Patent ID: 7177739

Claim:
A method for monitoring a physical variable of a wheel fitted on a vehicle during travel, which comprises the steps of: measuring the physical variable at the wheel; transmitting a radio message containing information about the physical variable; receiving and processing the radio message on the vehicle; determining and storing a first comparative intensity distribution of a receiving strength of radio signals at predefined deflection angles between a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a plane of the wheel; recording a random sample of an actual intensity distribution of the receiving strength of further radio signals during operation by repeated transmission and receiving of a plurality of the further radio messages; using a statistical test to determine whether the random sample could have been taken from the first comparative intensity distribution and a test result being used to decide whether or not the wheel has achieved a predefined deflection angle; and concluding from the predefined deflection angle determined by the statistical test, whether the wheel is a steered wheel or an unsteered wheel.