Method and system for associating a vehicle trailer to a vehicle

• US 20070225872A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Luebke, Charles, Anderson, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,014,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for associating a vehicle and vehicle trailer is described. The system comprises one or more sensors that transmit information wirelessly to a tractor display unit. The tractor display unit determines whether the sensor is associated with a trailer to which it is connected and filters out messages from sensors that are not associated with its trailer. To determine which sensors are associated with its trailer, a processor in the tractor display unit synchronizes the reception of sensor messages with the reception of a synchronizing signal, such as a signal generated by operating an auxiliary power system, turn signal, or brake.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a vehicle trailer sensor is associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:

synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by operating a vehicle control.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by modulating power supplied to a measurement device comprising a trailer sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing comprises determining whether the sensor message was received within a predetermined period of time after the synchronizing signal was received.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined period of time is not greater than about 200 milliseconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing signal comprises at least one selected from a turn signal, a brake signal, an auxiliary power system signal, a trailer marker/running light signal, a stop lamp signal, a tail light signal, a license plate lamp signal, a hazard lamp signal, an antilock brake system signal, a clearance lamp signal, and an ID lamp signal.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a measurement device comprising a sensor attached to a vehicle trailer, wherein when the vehicle control is operated, power is supplied to the measurement device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the trailer sensor message is one selected from a side obstacle sensor message, a temperature sensor message, and a backup sensor message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal comprises first synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a first synchronizing signal, and the method further comprises second synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a second synchronizing signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first synchronizing signal comprises an auxiliary power signal, and the second synchronizing signal comprises one selected from a turn signal and a brake signal.

11. A method of communicating vehicle trailer sensor information to a vehicle operator, the method comprising:

synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal;

identifying sensors associated with the vehicle based on the synchronizing a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal; and

communicating sensor messages for sensors associated with the vehicle to the vehicle operator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by operating a vehicle control.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by modulating power supplied to a measurement device comprising a trailer sensor.

14. A method for displaying vehicle trailer sensor data to a vehicle operator, the method comprising:

determining whether a synchronizing signal has been received;

receiving a first set of trailer sensor data, the first set of trailer sensor data comprising trailer sensor identification information, wherein the first set of data is received within a predetermined time after the synchronizing signal is received;

receiving a second set of trailer sensor data, the second set of trailer sensor data comprising sensed information and trailer identification information;

communicating the sensed information to the vehicle operator if the trailer identification information in the second data set corresponds to the trailer identification information in the first data set.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by operating a vehicle control.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the trailer sensor data is one selected from the group consisting of backup sensor data, temperature sensor data, and side obstacle sensor data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing signal is one selected from the group consisting of a turn signal, a brake signal, a trailer marker/running light signal, an auxiliary power signal, a stop lamp signal, a tail light signal, a license plate lamp signal, a hazard lamp signal, an antilock brake system signal, a clearance lamp signal, and an ID lamp signal.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing signal is generated by modulating power supplied to a measurement device comprising a trailer sensor.

19. A system for associating a vehicle trailer with a vehicle, comprising:

a measurement device comprising a trailer sensor and a wireless communication device; and

a processor programmed to synchronize a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a vehicle control, wherein when the vehicle control is operated, the measurement device transmits trailer sensor messages.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein when the vehicle control is operated, power is supplied to the measurement device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the vehicle control is one selected from a turn signal control, a brake, and an ignition.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further programmed to identify trailer sensors associated with the vehicle based on a synchronization of a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a synchronizing signal.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a display unit, wherein the processor is further programmed to display sensor messages on the display unit for trailer sensors associated with the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the synchronizing signal is one selected from a turn signal, a brake signal, a gear shift signal, a trailer marker/running light signal, an auxiliary power system signal, a stop lamp signal, a tail light signal, a license plate lamp signal, a hazard lamp signal, an antilock brake system signal, a clearance lamp signal, and an ID lamp signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the synchronizing signal is an auxiliary power signal, and when the auxiliary power system is operated, power is supplied to the measurement device.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the synchronizing signal is a first synchronizing signal, and the processor is programmed to identify trailer sensors associated with the vehicle based on a first synchronization of a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of the first synchronizing signal and a second synchronization of a reception of a trailer sensor message with a reception of a second synchronizing signal.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first synchronizing signal is an auxiliary power signal, and the second synchronizing signal is one selected from a turn signal and a brake signal.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a display unit, wherein the processor is further programmed to display sensor messages on the display unit for trailer sensors associated with the vehicle.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the synchronizing signal is a generated by modulating power supplied to the measurement device.