AUTOMATIC NETWORKING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES

• US 20120146779A1
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baolong Huf Shanghai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corporation
• Inventors: Shi, Weihua, Li, Wei, Hu, Junfeng
• Granted Patent: US 8,957,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle automatic networking apparatus with a first component and a second replaceable component includes a first identity recognition module on the first component and a second identity recognition module on the second component. The second module in a networking mode transmits a low frequency wake up signal through a low frequency signal transmission circuit to wake up the first module. A first identity recognition module low frequency sensor circuit senses the low frequency wake up signal, and responds by transmitting an identity code of the first component through a low frequency signal transmission circuit. A second module low frequency signal receiving circuit receives and stores the first component identity code. In a following data transmission, the second module sends data with the identity code, and a first component receiving apparatus identifies it. The first and second modules are both located rearward of a second component connection hitch.

Claims

1. An automatic networking system for a vehicle including a first component and a second replaceable component, comprising:

a first identity recognition module disposed in a rear zone of the first component;

a second identity recognition module disposed in a component zone of the second component;

in an initial operation the second identity recognition module operating to send a low frequency wake-up signal to the first identity recognition module when the hitch is connected to the hitch plate; and

the first identity recognition module receiving the low frequency wake-up signal from the second identity recognition module and sending a return signal to the second identity recognition module thereby initiating an operating session, the return signal including an identity code of the first component; and

a data set sent to the first identity recognition module during the operating session includes data from the second component and also includes the identity code, the first identity recognition module during the operating session operating to discard any other data set received by the first identity recognition module not including the identity code.

2. The automatic networking system of claim 1, wherein:

the first identity recognition module includes a low-frequency sensor circuit to sense the low-frequency wake-up signal; and

the second identity recognition module includes a memory to store the identity code and exits a transmitting and receiving mode upon storing the identity code.

3. The automatic networking system of claim 2, wherein the first identity recognition module includes a low-frequency signal transmission circuit operating to create the return signal as a low frequency signal.

4. The automatic networking system of claim 3, wherein the first identity recognition module includes a controller connecting the low-frequency sensor circuit and the low-frequency signal transmission circuit and responding to the low-frequency wake-up signal detected by the low-frequency sensor circuit and controlling the low-frequency signal transmission circuit to transmit the identity code corresponding to the first component.

5. The automatic networking system of claim 3, wherein the second identity recognition module includes a low-frequency signal transmission circuit transmitting the low-frequency wake-up signal;

a low-frequency signal receiving circuit for receiving the identity code of the first component sent from the low-frequency signal transmission circuit; and

a controller connecting the low-frequency signal transmission circuit and the low-frequency signal receiving circuit to activate the low-frequency signal transmission circuit and store the identity code of the first component received by the low-frequency signal receiving circuit.

6. The automatic networking system of claim 1, wherein the first component is a tractor of a vehicle, and the second component is a trailer of the vehicle.

7. The automatic networking system of claim 1, further including a device provided with the second component which when physically contacted by any portion of the first component initiates operation to send the low frequency wake-up signal.

8. The automatic networking system of claim 1, further including:

a first device provided with the first component; and

a second device provided with the second component which when physically contacted by or placed in proximity to the first device initiates operation to send the low frequency wake-up signal.

9. The automatic networking system of claim 1, wherein the first identity recognition module receiving the low frequency wake-up signal from the second identity recognition module operates to send the return signal only after receipt of the wake-up signal.

10. The automatic networking system of claim 1, wherein:

the rearward zone is rearward of a hitch plate of the first component; and

the second component zone is rearward of a second component hitch and rearward of the hitch plate of the first component when the hitch is connected to the hitch plate.

11. An automatic networking system for a vehicle including a first component and a second replaceable component, comprising:

a first identity recognition module disposed on the first component in a rear zone of the first component rearward of a hitch plate of the first component;

a second identity recognition module disposed on the second component in a second component zone rearward of a second component hitch and rearward of the hitch plate of the first component when the hitch is connected to the hitch plate;

in an initial operation the second identity recognition module operating to send a low frequency wake-up signal to the first identity recognition module when the hitch is connected to the hitch plate; and

the first identity recognition module operating only after receiving the low frequency wake-up signal from the second identity recognition module to send a return signal to the second identity recognition module thereby initiating an operating session, the return signal including an identity code of the first component.

12. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein a data set subsequently sent to the first identity recognition module during the operating session includes data from the second component and also includes the identity code, the data set if not including the identity code being discarded.

13. The automatic networking system of claim 11, further including:

a low frequency antenna communicating with the first identity recognition module and positioned in the rear zone; and

the rear zone defined as a 3-dimensional space located on a tractor defining the first component, rearward of both a hitch plate of the tractor and a hitch pin of a trailer defining the second component, when the hitch pin is connected to the hitch plate.

14. The automatic networking system of claim 11, further including a low frequency antenna communicating with the second identity recognition module and positioned in the second component zone.

15. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein electrical power to operate the first identity recognition module is provided via a cable connected to the first component, the first component being a vehicle tractor.

16. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein a data set from the second component includes a pressure signal from a tire of the second component.

17. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein a data set from the second component includes a temperature signal from a tire of the second component.

18. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein the second component is a trailer, and a data set from the trailer includes a temperature signal from the trailer.

19. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein:

the low frequency wake-up signal is in a frequency range of 30 KHz to 300 KHz; and

the return signal is in a frequency range of 300 MHz to 3 GHz.

20. The automatic networking system of claim 11, wherein both the low frequency wake-up signal and the return signal are in a frequency range of 30 KHz to 300 KHz.