Method for remotely determining and managing connection of tractor and trailer

• US 20060261935A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Terion Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: McAden, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00

Abstract

Truck tractors in a transportation fleet include a transponder that transmits a unique tractor identifier to a connected trailer using a Power Line Communication (PLC) bus device. The information transmitted typically includes a manufacturing unique ID for the tractor and an optional user defined ID. The user defined ID may include a fleet division code. The tractor ID and/or fleet ID codes determine how the trailer is hooked up. In particular, with detection of a connected state signal from the PLC bus, together with receipt of tractor identification code(s) from the tractor, the trailer tracking device can now communicate the coupling event information to a centralized location, such as via a cellular telephone connection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining the connection of a cargo trailer to a tractor comprising:

a tractor identification unit for providing a tractor identification data;

a power line communication bus for receiving the tractor identification information and coupling thereto;

a trailer tracking device, coupled to receive data from the power line communication bus and to receive the tractor identification information from the trailer tracking device, and combining the tractor identification information with its own trailer identification information, to provide a tractor/trailer pairing data;

a wireless data link for permitting the trailer tracking device to communication data to a central location; and

a receiver for receiving the tractor/trailer pairing information at the central location.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the tractor identification information includes a user defined identification field.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the user defined identification field is a fleet code.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the central location additionally determines if a correct pairing of a tractor and trailer have occurred.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein if a tractor is coupled to an incorrect trailer then an intervening action is taken before the trailer is moved.

6. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the fleet code is examined to determine if an unauthorized tractor has been hooked to the trailer.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein an uncoupling event is determined to have occurred if a tractor does not report an identification.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the tractor identification unit periodically provides tractor identification information over the power line communication bus to the trailer tracking unit, and the trailer tracking device determines that coupling status has not changed as long as codes associated with the tractor identifier apparatus are received.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 additionally wherein upon failure to receive as multiple successive tractor identification information, determining that a connection between the tractor and a trailer no longer exists.

10. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the determination of an incorrect pairing of tractor and trailer is made at the centralized location by comparing the tractor identifier and the trailer identifier against a list of allowed combinations.

11. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the determination of an uncorrect pairing is made at the trailer tracking device by comparing a fleet code received from the tractor against a known authorized fleet code for the specified trailer.