Vehicle height detecting system

Abstract

A vehicle height detecting system which detects a vehicle height level by transmitting and receiving a wireless wave signal between a wheel side and a vehicle body side of a vehicle, which includes a transmitting device provided at either one of the wheel side or the vehicle body side of the vehicle and transmitting the wireless wave signal, a receiving device provided at the other of the wheel side or the vehicle body side of the vehicle and receiving the wireless wave signal transmitted by the transmitting device, and a vehicle height detecting device detecting a level of the vehicle body on the basis of a time from transmitting the wireless wave signal by the transmitting device to receiving the wireless wave signal by the receiving device and/or on the basis of an intensity of the wireless wave signal received by the receiving device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block view showing a vehicle height detecting system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of an arrangement of a wheel side transmitting portion and a vehicle body side receiving portion of a vehicle.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a transmitting and receiving operation of a wireless wave signal at the vehicle height detecting system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block view showing a vehicle height detecting system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a transmitting and receiving operation of a wireless wave signal at the vehicle height detecting system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle height detecting system for use in a vehicle, comprising: transmitting means, adapted for being provided at either one of the wheel structure and the vehicle body structure, for transmitting a radio wave signal;receiving means, adapted for being provided at the other of the wheel structure and the vehicle body structure, for receiving the radio wave signal from the transmitting means; andvehicle height detecting means for determining a ground level of the vehicle on the basis of an intensity of the radio wave signal received at the receiving means and/or a time duration between an initiation of the transmission of the radio wave signal from the transmitting means to the reception thereof at the receiving means.

2. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height detecting means comprises a calculation processing means which obtains information of the level of the vehicle body of the vehicle on the basis of the time from transmitting the wireless wave signal by the transmitting means to receiving the wireless wave signal by the receiving means and/or the intensity of the wireless wave signal received by the receiving means.

3. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 1, further comprising: a vehicle body side transmitting means transmitting a first wireless wave signal from the vehicle body of the vehicle to the transmitting means; wherein the transmitting means comprisesa signal amplifying means amplifying the first wireless wave signal in response to receiving the wireless wave signal transmitted from the vehicle body side transmitting means; andan amplified signal transmitting means transmitting a second wireless wave signal amplified by the signal amplifying means to the receiving means.

4. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle height detecting means comprises a calculation processing means which obtains information of the level of the vehicle body on the basis of a time from the vehicle body side transmitting means transmitting the first wireless wave signal to receiving the second wireless wave signal by the receiving means and/or the intensity of the wireless wave signal received by the receiving means.

5. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a wheel speed sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and measures wheel speed at an antilock braking system for performing an antilock braking control of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a tire inflation pressure sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and detects a tire inflation pressure at a tire inflation pressure monitoring system for monitoring a tire inflation pressure of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a wheel speed sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and measures wheel speed at an antilock braking system for performing an antilock braking control of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a tire inflation pressure sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and detects a tire inflation pressure at a tire inflation pressure monitoring system for monitoring a tire inflation pressure of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a wheel speed sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and measures wheel speed at an antilock braking system for performing an antilock braking control of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a tire inflation pressure sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and detects a tire inflation pressure at a tire inflation pressure monitoring system for monitoring a tire inflation pressure of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 4, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a wheel speed sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and measures wheel speed at an antilock braking system for performing an antilock braking control of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 4, wherein the transmitting means is mounted on a tire inflation pressure sensor which is arranged at the wheel of the vehicle and detects a tire inflation pressure at a tire inflation pressure monitoring system for monitoring a tire inflation pressure of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height detecting means estimates the intensity of the wireless wave signal on the basis of a difference of a peak value of the wireless wave signal and a successive peak value of the wireless wave signal.

14. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle height detecting means estimates the intensity of the wireless wave signal on the basis of a difference of a peak value of the wireless wave signal and a successive peak value of the wireless wave signal.

15. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle height detecting means estimates the intensity of the wireless wave signal on the basis of a difference of a peak value of the wireless wave signal and a successive peak value of the wireless wave signal.

16. The vehicle height detecting system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle height detecting means estimates the intensity of the wireless wave signal on the basis of a difference of a peak value of the wireless wave signal and a successive peak value of the wireless wave signal.