Truck tractor and trailer electrical communication system

• US 5,397,924 A
• Filed: 12/23/1993
• Issued: 03/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Gee, Thomas A., Lane, E. James
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/173,722
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 307/38, 307/40, 307/155, 307/125, 307/154, 439/35, 280/422, 280/420, 340/825.63, 340/825.06, 340/825.04, 340/825.03, 340/439, 340/458, 315/76, 180/170, 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/424.05
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors

Abstract

A truck tractor and trailer electrical communication system having one electronic control unit located in tractor and another electronic control unit located in at least one trailer both respectively controlling the state of a plurality of switching devices to establish the appropriate electrical connection into and out of a standard seven pin tractor/trailer electrical connector where high speed data communication links are used for control and diagnostics.

Claims

1. A tractor and trailer electrical communication system comprising:

a tractor electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals connected to a tractor electrical system, said tractor electronic control unit having a plurality of signal output lines and at least one power output line;

a first plurality of switching devices for connecting and disconnecting said signal output lines and said power output lines to and from a first electrical connector, said first plurality of switching devices controlled by said tractor electronic control unit;

a second plurality of switching devices for connecting and disconnecting said tractor electrical system to and from said first electrical connector;

said second plurality of switching devices controlled by said tractor electronic control unit;

where electrical power from said power output line is selectively routed to said first electrical connector being joined to a second electrical connector at a trailer and where said tractor electronic control unit generates and outputs an inquiry code on one of said signal output lines and then closes or opens each of said first plurality of switching devices and each of said second plurality of switching devices according to receiving or not receiving one or more predetermined responses thereto from said trailer.

2. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein said second electrical connector from said trailer is connected to at least two output switches and a trailer electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals, said output switches being connected to a trailer electronic system, the state of each of said output switches being controlled by said trailer electronic control unit, said trailer electronic control unit also controlling the state of each of a third plurality of switching devices connecting said second electrical connector to a trailer electrical system and said trailer electronic control unit also controlling the state of each of a fourth plurality of switching devices connecting said trailer electronic control unit to said trailer electrical system;

where said tractor electronic control unit transmits and receives a multiplexed signal from said trailer electronic control unit over said signal output lines.

3. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 2, further comprising a diagnostic bus network connected to and controlled by said trailer electronic control unit.

4. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 2, further comprising a data bus network carrying a data stream connected to and controlled by said trailer electronic control unit where said data stream includes a marker code where said marker code is regenerated by each of said trailer electronic control units by incrementing or decrementing said marker code for identification of said trailer by said tractor electronic control unit.

5. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein a trailer electrical system comprises a trailer electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals and a plurality of switching devices controlled by said trailer electronic control unit to configure said trailer electrical system for a multiplex data link between said tractor electronic control unit and said trailer electronic control unit.

6. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein said first electrical connector and a second electrical connector electrically linked to the trailer and to said first electrical connector has seven connections between said first and second electrical connectors.

7. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein said tractor electronic control unit generates a high speed data signal which is transmitted to said trailer on said signal output line.

8. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein said tractor electronic control unit receives a high speed data signal from said trailer on said signal output lines.

9. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 1, wherein said tractor electronic control unit generates a signal on said signal output lines according to an electrical state of said tractor electrical system.

10. A tractor and trailer electrical communication system comprising:

first switching means for selectively connecting and disconnecting a plurality of tractor control unit electrical output lines and disconnecting and connecting a tractor electrical system to a first electrical connector;

second switching means for selectively connecting and disconnecting a plurality of trailer control unit electrical output lines and connecting and disconnecting a trailer electrical system to a second electrical connector where said second electrical connector is electrically joined to said first electrical connector;

third switching means for selectively connecting and disconnecting a power source to said first electrical connector;

a tractor electronic control unit connected to said tractor electrical system and connected to said tractor control unit electrical output lines and connected to and controlling the state of said first switching means and said third switching means;

a trailer electronic control unit connected to said second electrical connector and connected to and controlling the state of said second switching means and connected to and controlling the state of said third switching means.

11. The tractor and trailer electrical communication system of claim 10, wherein at least two of said plurality of tractor control unit electrical lines are used for information transfer between the tractor and at least one trailer.

12. A method of providing a tractor and trailer electrical communication system comprising:

providing a first switching means located in a tractor;

providing a second switching means located in said tractor;

providing a tractor electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals electrically connected to and controlling the state of said first and second switching means and connected to a tractor electrical system, said first switching means electrically connected between a plurality of signal output lines and a first connector, said second switching means electrically connected between said tractor electrical system and said first connector;

providing a trailer electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals, said trailer electronic control unit being electrically connected to a second connector;

providing a third switching means having a state controlled by said trailer electronic control unit connected between a second connector and a trailer electrical system, said second connector being electrically joined to said first connector;

providing a fourth switching means connected between said electronic control unit and said trailer electrical system;

generating an inquiry code from said tractor electronic control unit and sending said code to said trailer electronic control unit over one of said signal output lines and if a predetermined response thereto is sent to said tractor electronic control unit from said trailer electronic control unit;

then

closing said first switching means;

opening said second switching means;

opening said third switching means; and

closing said fourth switching means.

13. The method of providing the tractor trailer electrical communication system of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a fifth switching means having a state controlled by said trailer electronic control unit connected between said second connector and an electrical output connector connected to a trailer system;

closing said fifth switching means upon command from said trailer electronic control unit.

14. The method of providing the tractor trailer electrical communication system of claim 12, further comprising a diagnostic bus network connected to and controlled by said trailer electronic control unit.

15. The method of providing the tractor trailer communication system of claim 12, further comprising a data bus network connected to and controlled by said trailer electronic control unit.

16. A method of providing a tractor and trailer electrical communication system comprising:

providing a first switching means located in a tractor;

providing a second switching means located in said tractor;

providing a tractor electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals electrically connected to and controlling the state of said first and second switching means and connected to a tractor electrical system, said first switching means electrically connected between a plurality of signal output lines and a first connector, said second switching means electrically connected between said tractor electrical system and said first connector;

providing a trailer electronic control unit for generating and receiving electrical signals electrically connected to a second connector;

providing a third switching means having a state controlled by said trailer electronic control unit connected between a second connector and a trailer electrical system, said second connector being joined to said first connector;

providing a fourth switching means connected between said electronic control unit and said trailer electrical system;

generating an inquiry code from said tractor electronic control unit and sending said code to said trailer electronic control unit over one of said signal output lines and if no response thereto is sent to said tractor electronic control unit from said trailer electronic control unit;

then

opening said first switching means;

closing said second switching means;

closing said third switching means; and

opening said fourth switching means.