Abstract:
A method for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device includes the steps of preparing a burning tool and a tire pressure monitoring device and connecting them electrically with a single wire to enable data or signal transmission between the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device, thereby achieving single-wire data burning and two-way communication between the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a technique of burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device and more particularly to a method for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device through a single wire. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     To enhance car and driving safety, it is now common practice to additionally install a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and related devices into a car. The system includes a tire pressure detector, equipped with either a pointer indicator or an electronic display, for measuring in real time the pressure, temperature, and so on of each tire of a car before the car is started or while the car is running, thereby ensuring the driver&#39;s and passengers&#39; safety on the road. 
     Currently, most tire pressure monitoring systems are configured for two-wire data burning. That is to say, a typical tire pressure monitoring device and a typical burning tool for burning programs into the tire pressure monitoring device are each provided with a transmission port (TX) for transmitting data to the other and a receiving port (RX) for receiving data from the other, and because of that, two data lines are required, each connecting a corresponding pair of transmission port and receiving port. The two ports at the ends of each data line are dedicated to data transmission and data reception respectively. 
     As it is often desirable to increase the data transmission/receiving ports between the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device, the additional ports are bound to raise the port installation cost of the tire pressure monitoring device. Moreover, in order for the burning tool to set the tire pressure monitoring device into the program burning mode, the tire pressure monitoring device must be in the initialization state or a state in which all abnormal conditions have been eliminated. In other words, program burning cannot begin until the data lines are properly connected between the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device, or more particularly between the corresponding transmission/receiving ports, which is very inconvenient to program editors. Hence, the conventional method for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device demands improvement. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device according to which only one wire is required to electrically connect a burning tool and a tire pressure monitoring device to enable data or signal transmission therebetween, so that single-wire data burning and two-way communication between the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device can be achieved. 
     To this end, the present invention provides a method for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device wherein the method includes the following steps: 
     Step S 1 : A burning tool and a tire pressure monitoring device are prepared. The burning tool has a first microprocessor and a first memory unit. The first microprocessor is electrically connected to the first memory unit. The first memory unit has a clock calculation program and certain data to be written into the tire pressure monitoring device (hereinafter referred to as to-be-written data). The tire pressure monitoring device has a second microprocessor, a second memory unit, and a register. The second microprocessor is separately and electrically connected to the second memory unit and the register. 
     Step S 2 : The first microprocessor of the burning tool is electrically connected to the second microprocessor of the tire pressure monitoring device by only one wire. Each of the burning tool and the tire pressure monitoring device has a ground line. 
     Step S 3 : The first microprocessor of the burning tool transmits a reset instruction to the second microprocessor of the tire pressure monitoring device in order to switch the second microprocessor from an execution mode to an error detection mode. 
     Step S 4 : The first microprocessor transmits a clock instruction to the second microprocessor. The second microprocessor generates a predetermined pulse signal according to the clock instruction and sends the predetermined pulse signal to the first microprocessor. The clock calculation program of the first microprocessor calculates the predetermined pulse signal to obtain a working clock of the second microprocessor, in order for the first microprocessor to perform subsequent steps according to the working clock. 
     Step S 5 : The first microprocessor transmits a state instruction to the second microprocessor, and in reply, the second microprocessor sends a busy signal or a wait signal to the first microprocessor according to the state instruction. The first microprocessor keeps performing step S 5  when receiving the busy signal and goes on to step S 6  when receiving the wait signal. 
     Step S 6 : When receiving the wait signal, the first microprocessor generates a write-in instruction and transmits the write-in instruction to the second microprocessor. The second microprocessor is switched to a to-be-written-into state according to the write-in instruction and points to a starting position in the second memory unit where data are to be written. 
     Step S 7 : The first microprocessor transmits the to-be-written data in the first memory unit to the second microprocessor and begins a writing operation according to the starting position in the second memory unit of the second microprocessor where data are to be written. 
     Step S 8 : After performing the writing operation on the second memory unit of the second microprocessor for a predetermined data length, the first microprocessor generates an inquiry instruction and transmits the inquiry instruction to the second microprocessor. In reply, the second microprocessor sends a response signal to the first microprocessor in order for the first microprocessor to determine according to the voltage level of the response signal whether the to-be-written data have been written completely into the second memory unit. The first microprocessor goes on to step S 9  when determining according to the response signal that the to-be-written data have yet to be written completely into the second memory unit. The first microprocessor goes on to step S 10  when determining according to the response signal that the to-be-written data have been written completely into the second memory unit. 
     Step S 9 : The first microprocessor generates a forced interrupt instruction and transmits the forced interrupt instruction to the second microprocessor. As a result, the writing operation performed by the first microprocessor on the second memory unit of the second microprocessor is forced to stop, and step S 11  is performed. 
     Step S 10 : The first microprocessor generates an ending instruction and transmits the ending instruction to the second microprocessor in order for the second microprocessor to terminate the to-be-written-into state according to the ending instruction. 
     Step S 11 : The first microprocessor generates a restoring instruction and transmits the restoring instruction to the second microprocessor to restore the second microprocessor from the error detection mode to the execution mode. 
     Preferably, in step S 8 , the second microprocessor does not send the response signal to the first microprocessor until the second microprocessor knows from the inquiry instruction the actual write-in state of the to-be-written data in the second memory unit. 
     Preferably, in step S 10 , the first microprocessor further generates a verification instruction and transmits the verification instruction to the second microprocessor to verify the correctness of the to-be-written data in the second memory unit in comparison with the to-be-written data in the first memory unit. When the verification result is negative, the process goes back to step S 3 . 
     Preferably, in step S 10 , the first microprocessor further generates a confirmation instruction and transmits the confirmation instruction to the second microprocessor to confirm the correctness of location of the to-be-written data in the second memory unit. When the location is incorrect, the process returns to step S 3 . 
     Preferably, the method further includes step X, in which the first microprocessor further generates a reading instruction and transmits the reading instruction to the second microprocessor in order to read data from the register and know from the data read how data are arranged in the second memory unit. The first microprocessor then determines whether it is appropriate to perform the writing operation on the second memory unit of the second microprocessor. Step X can be performed in any interval between steps S 6  and S 10 . When step X is to be repeated, it can be carried out separately in the interval between steps S 6  and S 7 , the interval between steps S 7  and S 8 , the interval between steps S 8  and S 9 , and the interval between steps S 8  and S 10 . 
     The present invention also provides a tire pressure monitoring system, whose structure, operational features, and anticipated effects will be detailed below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a system structural diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial structural diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is another partial structural diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is the flowchart of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is the flowchart of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The structural features and anticipated effects of the present invention are described below in detail with reference to some illustrative embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the embodiments and the drawings, the same or similar elements, components, articles, structures, systems, mechanisms, devices, process flows, methods, or steps are identified by the same reference numeral. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device includes the following steps: 
     Step S 1 : A burning tool  20  and a tire pressure monitoring device  30  are prepared. The burning tool  20  has a first microprocessor  21  and a first memory unit  23 . The first microprocessor  21  is electrically connected to the first memory unit  23 . The first memory unit  23  has a clock calculation program  231  and certain data to be written into the tire pressure monitoring device  30  (hereinafter referred to as to-be-written data  233 ). The tire pressure monitoring device  30  has a second microprocessor  31 , a second memory unit  33 , and a register  35 . The second microprocessor  31  is separately and electrically connected to the second memory unit  33  and the register  35 . In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tire pressure monitoring device  30  is configured to be mounted to at least one tire (not shown) of a car (not shown). 
     Step S 2 : The first microprocessor  21  of the burning tool  20  is electrically connected to the second microprocessor  31  of the tire pressure monitoring device  30  by a single wire  40 . The burning tool  20  and the tire pressure monitoring device  30  each have a ground line  50 . 
     Step S 3 : The first microprocessor  21  of the burning tool  20  transmits a reset instruction to the second microprocessor  31  of the tire pressure monitoring device  30  to switch the second microprocessor  31  from an execution mode to an error detection mode. In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the execution mode is a mode in which a user or program editor can execute predetermined instructions and operations, and the error detection mode is a mode in which a user or program editor can edit, compile, or control the time sequence of, those instructions and operations. 
     Step S 4 : The first microprocessor  21  transmits a clock instruction to the second microprocessor  31 , and the second microprocessor  31  generates a predetermined pulse signal according to the clock instruction and sends the predetermined pulse signal to the first microprocessor  21 . The first microprocessor  21  calculates the predetermined pulse signal with the clock calculation program  231  in order to obtain a working clock of the second microprocessor  31  and perform the following steps according to the working clock obtained. 
     Step S 5 : The first microprocessor  21  transmits a state instruction to the second microprocessor  31 , and based on the state instruction, the second microprocessor  31  sends a busy signal or a wait signal to the first microprocessor  21 . When receiving the busy signal, the first microprocessor  21  continues performing step S 5 ; when receiving the wait signal, the first microprocessor  21  performs step S 6  that follows. 
     Step S 6 : When receiving the wait signal, the first microprocessor  21  generates a write-in instruction and transmits the write-in instruction to the second microprocessor  31 . The second microprocessor  31  is switched to a to-be-written-into state according to the write-in instruction and points to a starting position  333  in the second memory unit  33  where data are to be written. 
     In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the starting position  333  in the second memory unit  33  where data are to be written can be programmed as a combination of an instruction code  334  and an address code  335 . In this preferred embodiment for example, the instruction code  334  of the starting position  333  is set as “0010”, and the address code  335  of the starting position  333 , as “C000”. Therefore, the starting position  333  in the second memory unit  33  where data are to be written has the coded address “001C000”, and the second microprocessor  31  points to this coded address “0010C000” in the second memory unit  33  as the starting position  333 . This ensures the correctness of the address into which the to-be-written data  233  are to be written. 
     Step S 7 : The first microprocessor  21  transmits the to-be-written data  233  in the first memory unit  23  to the second microprocessor  31  and begins a writing operation according to the starting position  333  in the second memory unit  33  where data are to be written. 
     Step S 8 : Once the first microprocessor  21  has performed the writing operation on the second memory unit  33  of the second microprocessor  31  for a predetermined data length, the first microprocessor  21  generates an inquiry instruction and transmits the inquiry instruction to the second microprocessor  31 . In reply, the second microprocessor  31  sends a response signal to the first microprocessor  21  in order for the first microprocessor  21  to determine according to the voltage level of the response signal whether the to-be-written data  233  have been written completely into the second memory unit  33 . When determining according to the response signal that the to-be-written data  233  have not been written completely into the second memory unit  33 , the first microprocessor  21  performs step S 9 . When determining according to the response signal that the to-be-written data  233  have been written completely into the second memory unit  33 , the first microprocessor  21  performs step S 10 . 
     Step S 9 : When determining that the to-be-written data  233  have not been written completely into the second memory unit  33 , the first microprocessor  21  generates a forced interrupt instruction and transmits the forced interrupt instruction to the second microprocessor  31 . Thus, the writing operation performed by the first microprocessor  21  on the second memory unit  33  of the second microprocessor  31  is forced to stop. Then, step S 11  is performed. 
     Step S 10 : When determining that the to-be-written data  233  have been written completely into the second memory unit  33 , the first microprocessor  21  generates an ending instruction and transmits the ending instruction to the second microprocessor  31  in order for the second microprocessor  31  to terminate the to-be-written-into state according to the ending instruction. Then, step S 11  is performed. 
     Step S 11 : The first microprocessor  21  generates a restoring instruction and transmits the restoring instruction to the second microprocessor  31  to restore the second microprocessor  31  from the error detection mode to the execution mode. 
     According to the above, the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is significantly advantageous over the prior art in the following ways: 
     First, the number of data transmission/receiving ports is reduced. Since data or signal transmission between the burning tool  20  and the tire pressure monitoring device  30  is enabled by only one wire  40 , which electrically connects the first microprocessor  21  of the burning tool  20  and the second microprocessor  31  of the tire pressure monitoring device  30 , the data transmission/receiving ports required between the burning tool  20  and the tire pressure monitoring device  30  are fewer than in the prior art. 
     Second, synchronous data transmission is achieved. Once the burning tool  20  obtains the working clock of the tire pressure monitoring device  30  through the clock calculation program  231 , the first microprocessor  21  of the burning tool  20  performs all subsequent data transmission according to the working clock. 
     Third, two-way communication is established. The first microprocessor  21  of the burning tool  20  and the second microprocessor  31  of the tire pressure monitoring device  30  can send instructions or signals to, and respond to the instructions or signals sent by, each other such that two-way communication between the burning tool  20  and the tire pressure monitoring device  30  is achieved. 
     The technical features and effects of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention have been detailed above. The following paragraphs are devoted to those of the second preferred embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 1  for the method according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention for burning data into a tire pressure monitoring device, the steps of this data burning method are the same as those in the previous embodiment except for the following: 
     In step S 8 , the second microprocessor  31  sends the response signal to the first microprocessor  21  only after the second microprocessor  31  knows from the inquiry instruction the actual write-in state of the to-be-written data  233  in the second memory unit  33 . 
     In step S 10 , the first microprocessor  21  generates a verification instruction and transmits the verification instruction to the second microprocessor  31  to verify the correctness of the to-be-written data  233  in the second memory unit  33  in comparison with the to-be-written data  233  in the first memory unit  21 . When the verification result is negative, step S 3  is performed again. 
     In step S 10 , the first microprocessor  21  generates a confirmation instruction and transmits the confirmation instruction to the second microprocessor  31  to confirm the correctness of location of the to-be-written data  233  in the second memory unit  33 . When the location is incorrect, step S 3  is performed again. 
     The data burning method of the present invention further includes step X, in which the first microprocessor  21  generates a reading instruction and transmits the reading instruction to the second microprocessor  31  in order to read data from the register  35  and thus gain knowledge of the arrangement of data in the second memory unit  33 . The first microprocessor  21  can then determine whether it is appropriate to write into the second memory unit  33  of the second microprocessor  31 . Step X can be performed in any interval between step S 6  and step S 10 . When it is desired to perform step X multiple times, it can be performed separately in the interval between steps S 6  and S 7 , the interval between steps S 7  and S 8 , the interval between steps S 8  and S 9 , and the interval between steps S 8  and S 10 . 
     The second preferred embodiment of the present invention has the following significant advantages over the prior art: 
     First, correctness of the data written is ensured. To guarantee data accuracy, the first microprocessor  21  generates the verification instruction or confirmation instruction to ensure the correctness and consistency of the location of the to-be-written data  233  written by the burning tool  20  into the second memory unit  33  of the tire pressure monitoring device  30 . 
     Second, the writing operation continues only when the appropriateness of doing so is confirmed. The first microprocessor  21  generates the reading instruction in order to determine whether it is appropriate to continue writing into the second memory unit  33  of the second microprocessor  31 . This also demonstrates the usefulness of two-way communication between the burning tool  20  and the tire pressure monitoring device  30 . 
     Last but not least, it should be pointed out again that, as a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand, the foregoing detailed description and embodiments are provided only to shed light on the structure, methods, process flows, and anticipated effects of the present invention and are not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the invention. All equivalent substitutions and variations of elements, components, articles, structures, devices, methods, and process flows should fall within the scope of the invention.