Reliable trailer tester
First Claim
1. Apparatus for testing operation of devices on a vehicular trailer, the apparatus comprising means including a first electrical power source for encoding and wirelessly transmitting a plurality of different digital signals each corresponding to one of the devices, said encoding and transmitting means including a plurality of switches each corresponding to one of the devices, a transmitter, means for detecting closure of one of said switches and for inputting to said transmitter a serial bit stream corresponding thereto along with a digital code identifying said transmitter as originator thereof, the apparatus further comprising a second electrical power source, means for receiving the wirelessly transmitted signals, and means responsive to the digital signals received by said receiving means for connecting said second power source to the corresponding devices respectively whereby a preselected device is tested by transmitting the serial bit stream corresponding to the preselected device along with the digital code identifying said transmitter as originator thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for testing operation of devices on a vehicular trailer without the necessity of a truck being connected thereto. A digital signal which is different for each device to be tested is encoded and wirelessly transmitted. Upon receipt of the signal, a power source is connected to the respective device to be tested. In order to reliably apply the signal in a multiplexed system in the trailer, the signal is mixed with a pseudorandom digital sequence to provide a direct sequence spread spectrum for the signal.
38 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for testing operation of devices on a vehicular trailer, the apparatus comprising means including a first electrical power source for encoding and wirelessly transmitting a plurality of different digital signals each corresponding to one of the devices, said encoding and transmitting means including a plurality of switches each corresponding to one of the devices, a transmitter, means for detecting closure of one of said switches and for inputting to said transmitter a serial bit stream corresponding thereto along with a digital code identifying said transmitter as originator thereof, the apparatus further comprising a second electrical power source, means for receiving the wirelessly transmitted signals, and means responsive to the digital signals received by said receiving means for connecting said second power source to the corresponding devices respectively whereby a preselected device is tested by transmitting the serial bit stream corresponding to the preselected device along with the digital code identifying said transmitter as originator thereof.
- 10. A method for testing operation of devices on a vehicular trailer, the method comprising encoding and wirelessly transmitting a plurality of different digital signals each corresponding to one of the devices, the step of encoding and transmitting including closing one of a plurality of switches each corresponding to one of the devices, detecting closure of said one switch, and inputting to a transmitter a serial bit stream corresponding to said one switch along with a digital code identifying the transmitter as originator thereof, the method further comprising receiving the wirelessly transmitted signals, and connecting in response to each of the received signals a power source to the corresponding device for which the signal is received whereby a preselected device is tested by transmitting the serial bit stream corresponding to the preselected device along with the digital code identifying the transmitter as originator thereof.
Specification