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A tire pressure monitoring system is provided for a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location and a rear passenger-side wheel location. A tire (that is inflated to a tire pressure) is associated with on

A tire pressure monitoring system is provided for a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location and a rear passenger-side wheel location. A tire (that is inflated to a tire pressure) is associated with one each of the four wheel location and has associated therewith a tire pressure sensor sensing the tire pressure in that tire. A signal indicative of the tire pressure is broadcast via a radio frequency wireless transmission from each of the four tire sensors to a controller located within the interior cabin of the vehicle. The controller processes the transmitted signals and applies a triangulation technique to determine at which of the front driver-side wheel location, front passenger-side wheel location, rear driver-side wheel location and rear passenger-side wheel location are located the four tires transmitting signals to the controller. A display is provided that is visible to the driver of the vehicle indicating the tire pressure condition at any one, at several or at all of said four wheel locations.

대표청구항 ▼

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system comprising: a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side w

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system comprising: a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location, and a rear passenger-side wheel location; four tires; each of said four tires inflated to a tire pressure; each of said four tires having associated therewith a tire pressure sensor sensing the tire pressure in that tire; a signal indicative of said tire pressure broadcasted via a radio frequency wireless transmission from each of said tire sensors to a controller located within the interior cabin of the vehicle; said controller processing said signals and applying a triangulation technique to determine at which of the front driver-side wheel location, front passenger-side wheel location, rear driver-side wheel location and rear passenger-side wheel location are located the four tires transmitting signals to the controller; and a display visible to the driver of the vehicle indicating the tire pressure condition at any one, at several or at all of said wheel locations. 2. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 1, further comprising two spaced antennae. 3. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 2, further comprising a common assembly, said common assembly comprising said two spaced antennae. 4. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 2, wherein said two spaced antennae are at different locations in the vehicle. 5. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 4, wherein one of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a driver-side location. 6. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 5, wherein the other of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 7. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 4, wherein one of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 8. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 2, wherein said transmitted signals are received by a directional antenna. 9. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 8, wherein said directional antenna is located at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 10. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 8, wherein said directional antenna is located at a header portion of the vehicle. 11. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 8, wherein said directional antenna is located at a roof portion of the vehicle. 12. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 8, wherein said directional antenna is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 13. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 8, wherein said display is located at an upper windshield portion of the vehicle. 14. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 13, wherein said display is located in an accessory module. 15. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 2, wherein said processing by said controller of said signals comprises an algorithm based on a gas/temperature relationship. 16. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 15, wherein said gas/temperature relationship comprises Boyle's Law. 17. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 2, wherein said display is located at an interior mirror assembly of the vehicle. 18. A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system comprising: a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location, and a rear passenger-side wheel location; four tires; each of said four tires inflated to a tire pressure; each of said four tires having associated therewith a tire pressure sensor sensing the tire pressure in that tire; a signal indicative of said tire pressure broadcasted via a radio frequency wireless transmission from each of said tire sensors to a controller located within the interior cabin of the vehicle; said controller processing said signals and applying a triangulation technique to determine at which of the front driver-side wheel location, front passenger-side wheel location, rear driver-side wheel location and rear passenger-side wheel location are located the four tires transmitting signals to the controller; and a display visible to the driver of the vehicle indicating the tire pressure condition at any one, at several or at all of said wheel locations; and wherein said display is located at an upper windshield portion of the vehicle. 19. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 18, further comprising two spaced antennae. 20. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, further comprising a common assembly, said common assembly comprising said two spaced antennae. 21. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, wherein said two spaced antennae are at different locations in the vehicle. 22. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 21, wherein one of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a driver-side location. 23. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 22, wherein the other of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 24. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 21, wherein one of said, different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 25. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, wherein said transmitted signals are received by a directional antenna. 26. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 25, wherein said directional antenna is located at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 27. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 25, wherein said directional antenna is located at a header portion of the vehicle. 28. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 25, wherein said directional antenna is located at a roof portion of the vehicle. 29. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 25, wherein said directional antenna is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 30. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, wherein said processing by said controller of said transmitted signals comprises an algorithm based on a gas/temperature relationship. 31. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 30, wherein said gas/temperature relationship comprises Boyle's Law. 32. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, wherein said display is located at an interior mirror assembly of the vehicle. 33. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 19, wherein said display is located in an accessory module. 34. A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system comprising: a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location and a rear passenger-side wheel location; four tires; each of said four tires inflated to a tire pressure; each of said four tires having associated therewith a tire pressure sensor sensing the tire pressure in that tire; a signal indicative of said tire pressure broadcasted via a radio frequency wireless transmission from each of said tire sensors to a controller located within the interior cabin of the vehicle; said controller comprising a microprocessor and processing said signals and applying a triangulation technique to determine on at which of the front driver-side wheel location, front passenger-side wheel location, rear driver-side wheel location and rear passenger-side wheel location are located the four tires transmitting signals to the controller; and a display visible to the driver of the vehicle indicating the tire pressure condition at any one, at several or at all of said wheel locations; and wherein said display is located at an interior mirror rearview assembly. 35. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 34, further comprising two spaced antennae. 36. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 35, further comprising a common assembly, said common assembly comprising said two spaced antennae. 37. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 35, wherein said two spaced antennae are at different locations in the vehicle. 38. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 37, wherein one of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a driver-side location. 39. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 38, wherein the other of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 40. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 37, wherein one of said different locations in the vehicle comprises a passenger-side location. 41. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 35, wherein said signals are received by a directional antenna. 42. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 41, wherein said directional antenna is located at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 43. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 41, wherein said directional antenna is located at a header portion of the vehicle. 44. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 41, wherein said directional antenna is located at a roof portion of the vehicle. 45. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 41, wherein said directional antenna is located at an exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 46. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 35, wherein said processing by said controller of said transmitted signals comprises an algorithm based on a gas/temperature relationship. 47. The vehicular tire pressure monitoring system in claim 46, wherein said gas/temperature relationship comprises Boyle's Law.