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System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respect

System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

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We claim: 1. A vehicle in which components including tires thereof are monitored using wireless transmissions, comprising: a plurality of components including a plurality of tires, at least one of said tires being arranged on a right side of the vehicle and at least one of said tires being arranged

We claim: 1. A vehicle in which components including tires thereof are monitored using wireless transmissions, comprising: a plurality of components including a plurality of tires, at least one of said tires being arranged on a right side of the vehicle and at least one of said tires being arranged on a left side of the vehicle; and a system for obtaining information about said components, said system comprising: a plurality of sensors each arranged in connection with a respective one of said tires, each of said sensors being arranged to sense at least one of pressure and temperature of an interior space of said tire and generate and wirelessly transmit a signal based on the sensed at least one of pressure and temperature and upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency signal; and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array arranged on the vehicle between the left and right sides of the vehicle such that at least one of said sensors is on each lateral side of said array, each of said antenna elements being directed toward a respective one of said sensors and arranged to wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals toward said respective sensor and receive return signals wirelessly transmitted from said sensors, the return signals from said sensors being processed after reception by said antenna array into information about the at least one of pressure and temperature sensed by said sensors. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the transmission of the RF signals from said antenna elements. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said control means are arranged to cause said antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals therefrom and receive the return signals from said sensors. 4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said control means are arranged to cause said antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from said sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each of said antenna elements such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching or phase changing of said antenna elements. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said array is centrally located relative to said sensors. 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said array is configured to be offset relative to said sensors such that the return signals are spaced in time due to varying distances from said array to each of said sensors, the return signals having a different phase and being separable by the phase difference. 7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said control means are arranged to process the return signals from said sensors after reception by said antenna array into information about the at least one of pressure and temperature sensed by said sensors, further comprising means for utilizing the information about said components which are coupled to said control means and comprise at least one of a display unit for displaying the information to an occupant of the vehicle, a telematics unit for wirelessly transmitting the information to a location remote from the vehicle and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one said components based on the information. 8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises weight sensors and/or fluid level sensors, each of said weight and/or fluid level sensors being arranged to sense a property or condition of the vehicle or at least one component other than said tires and generate and wirelessly transmit a signal based on the sensed property or condition and upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency signal. 9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of said sensors is a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor. 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of said sensors is arranged to operate on a different frequency than the other of said sensors, said antenna elements being controlled by control circuitry to send a chirp sweep frequency, or frequency hoping signal such that the return signals are separated in frequency domain. 11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of said antenna elements is arranged to transmit an identification signal to permit separation of the return signals. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said sensors are SAW or RFID sensors, the identification signal is an alpha-numerical character string or being obtained by providing each of said SAW or RFID sensors with a different length SAW substrate or electronic delay to thereby cause a different delay which permits signal separation. 13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said array is a smart antenna array. 14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said antenna elements is a distributed loaded monopole antenna, a plasma antenna, a dielectric antenna or a nanotube antenna. 15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said components further comprise a seat in which an occupant of the vehicle sits during use of the vehicle, said system further comprising a seat position sensor connected to said seat for sensing a fore and aft position of said seat, the return signals from said seat position sensor being processed after reception by said antenna array into information about the position of said seat. 16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said components further comprise a door of the vehicle, said system further comprising a door status sensor arranged to determine whether said door is open or closed, the return signals from said door status sensor being processed after reception by said antenna array into information about whether said door is open or closed. 17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said components further comprise a window of the vehicle, said system further comprising a window open sensor arranged to determine whether said window is open or closed, the return signals from said window open sensor being processed after reception by said antenna array into information about whether said window is open or closed. 18. A vehicle in which components including tires thereof are monitored using wireless transmissions, comprising: a plurality of components including a plurality of tires, at least one of said tires being arranged on a right side of the vehicle and at least one of said tires being arranged on a left side of the vehicle; and a system for obtaining information about said components, said system comprising: a plurality of sensors each arranged in connection with a respective one of said tires, each of said sensors being arranged to sense at least one of pressure and temperature of an interior space of said tire and generate and wirelessly transmit a signal based on the sensed at least one of pressure and temperature and upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency signal; and first and second antennas arranged on the vehicle between the left and right sides of the vehicle such that at least one of said sensors is on each lateral side of said first and second antennas, each of said first and second antennas being arranged to wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals toward said sensors from a different direction and receive return signals from all of said sensors at a different time and different amplitude or phase, each of the return signals being separable by looking at the return signals from both said first and second antennas since each of the return signals is received differently based on its angle or time of arrival or phase, the return signals from said sensors being processed after reception by said antenna array into information about the at least one of pressure and temperature sensed by said sensors. 19. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising control means coupled to said first and second antennas for separating the return signals from said first and second antennas based on the angle of arrival of the return signals. 20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein said control means are arranged to process the return signals from said sensors after reception by said antenna array into information about the at least one of pressure and temperature sensed by said sensors, further comprising means for utilizing the information about said components which are coupled to said control means and comprise at least one of a display unit for displaying the information to an occupant of the vehicle, a telematics unit for wirelessly transmitting the information to a location remote from the vehicle and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one said components based on the information. 21. A vehicle in which components thereof are monitored using wireless transmissions, comprising: a plurality of components; and a plurality of sensor assemblies, each of said sensor assemblies being associated with a respective one of said components and including a sensor arranged to sense a property or condition of said respective component and a wireless transmission element connected to said sensor and arranged to generate and wirelessly transmit a signal based on the property or condition of said component sensed by said sensor, each of said sensor assemblies being arranged to detect a radio frequency (RF) signal and upon such detection, cause said wireless transmission element to transmit its signal based on the property or condition of said component being sensed by said sensor; a single multi-element directional antenna array arranged on the vehicle and including antenna elements, each of said antenna elements being directed toward a respective one of said sensor assemblies and arranged to wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals toward said respective sensor assembly and receive return signals wirelessly transmitted from said wireless transmission element of said sensor assemblies; a control system coupled to said antenna array and said components and arranged to control the transmission of the RF signals from said antenna elements and process the return signals from said wireless transmission elements of said sensor assemblies into information about said components; means coupled to said control system for utilizing the information about said components, said means comprising at least one of a display unit for displaying the information to an occupant of the vehicle, a telematics unit for wirelessly transmitting the information to a location remote from the vehicle and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one said components based on the information; and means arranged at said antenna array for determining a source of each received return signal 22. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said array is arranged below a frame of the vehicle.