Method and apparatus for binding transceivers of telematic devices

• US 7,685,307 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Breen, Thomas Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOROBOV, VITALI A
• Application Number:
  US11/648,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20080157944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/229, 709/237, 340/310.11, 340/431, 340/687, 455/3.01, 455/151.2
• US Class Current: 709/237
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for binding a first wireless communication unit installed on a first asset and a second wireless communication unit installed on a second asset, wherein the first asset is connected to the second asset by electrical power lines. The method and system can be used for binding a wireless communication unit of a tractor and a wireless communication unit on a trailer. The method monitors the current in the auxiliary power connection between the assets. By transmitting and detecting power pulses through the auxiliary power line, the wireless communication units can ensure that the two assets are attached and therefore it would be proper to establish a wireless connection between the two wireless communication units. The number of power pulses can be used to identify differing devices. Such method can also be used to detect an open fuse or circuit breaker. In the case of an open fuse, voltages can be used in place of power pulses to complete the binding process.

Claims

1. A method of binding a first wireless communication unit of a first telematics system of a first asset to a second wireless communications unit of a second telematics system of a second asset, wherein the first asset and second asset are electrically connected, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing communications between the first wireless communications unit and an other wireless communications unit of an other telematics system on an other asset within communication range of said first asset;

(b) sending via the first wireless communications unit to the other communications unit a request for the other telematics system to apply one or more requested power pulses to one or more power lines connected to the other telematics system;

(c) receiving said request at said other wireless communications unit;

(d) said other wireless telematics system applying the requested power pulses through the one or more power lines connected to said other telematics system;

(e) detecting at said first telematics system any pulses applied on said one or more power lines to which the first telematics system is connected electrically to the second telematics system; and

(f) if the requested pulses are detected by the first telematics system, thus confirming that the other wireless communications system is the second wireless communications system of the second telematics system that is connected electrically to the first telematics system, binding the first wireless communications unit of the first telematics system to the other wireless communications unit of the other telematics system;

wherein said first asset is a trailer and said second asset is a tractor, or said first asset is a tractor and said second asset is a trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing steps (a) through (f) until binding of the first wireless communications unit to the second wireless communications unit has occurred or until communications have been established with all available wireless communications units and binding has not occurred.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset; and

wherein establishing communications between the first wireless communications unit and an other wireless communications unit is only performed if it is determined that the first asset is electrically connected to the second asset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset is performed by detecting at the first telematics system whether there is a power draw in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset is performed by detecting using the first telematics system whether there is a current flow in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein sending a request for one or more power pulses comprises sending a request for at least two power pulses with one specific time period in between said pulses;

wherein said other wireless telematics system applying one or more power pulses comprises applying at least two power pulses with one specific time period in between said pulses; and

wherein determining whether said power pulses received by said first telematics system match said requested power pulses includes determining whether the time period between pulses received matches the requested time period between pulses.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein sending a request for one or more power pulses comprises sending a request for a specific number of power pulses;

wherein said other wireless telematics system applying one or more power pulses comprises applying the specific number of power pulses; and

wherein determining whether said power pulses received by said first telematics system match the specific number of power pulses requested includes determining whether the specific number of power pulses was received.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said binding further comprises:

setting one or more frequencies on which said first and second wireless communications units communicate with each other.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said power pulse is applied by causing current to flow in one or more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said power pulse is applied by causing voltage to be applied to one of more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting at said first telematics device comprises detecting voltage across a fuse or circuit breaker on said one or more of the power lines to which the first telematics system is connected to the second telematics system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining whether an open circuit condition exists on the electrical connection between the first asset and second asset;

wherein said power pulse is applied by applying voltage to one or more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system if an open circuit condition exists; and

wherein said power pulse is applied by applying current to one or more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system if an open circuit condition does not exist.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether an open circuit condition exists on the electrical connection between the first asset and second asset comprises:

detecting using the first telematics system whether there is a current flow in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset;

detecting using the first telematics system whether there is a voltage drop across a fuse or circuit breaker

in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset; and

determining that an open circuit condition exists if no current flow is detected and a voltage drop is detected.

14. A system for binding a first wireless communications unit of a first telematics system installed on a first asset to a second wireless communications unit of a second telematics system installed on a second asset, wherein the first asset and second asset are electrically connected, comprising:

(a) a first wireless communications unit for

establishing communication with an other wireless communications unit of an other telematics system on an other asset within communication range of said first asset;

sending a request for one or more power pulses to said other wireless communications unit;

(b) said other wireless communications unit for receiving said request from said first wireless communications unit;

(c) said other telematics system for

receiving said request from said other wireless communications unit; and

for applying one or more power pulses through one or more power lines connected to said other telematics system;

wherein said first telematics system detects any pulses applied on said one or more power lines to which the first telematics system is connected electrically to the second telematics system; and

wherein said first telematics system binds the first wireless communications unit to the other wireless communications unit if the first telematics system detects the requested pulses, which confirms that the other wireless communications system is the second wireless communications system of the second telematics system that is connected electrically to the first telematics system; and

wherein said first asset is a trailer and said second asset is a tractor, or said first asset is a tractor and said second asset is a trailer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first telematics system attempts to bind the first wireless communications unit with another wireless communications unit until binding of the first wireless communications unit to the second wireless communications unit has occurred or until communications have been established with all available wireless communications units and binding has not occurred.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

said first telematics system also determines whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset; and

wherein said first telematics system only establishes communications between the first wireless communications unit and an other wireless communications unit if said first telematics system determines that the first asset is electrically connected to the second asset.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said first telematics system determines whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset by detecting whether there is a power draw in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said first telematics system determines whether said first asset is connected electrically to a second asset by detecting whether there is a current flow in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset.

19. The system of claim 16:

wherein said first wireless communications unit sending a request to said other wireless communications unit comprises said first wireless communications unit sending a request for at least two power pulses with one specific time period in between said pulses; and

wherein said first telematics system binds the first wireless communications unit to the other wireless communications unit if the first telematics system detects the requested power pulses including the time period between pulses.

20. The system of claim 14:

wherein said first wireless communications unit sending a request to said other wireless communications unit comprises said first wireless communications unit sending a request for a specific number of power pulses; and

wherein said first telematics system binds the first wireless communications unit to the other wireless communications unit if the first telematics system detects the specific number of power pulses.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said binding further comprises:

said first telematics system setting one or more frequencies on which said first and second wireless communications units communicate with each other.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said other telematics system applies a power pulse through one or more power lines connected to said other telematics system by causing current to flow in one or more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein said other telematics system applies a power pulse through one or more power lines connected to said other telematics system by causing voltage to be applied to one of more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system.

24. The system of claim 23, said first telematics system detects any pulses applied comprises said first telematics system detecting voltage across a fuse or circuit breaker on said one or more of the power lines to which the first telematics system is connected to the second telematics system.

25. The system of claim 14, further comprising

said first telematics system determining whether an open circuit condition exists on the electrical connection between the first asset and second asset;

wherein, if an open circuit condition exists, said other telematics system applies a power pulse through one or more power lines connected to said other telematics system by causing voltage to be applied to one of more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system;

and

wherein, if an open circuit condition does not exist, said power pulse is applied by causing current to flow in one or more of the power lines connected to the other telematics system.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said first telematics system determining whether an open circuit condition exists on the electrical connection between the first asset and second asset comprises:

said first telematics system detecting whether there is a current flow in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset;

said first telematics system detecting whether there is a voltage drop across a fuse or circuit breaker in said one or more power lines connecting said first asset and said second asset; and

said first telematics system determining that an open circuit condition exists if no current flow is detected and a voltage drop is detected.