Towing monitor system

• US 8,013,759 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James D. Aid, Norman F. Cameron, Shahid Q. Din
• Original Assignee: James D. Aid, Norman F. Cameron, Shahid Q. Din
• Inventors: Cameron, Norman F., Din, Shahid Q., Aid, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/082,582
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 340/904, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/431, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/471, 340/159, 340/479, 303/123, 303/167, 701/70, 701/71
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/30 for sway control , e.g. stabilising or anti-fishtail devices; Sway alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices

Abstract

A transmitter unit has a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a trailing vehicle. The housing also has a multiple axis accelerometer adapted to sense the status of the transmitter unit and a trailing vehicle. The housing also has electronic components coupled with the accelerometer. A receiver unit has a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a leading vehicle. A user in audio proximity to the receiver unit is wirelessly signaled in the event of an anomaly at the transmitter unit.

Claims

1. A monitor system comprising:

a transmitter unit having a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a trailing vehicle, the housing also having an accelerometer means to monitor three axes, a first axis for monitoring up and down movement, a second axis for monitoring side-to-side sway movement, and a third axis for monitoring forward and rearward movement, the housing also adapted to sense the transmitter unit and a trailing vehicle, the housing also having electronic components coupled with the accelerometer, in the transmitter unit;

primary elements adapted to calculate and reorient position and acceleration vectors in free space before use; and

a receiver unit having a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a leading vehicle to communicate with a user in proximity to the receiver unit of any anomaly at the transmitter unit.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the transmitter unit:

a visual element adapted to visually indicate the status of the transmitter unit.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the transmitter unit:

transmission elements adapted to transmit data regarding the system.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the receiver unit:

electronic detector components to process the received data in real time for detecting anomalies.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the receiver unit:

electronic setting components for adjusting the threshold settings.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the receiver unit:

a visual status/indicator.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the receiver unit:

frequency hopping components to enhance communications between the transmitter and receiver units.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including in the receiver unit:

an audio alarm to signal a user in audio proximity to the receiver unit in the event of any anomaly at the transmitter unit.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing for the transmitter unit includes suction cups for coupling to a surface of a towed vehicle.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing for the transmitter unit is waterproof and includes a means to facilitate coupling to the trailing vehicle.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitter'"'"'unit and the receiver unit are in communication and further including an amplifier in both the transmitter unit and the receiver unit.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitter is adapted to sense a change from its calibrated position and to transmit a signal in response thereto for illuminating lights and audible indicator on the receiver.

13. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes a power saving configuration operable when the receiver is turned off to reduce power consumption in the transmitter.

14. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitter is adapted to monitor for adverse movement when in a stationary position and to generate an out of norm indication at the receiver.

15. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitter and receiver communicate reciprocally to insure accuracy of data and verify that the units are within communication range.

16. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a supplemental device is adapted to receive notification in response to a sensed signal from the transmitter.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein the supplemental device is chosen from the class of supplemental devices including a cell phone, an auxiliary braking system, brake controllers and a graphic display.

18. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a supplemental device is adapted to receive notification in response to the sensed signal from the receiver.

19. A monitor system comprising:

a transmitter unit having a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a trailing vehicle, the housing also having a three axis accelerometer, the monitoring being with respect to a first axis for monitoring up and down movement, a second axis for monitoring side-to-side sway movement, and a third axis for monitoring forward and rearward movement, the housing also adapted to sense the transmitter unit and a trailing vehicle, the housing also having electronic components coupled with the accelerometer; and

a receiver unit having a housing adapted to be coupled in association with a leading vehicle to wirelessly signal a user in audio proximity to the receiver unit of any anomaly at the transmitter unit;

wherein the receiver also has an accelerometer to measure at least one axis and to compare information it takes from what it receives from the transmitter in a trailing vehicle to null out the road conditions and then looks for additional movement at the transmitter to indicate problems.

20. A towing monitor system for wirelessly determining a status of a trailing vehicle, when in motion and when not in motion, from a leading vehicle and from other locations in a safe, reliable, convenient and economical manner comprising, in combination:

a manned self-powered leading vehicle chosen from a class of self-powered leading vehicles including automobiles, recreational vehicles and trucks;

an unmanned unpowered trailing vehicle chosen from a class of unpowered trailing vehicles including towed boats, automobiles, recreational vehicles, trucks, trailers and the like;

a transmitter unit having a housing adapted to be positioned in the trailing vehicle, the housing being in a configuration with a front face and a rear face, the rear face having means for mounting onto a surface of the trailing vehicle, the housing also having a three axis accelerometer adapted to sense a status of the transmitter unit and the trailing vehicle, the three axis accelerometer adapted to monitor with respect to a first axis for monitoring up and down movement, a second axis for monitoring side-to-side sway movement, and a third axis for monitoring forward and rearward movement, the housing also having electronic components coupled with the accelerometer, the electronic components including

     1) primary elements adapted to process sensed data using digital signal processing and to calculate and reorient position and acceleration vectors in free spice before use,

     2) a visual element adapted to visually indicate a status of the transmitter unit and

     3) transmission elements adapted to transmit data regarding the status of the system, the transmitter unit also including associated supplemental sensors including a low voltage sensor to determine a low voltage battery condition of a towed vehicle, a temperature detector to determine the presence of low or elevated temperature on the towed vehicle and an undesired condition status monitor to determine when an operational component in the towed vehicle is in an undesired condition, and in response to such undesired condition to transmit both prior to and subsequent to processing; and

a receiver unit having a housing adapted to be positioned in the leading vehicle as by a fastener, the housing also having a receiver adapted to receive data transmitted from the transmission element, the housing also having

     1) electronic detector components adapted to process the received data in real time for detecting anomalies,

     2) electronic setting components adapted to adjust threshold settings,

     3) a visual status indicator adapted to visually indicate the status of the system,

     4) the transmission technique being chosen from a class of transmission techniques including single channel, spread spectrum and frequency hopping with components adapted to enhance communications between the transmitter and receiver units and

     5) an audio alarm adapted to signal a user in audio proximity to the receiver unit in the event of any anomaly at the transmitter unit.