Apparatus, method and system for monitoring towed vehicles in a tractor-trailer vehicle
First Claim
1. A tractor controller of a tractor in a tractor-trailer vehicle train comprising:
- a processing unit comprising control logic, wherein the control logic is capable of;
receiving a data signal in response to a towed vehicle controller receiving an electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal, wherein the data signal comprises a unique identification that corresponds to the towed vehicle and a time value that indicates the time the towed vehicle controller receives the electronic pressure signal; and
calculating the position of the towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle train based on the data signal received.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various examples of a controller, method and system for monitoring a tractor-trailer vehicle train are disclosed. In one example a tractor controller is manually-initiated or a user-initiated tractor controller and includes an electrical control port for receiving an electrical sync signal and an electrical start signal, and a communications port for receiving data. A processing unit of the tractor controller includes control logic and is in communication with the electrical control port. The control logic is capable of receiving a data signal at the communications port which includes a time value and a unique identification which corresponds to the towed vehicle in response to the electrical start signal. At a predetermined response time, the tractor controller determines the position of the towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle train based on the data received from the towed vehicles.
26 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A tractor controller of a tractor in a tractor-trailer vehicle train comprising:
a processing unit comprising control logic, wherein the control logic is capable of; receiving a data signal in response to a towed vehicle controller receiving an electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal, wherein the data signal comprises a unique identification that corresponds to the towed vehicle and a time value that indicates the time the towed vehicle controller receives the electronic pressure signal; and calculating the position of the towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle train based on the data signal received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for monitoring a vehicle train of a tractor-trailer vehicle, the method comprising:
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transmitting an electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal from a tractor vehicle to a towed vehicle controller; transmitting a data signal from a towed vehicle controller to a tractor controller of the tractor vehicle, the data signal comprising a time value and a unique identification in response to transmission of the electrical start signal and the electronic pressure signal; determining, at a predetermined response time, the position of the towed vehicle based on the data signal received. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for monitoring a tractor-trailer vehicle comprising:
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a tractor; a towed vehicle; a tractor pneumatic source which is in communication with the towed vehicle of the tractor-trailer vehicle; a tractor controller which is in communication with a towed vehicle controller of the towed vehicle, the tractor controller comprising; an electrical port for receiving an electrical start signal; a communications port for receiving data from the towed vehicle controller of a tractor-trailer vehicle; a processing unit comprising control logic, wherein the control logic is capable of; receiving a data signal comprising a time value and a unique identification which corresponds to the towed vehicle in response to the towed vehicle controller receiving the electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal; determining the position of a towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle based on the data signal received. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification