US Patent 7693626 Vehicular tire monitoring based on sensed acceleration

Vehicle with tire monitoring capabilities includes at least one wheel, each including a rim, a tire mounted on the rim, a sensor system for sensing angular, radial, tangential and/or lateral acceleration of the tire and providing acceleration signals based thereon, and an antenna arranged on the rim or tire and coupled to the sensor system for communicating data about the sensed acceleration. A processor receives acceleration signals provided by the sensor system and determines the existence of an anomaly in the tire based thereon. When arranged on the wheel, the processor provides a signal indicative or representative of the determination of the existence of the anomaly via the antenna to a receiving antenna which conveys it to a reactive system. The reactive system may provide a visual and/or audible warning to the driver of the vehicle or to personnel at a vehicle or tire monitoring facility.