TRAILER CONNECTION CHECKING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20130221981A1
• Filed: 02/29/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: MILLER, Richard, Salazar, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,816,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/538
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/68 Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems for checking an electrical connection between a vehicle and a trailer. In one embodiment, a trailer light checking system for a vehicle comprises a plurality of exterior vehicle lights and a terminal connection configured to electrically connect each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights to a respective trailer light. The trailer light checking system also comprises a lighting control system having a trailer connection checking mode configured to check the terminal connection by simulating manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights, such that a respective trailer light will actuate in combination with the simulated manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights if the terminal connection and the respective trailer light are functioning correctly.

Claims

1. A trailer light checking system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of exterior vehicle lights;

a terminal connection configured to electrically connect each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights to a respective trailer light; and

a lighting control system having a trailer connection checking mode configured to check the terminal connection by simulating manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights, such that a respective trailer light will actuate in combination with the simulated manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights if the terminal connection and the respective trailer light are functioning correctly.

2. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of exterior vehicle lights includes at least two of the group comprising a left turn indicator light, a right turn indicator light, a brake indicator light, a backup indicator light, a tail light and a running light.

3. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein:

the lighting control system is further configured to control individual actuation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights; and

the lighting control system actuates each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in combination with their simulated manual operation in the trailer connection checking mode.

4. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control system sequentially simulates manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in the trailer connection checking mode.

5. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control system simulates manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in the trailer connection checking mode over a predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time required to confirm correct functioning of each respective trailer light.

6. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein:

the lighting control system is communicatively coupled to an operator input device; and

the lighting control system is responsive to the operator input device to initiate the trailer connection checking mode.

7. The trailer light checking system of claim 6, wherein the operator input device is a remote positionable outside the vehicle and configured to initiate the trailer connection checking mode when a plurality of included inputs are manipulated in a predetermined sequence.

8. The trailer light checking system of claim 1, wherein the lighting control system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) for performing the trailer connection checking mode.

9. A lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of exterior vehicle lights actuatable in response to an electrical power being supplied thereto;

a terminal connection configured to electrically connect each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in parallel with a respective trailer light, the respective trailer light actuatable in response the electrical power being supplied thereto; and

a lighting control system configured to control individual actuation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in accordance with a normal mode and in accordance with a trailer connection checking mode wherein each of the plurality of lights is actuated over a predetermined period of time.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of exterior vehicle lights includes at least two of the group comprising a left turn indicator light, a right turn indicator light, a brake indicator light, a backup indicator light, a tail light and a running light.

11. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights is sequentially flashed in the trailer connection checking mode.

12. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein:

the lighting control system is communicatively coupled to an operator input device; and

the lighting control system is responsive to the operator input device to initiate the trailer connection checking mode.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein the operator input device is a remote positionable outside the vehicle and configured to initiate the trailer connection checking mode when a plurality of included inputs are manipulated in a predetermined sequence.

14. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to an amount of time required to confirm actuation of each respective trailer light.

15. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the lighting control system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) for controlling individual actuation of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights.

16. A method of checking an electrical terminal connection between each of a plurality of exterior vehicle lights and a respective trailer light, comprising:

simulating manual actuation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights with a controller in accordance with a trailer connection checking mode, such that a respective trailer light will actuate in combination with the simulated manual operation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights if the terminal connection and the respective trailer light are functioning correctly.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

manipulating a plurality of inputs of an operator input device positionable outside the vehicle in a predetermined sequence to cause the operator input device to remotely communicate a signal instructing the controller to perform the trailer connection checking mode.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

actuating each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights in combination with their simulated manual operation in the trailer connection checking mode.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

simulating manual actuation of each of the plurality of exterior vehicle lights over a predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time required to confirm correct functioning of each respective trailer light.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of exterior vehicle lights includes at least two of the group comprising a left turn indicator light, a right turn indicator light, a brake indicator light, a backup indicator light, a tail light and a running light.