Apparatus and method for data communication between heavy duty vehicle and remote data communication terminal

• US 6,411,203 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovative Global Systems LLC, Ves-Tek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vehicle Enhancement Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Weant, Bobby Ray, Lesesky, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/569,995
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/435, 340/928, 340/933, 340/942, 340/944, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.31, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2016/0322 Temporary code for documents to be reclassified to G08C, H04L or H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and methods are provided for data communications associated with a heavy duty vehicle. The apparatus preferably includes at least one electronic subsystem associated with the heavy duty vehicle and a plurality of electrical conductors connected to the at least one electronic subsystem and associated with the heavy duty vehicle. A vehicle data communications protocol converter is preferably connected to the plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol such as an infrared or an RF data communications protocol. The apparatus also preferably includes a transceiver connected to the data communications protocol converter for transmitting the second data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle and receiving the data communications protocol from a remote data communications terminal.

Claims

1. A heavy duty vehicle comprising:

a tractor and a trailer connected thereto, said tractor including a cab; and

a data communications apparatus connected to said tractor and said trailer for communicating data to and from said tractor and said trailer, said data communications apparatus comprising;

at least one electronic subsystem associated with the heavy duty vehicle and related to the operation of the heavy duty vehicle;

a plurality of electrical conductors connected to the at least one electronic subsystem and associated with the heavy duty vehicle;

a connector connected to said plurality of electrical conductors and positioned in said cab of said tractor;

vehicle data communications protocol converting means connected to said plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second RF data communications protocol;

a first RF transceiver associated with said connector and connected to said vehicle data communications protocol converting means for transmitting and receiving the second RF data communications protocol; and

a remote data communications terminal including a second RF transceiver for transmitting the second RF data communications protocol to said first RF transceiver and receiving the second RF data communications protocol from said first RF transceiver.

2. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 1, further comprising a transceiver housing detachably connected to said connector and positioned within the cab of the tractor, and wherein said first transceiver is positioned within said transceiver housing.

3. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and second transceivers each include a signal processing physical layer, and wherein the second data communications protocol only uses the physical layer of the first and second transceivers for signal processing.

4. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 3, wherein said connector includes a plurality of pins having a predetermined pin configuration, and wherein said connector has one of either a substantially cylindrical or a substantially rectangular shape.

5. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 4, wherein said connector comprises a six-pin connector having first and second connector portions thereof, and wherein the second connector portion defines said transceiver housing.

6. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the first data communications protocol comprises one of the data communications protocols specified by at least one of the following:

SAE J1708, SAE J1939, and RS-485.

7. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 6, wherein said at least one electronic subsystem comprises an anti-locking brake system, and wherein said connector is also connected to said anti-locking brake system.

8. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 1, further comprising a controller connected to said at least one electronic subsystem and said plurality of electrical connectors for controlling data communications along said plurality of electrical conductors and signal generating means connected to said controller for generating a signal related to the operation of the vehicle.

9. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 8, wherein said remote data communications terminal comprises a computer and further includes remote data communications protocol converting means for converting the second data communications protocol received by said remote data communications terminal to a third data communications protocol associated with said computer.

10. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein said third data communications comprises at least one of the following:

RS-232, RS-422, and RS-423.

11. An apparatus for data communications associated with a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electrical conductors associated with the vehicle;

vehicle data communications protocol converting means connected to said plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second RF data communications protocol; and

an RF transceiver connected to said vehicle data communications protocol converting means for transmitting the second RF data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle and receiving the second RF data communications protocol from a remote data communications terminal not connected to the vehicle.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a connector connected in series with said plurality of electrical conductors, wherein said transceiver is associated with said connector, and wherein said transceiver is positioned to transmit and receive the second RF data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising a transceiver housing detachably connected to said connector, and wherein said RF transceiver is positioned within said transceiver housing.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising at least one electronic subsystem associated with the vehicle and related to operation of the vehicle, the at least one electronic subsystem including an anti-locking brake system connected to the vehicle, and wherein said connector is also connected to said anti-locking brake system.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said connector includes a plurality of pins having a predetermined pin configuration, and wherein said connector has one of either a generally cylindrical or a generally rectangular shape.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said connector comprises a six-pin connector positioned within a passenger area of a vehicle having first and second connector portions thereof, and wherein the second connector portion defines said transceiver housing.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said RF transceiver comprises a first RF transceiver, and wherein the remote data communication terminal includes a second RF transceiver in communication with said first RF transceiver for transmitting the second RF data communications protocol to said first RF transceiver and receiving the second RF data communications protocol from said first RF transceiver.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the first and second RF transceivers each include a signal processing physical layer, and wherein the second local-area data communications protocol only uses the physical layer of the first and second transceivers for signal processing and not a data link layer to thereby simplify coding or conversion schemes.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising a vehicle light housing connected to an outer surface of the vehicle for housing a vehicle light, and wherein said RF transceiver i s positioned in said vehicle light housing.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said vehicle light housing comprises a side-marker light housing.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said RF transceiver comprises a first RF transceiver, and wherein the remote data communication terminal includes a second RF transceiver for transmitting the second data communications protocol to said first RF transceiver and receiving the second RF data communications protocol from said first RF transceiver.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the first and second RF transceivers each include a physical layer, and wherein the second local-area data communications protocol only uses the physical layer of the first and second transceivers and not a data link layer to thereby simplify coding or conversion schemes.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said remote data communications terminal comprises a computer not connected to the vehicle and further includes remote data communications protocol converting means for converting the second RF data communications protocol received by said remote data communications terminal to a third data communications protocol associated with said computer.

24. A method of data communications associated with a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of electrical conductors associated with a vehicle;

converting a first vehicle data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second RF data communications protocol; and

transmitting the second RF data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle to a remote data communications terminal not connected to the vehicle.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, further comprising receiving the second RF data communications protocol from the remote data communications terminal, controlling data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors, and generating a signal related to the operation of the vehicle.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising positioning a connector so as to be connected in series with the plurality of electrical conductors and positioning an RF transceiver in association with the connector.

27. A method as defined in claim 26, further comprising detachably connecting a transceiver housing to the connector and positioning the transceiver within the transceiver housing, the connector being positioned within a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

28. A method as defined in claim 24, further comprising providing at least one electronic subsystem associated with the vehicle and connected to the plurality of electrical conductors related to operation of the vehicle.

29. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting includes providing a first RF transceiver, and wherein the remote data communication terminal includes a second RF transceiver positioned in communication with the first transceiver, the method further comprising transmitting a second RF data communications protocol to the first RF transceiver and receiving the second RF data communications protocol from the first RF transceiver.

30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein the first and second RF transceivers each include a physical layer, and the method further comprising transmitting and receiving the second RF data communications protocol only using the physical layer of the first and second RF transceivers and not the data link layer to thereby simplify coding or conversion schemes.

31. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein the remote data communications terminal comprises a computer not connected to the vehicle, and the method further comprises remotely converting the second RF data communications protocol received by the remote data communications terminal to a third data communications protocol associated with the computer.

32. A method as defined in claim 31, wherein the first data communications protocol comprises one of the data communications protocols specified by at least one of the following:

SAE J1708, SAE J1939, and RS-485.

33. A heavy duty vehicle as defined in claim 31, wherein said third data communications comprises at least one of the following:

RS-232, RS-422, and RS-423.