System and method for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer

• US 9,757,994 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Dilip B., Henderson, Christopher, Blatchford, James Edwin, Dionyssopoulos, Stavros, Gregoire, James Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US14/811,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20170028794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 340431, 340903
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/009 having wheels on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/02 Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure hand-held tyre pressure gauges G01L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0454 Means for changing operation mode, e.g. sleep mode, factory mode or energy save mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0481 System diagnostic, e.g. monitoring battery voltage, detecting hardware detachments or identifying wireless transmission failures
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer. Messages transmitted between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and a controller of a vehicle may be monitored. A notification may be triggered when the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during at least a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer, comprising:

monitoring messages transmitted between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and a controller of a vehicle over a wired connection; and

triggering a notification when the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during at least two key cycles.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering a notification based on the monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a controller area network message from the tire pressure management module during at least the two key cycles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is triggered based on at least one message having been received from the tire pressure management module at the controller over a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises a tow connector such that the tire pressure management module is powered by the vehicle via the tow connector.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring the connection between the tire pressure management module and the controller, such that a power status for the module is monitored; and

triggering the notification based on the monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during at least the two key cycles and that the power status of the tire pressure management module indicates that the module is not powered.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the notification is triggered when the monitored power status of the tire pressure management module indicated that the module was powered at some point over a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

muting the notification after the notification has been presented for a minimum amount of time;

continuing to monitor the connection between the tire pressure management module and the controller; and

triggering a second notification based on the continued monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module for at least a predetermined period of time since the muting.

8. A system for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer, comprising:

a controller mounted to a vehicle, the controller being configured to;

monitor messages transmitted between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and the controller over a wired connection; and

trigger a notification when the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during a predetermined period of time comprising at least two key cycles.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to trigger a notification based on the monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a controller area network message from the tire pressure management module during the predetermined period of time.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification is triggered based on at least one message having been received from the tire pressure management module at the controller over a second predetermined period of time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the connection comprises a tow connector such that the tire pressure management module is powered by the vehicle via the tow connector.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor the connection between the tire pressure management module and the controller, such that a power status for the module is monitored; and

trigger the notification based on the monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during the predetermined period of time and that the power status of the tire pressure management module indicates that the module is not powered.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the notification is triggered when the monitored power status of the tire pressure management module indicated that the module was powered at some point over a second predetermined period of time.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

mute the notification after the notification has been presented for a minimum amount of time;

continue to monitor the connection between the tire pressure management module and the controller; and

trigger a second notification based on the continued monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module for at least a predetermined period of time since the muting.

15. A method for monitoring a connection with a trailer, comprising:

monitoring messages between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and a controller of a vehicle;

monitoring a connection between the module and controller including a power status for the module; and

triggering a notification when the controller has not received a message from the module during a predetermined period of time and the power status indicates the module is not powered.

16. A system for monitoring a connection with a trailer, comprising:

a controller mounted to a vehicle, the controller being configured to;

monitor messages between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and the controller;

monitor a connection between the module and the controller including a power status for the module; and

trigger a notification when the controller has not received a message from the module during at least a predetermined period of time and when the power status indicates the module is not powered.

17. A method for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer, comprising:

monitoring messages transmitted between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and a controller of a vehicle;

triggering a notification when the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during a predetermined period of time;

muting the notification after the notification has been presented for a minimum amount of time;

continuing to monitor the connection between the tire pressure management module and the controller; and

triggering a second notification based on the continued monitoring when it is detected that the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module for at least a predetermined period of time since the muting.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising triggering the notification when the controller has not received a controller area network message from the tire pressure management module during at least the predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the notification is triggered based on at least one message having been received from the tire pressure management module at the controller over a second predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the connection comprises a tow connector such that the tire pressure management module is powered by the vehicle via the tow connector.