Vehicle power and communication bus and system

• US 20060244309A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCann, Gerard O., Claussen, Stephen P., Simma, Thomas F. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/116,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/402 Back-up
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/414 Power supply failure
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/415 Short-circuit, open circuit failure
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical power and communication bus system for a truck, a tractor, or a tractor with a trailer and an associated bogie, where the electrical power and communication bus system reside in an anti-lock brake system (ABS) module that is disposed on the truck, the tractor, or the bogie of the trailer. The bus system comprises a bus controller, which utilizes a bus protocol, at least one bus connector that is electrically connected to a processor in the ABS, a source of power, and at least one auxiliary system that is electrically connected to the bus connector.

Claims

1. A power and communication bus, comprising a bus controller disposed in an anti-lock brake system module that is disposed on a truck, a tractor, or a trailer, the bus controller utilizing a bus protocol, wherein the bus controller is capable of electrically communicating switched power, protected power, and/or the bus protocol with at least one auxiliary system.

2. The power communication bus of claim 1, wherein the trailer has a bogie, where the anti-lock brake system module is disposed.

3. The power and communication bus of claim 1, wherein when the bus controller places the auxiliary system, which comprises a safety critical device, into a fail safe mode, full communication with the auxiliary system is maintained.

4. A power and communication bus system for a vehicle, comprising:

an anti-lock brake system module disposed on a truck, a tractor, or a trailer;

a bus controller disposed on the anti-lock brake system module, the bus controller utilizing a bus protocol;

at least one bus connector that is in electrical communication with the bus controller; and

at least one auxiliary system in electrical communication with the bus connector;

wherein the bus controller electrically communicates switched power, protected power, and/or the bus protocol with the auxiliary system.

5. The power and communication bus system of claim 4, wherein the bus controller is disposed in an anti-lock brake system module and obtains power from the vehicle power system.

6. The power and communication bus system of claim 4, wherein the bus protocol is LINBUS.

7. The power and communication bus system of claim 4, wherein the bus protocol conforms to a version of LINBUS outlined in SAE recommended practice J2602.

8. The power and communication bus system of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary system comprises at least one actuator and/or at least one sensor.

9. The power and communication bus system of claim 4, wherein the power and communication bus system communicates with the auxiliary system by way of a slave node.

10. A truck, a tractor, or a trailer, comprising:

a bus controller disposed in an anti-lock brake module that is disposed on the truck, the tractor, or the trailer, the bus controller utilizing a LINBUS protocol;

at least one bus connector that is in electrical communication with the bus controller; and

at least one sensor and/or actuator that is in electrical communication with at least one slave node, which is in electrical communication with the bus connector;

wherein the bus controller electrically communicates switched power and protected power by way of a dedicated wire with the slave node.

11. The truck, the tractor, or the trailer of claim 10, wherein the bus controller electrically communicates switched power and protected power by way of two dedicated wires.

12. A vehicle trailer having a bogie, comprising:

a bus controller disposed in an anti-lock brake module that is disposed on a vehicle trailer bogie, the bus controller utilizing a LINBUS protocol;

at least one bus connector, that is in electrical communication with the bus controller; and

at least one sensor and/or actuator that is in electrical communication with the bus connector;

wherein the bus controller electrically communicates switched power and protected power by way of a dedicated wire with the sensor and/or actuator.

13. The vehicle trailer of claim 12, wherein the bus controller electrically communicates switched power and protected power by way of two dedicated wires.