Retractable truck step with can bus interface

• US 9,205,781 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard P. May
• Original Assignee: Richard P. May
• Inventors: May, Richard P
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brushaber, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US14/549,377
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence

Abstract

Improvements using a door sensors or monitoring the vehicle CAN bus to determine when a door is opened or closed to simplify installation of a retractable door step to send a wireless or wired command to a step. Upon door movement the transmitter sends an open status message to a receiver where the message data is stored and the controller determines the correct responses. The step remains lowered until the receiver stops receiving messages indicating a door is closed or the transmitter on an open door has timed out ceasing transmissions. The step extension mechanism is a two-bar link that transfers rotation from a sealed waterproof motor and transmission to extend and retract the step.

Claims

1. A controller area network (CAN) bus interface that controls an entry and exit step comprising:

a CAN node on a vehicle;

said CAN node monitors a CAN bus to detect when action from a person requires an entrance and exit step to be extended or retracted;

said action from said person changes a door opening or closing;

upon said action said CAN node commands said exit step to extend or retract;

said command is a wired command or a wireless command, and

said CAN node is added to a pre-existing vehicle CAN bus vehicle.

2. The CAN bus interface that controls an entry and exit step according to claim 1, wherein said emitted wireless signal includes multiple transmission addresses.

3. The CAN bus interface that controls an entry and exit step according to claim 1, wherein said wireless signal includes a cyclic redundancy check.

4. The CAN bus interface that controls an entry and exit step according to claim 1, wherein CAN node decodes an opening and closing of a driver side front door, a driver side rear door, a passenger side front door and a passenger side rear door.

5. The CAN bus interface that controls an entry and exit step according to claim 4, wherein said command instructs one or more of said entrance and exit steps to be extended or retracted.

6. The CAN bus interface that controls an entry and exit step according to claim 1, wherein said CAN node parses data from said CAN bus to determine a status change of all the doors on said vehicle.

7. A retractable truck step with wireless door sensor comprising:

at least one motor connected to at least one transmission that extends and retracts at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step;

said at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step is placed at a driver side of said vehicle and at a passenger side of said vehicle;

said least one motor that is connected to at least one transmission is sealed from water intrusion;

at least one sensor that detects when a door is opened and or closed;

said sensor emitting a wireless signal to a receiver when said door is opened and closed;

said wireless signal includes vehicle ID information, and

a receiver that receives said emitted wireless signal to operate said motor.

8. The retractable truck step with wireless door sensor according to claim 7, wherein said emitted wireless signal includes multiple transmission addresses.

9. The retractable truck step with wireless door sensor according to claim 7, wherein said wireless signal is sent at a timed interval of 0.1 to 5 seconds to identify that the door is still open.

10. The retractable truck step with wireless door sensor according to claim 9, wherein said receiver detects an absence of signals from said sensor.

11. The retractable truck step with wireless door sensor according to claim 7, wherein said controller operates said at least one motor that extends and retracts said at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step.

12. A retractable truck step with wireless door sensor according to claim 7, wherein said transmission is with a torsion bar link between said at least one motor and at least one idler linkage.

13. A retractable truck step with controller area network (CAN) bus interface comprising:

a CAN node on a vehicle;

said CAN node monitors a CAN bus to detect when action from a person requires an entrance and exit step to be extended or retracted;

said action from said person is a change in a door opening or closing;

at least one motor connected to at least one transmission that extends and retracts at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step;

said at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step is placed at a driver side of said vehicle and at a passenger side of said vehicle, and

upon said action said CAN node commands said at least one motor to extend or retract said at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step, and

said at least one transmission is with a torsion bar link between said at least one motor and at least one idler linkage.

14. The retractable truck step with CAN bus interface according to claim 13, wherein said CAN node is wired to said at least one motor.

15. The retractable truck step with CAN bus interface according to claim 13, wherein said CAN node uses a wireless communication to said at least one motor.

16. The retractable truck step with CAN bus interface according to claim 13, wherein said wireless communication includes multiple transmission addresses.

17. The retractable truck step with CAN bus interface according to claim 13, wherein said wireless communication is to a controller that operates said at least one motor that extends and retracts said at least one automated vehicle entrance and exit step.