Patent ID: 8742912
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
1. A system for measuring air pressure in an inflatable automobile tire comprising: an inflatable tire mounted on a wheel and rotatable about a hub of an automobile; a plurality of air pressure measurement sensors located within an inflatable portion of the mounted tire, each air pressure sensor being within its own individual housing, each individual housing being of a size sufficiently small to fit through a valve stem of the tire when the tire is being inflated with air; a plurality of electromechanical transducers, having one coupled to each of the respective air pressure measurement sensors by a power circuit and positioned within each respective housing of the air pressure sensor to which the transducer is coupled and configured to generate power to be used by each of the respective air pressure sensors by electrical potential converted from mechanical acceleration experienced by movement of the electromechanical transducer; a plurality of electric power storage devices within each housing respectively and coupled to the respective electromechanical transducer that is within the same housing as the electric power storage device for storing power produced by the respective electromechanical transducer; a plurality of wireless transmission circuits, each one being respectively coupled to the respective electric power storage device within the same housing, and to each of the respective air pressure measurement sensors by a signal circuit and positioned within each respective housing of the air pressure sensor to which the respective pressure sensor is coupled and configured to wirelessly transmit an air pressure measurement signal received from the sensor, each respective electromechanical transducer being so small that the electromechanical transducer is incapable of producing sufficient power to operate the pressure sensor and wireless transmission circuit continuously and the wireless transmission circuit draws power from the electric power storage device during the time period of the wireless transmission operation; a wireless receiver located on a chassis of the automobile and configured to receive a plurality of air pressure measurement signals from the respective wireless transmission circuits; and an output interface coupled to the wireless receiver and configured to periodically output an air pressure measurement value for the tire.