Wireless tow light operating system

• US 9,272,663 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Tiger Accessory Group LLC (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Smith, Thomas P., Latimer, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/077,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20140132402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 340463-479, 340/431
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions

Abstract

A tow vehicle operating system is provided for wirelessly connecting a first lighting system of a towing vehicle to a second lighting system of a towed vehicle. A wireless transmitter on the towing vehicle broadcasts a linking signal having an identification code and an associated data indicating a present status of lights of the towing vehicle based on an illumination signal from the towing vehicle, over a selected one of a plurality of distinct channels or frequencies. A wireless receiver on the towed vehicle receives the linking signal and verifies the identification code, and transmits an acknowledgement signal to the transmitter, thereby locking in the selected channel or frequency for a wireless communication between the first and second lighting systems. Lights of the towed vehicle are operated in response to the associated data of the linking signal.

Claims

1. A tow vehicle operating system for wirelessly connecting a first lighting system of a towing vehicle to a second lighting system of a towed vehicle, comprising:

a wireless transmitter on the towing vehicle, the transmitter broadcasting a linking signal having an identification code and an associated data indicating a present status of lights of the towing vehicle based on an illumination signal from the towing vehicle, over a selected one of a plurality of distinct channels or frequencies;

a wireless receiver on the towed vehicle, the receiver receiving the linking signal and verifying the identification code, and transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the transmitter, thereby locking in the selected channel or frequency for a wireless communication between the first and second lighting systems; and

wherein lights of the towed vehicle are operated in response to the associated data of the linking signal, and

wherein the receiver is configured for acknowledging the linking signal from the transmitter, and for changing the selected channel upon interference of the linking signal to the receiver.

2. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured so that upon interference of the linking signal to the receiver, the receiver automatically changes the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels, and the transmitter commences a transmission of the linking signal sequentially over the unused channels.

3. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured for monitoring the selected channel for receipt of the acknowledgement signal from the receiver.

4. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured so that if the acknowledgement signal is returned by the receiver, the transmitter continues to broadcast the linking signal on the selected channel at regular intervals until the illumination signal discontinues.

5. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured so that if the acknowledge signal is not returned by the receiver, the transmitter sequentially changes the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels until the acknowledgement signal is received.

6. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured for monitoring the selected channel and determines whether the linking signal is from a transmitter that was formerly paired with based on the identification code.

7. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 6, wherein said system is configured so that if the receiver determines that the linking signal received by the receiver is not from the transmitter that was formerly paired with, the receiver changes the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels and does not transmit the acknowledgement signal to the transmitter.

8. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured so that if the transmitter receives the acknowledgement signal over the selected channel, the same selected channel is used for subsequent transmissions of the linking signals.

9. The tow vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured for transmitting the acknowledgement signal after each time the transmitter sends the linking signal to the receiver based on the illumination signal.

10. A computer-implemented tow vehicle operating method for wirelessly connecting a first lighting system of a towing vehicle to a second lighting system of a towed vehicle, comprising:

broadcasting a linking signal having an identification code and an associated data, over a selected one of a plurality of distinct channels or frequencies via a wireless transmitter on the towing vehicle;

indicating a present status of lights of the towing vehicle based on an illumination signal from the towing vehicle using the associated data;

receiving the linking signal and verifying the identification code;

transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the transmitter via a wireless receiver on the towed vehicle;

locking in the selected channel or frequency for a wireless communication between the first and second lighting systems;

operating lights of the towed vehicle in response to the associated data of the linking signal; and

changing the selected channel upon interference of the linking signal to the receiver.

11. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically changing the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels upon interference of the linking signal to the receiver; and

commencing a transmission of the linking signal sequentially over the unused channels.

12. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising monitoring the selected channel for receipt of the acknowledgement signal from the receiver.

13. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising continuing to broadcast the linking signal on the selected channel at regular intervals until the illumination signal discontinues.

14. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising sequentially changing the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels until the acknowledgement signal is received.

15. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising:

monitoring the selected channel; and

determining whether the linking signal is from a transmitter that was formerly paired with based on the identification code.

16. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 15, further comprising stopping transmission of the acknowledgement signal to the transmitter when the linking signal received by the receiver is not from the transmitter that was formerly paired with.

17. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising using the same selected channel for subsequent transmissions of the linking signals if the transmitter receives the acknowledgement signal over the selected channel.

18. The tow vehicle operating method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the acknowledgement signal after each time the transmitter sends the linking signal to the receiver based on the illumination signal.

19. A tow vehicle operating system for wirelessly connecting a first lighting system of a towing vehicle to a second lighting system of a towed vehicle, comprising:

a wireless transmitter on the towing vehicle, the transmitter broadcasting a linking signal having an identification code and an associated data indicating a present status of lights of the towing vehicle based on an illumination signal from the towing vehicle, over a selected one of a plurality of distinct channels or frequencies;

a wireless receiver on the towed vehicle, the receiver receiving the linking signal and verifying the identification code, and transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the transmitter, thereby locking in the selected channel or frequency for a wireless communication between the first and second lighting systems; and

wherein lights of the towed vehicle are operated in response to the associated data of the linking signal, and

wherein said system is configured so that upon interference of the linking signal to the receiver, the receiver automatically changes the selected channel to one of unused channels of the plurality of distinct channels, and the transmitter commences a transmission of the linking signal sequentially over the unused channels.