Patent ID: 6463798
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
A method for determining inflation pressures of tires and locations thereof on wheels of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:providing a wireless inflation pressure measuring device for each wheel of a vehicle, each of the wireless inflation pressure measuring devices has an antenna located toward an outer perimeter of a respective one of the wheels, wherein each of the wireless inflation pressure measuring devices transmits from its respective antenna a radio frequency signal comprising inflation pressure information of a tire mounted on the respective one of the wheels; providing an inflation pressure monitor having a radio frequency receiver adapted for receiving the radio frequency signals from each of the inflation pressure measuring devices, whereby an amplitude of each of the received radio frequency signals varies periodically with each rotation of the respective one of the wheels; determining a rotation speed of each of the wheels by detecting the periodic amplitude variations of each of the radio frequency signals as the respective ones of the wheels rotate; detecting when the vehicle turns and the relative direction thereof, determining relative wheel rotation speeds; and assigning a location to each of the wheels based on the relative wheel rotation speeds and vehicle turning direction.