Trailer brake status indication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing trailer brake system status information to a driver, comprising:
- a) monitoring a condition of trailer antilock components that control trailer brake system pneumatic components with a trailer antilock controller;
b) providing an antilock component fault signal with the trailer antilock controller when a fault condition of an antilock component is detected;
c) sensing a condition of at least one of the trailer brake system pneumatic components with the trailer antilock controller;
d) determining a status of the trailer brake system with the trailer antilock controller based on a sensed condition of the at least one of the trailer brake system pneumatic components; and
e) providing an indication of the status of the trailer brake system to the driver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A trailer brake system status indicator is provided to a tractor driver. The status is obtained by sensing the condition of one or more trailer brake system components. The trailer brake component status is used to determine the status of the trailer brake system. The trailer brake status indicator is activated to inform the tractor driver of the trailer brake system status.
60 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of providing trailer brake system status information to a driver, comprising:
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a) monitoring a condition of trailer antilock components that control trailer brake system pneumatic components with a trailer antilock controller;
b) providing an antilock component fault signal with the trailer antilock controller when a fault condition of an antilock component is detected;
c) sensing a condition of at least one of the trailer brake system pneumatic components with the trailer antilock controller;
d) determining a status of the trailer brake system with the trailer antilock controller based on a sensed condition of the at least one of the trailer brake system pneumatic components; and
e) providing an indication of the status of the trailer brake system to the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An antilock braking controller for a trailer antilock brake system that includes antilock components, brake system pneumatic components that are controlled by the antilock components, at least one sensor coupled to at least one of the brake system pneumatic components, and a brake system component status indicator, the controller comprising:
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a) an input for receiving input signals from the at least one sensor that senses a condition of a pneumatic brake system component;
b) memory for storing a brake system status algorithm;
c) a processor for applying the brake system status algorithm to the input signals to derive output signals that represent a status of the brake system pneumatic components;
d) an output for providing the output signal to the status indicator to provide an indication of the status of the brake system pneumatic components to a driver. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A trailer antilock brake system comprising:
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a) a pneumatic brake chamber for selectively engaging and disengaging a trailer brake;
b) a reservoir for storing air under pressure;
c) a modulator that selectively supplies the air under pressure to the brake chamber to engage and disengage the trailer brake;
d) a wheel speed sensor for monitoring a speed of a trailer wheel;
e) a brake component sensor coupled to at least one of the brake chamber and the reservoir;
f) a trailer antilock brake controller that processes signals from the wheel speed sensor and the brake component sensor, wherein the controller controls the modulator based on signals from the wheel speed sensor to inhibit locking of the brake, and wherein the controller processes signals from the brake component sensor to derive output signals that represent a status of at least one of the reservoir and the pneumatic brake chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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16. (canceled)
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19. A trailer antilock brake system comprising:
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a) an actuation means for selectively engaging and disengaging a trailer brake;
b) a storage means for storing air under pressure;
c) a supply means for selectively supplying the air under pressure to the actuation means to engage and disengage the trailer brake;
d) a wheel speed sensing means for monitoring a speed of a trailer wheel;
e) a brake component sensing means for sensing a status of at least one of the actuation means and the storage means; and
f) a control means for processing signals from the wheel speed sensing means and the brake component sensing means, wherein the control means controls the supply means based on signals from the wheel speed sensing means to inhibit locking of the trailer brake, and wherein the control means processes signals from the brake component sensing means to derive output signals that represent a status of at least one of the actuation means and the storage means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of indicating a trailer parking brake status to a driver, comprising:
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a) sensing a trailer parking brake engagement status;
b) sensing a trailer speed;
c) determining whether the trailer parking brake is engaged and the speed of the trailer is above a predetermined value;
d) providing a trailer parking brake engaged status indication to the driver after determining that the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method of indicating an inconsistency between a driver intended with regard to tractor brake application and trailer brake application to a driver, comprising:
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a) determining whether trailer brakes are engaged;
b) determining whether the driver intends that the tractor brakes be engaged;
c) providing a trailer brake inconsistency indicator to the driver when the driver intends that the trailer brakes be engaged and the trailer brakes are disengaged or the driver intends that the tractor brakes be disengaged and the trailer brakes are engaged. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An antilock braking controller for a trailer antilock brake system that includes antilock components, and brake system components, including an air reservoir, a parking brake, and a service brake, that are controlled by the antilock components, the controller comprising:
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a) means for receiving input signals that represent a status of air pressure in the reservoir, a status of the parking brake, a vehicle speed, a status of the service brake, and a status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator; and
b) means for applying a brake system status algorithm to the input signals to derive a low air pressure status output signal when the air pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, a parking brake engaged status output signal when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and a trailer brake mismatch output signal when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator.
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31. (canceled)
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32. (canceled)
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33. (canceled)
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34. An antilock braking controller for a trailer antilock brake system that includes antilock components, and brake system components, including an air reservoir, a parking brake, and a service brake, that are controlled by the antilock components, the controller comprising:
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a) an input for receiving input signals that represent a status of air pressure in the reservoir, a status of the parking brake, a vehicle speed, a status of the service brake, and a status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator; and
b) a logic applying arrangement for applying a brake system status algorithm to the input signals to derive a low air pressure status output signal when the air pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value a parking brake engaged status output signal when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and a trailer brake mismatch output signal when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator.
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35. (canceled)
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36. (canceled)
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37. (canceled)
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38. A method of providing trailer brake status information to a driver comprising:
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a) sensing a status of a parking brake;
b) sensing a status of a service brake;
c) sensing a status of a service brake actuator;
d) sensing a pressure in a brake system reservoir;
e) sensing a speed of a wheel of the trailer;
f) inhibiting brake locking based on the speed of the wheel; and
g) providing an alert of an undesirable trailer brake condition to the driver when the pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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39. A method of providing trailer brake status information to a driver comprising:
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a) sensing a status of a parking brake with a trailer antilock controller;
b) sensing a status of a service brake with the trailer antilock controller;
c) sensing a status of a service brake actuator with the trailer antilock controller;
d) sensing a pressure in a brake system reservoir with the trailer antilock controller;
e) sensing a speed of a wheel of the trailer with the trailer antilock controller;
f) inhibiting brake locking based on the speed of the wheel with the trailer antilock controller; and
g) providing an alert of an undesirable trailer brake condition with the trailer antilock controller to the driver when the pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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40. A method of providing trailer brake status information to a driver comprising:
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a) sensing a status of a parking brake;
b) sensing a status of a service brake;
c) sensing a status of a service brake actuator;
d) sensing a pressure in a brake system reservoir;
e) sensing a speed of a wheel of the trailer;
f) inhibiting brake locking based on the speed of the wheel;
g) providing a low air pressure status indicator to the driver when the pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value;
h) providing a parking brake engaged status indicator to the driver when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value; and
i) providing a trailer brake mismatch status indicator to the driver when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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41. A method of providing trailer brake status information to a driver comprising:
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a) sensing a status of a parking brake with a trailer antilock controller;
b) sensing a status of a service brake with the trailer antilock controller;
c) sensing a status of a service brake actuator with the trailer antilock controller;
d) sensing a pressure in a brake system reservoir with the trailer antilock controller;
e) sensing a speed of a wheel of the trailer with the trailer antilock controller;
f) inhibiting brake locking based on the speed of the wheel with the trailer antilock controller;
g) providing a low air pressure status indicator to the driver with the trailer antilock controller when the pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value;
h) providing a parking brake engaged status indicator to the driver with the trailer antilock controller when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value; and
i) providing a trailer brake mismatch status indicator to the driver with the trailer antilock controller when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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42. A trailer antilock brake system comprising:
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a) a pneumatic trailer parking brake;
b) a parking brake sensor coupled to the pneumatic parking brake for sensing a status of the parking brake;
c) a pneumatic trailer service brake;
d) a service brake sensor coupled to the pneumatic service brake for sensing a status of the service brake;
e) a service brake actuator for selectively actuating the service brake;
f) a service brake actuator sensor arranged to sense a status of the service brake actuator;
g) a reservoir for storing air under pressure;
h) a reservoir sensor for sensing a pressure in the reservoir;
i) a modulator that selectively supplies the air under pressure to the trailer service brake to selectively actuate the trailer service brake;
j) a wheel speed sensor for monitoring a wheel speed of the trailer;
k) a trailer antilock controller that processes signals from the wheel speed sensor, the parking brake sensor, the service brake sensor, and the reservoir sensor, wherein the controller controls the modulator based on signals from the wheel speed sensor to inhibit locking of the brake, and wherein the controller provides an undesirable trailer brake condition signal when the air pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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43. A trailer antilock brake system comprising:
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a) a pneumatic trailer parking brake;
b) a parking brake sensor coupled to the pneumatic parking brake for sensing a status of the parking brake;
c) a pneumatic trailer service brake;
d) a service brake sensor coupled to the pneumatic service brake for sensing a status of the service brake;
e) a service brake actuator for selectively actuating the service brake;
f) a service brake actuator sensor arranged to sense a status of the service brake actuator;
g) a reservoir for storing air under pressure;
h) a reservoir sensor for sensing a pressure in the reservoir;
i) a modulator that selectively supplies the air under pressure to the trailer service brake to selectively actuate the trailer service brake;
j) a wheel speed sensor for monitoring a wheel speed of the trailer;
k) a trailer antilock controller that processes signals from the wheel speed sensor, the parking brake sensor, the service brake sensor, and the reservoir sensor, wherein the controller controls the modulator based on signals from the wheel speed sensor to inhibit locking of the brake, and wherein the controller provides a low air pressure status output signal when the air pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, a parking brake engaged status output signal when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and a trailer brake mismatch output signal when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of the service brake actuator.
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43-1. An antilock braking controller for a trailer antilock brake system that includes antilock components, and brake system components, including an air reservoir, a parking brake, and a service brake, that are controlled by the antilock components, the controller comprising:
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a) an input for receiving input signals that represent a status of air pressure in the reservoir, a status of the parking break, a vehicle speed, a status of the service brake, and a status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator; and
b) a logic applying arrangement for applying a brake system status algorithm to the input signals to derive an undesirable trailer brake condition signal when the air pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value, when the parking brake is engaged and the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined value, and when the status of the trailer service brake differs from the status of a driver controlled trailer service brake actuator.
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Specification