Current carrier tractor-trailer data link
First Claim
1. In a truck having a tractor with a mobile communications terminal and a trailer, said tractor capable of electrical connection to said trailer by a power and control bus which includes a power line for providing power from said tractor to said trailer, said truck having a trailer identification system for providing trailer identification information from said trailer, when connected to said power and control bus, to said tractor for transmission by said mobile communications terminal to a central facility, said trailer identification system comprising:
- transmitter means located in said trailer for, when said trailer is coupled to said said tractor by said power and control bus, providing at predetermined times upon said power line of said truck power and control bus a unique identification signal representative of trailer identification information corresponding to said trailer and, wherein said transmitter means comprises;
processor means for, at predetermined instances in time and for a predetermined time period from each instance in time, generating a connect signal, and for during a portion of each time period, generating an identification code;
modulator means connected to said processor means for, during each time period, receiving said identification code, generating a carrier signal, modulating said carrier signal with said identification code, and providing an output of said identification code modulated carrier signal;
energy storage means connected to said processor means for, storing electrical power during each time period and providing stored electrical power to said processor means at times other than during each time period; and
coupling means connected to said power line, said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means for, during each time period, receiving said connect signal and in response thereto coupling electrical power from said power line to said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means, and coupling said identification code modulated carrier signal as said identification signal upon said power line, said coupling means further for, at times other than during each time period, electrically decoupling said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means from said power line; and
receiver means located in said tractor for, receiving and demodulating said identification signal as provided upon said power line, and providing each demodulated identification signal as said identification code to said mobile communications terminal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for providing communication of information between a truck tractor and trailer via existing truck wiring. At least one transmitter is located in each trailer for generating a unique identification signal representative of trailer identification information corresponding to the trailer in which the transmitter is located, modulating the identification signal, and providing the modulated identification on an existing truck power bus coupling the tractor and trailer. A receiver is located in the tractor for receiving each modulated identification signal on the power bus, demodulating each modulated identification signal and providing each demodulated identification signal to a mobile communications terminal located in the tractor for transmission to a central facility. The system may further include the transmission of trailer status or load status information by the transmitter to the receiver in a similar manner as the identification information.
239 Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a truck having a tractor with a mobile communications terminal and a trailer, said tractor capable of electrical connection to said trailer by a power and control bus which includes a power line for providing power from said tractor to said trailer, said truck having a trailer identification system for providing trailer identification information from said trailer, when connected to said power and control bus, to said tractor for transmission by said mobile communications terminal to a central facility, said trailer identification system comprising:
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transmitter means located in said trailer for, when said trailer is coupled to said said tractor by said power and control bus, providing at predetermined times upon said power line of said truck power and control bus a unique identification signal representative of trailer identification information corresponding to said trailer and, wherein said transmitter means comprises; processor means for, at predetermined instances in time and for a predetermined time period from each instance in time, generating a connect signal, and for during a portion of each time period, generating an identification code; modulator means connected to said processor means for, during each time period, receiving said identification code, generating a carrier signal, modulating said carrier signal with said identification code, and providing an output of said identification code modulated carrier signal; energy storage means connected to said processor means for, storing electrical power during each time period and providing stored electrical power to said processor means at times other than during each time period; and coupling means connected to said power line, said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means for, during each time period, receiving said connect signal and in response thereto coupling electrical power from said power line to said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means, and coupling said identification code modulated carrier signal as said identification signal upon said power line, said coupling means further for, at times other than during each time period, electrically decoupling said energy storage means, said processor means and said modulator means from said power line; and receiver means located in said tractor for, receiving and demodulating said identification signal as provided upon said power line, and providing each demodulated identification signal as said identification code to said mobile communications terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A tractor-trailer data link for communicating information between a tractor and at least one trailer upon a common power line coupling said tractor to each trailer with said tractor providing electrical power to each trailer upon said power line, said data link comprising:
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transmitter means for locating in a corresponding trailer for, at predetermined times for a predetermined time period, electrically self-coupling to said power line, receiving electrical power from said power line, storing a portion of said received electrical power, generating a digital identification code indicative of trailer identification information, generating a carrier signal of a predetermined frequency, modulating said carrier signal with said identification code, and providing said identification code modulated carrier signal upon said power line connecting said tractor to said trailer, and for, during time intervals other than during each time period, electrically self-decoupling from said power line and using said stored portion of electrical power as transmitter means operational power; and receiver means for locating in said tractor for, receiving said identification code modulated carrier signal transmitted upon said power line, detecting the modulation on said identification code modulator carrier signal with the detected modulation corresponding to said identification code, and providing an identification output signal corresponding to said detected modulation and indicative of said trailer identification information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing trailer identification information to a tractor from a trailer when said tractor is coupled to said trailer comprising the steps of:
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electrically coupling, at predetermined instances in time and for a predetermined time period from the occurrence of each instance in time, a transmitter to a power line connecting a tractor to a trailer; receiving, in said transmitter during said time period, electrical energy from said power line; storing in said transmitter a portion of said received electrical energy; generating, in said transmitter during a portion of each time period, a digital identification code indicative of trailer identification indicia corresponding to said trailer; generating, in said transmitter during each time period, a carrier signal of a predetermined frequency; modulating, in said transmitter during each time period, said carrier signal with said identification code to produce an identification signal; transmitting, from said transmitter upon said power line during each time period, said identification signal; electrically decoupling said transmitter from said power line at times other than during each time period; powering said transmitter with said stored electrical energy at said times other than during each time period; receiving, upon said power line at a receiver in said tractor, said transmitted identification signal; detecting the modulation on said received identification signal; and providing an output signal corresponding to the detected modulation on said received identification signal wherein the detected modulation corresponds to said identification code. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification