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BRAKING CONTROLLER AND METHOD USING VERIFICATION OF REPORTED TRAILER CAPABILITIES

  • US 20190084537A1
  • Filed: 09/15/2017
  • Published: 03/21/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A braking controller for use in an associated towing vehicle towing one or more towed vehicles as a combination vehicle, the braking controller comprising:

  • a processor;

    a controller manual configuration input operatively coupled with the processor, the controller manual configuration input receiving a manual combination vehicle configuration signal provided by an associated operator of the associated towing vehicle, the manual combination vehicle configuration signal comprising first combination vehicle configuration data representative of first combination vehicle configuration information;

    a controller automatic configuration input operatively coupled with the processor, the controller automatic configuration input receiving an automatic combination vehicle configuration signal provided by the one or more towed vehicles of the combination vehicle, the automatic combination vehicle configuration signal comprising second combination vehicle configuration data representative of second combination vehicle configuration information;

    a non-transient memory device operatively coupled with the processor, the non-transient memory device storing the first and second combination vehicle configuration data; and

    control logic stored in the non-transient memory device and executable by the processor to;

    perform a comparison between the first combination vehicle configuration data and the second combination vehicle configuration data to determine a comparison result between the first combination vehicle configuration data and the second combination vehicle configuration data; and

    determine a braking mode of the one or more towed vehicles of the combination vehicle as a one of an enhanced braking mode in accordance with a first result of the comparison or a non-enhanced braking mode in accordance with a second result of the comparison different than the first result of the comparison,wherein the non-enhanced braking mode applies a first level of braking force to the one or more towed vehicles of the combination vehicle in a predetermined reduced proportion relative to a commanded level of braking force applied to the towing vehicle of the combination vehicle,wherein the enhanced braking mode applies a second level of braking force to the one or more towed vehicles of the combination vehicle greater than the first level of braking force.

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