1 . A tire pressure sensor of a vehicle, comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) mounted in the vehicle and having configuration data stored therein, an acknowledgement signal including a request for configuration, and the configuration data; and a controller configured to power up and power down the receiver, and to update the tire pressure sensor with the received configuration data.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein: the controller is configured to power up the receiver for a periodic transmission of pressure data by a transmitter of the tire pressure sensor to the ECU, and the ECU, in response to receiving the periodic sensor data, transmits to the receiver an acknowledgement signal including a request for configuration if the ECU has new configuration data stored therein.
4 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the tire pressure sensor is configured to communicate with the ECU via a bidirectional communication link.
5 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) receiver.
6 . A tire pressure sensor of a vehicle, comprising: a receiver; a transmitter configured to transmit to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) mounted in the vehicle, a tire pressure sensor identification and a ready for configuration signal; and a controller configured to: power up the receiver; determine whether the receiver receives from the ECU, within a predetermined period of time, configuration data stored within the ECU; and if the tire pressure sensor receives the configuration data, update the tire pressure sensor with the received configuration data.
7 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 6 , wherein after the receiver receives the configuration data, the controller is further configured to power down the receiver.
8 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 6 , wherein if the receiver does not receive the stored configuration data, the transmitter is configured to transmit to the ECU pressure data.
9 . The tire pressure sensor of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to power up the receiver and transmit to the ECU the tire pressure sensor identification and the ready for configuration signal on a periodic basis.
10 . A method for updating configuration data in a tire pressure sensor of a vehicle, comprising: receiving, from an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) by a receiver of the tire pressure sensor, an acknowledgement signal including a request for configuration; and transmitting, by a transmitter of the tire pressure sensor to the ECU, a ready for configuration signal, receiving, by the receiver of the tire pressure sensor, from the ECU mounted in the vehicle and having configuration data stored therein, the configuration data; and updating, by a controller of the tire pressure sensor, tire pressure sensor with the received configuration data.
11 . (canceled)
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: powering up the receiver prior to the receiver receiving from the ECU the acknowledgement signal including the request for configuration; and powering down the receiver after the receiver receives from the ECU the configuration data.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: powering up the receiver for a periodic transmission of pressure data by a transmitter of the tire pressure sensor to the ECU; and in response to receiving the periodic sensor data, transmitting by the ECU to the receiver an acknowledgement signal including a request for configuration if the ECU has new configuration data stored therein.
14 . A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), comprising: an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) mounted in a vehicle and having configuration data stored therein; and a tire pressure sensor, comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from the ECU, an acknowledgement signal including a request for configuration, and the configuration data; and a controller configured to power up and power down the receiver, and to update the tire pressure sensor with the received configuration data.
15 . The TPMS of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of the tire pressure sensors.
16 . The TPMS of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to receive the configuration data to be stored therein from an external configuration controller.
17 . The TPMS of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to receive the configuration data to be stored therein from an external configuration controller via a wireless connection.
18 . The TPMS of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to receive the configuration data to be stored therein from an external configuration controller via a cable connection.
19 . The TPMS of claim 14 , wherein the ECU is configured to receive the configuration data to be stored therein via the Internet.
20 . (canceled)
