Patent ID: 6705155
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
A tire condition monitoring apparatus for monitoring the condition of a plurality of tires attached to a vehicle, wherein the tires include left and right front tires and left and right rear tires, the apparatus comprising:a transmitter device, which is attached to each tire, wherein the transmitter device has a condition sensor that detects the condition of the corresponding tire and a signal generator that generates a specific pattern signal when the tire rotates, wherein the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each left tire is different from the pattern signal generated by the signal generator of the transmitter device attached to each right tire when the vehicle moves in a given direction, and each transmitter device transmits a radio signal that includes data that represents the tire condition and data that represents the pattern signal; a front reception antenna, which is installed in a body of the vehicle at a position that is relatively near to the left and right front tires, wherein the front reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices; a rear reception antenna, which is installed in the vehicle body at a position that is relatively near to the left and right rear tires, wherein the rear reception antenna receives radio signals from the transmitter devices; and a receiver, which receives reception signals from the front and rear reception antennas, wherein the receiver includes a controller, and wherein, when one of the transmitter devices has transmitted a radio signal, the controller determines which transmitter device has transmitted the radio signal in accordance with the level of reception signals from the reception antennas and the data that represents the pattern signal, which is included in the radio signal transmitted by the transmitter device.