owners replace their tires at home without visiting a repair shop. However, in such cases, there is a problem in that it is difficult to accurately position the sensors that monitor tire condition. As the identification of sensors based on tire location becomes unclear, the vehicle's tire condition may not be accurately detected, which can lead to safety issues and difficulties in efficient tire management.

[0003] For example, even if a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor, which collects information such as tire pressure, temperature, and wear, is installed on each tire, if the vehicle owner cannot correctly identify the location of the sensor after replacing the tire, it is impossible to accurately determine which tire the collected data corresponds to. This not only lowers the reliability of the data but also makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact location in the event of a problem, potentially delaying appropriate action.

[0004] Various methods are being attempted to address this problem. For instance, methods have been proposed to manually set the location of each sensor during tire replacement or to track sensor positions using additional devices such as GPS or RFID. However, these methods have limitations in terms of practicality and cost because they require additional equipment or setup work.

[0005] Therefore, there is a growing need for technology that can automatically identify the location of sensors via in-vehicle electronic devices without additional equipment and accurately monitor tire conditions based on this.

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to enhance user convenience by tracking and updating the location of sensors based on vehicle acceleration information and reception strength information without additional equipment, even after tire replacement.

[0007] The present invention aims to rapidly provide sensor information by preliminarily determining whether the tire position has changed based on existing location information, when it is determined that the location information of the data first received by the electronic device has not changed.

[0008] A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle by an electronic device of the present invention comprises the steps of: confirming the vehicle’s direction of travel information; receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the vehicle; confirming the reception strength information for a wireless signal received from the plurality of sensors; and determining the location information of each of the plurality of sensors based on the direction of travel information, the acceleration information, and the reception strength information. The step of determining the location information includes the step of determining left-right location information among the location information based on the vehicle’s direction of travel information and the acceleration information, and the step of determining front-back location information among the location information based on the reception strength information.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of determining the left and right position information, if the vehicle is determined to be moving forward based on the direction of travel information and the sensor is determined to be rotating clockwise based on the acceleration information, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the right and if the sensor is determined to be rotating counterclockwise, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the left and the vehicle is determined to be moving backward based on the direction of travel information and the sensor is determined to be rotating clockwise based on the acceleration information, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the left and the position of the sensor is determined to be rotating counterclockwise.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the left and right position information may include: a step of distinguishing the forward section and the reverse section of the vehicle based on the forward direction information; a step of inverting and converting information regarding one section among the forward section and the reverse section among the acceleration information; a step of merging the inverted and converted acceleration information of the one section with the acceleration information of the other section; and a step of determining the left and right position information based on the merged acceleration information.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of checking the direction of travel of the vehicle may further include the step of receiving information regarding the forward / backward state from the driving control unit of the vehicle and the step of checking the direction of travel information based on the information regarding the forward / backward state.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the direction of travel of the vehicle includes distinguishing the forward section, the reverse section, and the transition section where forward and reverse are switched of the vehicle, and the step of determining the left and right position information may include determining the left and right position information based on acceleration information excluding the corresponding part of the transition section.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the direction of travel information of the vehicle may include the step of dividing the direction of travel into first and second sections with different directions based on the rotational direction information of the sensor based on the acceleration information, and the step of determining the first and second sections as forward sections or reverse sections based on the ratio information of the first and second sections and the speed information in the first and second sections.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of determining the forward section or the reverse section, the section with a higher ratio and higher speed among the first and second sections may be determined as the forward section.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device stores existing position information for the plurality of sensors prior to the step of determining the position information, and the step of determining the position information may further include the step of comparing the existing position information with one of the left-right position information and front-rear position information for at least one of the plurality of sensors that is determined first, and preliminarily determining whether the tire position has changed.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, if it is preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position, the method may further include a step of preliminarily outputting tire status information received from the plurality of sensors by correlating it with the existing position information before the step of determining the position information is completed.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of preliminarily outputting may be performed only when the tire condition information to be outputted is determined to be normal.

[0018] An electronic device for determining the location of a sensor for monitoring the condition of a tire installed in a vehicle according to the present invention comprises the steps of: confirming the vehicle's direction of travel information; receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the vehicle; confirming the reception strength information for a wireless signal received from the plurality of sensors; and determining the location information of each of the plurality of sensors based on the direction of travel information, the acceleration information, and the reception strength information. The step of determining the location information is configured to perform the steps of: determining left-right location information among the location information based on the vehicle's direction of travel information and the acceleration information; and determining front-back location information among the location information based on the reception strength information.

[0019] The method for displaying the condition of a tire of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises the steps of: verifying the direction of travel information of the vehicle; receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the vehicle; verifying reception strength information for a wireless signal received from the plurality of sensors; determining location information where each of the plurality of sensors is installed based on the direction of travel information, the acceleration information, and the reception strength information; receiving the condition information of the tire where the sensor is installed from the plurality of sensors; and displaying the condition information by matching it with the location information of the sensor. The step of determining the location information includes the step of determining left-right location information among the location information based on the direction of travel information of the vehicle and the acceleration information, and the step of determining front-rear location information among the location information based on the reception strength information.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the left and right position information may include: a step of distinguishing the forward section and the reverse section of the vehicle based on the forward direction information; a step of inverting and converting information regarding one section among the forward section and the reverse section among the acceleration information; a step of merging the inverted and converted acceleration information of the one section with the acceleration information of the other section; and a step of determining the left and right position information based on the merged acceleration information.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device stores existing position information for the plurality of sensors prior to the step of determining the position information, and the step of determining the position information may further include the step of comparing the existing position information with one of the left-right position information and front-rear position information for at least one of the plurality of sensors that is determined first, and preliminarily determining whether the tire position has changed.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, if it is preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position, the method may further include a step of preliminarily outputting tire status information received from the plurality of sensors by correlating it with the existing position information before the step of determining the position information is completed.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of preliminarily outputting may be performed only when the tire condition information to be outputted is determined to be normal.

[0024] The present invention has the advantage of enhancing user convenience by tracking and updating the location of sensors based on vehicle acceleration information and reception strength information without additional equipment, even after tire replacement.

[0025] The present invention has the advantage of rapidly providing sensor information by preliminarily determining whether the tire position has changed based on existing location information, if the electronic device determines that the location information of the data received first has not changed.

[0026] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plurality of sensors attached to the tires of a vehicle.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle using an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 is a figure illustrating the process of determining the left and right positions of a sensor based on acceleration information.

[0029] Figure 4 is a graph showing the process of integrating acceleration information of the forward and reverse sections.

[0030] Figure 5 is a graph showing the process of improving the accuracy of acceleration information by removing information from the transition section between the forward section and the backward section.

[0031] Figure 6 is a graph illustrating the process by which an electronic device independently determines the direction of travel of a vehicle based on acceleration information.

[0032] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a method for an electronic device to determine the front and rear position information of a sensor.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for an electronic device to preliminarily determine whether the tire position has changed and to display status information before finally determining the position of the sensor.

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Identical or similar components regardless of drawing symbols are assigned the same reference number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that a detailed description of related prior art could obscure the essence of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0035] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0036] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0037] In this application, each step described may be performed regardless of the order listed, except where it must be performed in the order listed by a particular causal relationship.

[0038] In this application, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0039]

[0040] The present invention relates to a method for accurately and efficiently determining the location of a sensor for monitoring the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle, and an electronic device (200) for implementing the same. In particular, the vehicle's direction of travel information, acceleration information received from the sensor, and wireless signal reception strength information can be comprehensively utilized to accurately identify the left-right and front-back locations where each sensor is installed. Through this, the driver can verify the tire condition information by matching it to the correct location, thereby improving the safety and driving convenience of the vehicle.

[0041]

[0042] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plurality of sensors attached to the tires of a vehicle.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle is equipped with an electronic device (200) and a plurality of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) attached to each tire (FL, FR, RL, RR). The electronic device (200) is located inside the vehicle and can collect and process information on the vehicle's direction of travel and driving-related data. Each tire is equipped with a sensor including an acceleration sensor and a wireless communication module, which can measure the tire's rotation and status information in real time and transmit it to the electronic device (200).

[0044] For example, when a vehicle is in motion, each tire rotates, and at this time, sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) measure the rotational speed and direction of the tires. This acceleration information indicates the rotational direction and speed of the tires, and the electronic device (200) can receive and analyze this. In addition, the sensors can measure status information such as the air pressure and temperature of the tires and transmit it to the electronic device (200).

[0045]

[0046] FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a method for determining the location of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) that monitor the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle, by an electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] In step (210), the electronic device (200) checks the vehicle's direction of travel information. The vehicle's direction of travel information refers to information regarding whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward. The electronic device (200) can check the information regarding the vehicle's forward or backward travel by various methods.

[0048] For example, the direction of travel information can be determined based on gear position information or forward / reverse status information received from the vehicle's driving control unit. For instance, if the vehicle's gear position is 'D' (Drive), it can be determined that the vehicle is moving forward, and if it is 'R' (Reverse), it can be determined that the vehicle is moving backward.

[0049] This information on the direction of travel can be transmitted to an electronic device (200) via a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, which is the internal communication network of the vehicle. The electronic device (200) can receive this information in real time to determine the current direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0050] However, in some cases, the electronic device (200) may not receive information regarding the vehicle's forward or reverse movement from the vehicle's driving control unit. In such cases, the electronic device (200) may determine the vehicle's forward or reverse state on its own in various ways.

[0051] In step (220), the electronic device (200) receives acceleration information from a plurality of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) of the vehicle. The sensors have built-in acceleration sensors to measure changes in acceleration due to the rotation of the tire. For example, as the tire rotates, the accelerometer generates a periodic signal. This signal contains information about the rotational speed and direction of the tire.

[0052] The electronic device (200) can receive this acceleration information in real time to determine the rotational state of each tire. The acceleration information is converted into a digital signal and transmitted via wireless communication, and the electronic device (200) can receive it, store it in a database, and analyze it.

[0053] In step (230), the electronic device (200) checks reception strength information for wireless signals received from a plurality of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104).

[0054] The electronic device (200) checks the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) information of the wireless signal received from the sensor. The received signal strength information is affected by the distance between the sensor and the electronic device (200), the presence or absence of obstacles, attenuation of the wireless signal, etc.

[0055] For example, if the electronic device (200) is located at the front of the vehicle and the sensors (101, 102) are attached to the front wheels of the vehicle, the wireless signal can be received relatively strongly. Conversely, if the sensors (103, 104) are attached to the rear wheels, the strength of the wireless signal may be weakened due to the vehicle body or other obstacles. The electronic device (200) can determine the front and rear positions of the sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) by utilizing this reception strength information.

[0056] In step (240), the electronic device (200) determines the location information of each of the plurality of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) based on the direction of travel information, the acceleration information, and the reception strength information. The location information can be divided into left-right location information and front-back location information. Below, the method by which the electronic device (200) determines the left-right location information and the front-back location information will be described in detail.

[0057]

[0058] Figure 3 is a figure illustrating the process of determining the left and right positions of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) based on acceleration information.

[0059] The relationship between the tire's rotation direction and its left and right positions changes depending on whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward. By taking this into account, the left and right positions of the sensors can be determined.

[0060] The method by which the electronic device (200) determines the left and right positions when the vehicle moves forward is as follows.

[0061] Figure 3(a) illustrates the state in which the left tire is moving forward. The left tire in Figure 3(a) is moving forward while rotating counterclockwise with the left side of the drawing facing forward.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 3(a), when the vehicle moves forward, the left tire rotates counterclockwise from the perspective of the driver's seat. FIG. 3(a) shows the waveform of acceleration information collected by a sensor installed on the left tire in this state.

[0063] Figure 3(b) illustrates the state in which the right tire is moving forward. The right tire in Figure 3(b) is moving forward while rotating clockwise with the right side of the drawing facing forward.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 3(b), when the vehicle moves forward, the right tire rotates clockwise from the perspective of the driver's seat. FIG. 3(b) shows the waveform of acceleration information collected by a sensor installed on the right tire in this state.

[0065] The electronic device (200) of the present invention can determine the left and right positions of the tires based on the difference in the waveforms of acceleration information in (a) and (b) of FIG. 3.

[0066] For example, let's assume that acceleration information is received from Sensor A and Sensor B while the vehicle is moving forward. If Sensor A indicates clockwise rotation and Sensor B indicates counterclockwise rotation, it can be determined that Sensor A is attached to the right tire and Sensor B is attached to the left tire.

[0067]

[0068] Figure 4 is a graph showing the process of integrating acceleration information of the forward section (D1) and the backward section (R).

[0069] The electronic device (200) can integrate acceleration information of the forward section (D1) and the backward section (R) to determine the position of the sensor quickly and accurately.

[0070] When a vehicle repeatedly moves forward and backward, the rotational direction of the acceleration information is switched; therefore, to process this consistently, an inversion conversion is performed, and then the acceleration information of the forward section (D1) and the reverse section (R') can be integrated. Through this, the electronic device (200) can obtain a sufficient amount of acceleration information to determine the position of the sensor within a short period of time.

[0071] The electronic device (200) divides the acceleration information into a forward section (D1) and a reverse section (R) based on the direction of travel information. For example, each section can be clearly identified by utilizing gear position information. Additionally, depending on the case, the electronic device (200) can directly distinguish between the forward section (D1) and the reverse section (R) of the two sections divided based on the acceleration information.

[0072] The electronic device (200) can, for example, invert and convert the acceleration information of the reverse section (R). This is because the direction of rotation during reverse is opposite to that during forward, so the acceleration data of the reverse section is inverted to match the data of the forward section to the same standard.

[0073] Afterwards, the electronic device (200) can generate integrated acceleration information by merging the acceleration information of the reversed reverse section (R') and the acceleration information of the forward section (D1) in chronological order.

[0074] Unlike the example described above, the electronic device (200) may invert and convert the acceleration information of the forward section (D1) and then integrate the acceleration information of the backward section (R) with the inverted acceleration information of the forward section.

[0075] The electronic device (200) can determine the left and right positions by analyzing the rotation direction of the sensor based on the merged acceleration information. By doing so, the position of the sensor can be determined based on consistent criteria regardless of forward and backward movement, and a sufficient amount of acceleration information can be obtained to determine the position of the sensor within a short period of time.

[0076] For example, let’s assume a parking situation where the vehicle repeats forward and reverse sections multiple times. The acceleration information received from the sensor changes whenever the direction of rotation changes. The electronic device (200) can utilize the direction of movement information to invert the acceleration information of the reverse section (R) and integrate the entire data. Through this, even in a situation where the forward section (D1) and the reverse section (R) are repeated multiple times, a sufficient amount of acceleration information can be obtained to determine the position of the sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) within a short period of time.

[0077]

[0078] Figure 5 is a graph showing the process of improving the accuracy of acceleration information by removing information (C) of the transition section between the forward section (D1) and the reversed reverse section (R').

[0079] When a vehicle switches from forward to reverse or vice versa, acceleration information may become temporarily unstable. This is because there are sections where the direction of rotation changes abruptly or the vehicle comes to a stop.

[0080] To solve this, the electronic device (200) can perform the following process.

[0081] The electronic device (200) can identify a transition section (C). For example, the electronic device (200) can identify the transition section (C) by detecting a change in the acceleration pattern of a sensor. Additionally, in some cases, the electronic device (200) can identify the transition section by detecting a change in the direction of travel information. For example, the point at which the gear position changes from 'D' to 'R' can be defined as the transition section (C).

[0082] The electronic device (200) can exclude acceleration information corresponding to the transition section (C) from the analysis. This is because the data in that section is unreliable. FIG. 5 illustrates a graph in which acceleration information of the transition section (C) is excluded and acceleration information of the remaining section is connected.

[0083] The electronic device (200) can determine the left and right positions of the sensors (101, 102, 103, 104) using only stable acceleration information excluding the transition section.

[0084] For example, when a vehicle repeatedly moves forward and backward for parking, acceleration information may become temporarily unstable in the transition section (C). The electronic device (200) can accurately determine the position of the sensor by identifying such transition section (C) and analyzing the data while excluding the data.

[0085]

[0086] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the process by which the electronic device (200) independently determines the vehicle's direction of travel based on acceleration information. If the electronic device (200) cannot receive vehicle direction of travel information from the driving control unit, the electronic device (200) can determine the direction of travel by utilizing only the acceleration information from the sensor.

[0087] The electronic device (200) can distinguish two or more sections (P1, P2) according to the rotational direction of the wheel based on the acceleration information of the sensor. Specifically, it analyzes the rotational direction from the acceleration information of the sensor to distinguish two sections (P1, P2) with different directions of travel. For example, it can identify a clockwise rotation section and a counterclockwise rotation section.

[0088] The electronic device (200) analyzes the ratio and speed of the P1 and P2 sections. It calculates the relative ratio based on the duration of each section and the speed of the vehicle in each section (average speed or maximum speed, etc.).

[0089] Referring to Fig. 6, it can be seen that in the predetermined section, section P1 accounts for approximately three times more of the proportion than section P2. Additionally, it can be seen that the average speed of section P1 is faster than the average speed of section P2. The v value in Fig. 6 represents information about speed, which is the absolute value of the speed.

[0090] The electronic device (200) determines the P1 section, which has a high ratio and high speed, as the forward section, and the opposite P2 section as the reverse section. Generally, since the time a vehicle spends moving forward is longer than the time it spends moving backward, and it travels at a faster speed when moving forward, this characteristic is utilized.

[0091] For example, let’s assume that the electronic device (200) does not receive information on the direction of travel while the vehicle is driving. As a result of analyzing the acceleration information from the sensor, if the clockwise rotation section (P1) accounts for 80% of the total driving time and the average speed is high, the section (P1) can be determined as a forward section. Conversely, if the counterclockwise rotation section (P2) accounts for 20% of the driving time and the speed is low, the section (P2) can be determined as a reverse section.

[0092]

[0093] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 7, a method for the electronic device (200) to determine the front and rear position information of the sensor will be explained.

[0094] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a method for an electronic device (200) to determine the front and rear position information of sensors (101, 102, 103, 104).

[0095] The electronic device (200) can determine the front and rear positions of the sensors by utilizing reception strength information. Generally, the electronic device (200) is located at the front of the vehicle, that is, near the dashboard or engine room. Therefore, the wireless signal from the sensors (101, 102) attached to the front tires may have a high reception strength, and the wireless signal from the sensors (103, 104) attached to the rear tires may have a low reception strength.

[0096] The electronic device (200) can compare the reception strength of the signals received from each sensor and determine that the sensor with the higher reception strength is attached to the front wheel and the sensor with the lower reception strength is attached to the rear wheel.

[0097] For example, when measuring the reception strength of sensor A and sensor B, if the reception strength of sensor A is -50 dBm and the reception strength of sensor B is -70 dBm, it can be determined that sensor A is attached to the front wheel and sensor B is attached to the rear wheel.

[0098] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 8, a method for the electronic device (200) to preliminarily determine whether the tire position has changed and to display status information before finally determining the position of the sensor will be explained.

[0099] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a method in which an electronic device (200) determines whether to change the tire position and displays status information in advance before finally determining the position of the sensors (101, 102, 103, 104).

[0100] The electronic device (200) may store existing location information of each sensor in memory. Before determining the location of the sensor according to the present invention, the location of the sensor may have already been determined in the past according to the same method as the present invention, and existing location information may be stored in memory. However, after the location was previously determined, the location of the sensor may change after the vehicle undergoes maintenance or tire replacement work. If the location of the sensor has changed, the change in the location of the sensor will be detected as the present invention is performed.

[0101] In the process of determining location information, the electronic device (200) first determines one of left / right location information or front / rear location information and compares it with existing location information to preliminarily determine whether the tire position is changed (step (801)).

[0102] If the preliminary determination result shows that the sensor's position is the same as the existing position, it can be preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position. In this case, before the determination of the entire position information is completed, the tire status information can be matched to the existing position and quickly provided to the driver (step (803)).

[0103] However, before step (801) is performed, it may be determined whether there is an abnormality in the tire condition information (step (802)). If the tire condition is within the abnormal range, very accurate sensor location information should be displayed. Therefore, if the tire pressure is within the abnormal range, the tire condition information may not be displayed even if it is preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position. Then, after the sensor location is finally confirmed (step (804)), the tire condition information can be displayed corresponding to the accurate sensor location.

[0104] If, as a result of the judgment in step (802), it is preliminarily determined that the tire condition information is within the normal range and there is no change in the position of the sensor, the electronic device (200) can temporarily display the tire condition on the dashboard display (step (803)).

[0105] For example, after the vehicle starts driving, the electronic device (200) determines the left / right position of sensor A to the right, and if sensor A is stored as being attached to the right in the existing position information, it can preliminarily determine that there is no change in tire position.

[0106] If it is determined that there is no change in the tire position, the electronic device (200) may preliminarily output the status information before the position information determination is completed if the tire status information is determined to be normal. Through this, the driver can quickly check the condition of the tire.

[0107] Afterward, the electronic device (200) finally determines whether the tire position has changed (step 804). If, as a result of the determination, it is determined that there is no change in the tire position, the position information from step 803 can be maintained as is (step 805). However, if it is determined that there is a change in the tire position, the position information from step 803 can be changed and displayed (step 806).

[0108] If it is determined in step (801) that the position of the tire has not changed, the tire status information may be temporarily displayed in step (803). However, if it is determined in step (804) that the position of the tire has finally changed, and the tire position information is modified and displayed in step (806) to match the change, an alarm message indicating that the display in step (803) is incorrect may be displayed.

[0109]

[0110] The electronic device (200) may include a processor, memory, a communication module, and an input / output interface as components to perform all these functions.

[0111] The processor can execute program code to process data received from the sensor and perform a position determination algorithm.

[0112] Memory can store program code, data, and the sensor's existing location information.

[0113] The communication module can receive wireless signals from the sensor and communicate with the driving control unit to receive information on the direction of travel.

[0114] The input / output interface can display information to the driver and receive user input.

[0115]

[0116] The present invention may also be applied to a method for displaying the condition of a tire in a vehicle. An electronic device (200) can determine the location of a sensor and match tire condition information received from each sensor to the corresponding location and display it to the driver.

[0117] For example, the air pressure, temperature, and wear status of each tire can be graphically displayed on the vehicle's instrument panel or dashboard display, allowing the driver to easily check them. This enables the early detection of tire abnormalities and allows for appropriate action, thereby ensuring safe driving.

[0118] If the vehicle determines that the condition of the tire is abnormal, the electronic device (200) can immediately notify the driver by generating a warning sound or displaying a warning message on the display.

[0119]

[0120] The present invention provides a method for accurately and efficiently determining the location of a tire condition monitoring sensor installed in a vehicle and an electronic device (200) for implementing the same. By comprehensively utilizing driving direction information, acceleration information, and reception strength information, the left-right and front-back positions of the sensor can be accurately identified, and thereby, tire condition information can be matched to the correct location and provided to the driver. This can contribute to improving vehicle safety and enhancing driver convenience.

[0121]

[0122] The technical features disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention are not limited to that embodiment only, and as long as they are not mutually incompatible, the technical features disclosed in each embodiment may be combined and applied to different embodiments.

[0123] Therefore, in each embodiment, the technical features are described primarily, but as long as the technical features are not mutually incompatible, they may be combined and applied together.

[0124] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and the attached drawings, and various modifications and variations may be possible from the perspective of those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be defined not only by the claims of this specification but also by equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle using an electronic device, A step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle; A step of receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the above vehicle; A step of confirming reception strength information for wireless signals received from the plurality of sensors; and Based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information, the above-mentioned acceleration information, and the above-mentioned reception strength information, the method includes the step of determining location information where each of the plurality of sensors is installed. The step of determining the above location information is, A step of determining left and right position information among the position information based on the vehicle's direction of travel information and the acceleration information; and Based on the above reception strength information, the step of determining the front and rear position information among the above position information A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

2. In Paragraph 1, In the step of determining the above left and right position information, Based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information, it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward, and based on the above-mentioned acceleration information, if the sensor is determined to be rotating clockwise, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the right, and if the sensor is determined to be rotating counterclockwise, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the left. Based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information, it is determined that the vehicle is moving in reverse, and based on the above-mentioned acceleration information, if the sensor is determined to be rotating clockwise, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the left, and if the sensor is determined to be rotating counterclockwise, the position of the sensor is determined to be to the right. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

3. In Paragraph 1, In the step of determining the above left and right position information, A step of distinguishing between the forward and reverse sections of the vehicle based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information; A step of inverting and converting information regarding one section among the forward section and the backward section among the acceleration information; A step of merging the inverted and transformed acceleration information of the above-mentioned section with the acceleration information of the above-mentioned other section; and A step of determining the left and right position information based on the merged acceleration information. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

4. In Paragraph 1, The step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle is, A step of receiving information regarding the forward / reverse state from the driving control unit of the vehicle; and A step further comprising verifying the direction of movement information based on the information regarding the forward and backward state. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

5. In Paragraph 1, The step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle is, The method includes a step of distinguishing the forward section, the reverse section, and the transition section where forward and reverse are switched of the vehicle. The step of determining the above left and right position information is, A step of determining the left and right position information based on acceleration information excluding the corresponding part of the transition section. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

6. In Paragraph 1, The step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle is, A step of dividing into first and second sections with different directions of travel based on rotational direction information of the sensor based on the acceleration information; and A step of determining the first and second sections as forward sections or backward sections based on ratio information of the first and second sections and speed information in the first and second sections. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

7. In Paragraph 6, In the step of determining the above forward section or backward section, Determining the section with a higher ratio and higher speed among the above first and second sections as the forward section A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

8. In Paragraph 1, The electronic device stores existing location information for the plurality of sensors prior to the step of determining the location information, and The step of determining the above location information is, The method further includes a step of comparing the first determined information among left-right position information and front-rear position information for at least one of the plurality of sensors with the existing position information to preliminarily determine whether the tire position has been changed. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

9. In Paragraph 8, If it is preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position, the method further includes a step of preliminarily outputting tire status information received from the plurality of sensors by correlating it with the existing position information before the step of determining the position information is completed. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

10. In Paragraph 9, The above preliminary output step is performed only when the tire condition information to be output is determined to be normal. A method for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire.

11. An electronic device for determining the location of a sensor that monitors the condition of a tire installed on a vehicle, The above electronic device is, A step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle; A step of receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the above vehicle; A step of confirming reception strength information for wireless signals received from the plurality of sensors; and Based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information, the above-mentioned acceleration information, and the above-mentioned reception strength information, the method includes the step of determining location information where each of the plurality of sensors is installed. The step of determining the above location information is, A step of determining left and right position information among the position information based on the vehicle's direction of travel information and the acceleration information; and Based on the above reception strength information, configured to perform a step of determining the preceding and succeeding position information among the above position information. An electronic device that determines the location of a sensor monitoring the condition of a tire.

12. In a method for a vehicle to indicate the condition of its tires, A step of verifying the direction of travel information of the above vehicle; A step of receiving acceleration information from a plurality of sensors of the above vehicle; A step of verifying reception strength information for wireless signals received from the plurality of sensors; A step of determining location information where each of the plurality of sensors is installed based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information, the above-mentioned acceleration information, and the above-mentioned reception strength information; A step of receiving status information of the tire on which the sensor is installed from the plurality of sensors; and The method includes the step of matching the above state information with the position information of the sensor and displaying it. The step of determining the above location information is, A step of determining left and right position information among the position information based on the vehicle's direction of travel information and the acceleration information; and Based on the above reception strength information, the step of determining the front and rear position information among the above position information Method for indicating tire condition.

13. In Paragraph 12, In the step of determining the above left and right position information, A step of distinguishing between the forward and reverse sections of the vehicle based on the above-mentioned direction of travel information; A step of inverting and converting information regarding one section among the forward section and the backward section among the acceleration information; A step of merging the inverted and transformed acceleration information of the above-mentioned section with the acceleration information of the above-mentioned other section; and A step of determining the left and right position information based on the merged acceleration information. Method for indicating tire condition.

14. In Paragraph 12, The electronic device stores existing location information for the plurality of sensors prior to the step of determining the location information, and The step of determining the above location information is, The method further includes a step of comparing the first determined information among left-right position information and front-rear position information for at least one of the plurality of sensors with the existing position information to preliminarily determine whether the tire position has been changed. Method for indicating tire condition.

15. In Paragraph 14, If it is preliminarily determined that there is no change in the tire position, the method further includes a step of preliminarily outputting tire status information received from the plurality of sensors by correlating it with the existing position information before the step of determining the position information is completed. Method for indicating tire condition.

16. In Paragraph 15, The above preliminary output step is performed only when the tire condition information to be output is determined to be normal. Method for indicating tire condition.

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