Tire pressure monitoring system for motorcycles

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring system for a motorcycle includes a tire valve stem mounted tire pressure gauge and an externally powerable remote display unit. The pressure gauge includes a pressure sensor, a wake circuit, a processor, and a first radio frequency (RF) module. The remote display unit includes a second RF module and a display. The wake circuit is adapted to activate the processor periodically at a predetermined interval of time and causes the processor to receive an output signal from the pressure sensor. The output of the pressure sensor is indicative of a tire pressure detected by the pressure sensor. The remote display unit is adapted to display the measured tire pressure value without any user input.

1 . A tire pressure monitoring system comprising:
 a valve-stem mounted tire pressure gauge, said gauge comprising:
 a first processor; 
 a pressure sensor, in communication with said first processor, for detecting a tire pressure; 
 a wake circuit adapted to periodically activate said first processor to receive an output of said pressure sensor, said output indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; 
 a memory, accessible to said first processor, for storing a value indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; and 
 a first radio frequency module, in communication with said first processor, for emitting a wireless signal indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; 
   an externally powerable remote display unit, said unit comprising:
 a second processor; 
 a second radio frequency module in communication with said second processor, said second module configured to wirelessly communicate with said first radio frequency module; and 
 a display, in communication with said second processor, for displaying at least a graphical indicator indicative of the tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tire pressure monitoring system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said first processor causes a first tire pressure measurement value to be stored in said memory, responsive to a first output signal, from said pressure sensor, indicative of the first tire pressure measurement value,   wherein, responsive to a second output signal, from said pressure sensor, indicative of a second tire pressure measurement value, said first processor compares the second value with the first value, and   wherein, if the second value differs from the first value by more than a predetermined value, said first processor causes said first radio frequency module to emit a wireless signal indicative of the second value.   
     
     
         3 . The tire pressure monitoring system of  claim 1 , said tire pressure gauge further comprises a motion sensor configured to activate said first processor responsive to detection of motion of said tire pressure gauge. 
     
     
         4 . The tire pressure monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to be powered via an AC power supply. 
     
     
         5 . The tire pressure monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to be mounted on a wall. 
     
     
         6 . A tire pressure monitoring kit for a motorcycle, said kit comprising:
 a first and a second tire pressure gauge, each of said tire pressure gauges being configured to be mounted on a valve stem of a tire of the motorcycle, each of said first and second tire pressure gauges comprising:
 a first processor; 
   a pressure sensor, in communication with said first processor, for detecting a tire pressure;
 a wake circuit configured to periodically activate said first processor to receive an output of said pressure sensor, said output indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; and 
 a first radio frequency module in communication with said first processor, for at least emitting a wireless signal indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; and 
   a remote display unit comprising:
 a second processor; 
 a second radio frequency module in communication with said second processor, said second module configured to wirelessly communicate with said first radio frequency modules of said first and second tire pressure gauges; 
 a memory accessible to said second processor, for storing at least a target tire pressure; and 
 a display, in communication with said second processor, for displaying at least a graphical indicator indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensors. 
   
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein each of said first and second tire pressure gauges comprises a memory in communication with said first processor and configured to store at least a value indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein each of said first and second tire pressure gauges is configured to be in wireless communication with said remote display unit independent of the operational state of the motorcycle. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said remote display unit is externally powerable. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to be powered either by an AC power supply or an external battery. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to display at least a graphical symbol representative of a motorcycle. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to display at least a graphical indicator representative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein said remote display unit is configured to display at least a graphical indicator indicative of a difference between a first value indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor and a second value indicative of a target tire pressure and stored in said memory. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 6 , further comprising a third tire pressure gauge configured to be mounted on a valve stem of a tire associated with the motorcycle. 
     
     
         15 . A method of monitoring tire pressure for a motorcycle comprising the steps of:
 periodically activating a processor in a valve-stem mounted tire pressure gauge to receive an output of a pressure sensor in said tire pressure gauge, said output indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor;   causing, by said processor, a first radio frequency module in said tire pressure gauge to emit a wireless signal, said wireless signal indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor;   receiving, at a second radio frequency module in an externally powerable remote display unit, said wireless signal emitted by said first radio frequency module; and   displaying, in said remote display unit, a graphical indicator representative of a value of the tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of periodically activating said processor is independent of the operational state of the motorcycle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 storing a first value in a memory in said tire pressure gauge, said first value being indicative of a tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor; and   comparing, by said processor, a second value indicative of a second tire pressure detected by said pressure sensor with said first value,   
       wherein said first radio frequency module is caused to emit a wireless signal if said second value differs from said first value by more than a predetermined value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of storing in a memory in said remote display unit an association between a first identifier indicative of the identity of said tire pressure gauge and a second identifier indicative of the identity of said tire.