Method for establishing a wireless connection

• US 10,160,427 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Risse, Rainer, Stender, Axel, Witte, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith-Stewart, Demetra R
• Application Number:
  US15/127,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20170088104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transceiver in a trailer vehicle (12) having an electronic braking system and at least one second transceiver outside of the trailer vehicle (12) is disclosed. The first transceiver is assigned to an electronic control unit (14, 22) in the trailer vehicle (12), which is coupled to a tractor vehicle (10) and a wired connection (15, 16, 17) exists. In the method, a) a trigger signal is generated in the tractor vehicle (10) and transmitted the control unit (14, 22); b) the first transceiver establishes a preliminary connection to the at least one second transceiver, c) the at least one second transceiver indicates via an output unit the preliminary connection, and d) if conditions are met, a permanent connection between the first transceiver and the second transceiver is established.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, wherein the trigger signal comprises switching on the ignition on the tractor vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter-receivers independently comprise WLAN-compatible modules and/or Bluetooth-compatible modules.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter-receivers independently comprise GSM-compatible modules or different cellular system-compatible modules.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a smartphone is used as the second transmitter-receiver.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the smartphone includes software for displaying data from the trailer vehicle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a brake control unit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the confirmation signal is derived from an operation of an operating unit disposed in a driver'"'"'s cab of the tractor vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the confirmation signal is derived from an input to the second transmitter-receiver and the wireless transmission of the input to the first transmitter-receiver.

16. A control unit for a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and for performing the method as claimed in claim 1.

9. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period, wherein the time period for the input of the confirmation signal is up to 15 seconds.

10. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period, wherein the confirmation signal is derived from the operation of a foot brake pedal.

11. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period, wherein the confirmation signal is derived from the release and reapplication of a parking brake.

12. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period, wherein on the input of the trigger signal a supply pressure in the trailer vehicle is checked, and if at the input of the trigger signal the supply pressure in the trailer vehicle is less than a limit value, the confirmation request is only made if the trailer vehicle has a supply pressure above the limit value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the limit value is less than or equal to 6 bar.

14. A method for establishing a wireless connection between a first transmitter-receiver in a trailer vehicle with an electronic brake system and at least one second transmitter-receiver outside of the trailer vehicle, wherein the first transmitter-receiver is associated with an electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle, and wherein the trailer vehicle is coupled to a tractor vehicle and there is a wired connection through which signals can be transmitted from the tractor vehicle to the trailer vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

a) generating in the tractor vehicle a trigger signal and transmitting by cable the trigger signal to the electronic control unit in the trailer vehicle,

b) establishing by the first transmitter-receiver a provisional connection with the at least one second transmitter-receiver,

c) indicating by the at least one second transmitter-receiver the provisional connection or a different type of confirmation request via an output unit, and

d) establishing a continuous connection between the first transmitter-receiver and the at least one second transmitter-receiver if a confirmation signal arrives in the trailer vehicle as an acknowledgement of the confirmation request within a defined time period, wherein a continuous connection is not established if confirmation signals from more than one second transmitter-receiver arrive in the trailer vehicle within the defined time period.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein following the input of confirmation signals from more than one second transmitter-receiver, a new time period is started and a new confirmation is awaited.