Tire Pressure Monitoring System Status Indicator Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) fail to provide clear visual feedback when all sensors are operating properly, making it difficult for operators to determine if the system is functioning correctly or if it has failed due to a defect.
Innovation Solution
A method where tire sensors periodically emit identifying and parameter signals, and a status indicator is energized if these signals are received within set limits, providing a green light indication of proper operation and de-energizing if signals are not received or outside limits, allowing operators to quickly assess system status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If no indicator is provided when all sensors are operating properly, then the display can remain simple and uncluttered, but the operator cannot tell at a glance whether the system is operating satisfactorily or has failed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a green LED status indicator that changes its illumination state to convey system status. When all sensors are operating properly and parameters are within limits, the green LED remains unilluminated. When a fault is detected (sensor failure or parameter out of range), the green LED illuminates to alert the operator. This color-based visual feedback mechanism provides clear status information without adding complex display elements.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the display goes blank after a period of time when everything is operating properly, then energy consumption is reduced, but the operator loses visual confirmation of proper system operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential status indication function from the main display system and implements it through a dedicated green LED status indicator. This separate, simple indicator provides continuous visual confirmation of proper system operation without consuming significant energy or cluttering the main display. The green LED serves solely as a status confirmation device, allowing the main display to remain simple while providing ongoing system health verification.
Data Source
AI summary
In a tire sensor monitoring system for a motor vehicle, each of a plurality of tire sensors periodically emits an identifying signal and a parameter signal and the monitoring system receives and processes the identifying and parameter signals. A method of indicating the status of the monitoring system comprises periodically determining whether the identifying and parameter signals emitted by the tire sensors are being received within preselected time limits, energizing a status indicator if all of said identifying and parameter signals are received within the preselected time limits, de-energizing the status indicator if any of said identifying and parameter signals is not received within the preselected time limits, periodically determining whether the parameter signals emitted by the tire sensors are within a preselected range of values, energizing the status indicator if all of said parameter signals are within the preselected range of values; and de-energizing the status indicator if any of said parameter signals is outside the preselected range of values.