SAFETY VERIFYING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING TRACTOR-TRAILER COMBINATION

• US 20180039266A1
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: DOTZLER, Kevin J., GRAVES, Jason, WELLS, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,073,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/248 for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/26 for remote control, e.g. for releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a safety verifying system for a tractor-trailer combination. The system includes a trailer-data storing portion, a wireless reader, a determining portion, and a controlling portion. The trailer-data storing portion is disposed in a trailer that is to be towed by a tractor. The trailer-data storing portion stores first data associated with the trailer. The wireless reader retrieves the first data from the trailer-data storing portion. The determining portion determines whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies a safety requirement based on the first data retrieved by the wireless reader and second data associated with the tractor or an intended route to a destination of the trailer. The controlling portion controls operation of the tractor based on a result of the determining portion.

Claims

1. A safety verifying system for a tractor-trailer combination, comprising:

a trailer-data storing portion that is disposed in a trailer that is to be towed by a tractor, the trailer-data storing portion storing or encoding first data associated with the trailer;

a wireless reader that retrieves the first data from the trailer-data storing portion;

a determining portion that determines whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies a safety requirement based on the first data retrieved by the wireless reader and second data associated with the tractor or an intended route to a destination of the trailer; and

a controlling portion that controls operation of the tractor based on a result of the determining portion.

2. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the trailer-data storing portion is a two-dimensional barcode, and

the wireless reader is a camera.

3. The safety verifying system according to claim 2, wherein

the two-dimensional barcode is disposed on a front side of the trailer, and

the camera is a vehicle mounted camera that is disposed in a rear side of the tractor.

4. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the trailer-data storing portion is an RFID tag attached to the trailer, and

the wireless reader is an RFID reader disposed in the tractor.

5. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the controlling portion allows movement of the tractor with the trailer when the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies the safety requirement.

6. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the controlling portion prevents movement of the tractor with the trailer when the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor does not satisfy the safety requirement.

7. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the first data includes gross weight of the trailer including weight of a load on the trailer,

the second data includes a towing capacity of the tractor, and

the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor does not satisfy the safety requirement when the gross weight of the trailer is greater than the towing capacity.

8. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, wherein

the first data includes a height of the trailer,

the second data includes overpass height data for the intended route, and

the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor does not satisfy the safety requirement when the height of the trailer is greater than the overpass height data or a difference between the overpass height data and the height of the trailer is less than a specified value.

9. The safety verifying system according to claim 8, wherein

the controlling portion provides an alternative route when the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor does not satisfy the safety requirement.

10. The safety verifying system according to claim 1, further comprising

a trailer database that stores third data associated with the trailer, wherein

the determining portion further determines whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies an identity requirement based on the first data and the third data, and

the determining portion determines that the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies the identity requirement when the first data matches the third data.

11. A method for verifying a tractor-trailer combination, comprising:

retrieving first data associated with a trailer that is to be towed by a tractor through wireless communication;

determining whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies a safety requirement based on the first data and second data associated with the tractor or an intended route to a destination of the trailer; and

controlling operation of the tractor based on a result of the determination.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first data is encoded in a two-dimensional barcode, and

the first data is retrieved by a camera.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the first data is retrieved from the two-dimensional barcode disposed on a front side of the trailer by the camera disposed on a rear side of the tractor when the tractor is reaching the trailer.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first data is stored in an RFID tag attached to the trailer, and

the first data is retrieved by an RFID reader disposed in the tractor when the tractor is reaching the trailer.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the controlling of operation of the tractor includes allowing movement of the tractor with the trailer when the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies the safety requirement.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the controlling of operation of the tractor includes preventing movement of the tractor with the trailer when the combination of the trailer and the tractor does not satisfy the safety requirement.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first data includes gross weight of the trailer including weight of a load on the trailer,

the second data includes a towing capacity of the tractor, and

the combination of the trailer and the tractor is determined not to satisfy the safety requirement when the gross weight of the trailer is greater than the towing capacity.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first data includes height of the trailer,

the second data includes overpass height data for the intended route, and

the combination of the trailer and the tractor is determined not to satisfy the safety requirement when the height of the trailer is greater than the overpass height data or a difference between the overpass height data and the height of the trailer is less than a specified value.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein

the controlling of operation of the tractor includes providing an alternative route when the combination of the trailer and the tractor is determined not to satisfy the safety requirement.

20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising

storing third data associated with the trailer, and

determining whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies an identity requirement based on the first data and the third data, wherein

the combination of the trailer and the tractor is determined to satisfy the identity requirement when the first data matches the third data.