Method and system for tire-to-tire communication

Abstract

The present invention is related to a method of tire-to-tire communication for a vehicle, the method being implemented by means of a wireless tire pressure monitoring system comprising multiple units (10) installed on a same vehicle and able to collect vehicle sensor data, and a radio module (20) configured to monitor wake-up signals from the units (10). The method comprises a duty cycle-based activation of the radio module to monitor wake-up signals from the neighboring units (10), wherein within each cycle, the duty cycle is configured so that the radio module remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle. The invention also relates to a wireless tire pressure monitoring system comprising a radio module (20) configured to monitor wake-up signals from the units based on a duty cycle activation, wherein within each cycle, the radio module remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle.

Description

[0001] 202500881

[0002] 1

[0003] Description

[0004] Method and System for Tire-to-Tire Communication

[0005] The present invention relates to tire monitoring systems, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a system of tire-to-tire communication.

[0006] Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) are designed to monitor the air pressure and temperature inside of pneumatic tires on various types of vehicles. Wireless transmission is used to transmit information on the tire data to a centralized receiver component in the vehicle or to a mobile communication unit, able to further communicate with an internet cloud platform. Continental has introduced ContiConnect, a latest TPMS sensor. The ContiConnect sensor inside the tire transmits data that can then be received by a yard reader or telematics unit. Depending on the yard application, the data is transmitted to Continental’s loT platform in real time or while the vehicle is passing the yard. The fleet manager can view the data in the web portal or ContiConnect On-Site app. If there any problems, an alert will be triggered that can be received by text message, e-mail or directly in the web portal.

[0007] US7278307B2 discloses a non-attached monitoring device that includes a monitoring assembly and an antenna configured to radiate signals from the monitoring assembly. The antenna is configured to radiate through the oriented attenuating body of the tire sidewall regardless of the position of the monitoring device with respect to the tire sidewall. In one embodiment, the antenna has a body that is looped back on itself. The body may be parallel to or perpendicular to the antenna ground plane. In another embodiment, a radiating slot antenna is configured to provide transmissions through the tire sidewall regardless of the position of the monitoring device.

[0008] US8098146B2 describes a tire pressure monitoring using wireless network that includes a remote command device and a valve-stem mountable tire pressure gauge. The tire pressure gauge includes a pressure sensor for detecting a202500881

[0009] 2

[0010] pressure of a fluid in a tire and providing an output signal indicative of the detected fluid pressure, and a first radio-frequency module for transmitting data indicative of the detected fluid pressure based on the output signal of the pressure sensor. The remote command device includes a second radio-frequency module for wirelessly receiving the data transmitted by the data transmitted by the first radio frequency module, a wireless communication module for communicating via a wireless network, information based at least one data received by the second radio frequency module, and a display for displaying at least the fluid pressure detected by the pressure sensor.

[0011] US 9796219 B2 relates to a wireless tire monitoring system for a vehicle.

[0012] Accordingly, the wireless tire monitoring system includes at least one sensor unit disposed at each tire of the vehicle for measuring at least one parameter relating to the condition of the tire; a mobile communication unit in communication with the sensor unit, or in-car unit or other associated units, components / devices (if any), and distinct server / storage media / internet cloud; a distinct server / storage media / internet cloud for storing all information relating to encryption key, user information / identities, or the parameters concerning to the condition of the tire measured by the sensor unit. The tire monitoring system is adapted to efficiently transmitting, storing, receiving / retrieving, pairing, sharing and / or broadcasting encryption data or other related information within the associated units, components / devices with the distinct server or storage media or the internet cloud, in a parallel communication.

[0013] However, currently there is no mechanism for a tire to communicate with another tire within the same vehicle.

[0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide such a tire-to-tire communication within the same vehicle. This object is solved by a method and a system of tire-to-tire communication with the features of independent claims.

[0015] The dependent claims include advantageous further developments and improvements of the present principles as described below.202500881

[0016] 3

[0017] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of tire-to-tire communication is provided for a vehicle equipped with a wireless tire pressure monitoring system. The method is implemented by multiple tire pressure monitoring units installed on a same vehicle and able to collect vehicle sensor data, and by a radio module configured to monitor wake-up signals from the units. The method comprises a duty cycle-based activation of the radio module to monitor wake-up signals from the neighboring units. Within each cycle, the duty cycle is configured so that the radio module remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle.

[0018] The invention is advantageous by that no synchronization is required between tires. In addition, the communication between tires may be done in a flexible manner (meaning by only some of the tires, when poor coverage is detected).

[0019] In one exemplary embodiment of the method, the duty cycle is determined based on the number of tires in the vehicle. The radio module requests neighboring units to assist when being required by the wireless tire pressure monitoring system to transmit vehicle sensor data. In addition, the radio module requests neighboring units to assist when detecting, by the wireless tire pressure monitoring system, that radio channel quality falls below a configured threshold. In this case, the wireless tire pressure monitoring system sends a wake-up signal to neighboring units asking them to send vehicle sensor data to a radio access network or a cloud.

[0020] In some embodiments, the threshold is configured by automotive OEMs, tire manufacturers or both.

[0021] Further on, when the neighboring unit receives a wake-up signal, it checks whether it belongs to the same group, namely the same vehicle, based a group identifier configured by the tire manufacturer. Following the checking that the neighboring unit belongs to the same group, the neighboring unit responds to the wake-up signal by including, at least, its own channel quality measurements and202500881

[0022] 4

[0023] unit identifier, which is preconfigured by the tire manufacturer. Upon receiving the channel quality measurements, the wireless tire pressure monitoring system provides an acknowledgment including the unit identifier, if it determines the channel quality is above the configured threshold. Upon receiving the acknowledgment, the neighboring unit sends data to the cloud.

[0024] Further aspects of the invention are described below. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above features of embodiments of the method may also be used in conjunction with the following aspects of the invention and vice versa.

[0025] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a wireless tire pressure monitoring system comprising at least one radio module according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure and at least one user equipment according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the radio module is a low power radio module.

[0026] According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, configure said at least one processor to carry out a method of tire-to-tire communication according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The computer program product can use any programming language, and can be in the form of source code, object code, or in any intermediate form between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0027] According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a (non-transitory) computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, configure said at least one processor to carry out a method of tire-to-tire communication according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the figures.202500881

[0029] 5

[0030] Figures

[0031] Fig. 1 shows a tire pressure monitoring sensor, namely a TPMS unit, employed by a wireless tire pressure monitoring system according to invention,

[0032] Fig. 2 shows a sketch of an embodiment of a tire-to-tire communication system according to invention.

[0033] Detailed description

[0034] For a better understanding of the principles of the present invention, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals are used in the figures for the same or equivalent elements and are not necessarily described again for each figure. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments and that the features described may also be combined or modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a classic wireless tire pressure monitoring sensor 10, called in the following description a unit 10 or a neighboring unit 10. Each unit 10 comprises pressure and temperature sensors able to collect sensor data from each vehicle tire, a processor able to process the collected sensor data, and a radio transceiver able to communicate to either an in-car electronic controller unit (not figured), an in-car communication unit (not figured) or directly to a specific internet cloud platform.

[0036] Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a diagram of a wireless tire pressure monitoring system TPMS designed according to invention. The wireless tire pressure monitoring system is a distributed system which comprises multiple units 10, installed on the same vehicle (one per tire). Besides these units 10, a radio module 20 is introduced in the system, for example a low-power radio module, designed to monitor wake-up signals from one or more units 10 within the same vehicle, and able to communicate directly with each of the units 10.202500881

[0037] 6

[0038] Radio module 20 is configured to monitor the wake-up signals from the units 10 based on a duty cycle activation. Within each cycle, radio module 20 remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle. The duty cycle is determined based on the number of tires in the vehicle.

[0039] More precisely, radio module 20 plays a role of courier configured to be activated at the TPMS system’s request (e.g., emergency reporting or detecting poor coverage). In such cases, radio module 20 senses the wake-up signal requesting for help and requests neighboring units 10 to assist, by making explicit where exactly the actual vehicle sensor data to be sent is going to be passed from the system to the actual transmitter (one of the neighboring units 10 able to assist). For example, in case of emergency, the system sends a wake-up signal to neighboring units 10, asking them to send vehicle sensor data directly to the cloud. Optionally, the wake-up signal also includes the vehicle sensor data to be sent. For further example, when the system detects that the channel quality is below a configured threshold, it sends a wake-up signal to neighboring units 10. Optionally, the wake-up signal includes vehicle sensor data to be sent. The channel quality threshold is configured by automotive OEMs and / or tire manufacturers.

[0040] When one neighboring unit 10 receives the wake-up signal, it first checks whether it belongs to the same group (same vehicle). This is determined based on a group identifier, which is configured by the tire manufacturer.

[0041] Once it determines that it belongs to the same group, unit 10 responds to the wake-up signal by including, at least, its channel quality measurement results (coverage condition) and its own unit identifier, which is preconfigured by the tire manufacturer.

[0042] Upon receiving the measurement results, unit 10 provides an acknowledgment (including the unit identifier), provided it determines the channel quality is above a required value of a parameter. This parameter is either the same configured threshold indicated before or different. Upon receiving the acknowledgment, unit 10 sends vehicle sensor data to the cloud. Optionally, the acknowledgment includes vehicle sensor data to be sent.202500881

[0043] 7

[0044] The assisting unit 10, meaning the neighboring unit 10 with channel quality or coverage above the predefined threshold, becomes the actual transmitter of the vehicle sensor data collected by the requesting help unit 10, and is instructed by means of radio module 20 where to send them.

[0045] The activation of radio module 20, as well as the communication with neighboring units 10 are ruled according to a software running on a processor and stored on a storage medium (a memory).

Claims

2025008818Patent claims1. A method of tire-to-tire communication for a vehicle, the method being performed by means a wireless tire pressure monitoring system employing multiple units (10) installed on a same vehicle and able to collect vehicle sensor data and to transfer them to a cloud, and a radio module (20) configured to monitor wake-up signals from the units (10), c h a ra cte r i z e d i n t h at the method comprises a duty cycle-based activation of the radio module (20) to monitor wake-up signals from the neighboring units (10), wherein within each cycle, the duty cycle is configured so that the radio module (20) remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle.

2. Method according to claim 1 , whereby the duty cycle is determined based on the number of tires in the vehicle.

3. Method according to claim 1 , whereby the radio module requests neighboring units (10) to assist when being required by the wireless tire pressure monitoring system to transmit vehicle sensor data.

4. Method according to claim 1 , whereby the radio module requests neighboring units (10) to assist when detecting, by the wireless tire pressure monitoring system, that radio channel quality falls below a configured threshold.

5. Method according to claim 4, whereby the wireless tire pressure monitoring system sends a wake-up signal to neighboring units (10) asking them to send vehicle sensor data to the cloud.

6. Method according to claim 4, where the threshold is configured by automotive OEMs, tire manufacturers or both.

7. Method according to previous claims, whereby when the neighboring unit (10) receives a wake-up signal, it checks whether it belongs to the same group,2025008819namely the same vehicle, based a group identifier configured by the tire manufacturer.

8. Method according to previous claims, whereby, following the checking that the neighboring unit belongs to the same group, the neighboring unit responds to the wake-up signal by including, at least, its own channel quality measurements and unit identifier, which is preconfigured by the tire manufacturer.

9. Method according to previous claims, whereby, upon receiving the channel quality measurements, the wireless tire pressure monitoring system provides an acknowledgment including the unit identifier, if it determines the channel quality is above the configured threshold.

10. Method according to previous claims, whereby, upon receiving the acknowledgment, the neighboring unit (10) sends data to the cloud.

11. Method according to previous claims, whereby the vehicle sensor data are included in the wake-up signal or sent together with the acknowledgement.

12. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, configure said at least one processor to carry out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, configure said at least one processor to carry out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

14. A wireless tire pressure monitoring system comprising a radio module (20) of tire-to-tire communication for a vehicle, and multiple units (10) installed on a same vehicle and able to collect vehicle sensor data, ch a ra ct e r i z e d i n t h at the radio module (20) is configured to monitor wake-up signals from the units based on a duty cycle activation of the radio module (20), wherein within20250088110each cycle, the radio module remains on during the active period of the cycle and sleeps during the inactive period of the cycle.

Images