Commercial vehicle trailer and method for avoiding error in the storage of vehicle data therein

• US 8,135,527 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barlsen, Holger, Risse, Rainer, Stender, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/310,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/70, 701/71, 701/83, 303/124, 303/154
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0044 In digital systems

Abstract

A commercial vehicle trailer includes an electronically controlled braking system having an electronic control unit that has a parameter memory having one or more memory areas that can store vehicle-specific data. The electronic control unit controls the electronically controlled braking system based on the vehicle-specific data, and has an interface to an external computer. To permit reliable correlation of the vehicle-specific data to the commercial vehicle trailer, information is displayed on the trailer itself that characterizes the vehicle-specific data and that can be read into the computer via a reader unit. Based on such information, the appropriate vehicle-specific data is transferred to the electronic control unit.

Claims

1. A commercial vehicle trailer, comprising:

an electronically controlled brake system having an electronic control unit, said electronic control unit including;

a parameter memory having at least one memory area for storing vehicle-specific data; and

an interface to an external computer, said electronic control unit being configured to control said electronically controlled brake system based at least in part on said vehicle-specific data; and

at least one information medium provided on said commercial vehicle trailer, said at least one information medium storing information associated with said vehicle-specific data.

2. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle-specific data are transferred into said parameter memory from said computer via said interface.

3. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium stores a reference to a parameter data record specific to said commercial vehicle trailer, said parameter data record including said vehicle-specific data.

4. The commercial vehicle trailer according to according to claim 3, wherein said parameter data record specific to said commercial vehicle trailer is automatically selected from a plurality of parameter data records stored on said computer based on said reference and transferred into said parameter memory.

5. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 4, wherein said reference includes a chassis number of said commercial vehicle trailer.

6. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium stores said vehicle-specific data.

7. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium is a metal plate.

8. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium is a sticker.

9. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium includes optically readable information.

10. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium includes a memory device, said memory device being constructed and arranged to be contacted by wire bonding.

11. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium includes a memory device, said memory device being readable by radio signal.

12. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium stores a parameter data record identifier.

13. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium includes a trailer-specific identifier.

14. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one information medium includes a chassis number of said commercial vehicle trailer.

15. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 9, wherein said optically readable information is at least one of a barcode and clear text information.

16. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 10, wherein said memory device is a memory chip.

17. The commercial vehicle trailer according to claim 11, wherein said memory device is an RFID chip.

18. A computer, comprising:

a first connection to an interface of a commercial vehicle trailer; and

a second connection to a reader unit, said computer being suitably programmed to effect the steps of;

reading information associated with vehicle-specific data from at least one information medium provided on said commercial vehicle trailer using said reader unit;

determining said vehicle-specific data based on said information associated with said vehicle-specific data;

transferring said vehicle-specific data from said computer to said electronic control unit via said interface; and

storing said vehicle-specific data in said parameter memory of said electronic control unit.

19. In a commercial vehicle trailer comprising:

an electronically controlled brake system having an electronic control unit, said electronic control unit including;

a parameter memory having at least one memory area for storing vehicle-specific data; and

an interface to an external computer, said electronic control unit being configured to control said electronically controlled brake system based at least in part on said vehicle-specific data; and

at least one information medium provided on said commercial vehicle trailer, said at least one information medium storing information associated with said vehicle-specific data;

a method for storing vehicle-specific data comprising the steps of;

using a reader unit connected to a computer, reading into said computer information associated with said vehicle-specific data from said at least one information medium provided on said commercial vehicle trailer;

determining said vehicle-specific data based on said information associated with said vehicle-specific data;

transferring said vehicle-specific data from said computer to an electronic control unit of an electronically controlled brake system of said commercial vehicle trailer via an interface; and

storing said vehicle-specific data in parameter memory of said electronic control unit.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer usable physical medium storing a computer executable program to effect a method according to claim 19.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein said at least one information medium stores a reference to a parameter data record specific to said commercial vehicle trailer, said parameter data record including said vehicle-specific data.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said parameter data record specific to said commercial vehicle trailer is automatically selected from a plurality of parameter data records stored on said computer based on said reference and transferred into said parameter memory.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said reference includes a chassis number of said commercial vehicle trailer.

24. A method for storing vehicle data in a commercial vehicle trailer, the method comprising the steps of:

using a reader unit connected to a computer, reading into said computer information associated with vehicle-specific data from at least one information medium provided on said commercial vehicle trailer;

determining said vehicle-specific data based on said information associated with the vehicle-specific data;

transferring said vehicle-specific data from said computer to an electronic control unit of an electronically controlled brake system of said commercial vehicle trailer via an interface; and

storing said vehicle-specific data in parameter memory of said electronic control unit.