Smart cable systems for truck trailers

Abstract

A cable system for a truck trailer having a connector having a main power connection, a ground connection, and one, two, or more communication cable connections. The connector includes at least a power connection and a ground connection for electrically connecting an individual trailer to the cable system. A master control circuit may be included in the trailer nose box, and the master control circuit is configured to send commands to slave control circuits installed in the connector. The slave control circuits in the connector are configured to receive control commands sent by the master control circuit, the control commands including addresses, mode identifiers, or other identification of which connectors in the cable system should take action and what action should be taken.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 772,825, filed on November 29, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 772,833, filed on November 29, 2018, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] Cabling systems for truck trailers are limited because each functional aspect of the wiring system in the trailer requires its own separate power line that directly connects the lights or other trailer components that perform that function to the corresponding circuits in the towing vehicle. This was important in the past when incandescent lamps were used for lighting, requiring significantly more power than more recent lamps, which use light emitting diodes (LEDs) and are much more efficient. As LEDs replace incandescent lamps, the current requirements for trailer wiring have also been reduced, so large gauge wires are no longer needed to carry current for each function.

[0004] Each wire in a conventional wiring system is typically limited in its use because it is often electrically connected to deliver power only to a specific portion of the trailer lighting system. Trucks are typically configured to deliver power on specific lines based on driver activities (such as activating turn signals, applying brakes, etc.), so conventional systems are limited by these specific connections. For example, the same wire used to power the brake lights generally cannot be used to power the left or right turn signal lights. Conventional systems also typically require different taps with different wiring configurations to connect lights with different dedicated functions to the wiring system.

[0005] Additionally, more recently, trailers often include other electronic devices, such as sensors for monitoring trailer and load status, cameras for additional visibility behind and near the trailer, additional exterior or interior lighting to aid in maintenance or loading and unloading, or other electronic devices that preferably interface with the truck tractor, to name a few non-limiting examples. However, because there are a limited number of electrical connections between the trailer and the tractor, and each connection may be dedicated to only one function, conventional trailer wiring systems cannot easily accommodate the growing number of electronic devices used in trailers. Summary of the invention

[0006] A cable system for a trailer is disclosed having a nose box mounted on the trailer, a power cable, a ground cable, and at least one communication cable. In another aspect, the nose box has: a plurality of connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of a truck tractor. In another aspect, the connection terminals may include a ground cable connection and six independent power cable connections, and a main control circuit is mounted in the nose box. The main control circuit may be electrically connected to the connection terminals, the power cable, the ground cable, and the communication cable.

[0007] In another aspect, the master control circuit is optionally configured to accept control inputs from the truck tractor via a power cable connection and generate component control commands for controlling one or more individual trailer components mounted to the trailer. In another aspect, the master control circuit is optionally configured to send control commands to the trailer components via at least one communication cable.

[0008] In another aspect, the plurality of trailer component connectors optionally include: a power connection terminal for electrically connecting the individual trailer components to a power cable; a ground connection terminal for electrically connecting the individual trailer components to the power cable; and a slave control circuit electrically connected to the power cable, the ground cable, and at least one communication cable. The slave control circuit is optionally configured to receive a control command sent by the master control circuit and selectively control one of the individual trailer components according to the control command.

[0009] In another aspect, the master control circuit optionally includes: a master microcontroller; and a master transceiver electrically connected to the master microcontroller and to at least one communication cable.

[0010] In another aspect, the slave control circuit optionally includes: a slave microcontroller; and a slave transceiver electrically connected to the slave microcontroller and at least one communication cable, wherein the slave microcontroller receives control commands sent by the master transceiver using the slave transceiver.

[0011] On the other hand, the cable system optionally includes: two communication cables electrically connected to the master control circuit, wherein the master control circuit includes a control area network (CAN) controller electrically connected to the communication cables, and / or wherein the slave control circuit includes a slave CAN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using the CAN protocol.

[0012] On the other hand, the cable system optionally includes a communication cable electrically connected to the master control circuit, wherein the master control circuit includes a local interconnect network (LIN) controller electrically connected to the communication cable, and / or wherein the slave control circuit includes a slave LIN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using a LIN protocol.

[0013] On the other hand, the slave control circuit optionally defines a mode identifier, and wherein the control command sent by the master control circuit includes a target mode identifier that specifies the trailer component to which the control command is directed, and wherein the slave control circuit can be configured to: compare the target mode identifier in the control command received from the master control circuit with the mode identifier of the slave control circuit; and when the target mode identifier matches the mode identifier of the slave control circuit, electrically connect the individual trailer component to the power cable.

[0014] In another aspect, the one or more trailer components optionally include at least five rear-facing lights mounted on the rear of the trailer, the at least five rear-facing lights mounted in five independent trailer component connectors having independent addresses, and wherein the master control circuit can be configured to: accept brake input from the truck tractor; and send control commands having target addresses associated with the at least five rear-facing lights.

[0015] In another aspect, the slave control circuits of the plurality of trailer component connectors optionally include a plurality of two-position switches for defining a mode identifier of the slave control circuits.

[0016] In another aspect, the master control circuit optionally includes control logic configured to process input from the truck tractor and generate one or more control commands for one or more of the individual trailer components.

[0017] In another aspect, the master control circuit optionally includes a maintenance interface configured to receive control logic from a remote device.

[0018] In another aspect, the individual trailer components optionally include vehicle stop / tail / turn lights, vehicle turn signal lights, vehicle brake lights, vehicle tail lights, vehicle running lights, vehicle anti-lock brakes, vehicle interior lights, vehicle reverse lights, or any combination thereof.

[0019] In another aspect, the individual trailer components may include an anti-lock brake system controller, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a door sensor, a cargo sensor, a cargo length sensor, a fluid level sensor, a refrigeration sensor, or any combination thereof.

[0020] In another aspect, the power connection terminals, ground connection terminals, and slave control circuitry may be partially or fully contained in an integrally molded structure.

[0021] In another aspect, one of the individual trailer components is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating status of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data about the operating status to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0022] In another aspect, one of the individual trailer components is a temperature sensor, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept temperature data from the temperature sensor and transmit the temperature data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0023] In another aspect, one of the individual trailer components is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and transmit the image data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0024] Also disclosed is a connector for a trailer component in a truck trailer, including a main power connection, a ground connection, and at least one communication cable connection. The connector optionally includes: a component power connection for electrically connecting an individual trailer component to a power source; a component ground connection for electrically connecting an individual trailer component to ground; a slave control circuit electrically connected to the component power connection, the component ground connection, the main power connection, the ground connection, and the at least one communication cable connection.

[0025] The slave control circuit is optionally configured to: receive a control command sent by the master control circuit using at least one communication cable connection, and the control command optionally includes a mode identifier; and when the mode identifier in the control command matches a component mode identifier stored in the slave control circuit, electrically connect the component power connection with the master power connection to power the individual trailer components. In another aspect, the disclosed connector includes a mode selector configured to accept an input defining the component mode identifier.

[0026] In another aspect, the connector includes a housing wherein a main power connection, a ground connection, at least one communication cable connection, a component power connection, and one end of a component ground connection terminal terminate within the housing, wherein a slave control circuit is enclosed within the housing, and wherein a portion of a mode selector extends outside the housing.

[0027] In another aspect, a connector includes a housing comprising a unitary structure formed from a polymer material.

[0028] In another aspect, the mode selector includes a plurality of two-position switches, and wherein the mode identifier is defined by the position of the switches.

[0029] In another aspect, a connector includes a maintenance interface configured to receive a component mode identifier from a remote device and a memory configured to store the component mode identifier.

[0030] In another aspect, a main power connection, a ground connection, and at least one communication cable connection are optionally electrically connected to a main control circuit mounted in a trailer nose box of the trailer, wherein the main control circuit is configured to accept control inputs from the truck tractor, and wherein the main control circuit is configured to generate different component control commands specific to one or more individual trailer components based on the control inputs.

[0031] In another aspect, the trailer nose box includes seven connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor, the seven connection terminals including a ground connection and six independent power cable connections.

[0032] In another aspect, the individual trailer component is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating state of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data regarding the operating state to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0033] In another aspect, the individual trailer component is a temperature sensor, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept temperature data from the temperature sensor and transmit the temperature data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0034] In another aspect, the separate trailer component is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and transmit the image data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0035] Other forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages and examples of the disclosed concepts will become apparent from the detailed description and drawings provided herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 is a component diagram showing one example of components that may be included in a cable system of a trailer.

[0037] Figure 2 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 1 Component diagram of the components in the nose box shown.

[0038] Figure 3 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 1 Component diagram of the components in the trailer component connector shown.

[0039] Figure 4 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 2 Component diagram of the components in the main control circuit shown in .

[0040] Figure 5 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 3 Component diagram of the components in the slave control circuit shown in .

[0041] Figure 6 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 3 and Figure 5 Component diagram of the components in the slave control circuit shown in .

[0042] Figure 7 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 1 0046] A diagram of components in another example of a cable system implemented using a control area network (CAN) is shown in FIG.

[0043] Figure 8It is shown that it can be included in Figure 1 0046] A diagram of components in another example of a cable system implemented using a local interconnect network (LIN) is shown in FIG.

[0044] Fig. 9 is a component diagram showing components that may be included in a main control circuit as shown in the previous figures.

[0045] Fig.10 is a component diagram showing components that may be included in a slave control circuit as shown in the previous figures.

[0046] Fig.11 is a component diagram showing an example of the system of the preceding figure in operation.

[0047] Fig.12 is a component diagram showing another example of the system of the preceding figure in operation.

[0048] Fig.13 is a component diagram showing maintenance aspects of trailer component connectors such as those shown in the previous figures.

[0049] Fig.14 is a component diagram showing components that may be included in a trailer component connector as shown in the previous figures.

[0050] Fig.15 It is shown that it can be Figure 1 A component diagram of trailer components used in conjunction with a cable system of the trailer is shown in FIG.

[0051] Fig.16 It is shown that it can be Figure 1 Component diagram of operational aspects of a lamp used in conjunction with the cable system shown in FIG.

[0052] Fig.17 It is shown that it can be Figure 1 The components diagram of the operation aspects of a temperature sensor used in conjunction with a cable system is shown in FIG.

[0053] Fig.18 It is shown that it can be Figure 1 The cable system shown in the figure is used in conjunction with the components of the trailer mounted camera operation aspect.

[0054] Fig.19 is a component diagram showing maintenance aspects of the main control circuits as those shown in the previous figures.

[0055] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a dry van or box-type semi-trailer including a cable system as shown in the previous figures.

[0056] Fig.21 yes Fig. 20 Rear view of a dry van or box semi-trailer.

[0057] Fig. 22 is a perspective view of a bulk liquid or tanker semi-trailer including a cable system as shown in the previous figures.

[0058] Fig.23 yes Fig. 22 Rear view of a bulk liquid or tank truck semi trailer.

[0059] Fig.24 is a perspective view of another example of a gooseneck flatbed semi-trailer including a cable system for the trailer as shown in the previous figures.

[0060] Fig.25 yes Fig.24 Rear view of a gooseneck flatbed semi-trailer.

[0061] Fig.26 is a table illustrating an example of operational aspects of the disclosed system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] Figure 1 Components that may be included in the cable system of the trailer 111 are shown at 100. The cable system for the trailer 100 may include a plurality of components mounted to the trailer 111, such as a power cable 128, a ground cable 131, and at least one communication cable 134. A nose box 108 mounted to the trailer 111 may also be included, the nose box 108 having a plurality of trailer component connectors 120. A plurality of connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck 105 may be included, the connection terminals including a ground cable connection and a plurality of independent power cable connections. The plurality of independent power cable connections may include three or more, four or more, five or more, six or more, seven or more, or any other suitable number of power cable connections.

[0063] Figure 2 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 1 Some additional examples of components in the nose box 200 of the nose box are shown in FIG. The nose box 200 may include a plurality of connection terminals configured to accept power and / or control inputs 202 from the truck 105, and thus the plurality of connection terminals may be arranged and configured to correspond to the trailer connection terminals of the truck 105. Figure 2 In the example of the embodiment of the invention, the connection terminals include six independent power cable connections 205 and a ground cable connection 216. A main control circuit 220 may be mounted in the nose box 200, the main control circuit 220 being electrically connected to the seven connection terminals 205, 216. These connection terminals may be included within the nose box 200, or may extend through the nose box 200 to engage cables that electrically connect the connection terminals to the truck 105.

[0064] In one example, the nose box 200 may include connectors and terminals configured to comply with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J-560 standard. According to the J-560 standard, independent circuits are included in the truck trailer wiring system, each of which is dedicated to powering the trailer components in a specific operating mode. For example, the yellow wire can be dedicated to the left turn signal and hazard lights, the green wire can be dedicated to operating the right turn signal and hazard lights, and the black wire can be dedicated to the clearance side markers and identification lights. In some cases, multiple circuits in these circuits can be powered by the truck 105 so as to enable the trailer components to which they are connected at the same time. In other cases, one circuit can be selectively powered while other circuits are not powered. In general, each circuit in the J-560 power distribution circuit is designed to receive power based on the driver's input so that the system operates in a specific operating mode (e.g., turn signal to enable the flashers, depress the brake pedal to enable the brake lights, etc.). In this way, the control input 202 can be simply defined as the truck 105 selectively powering one or more independent power cable connections 205.

[0065] The main control circuit 220 is also electrically connected to the power cable 128, the ground cable 131, the communication cable 134, and the optional additional communication cable 137. The main control circuit 220 is optionally configured to accept control inputs 202 from the truck 105 via the independent power cable connection 205, and to generate and send control commands 214 for controlling one or more individual trailer components 125 mounted to the trailer 111. In another aspect, the main control circuit 220 can be configured to send the control commands 214 to the trailer components 125 via the communication cable 134. The main control circuit 220 can also be configured to send the control commands 214 using the optional additional communication cable 137, as discussed in further detail below.

[0066] therefore, Figure 3 A trailer component connector 300 is shown including a main power connection provided by power cable 128, a ground connection provided by ground cable 131, and at least one communication cable connection provided by communication cable 134 and optional additional communication cable 137. The component power connection is provided by power connection terminal 311, which is configured to electrically connect an individual trailer component 125 to the main power connection. The component ground connection is provided by ground connection terminal 314, which is configured to electrically connect an individual trailer component 125 to the ground connection.

[0067] The electrical connection between the power cable 128 and the power connection terminal 311 and the electrical connection between the ground cable 131 and the ground connection terminal 314 is controlled by the slave control circuit 320, which is configured to selectively electrically connect the component power connection and the component ground connection with the master power connection and the ground connection based on input received by at least one communication cable connection. This allows the slave control circuit 320 to communicate with the master control circuit 220 to enable and disable individual trailer components 125 by selectively connecting the component power and ground of, for example, the trailer component 125 to the master power and / or ground connection.

[0068] exist Figure 3 In another aspect shown in FIG. 1 , the slave control circuit 320 can be configured to control only the connection from the ground connection terminal 314 to the ground cable 131, while the power connection terminal 311 can be continuously connected to the power cable 128. In this example, the slave control circuit 320 is configured to selectively enable and disable the trailer component 125 by controlling the ground connection portion of the circuit that powers the trailer component 125.

[0069] In another aspect, the main power connection, the ground connection, and the at least one communication cable connection electrically connect the slave control circuit 320 with the master control circuit 220 mounted in the nose box 108 of the trailer 111. In this example, the master control circuit 220 is configured to accept control inputs from the truck 105 and is configured to generate different control commands 214 for one or more individual trailer components 125 based on the control inputs 202.

[0070] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 320 may include an address 305 that uniquely identifies the slave control circuit 320 separate from all other slave control circuits 320 in the trailer 111. The slave control circuit 320 may maintain the address 305 in a memory such as a non-volatile storage device or a logic circuit. In another example, the slave control circuit 320 optionally defines the address 305 using an arrangement of mechanical switch devices arranged in a predetermined sequence. In another aspect, the slave control circuit 320 may be remotely updated without requiring any physical manipulation to adjust the address.

[0071] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 320 may include one or more modes 308 that identify a single mode or selectable multiple modes in which the slave control circuit 320 will operate. For example, the operating mode may correspond to a driver input, such as applying input using a brake pedal, a turn signal, a steering wheel, a transmission gear selector, or providing user input using a user interface (e.g., a touch screen, buttons, etc. installed in the operator's compartment of the truck 105). These operating modes may be defined in any suitable manner, such as by receiving power applied to one of the independent power cable connections 205. In one example, some or all of the slave control circuits 320 may be sent the same control command 214, which may include one or more modes 308. The slave control circuit 320 may receive the command 214 and compare the mode in the command with the mode control circuit 320, and then enable, disable, or otherwise change state as required by the detailed instructions in the command 214 when those operating modes specified in the control command 214 match the mode 308 stored in the slave control circuit 320.

[0072] Figure 4 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 2 Additional aspects of the main control circuit 400 are shown in FIG. Figure 4 1, the master control circuit includes a master microcontroller 408 electrically connected to a master transceiver 405. The master transceiver 405 is electrically connected to the communication cable 134 and the optional additional communication cable 137, thereby enabling the master control circuit 400 to communicate control commands 214 to one or more trailer components 125. The master microcontroller 408 can be programmed or otherwise configured to implement a wide range of control functions, converting the control inputs 202 received from the truck 105 into control commands 214. The commands from the master control circuit 400 can then be sent to many, if not all, of the trailer components 125 in the trailer 111. For example, multiple trailer components 125 can be electrically connected together (e.g., in a shared bus configuration) so that some or all of the trailer components 125 are connected to a power source via the power cable 128, to ground via 131, and can all receive the same control commands 214 via the communication cable 134 and the optional additional communication cable 137.

[0073] In another aspect, the control command 214 may be generated as a plurality of data packets and sent to the trailer components 125 via 134 and (if present) 137. The plurality of data packets may be assembled by the main microcontroller 408 and transmitted by the main transceiver 405. The main transceiver 405 may also operate as a receiver, receiving response information (e.g., data packets sent by those trailer components 125 that have acknowledged and responded to the sent control command 214). The microcontroller 408 may optionally include other necessary communication or processing circuitry required by the specific implementation of the system (e.g., a control area network (CAN) controller or a local interconnect network (LIN) controller) or other specific implementation circuitry.

[0074] Figure 5 It is shown that it can be included in Figure 3 Additional aspects of the slave control circuit 500 shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 5 , the slave control circuit 500 may include a slave microcontroller 508 electrically connected to a slave transceiver 505. The slave transceiver 505 is also electrically connected to the communication cable 134 and the optional additional communication cable 137. In this example, the slave microcontroller 508 is configured to receive the control command 214 using the communication cable 134 and the optional additional communication cable 137. The control command 214 may be sent by the master control circuit 400 using the master transceiver 405 and received using the slave transceiver 505.

[0075] In another aspect, the control command 214 may be received as a plurality of data packets, sent to the trailer unit 125 via 134 and (optionally also via 137). The plurality of data packets may be received by the slave transceiver 505 and processed according to the communication logic and the slave microcontroller 508. The communication logic may also include processing to generate a response message to be sent by the slave transceiver 505 back to the master control circuit 400, which acknowledges receipt of the message, and / or to provide other information such as whether the trailer unit 125 successfully responded to the control command 214, or information about errors, failures, or other problems encountered by the trailer unit 125 while attempting to respond. The microcontroller 508 may optionally include other necessary communication or processing circuitry required by the specific implementation of the system (e.g., a control area network (CAN) controller or a local interconnect network (LIN) controller) or other specific implementation circuitry.

[0076] Figure 6Another example of a slave controller such as those shown in the previous figures is shown. The slave control circuit 600 defines a mode identifier 605 that specifies one or more operating modes 308 to which the slave control circuit 600 is configured to respond. In this example, a control command 214 can be sent by the master control circuit to all trailer components 125 with a mode identifier 611 that defines the currently enabled operating mode. In this way, the system specifies which of the one or more trailer components 125 will respond to the control command 602. In some modes, only a selected few control circuits 600 will be configured to respond and enable the attached trailer components. In other modes, most (if not all) trailer components will be enabled, such as in the case of a "maintenance" mode, where all components are enabled simultaneously to check for faulty trailer components, intermittent, corroded or broken electrical connections, or for establishing baseline current and voltage usage parameters.

[0077] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 600 includes comparison logic 615 configured to compare the target mode identifier 611 in the control command 602 received from the master control circuit 400 with the mode identifier 605. The slave control circuit 600 is configured to electrically connect the individual trailer component 125 to the power cable 128 when the target mode identifier 611 matches the mode identifier 605.

[0078] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 600 may include one or more switches, such as, for example, a plurality of switches 608 for defining a mode identifier 605. These switches may be implemented as solid-state transistors or logic gates that may be reconfigurable based on input from a remote computing device. In another aspect, these switches may be physically actuated, such as in the case of a dual in-line package switch (DIP), optionally packaged together in a single housing. Using the switch 608, the mode identifier 605 may be defined by the position of the switch 608, such as in the case of a series of switches having inputs electrically connected to the power cable 128 and / or the communication cable 134. Actuating the switch 608 to close a particular input circuit may be used to represent "one", while actuating different switches 608 to open different input circuits may be used to represent "zero". In this way, a binary number may be input into the slave control circuit 600, specifying the mode identifier 605. The comparison logic 615 may then access the target mode identifier 605 and compare it to the mode identifier 611 arriving in the control command 602 to determine whether to enable the trailer component 125 electrically connected to the slave control circuit 600. When the target mode identifier 611 in the control command 602 matches the mode identifier 605 in the slave control circuit 600 according to the comparison logic 615, the slave control circuit 600 may be configured to electrically connect the component power connection in the trailer component 125 to the master power connection provided by the power cable 128.

[0079] In another aspect, enabling a trailer component 125 coupled to the slave control circuit 600 may involve actions other than connecting the trailer component 125 to a power source. For example, the slave control circuit 600 may define a default "power on" mode that is configured to provide power to the trailer component 125 at all times. In such a configuration, the slave control circuit 600 may include one or more target mode identifiers 605 that specify different operating modes of the trailer component 125 to be enabled. In this example, enabling may involve changing the trailer component 125 from a "standby" to an "enabled" operating state, thereby enabling other features or aspects of the trailer component 125 to operate. Such a configuration may be useful for a trailer component 125, such as a camera or sensor, that may remain connected to a power source at all times when the trailer 111 is coupled to the truck 105, but may be configured to begin recording or providing sensor data input to the slave control circuit 600 under certain specific circumstances rather than other circumstances defined by the operation of the truck 105 and / or trailer 111.

[0080] Figure 7 At 700, a method is shown which may include Figure 1Components of another example of a cable system for a trailer 100 are shown in FIG. In this example, the cable system 700 is implemented using a control area network (CAN). Figure 7 In the example of FIG. 7 , the cable system 700 includes two communication cables, which in this example include a CAN high communication cable 718 and a CAN low communication cable 715 electrically connected to the master control circuit 703. The master control circuit 703 includes a CAN master controller 710, which is electrically connected to the CAN high communication cable 718 and the CAN low communication cable 715. Therefore, the master control circuit is configured to send control commands 602 to the slave control circuit 708. The slave control circuit 708 can include a CAN slave controller 722, which is also electrically connected to the CAN high communication cable 718 and the CAN low communication cable 715. In this example, the master control circuit 703 and one or more slave control circuits 708 communicate using a CAN protocol 706.

[0081] Figure 8 At 800, a method is shown which may include Figure 1 Another example of a cable system is shown in FIG. 1 , but implemented using a local interconnect network (LIN). Figure 8 8, the cable system 800 includes a single communication cable 818 electrically connected to a LIN master control circuit 803. The LIN master control circuit 803 includes a LIN master controller 810 electrically connected to the LIN communication cable 818. The communication cable 818 is configured to send control commands 602 to a LIN slave control circuit 808. The LIN slave control circuit 808 may include a LIN slave controller 822, which is also electrically connected to the LIN communication cable 818. In this example, the LIN master control circuit 803 and one or more LIN slave control circuits 808 communicate using a LIN protocol 806.

[0082] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 Another example of a control circuit for a 3-wire or optional 4-wire cable system for a truck trailer as discussed above is shown in FIG. Fig. 99, the main control circuit 900 includes a main microcontroller 908, which is electrically connected to a voltage regulator 910 and a main transceiver 901. In this example, multiple independent power cable connections 205 are combined at a power connector 905 to provide power to the main control circuit 900 on a power cable 903, while a connection to a ground cable connection 216 provides a ground circuit connection for components of the control circuit 900. In this example, 205 and 216 provide seven independent connections (e.g., representing the seven connections of a standard J-560 power cable), six of which are connected to the power cable 903 via a diode array 907. The diode array 907 can be included to reduce or eliminate return current flowing in the opposite direction from each independent power cable connection 205 to another power cable connection 205.

[0083] Power and ground connections in the main control circuit 900 are provided by a voltage regulator 910 and a ground connection 216. The trailer component 125 downstream of the main control circuit 900 receives power from 903 on the power cable 128 and is connected to ground 216 via ground cable 131, respectively. Here, a power circuit 915 electrically connects the power output of the voltage regulator 910 to the main transceiver 901 and the main microcontroller 908. The power circuit 915 can be included to provide regulated voltage and / or current to 901, 908, and possibly other devices. For example, the devices in the circuit can operate at 5V, 3.3V, or 12V or other voltages, while the power provided on the independent power cable connection 205 can be provided at 6V, 12V, 24V, 48V, or possibly other higher or lower voltages.

[0084] The communication cable 134 and optional additional communication cable 137 may be included to electrically connect the master microcontroller 908 with the slave transceiver 505 in the trailer component 125 downstream of the master control circuit 900. In the case of a 3-wire cable system (such as the LIN discussed above), the communication cable 134 corresponds to the LIN communication cable 818. In the case of a 4-wire cable system (such as the CAN implementation discussed above), the communication cable 134 corresponds to the CAN high communication cable 718, and the optional additional communication cable 137 is included for connecting to the CAN low communication cable 715.

[0085] Operational control of the master control circuit 900 is provided by the master microcontroller 908. The master microcontroller 908 sends control signals on the master I / O circuit 918 to other components such as the master transceiver 405. In this example, the control input 202 is provided to the master control circuit 900 over the independent power cable connection 205 based on any suitable input provided using the independent power cable connection 205. Such inputs include, but are not limited to, changes in voltage, changes in current levels, or as time-varying signals for carrying digital or analog data to the master control circuit 900.

[0086] The power connection at 905 aggregates the power provided by the independent power cable connections 205, but also provides independent inputs to the microcontroller 908 for each independent power cable connection 205 so that the main microcontroller 908 can be configured to detect different operating modes based on different power levels on the independent power cable connections 205 or by any other suitable means. Thus, the connection 205 operates as a control input that indicates an action to be taken by the trailer component 125 electrically connected to the main microcontroller 908. For example, when the vehicle operator actuates the brake pedal of the truck 105, the truck 105 sends power through at least one of the independent power cable connections 205. The power on this connection indicates to the master 908 that the brake pedal has been depressed, causing the master 908 to control the transceiver 901 to send a message to any trailer component 125 electrically connected downstream from the main control circuit 900 and configured to respond to the "brake pedal enabled" control command 214.

[0087] Fig.10 Another example of components as shown in the previous figures that may be included in a slave control circuit is shown. The slave control circuit 1000 includes a power cable 128 and a ground cable 131, which respectively provide power and ground connections to the components of the slave control circuit 1000. A voltage regulator 1017 may be included to regulate the voltage provided by the power cable 128 so as to provide power on the power circuit 1021 as required by some or all other components in the slave microcontroller 1003 and optional circuits such as control logic 1014. For example, the microcontroller 1003 may require 5V, 3.3V, or 12V, or other suitable voltages, and the power provided on the power cable 128 may be provided at 12V, 24V, 48V, or possibly other higher or lower voltages.

[0088] A switch device 1012 may be included that may be responsive to a signal from the slave microcontroller 1003 and configured to control the flow of power from the power cable 128 to the trailer component 125 coupled to the slave control circuit 1000. For example, the switch device 1012 may include: Fig.10, which is constantly connected to the power cable 128 provided to the trailer component 125 via the component power circuit 1005; and a ground connection, which is selectively provided by the component enable circuit 1010 based on the control output from the component control output circuit 1007. In another aspect, the switch device 1012 may include a solid-state switch device with no internal physical moving parts, which is configured to accept input from the component control output circuit 1007 and selectively electrically ground the trailer component 125.

[0089] In another aspect, the slave microcontroller 1003 can be configured to independently signal the trailer component 125 to enable or disable one or more functions or features independently of the supply or disconnection of power. The slave control circuit 1000 can include control logic 1014, which can be optionally programmed to distinguish the role of each individual trailer component 125. The role can be configured by specifying one or more operating modes to which the slave circuit 1000 should respond, or by specifying an address that uniquely identifies the slave control circuit (and any trailer component to which it is connected).

[0090] For example, the slave microcontroller 1003 may include control logic 1014 configured to operate the trailer component 125 as a left rear turn signal because of its physical location on the trailer 111. The "left turn signal" mode may be stored in the memory of the control logic 104. Thus, a control command 214 may be sent from the master control circuit 900 specifying that the trailer component 125, and any other trailer components 125 connected to similarly programmed circuits, should react as defined by the control logic 1014. Some possible modes that may be specified in the control command 214 and control logic 1014 include a braking mode, a left or right turn mode, a diagnostic mode, a hazard mode, etc., to name a few non-limiting examples.

[0091] In another example, the control logic 1014 can be configured or programmed to respond only to control commands 214 that include an address identifier that matches the address of the slave control circuit. In this example, one or more trailer components 125 can respond as a group based on the multiple addresses 305 of each slave control unit address specified in the command. In this example, the specific action to be taken can be defined by the type of message (e.g., a "brake enabled" message, a "camera off" message, a "software upgrade" message).

[0092] In yet another example, the trailer component 125 may be configured with control logic 1014 that retains both the mode 308 and the address 305 , thereby allowing the trailer component 125 to respond to control commands 214 specifically for the trailer component 125 while also allowing the trailer component 125 to be enabled as a group with other trailer components 125 based on the mode 308 .

[0093] In another aspect, the target mode to which the slave microcontroller 1003 should respond can optionally be defined by a mode interface 1024, which is optionally electrically connected to the slave microcontroller 1003 by a mode input line 1020. The mode interface 1024 can be configured to provide inputs that define the target mode to which a given trailer component 125 should respond. The mode interface 1024 can include switches, memory, logic, communication or network components, or other circuits configured to accept and store at least one target mode identifier 611 for the slave microcontroller 1003. For example, the mode interface 1024 can optionally include a set of dual in-line package (DIP) switches arranged to receive power from the voltage regulator 1017 and selectively send the power to the slave microcontroller 1003 using the mode input line 1020. In this example, the number of switches determines the number of different modes that the slave circuit can identify and respond to. For example, four switches can provide up to 16 different target pattern identifiers, while a switch can provide up to 256 different target pattern identifiers, while 10 switches can provide up to 1024 different target pattern identifiers, and so on.

[0094] In another aspect, the mode interface 1024 can receive one or more target mode identifiers 611 from the remote computing device 1028 via the communication link 1030. In this example, the target mode identifiers 611 can be installed remotely into the slave control circuit 1000. Thus, the number of different target mode identifiers 611 that can be referenced and uploaded to the control logic 1014 depends only on the storage capacity of the control logic 1014.

[0095] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 1000 may optionally include an addressing system as shown in the trailer component connector 300. The control logic 1014 may be configured to enable based on one or more addresses 305 that define which trailer components 125 of the cable system of the trailer 100 should respond. Specific addresses 305 may be independently assigned to some or all of the trailer component connectors 120 in the system. These addresses may be maintained by the slave microcontroller 1003 so that each component connector 120 may have a different address defined therein, thereby allowing each component to be notified independently and individually from the other trailer components 125.

[0096] The addressing functionality of the slave control circuit 1000 may optionally be implemented by the address interface 1026. In one aspect, a plurality of DIP switches may be included in the address interface 1026 and may be configured to assign a unique address to each trailer component 125. In this example, selectively positioning each switch in a predetermined "on" and "off" setting mode may provide the slave microcontroller 1003 with a binary number that uniquely identifies the slave control circuit 1000, and by extension, the trailer component 125 coupled thereto.

[0097] Increasing the number of switches is one way to increase the number of trailer components 125 that can be uniquely addressed by the master control circuit 900 in the cable system. For example, a switch can address up to 16 different trailer components, and 12 switches can uniquely address up to 4096 trailer components 125, and so on. In another aspect, the address interface 1026 can receive one or more target mode identifiers 611 from a remote computing device 1028 via a communication link 1030. In this example, the target mode identifier 611 can be installed remotely into the slave control circuit 1000. Therefore, the number of different target mode identifiers 611 that can be referenced and uploaded to the control logic 1014 depends only on the capacity of the control logic 1014.

[0098] Fig.11 Operational aspects of a cable system 1100 such as the cable system of trailer 100 and other similar systems disclosed elsewhere herein are shown. Fig.11 , the main control circuit 1103 is configured to accept the control input 202 and generate control commands 1160 for the trailer components 1114 , 1124 , 1134 , 1144 , and 1154 .

[0099] The master control circuit 1103 can be configured to individually signal the trailer components 1114 to 1154 to enable or disable one or more functions or features of these components. In another aspect, the control logic 1105 can be configured to automatically enable the trailer components based on information in the control logic 1105 that associates the component address with the control input 202.

[0100] In one example, the control command 1160 is generated by the main control circuit 1103 and is configured to define a plurality of independent trailer components 125 that should respond to the control command by specifying a plurality of addresses 1161 to 1165. In another aspect, the main control circuit 1103 may include a main control logic 1105 configured to determine which trailer components 125 should be addressed for a given control input 202. In another aspect, the main control circuit 1103 may include an address map 1106 that specifies the relationship between different control inputs 202 and component connectors 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140, and 1150 to enable for each input. The main control circuit 1103 may use the main control logic 1105 and the mode address map 1106 to process the input from the truck 105 and generate one or more control commands 1160 and 1170.

[0101] For example, components 1114 to 1154 may be at least five rear-facing lights mounted on the rear of trailer 111, the at least five rear-facing lights being mounted to five separate trailer component connectors 120 and each assigned a unique connector address 1112, 1122, 1132, 1142, and 1152. In this example, master control circuit 1103 may be configured to accept a brake input from truck 105 as control input 202 and based on the input generate control commands 1160 having corresponding matching command addresses 1161, 1162, 1163, 1164, and 1165. Master control circuit 1103 may send control commands 1160 having addresses associated with at least five rear-facing lights. The control command 1160 may be received by some or all of the component connectors 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140 and 1150 in the cable system, allowing each connector to match the address in the control command 1160 with an address stored in an individual trailer component connector 120 and enable or disable the trailer component 125 accordingly.

[0102] In another example, the trailer components 1114 to 1154 may include a rear proximity sensor trailer component 1114 and a backup camera trailer component 1124 installed in separate trailer component connectors 120 and each assigned a unique connector address 1112, 1122. In this example, the master control circuit 1103 may be configured to accept a reverse gear selection from the truck 105 as a control input 202 and based on the input generate a control command 1170 with corresponding command addresses 1171 and 1172 matching 1110 and 1120. The master control circuit 1103 may generate and send the control command 1170 to all trailer components 125, allowing each to match the address in the control command 1170 with the address stored in the trailer component connector 120 and enable or disable the trailer component 125 accordingly.

[0103] Fig.12 1 shows operational aspects of the cable system 1200 as disclosed elsewhere herein. Fig.12 In the embodiment of the present invention, the main control circuit 1203 is configured to accept the control input 202 and generate control commands 1260 for the trailer components 1218, 1228, 1238, 1248 and 1258. The main control circuit 1203 can be configured to independently send signals to the trailer components 1218 to 1258 to enable or disable one or more functions or features of these components. In another aspect, the main control logic 1205 can be configured to enable the trailer components based on one or more operating modes, which define which trailer components 125 of the cable system 1200 should respond to a given control input 202.

[0104] In one example, the control commands 1260 are generated by the main control circuit 1203 and configured to define one or more operating modes corresponding to the control input 202. In another aspect, the main control circuit 1203 can include a main control logic 1205 configured to determine which modes correspond to the control input 202. In another aspect, the main control circuit 1203 can include a mode map 1206 that specifies the relationship between the control input 202 and a mode, such as the command mode 1262. The main control circuit 1203 can use the main control logic 1205 and the mode map 1206 to process the input from the truck 105 and generate one or more control commands 1260.

[0105] For example, trailer components 1218, 1228, 1238, 1248, and 1258 may include at least three side lights mounted on the side of trailer 111, which are mounted to three independent trailer component connectors 120, such as 1210, 1220, and 1230. In this example, the master control circuit 1203 can be configured to accept a turn signal enable from the truck 105 as a control input 202 and generate a control command 1260 with a corresponding command pattern 1262. The master control circuit 1203 can send the control command 1260 with the command pattern 1262 to some or all of the component connectors 1210, 1220, 1230, 1240, and 1250 in the cable system 1200. Each trailer component connector 120 can then match the command pattern 1262 with the pattern (e.g., patterns 1212, 1214, 1222, 1224, 1234, 1236, etc.) stored in each trailer component connector 120. When the pattern stored in the trailer component connector 120 matches the command pattern 1262, the trailer component connector 120 can activate or deactivate the trailer component 125 accordingly.

[0106] exist Fig.12In another aspect shown in , individual trailer component connectors 120 can be configured to react to multiple modes. For example, component connector 1210 is configured to respond to control commands specifying connector modes 1212 and 1214, and component connector 1230 is configured to respond to connector modes 1234 and 1236. Thus, the upper side marker lights of trailer 111 can respond to a "left turn" mode as well as a "running light" mode, or the rear identification lights can operate in a "running light" mode as well as a "brake" mode. As shown for component connector 1250, any suitable number of modes can be assigned to a given trailer component connector 120.

[0107] Fig.13 1308. The remote computing device 1303 may be configured to provide software updates 1304 to the component connector 1308 and receive an operation history 1310 from the component connector 1308. The component connector 1308 may optionally include a maintenance interface 1312 for managing maintenance aspects of the component connector 1308 and a memory 1315 for storing software updates 1304 that may be applied to update control logic and other aspects of the component connector 1308.

[0108] In another aspect, the memory 1315 may also be used to maintain operational status information of the component connector 1308. For example, the status information may include the date, time, or other relevant information about the recent activation and deactivation of the trailer component coupled to the component connector 1308. The operational status may optionally include: data about the control logic in the component connector 1308, such as software updates 1304 that may have been recently applied; error codes; software failures; and / or diagnostic information that may be used for debugging purposes. Other operational status information may include: failure of a component or subcomponent of the component connector 1308; problems with circuits associated with the component connector 1308, such as short circuits, open circuits, intermittent circuit failures, corrosion, etc. In one aspect, the component connector 1308 may include a lamp power failure detection circuit for determining when one or more LEDs of the lamp have failed. This information may be stored in the memory 1315 and sent to the remote computing device 1303 so that the trailer 111 can be marked as requiring maintenance.

[0109] Software updates 1304 may be communicated to component connector 1308, and operation history 1310 may be communicated to remote computing device 1303 using communication link 1305 coupling remote computing device 1303 to component connector 1308. Communication link 1305 may be implemented using any suitable communication method, such as via a wireless link between remote computing device 1303 and component connector 1308. In another aspect, communication link 1305 may be implemented as a physical wired connection, such as via a USB cable or the like.

[0110] In one example, the remote computing device 1303 is a tablet computer configured to execute a maintenance application. The remote computing device 1303 may be configured by the maintenance application to establish a communication link 1305 with one or more component connectors 1308 mounted to the trailer 111. In this example, the communication link 1305 is preferably a wireless communication link between the remote computing device 1303 and the component connector 1308, such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. The remote computing device 1303 may be configured to interact with the maintenance interface 1312 to upload software updates 1304 as needed to keep the control logic and other operating parameters of the component connector 1308 updated. The remote computing device 1303 may also be configured to interact with the maintenance interface 1312 to download the operation history 1310 so that it can be analyzed to find vulnerabilities in the control logic, study the time and other circumstances related to the failure of the component connected to the component connector 1308, and / or notify the maintenance system that the component connector 1308 of the trailer 111 should be inspected, cleaned, upgraded, or otherwise maintained.

[0111] Fig.14 1400, which may be included in the trailer component connectors shown in the previous figures. In one aspect, the trailer component connector 1400 includes power connection terminals 1403 and ground connection terminals 1405, at least a portion of which are contained within a housing including an integrally molded structure 1408. In another aspect, the trailer component connector 1400 includes slave control circuits such as those disclosed elsewhere herein, and the slave control circuits are partially or fully contained within the integrally molded structure 1408. Fig.14, a portion of the control circuit switch 1412 protrudes from the integrally molded structure 1408 so that the control circuit can be physically manipulated to specify an address, operating mode, or other operational aspect of the trailer component connector 1400. In another aspect, the trailer 111 optionally includes multiple identical connectors 1400, electrically connecting all trailer components 125 to the same trailer component connector 120. In this example, the same connector 120 provides an opportunity to use interchangeable connectors for any trailer component 120, thereby reducing or eliminating the complexity of maintaining different types of connectors for different trailer components.

[0112] In another aspect, trailer component connector 1400 includes a housing enclosing one end of component power connection cable 1420, component ground connection cable 1424, communication cable 1415, and optional second communication cable 1417. In this example, at least the enclosed portion of the housing includes an integrally molded structure 1408. Power connection terminals 1403 and ground connection terminals 1405 may also extend from the integrally molded structure 1408 to terminate within the housing and be electrically connected to slave control circuits enclosed therein. In this example, switch 1412 operates as a mode or address selector and extends outside the housing.

[0113] From other implementation details, the integrally molded structure 1408 may include or be formed of any suitable material (such as a polymer material). In another aspect, the switch 1412 may include a plurality of two-position switches that operate as a mode selector. In this example, the mode identifier of the trailer component connector 1400 is defined by the position of the switch. In another aspect, the trailer component connector 1400 may include aspects discussed above regarding the component connector 1308, such as a communication link that supports wireless access to maintenance aspects of the trailer component connector 1400. In another aspect, the trailer component connector 1400 may be configured to receive software updates for changing operational aspects (such as a mode identifier, an address of the trailer component connector 1400, etc.). The trailer component connector 1400 may include a memory configured to store this information, and may provide a wired or wireless communication link so that a remote computing device such as the remote computing device 1303 can be used to implement changes to the operational aspects of the trailer component connector 1400.

[0114] Fig.15 An example of a trailer component 1500 that may be electrically connected to a cable system such as discussed elsewhere herein is shown. Fig.15 The trailer components 125 shown in the figure are merely examples of components that may be included in the trailer 111 and should not be construed as an exhaustive list or otherwise limiting the types of components contemplated. Other components may be included, while some of the components listed here may be excluded, depending on the type of trailer and other factors.

[0115] The trailer components 1500 may include lights 1502, a brake system 1507, sensors 1505, a camera 1509, and / or a cooling system 1512. For example, the lights 1502 may include, but are not limited to, running lights 1513, interior lights 1515 for illuminating the interior of the trailer, side marker lights / position lights / identification lights 1516 for marking the end of the trailer, backup lights 1517 for illuminating the area behind the trailer, license plate lights 1519 for illuminating the license plate area on the trailer, parking lights 1521 that may be illuminated when the vehicle is actively braking, tail lights 1523, left turn signals 1527 and right turn signals 1525, and / or stop / tail / turn lights 1528.

[0116] Sensors 1505 may include any of the following: a temperature sensor 1529 for sensing the temperature in and / or around trailer 111; a door sensor 1531 configured to optionally sense when a trailer door is open or closed; a cargo sensor 1533 configured to optionally sense the weight, position, and / or other attributes of cargo in or on trailer 111; a humidity sensor 1535 for optionally sensing absolute or relative humidity in and / or around trailer 103; a tank level sensor 1537 for optionally sensing the height of a fluid (liquid or gas) carried by trailer 111; a proximity sensor 1539 for optionally sensing the proximity of trailer 111 relative to nearby objects; and / or a tire pressure sensor 1541 for optionally sensing the pressure level of tires of trailer 111.

[0117] The brake system 1507 optionally includes an anti-lock brake (ABS) controller 1543 for controlling the ABS brake system; an ABS light 1545, which is optionally used to indicate the status or failure of the brake system 1507; and / or a pressure sensor 1547, which is optionally included to sense hydraulic or air pressure changes in the brake system 1507. Other optional trailer components include: cameras 1509, such as: one or more backup cameras 1555, which are used to optionally capture a view of the surrounding area directly behind the trailer 111; and one or more side cameras 1557, which are used to optionally capture a view of the area adjacent to the side of the trailer 111.

[0118] Components of the refrigeration system 1512 may include: a temperature sensor 1549, which is used to determine the temperature within the refrigerated cargo area of ​​the trailer; a controller 1551, which is configured to control the refrigeration cycle in the refrigeration system; and a refrigerant level 1553, which is used to determine the refrigerant level in the refrigeration system 1512.

[0119] Fig.16Operational aspects of trailer light 1600 are shown, which may be associated with a light mounted to trailer 111 using the disclosed cable system and trailer component connectors. Fig.16 In the embodiment of the present invention, the master control circuit 1601 is coupled to the trailer component connector 120 via a cable system 1603. A plurality of instructions 1602 may be sent from the master control circuit 1601 to the trailer component connector 120 and processed by the slave control circuit 320. Thus, the light 1610 coupled to the trailer component connector 120 is configured to be activated and deactivated as discussed throughout the current disclosure.

[0120] In another aspect, the operating status 1605 information can be sent back to the master control circuit 1601 by the trailer component connector 120 using the cable system 1603, thereby providing the master control circuit 1601 with historical information about the light 1610. In another aspect, the light 1610 includes one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit 320 can include a power failure detection circuit configured to determine when one or more individual LEDs have failed. The slave control circuit 320 is configured to send data about the operating status 1605 to the master control circuit 1601 using the cable system 1603, thereby allowing two-way communication between the master control circuit 1601 and the light 1610.

[0121] Fig.17 Operational aspects of the temperature sensor 1700 are shown, which may be associated with a temperature sensor mounted to the trailer 111 using the disclosed cable system and trailer component connector. Fig.17 In the embodiment of the present invention, the master control circuit 1701 is coupled to the trailer component connector 120 via the cable system 1703. A plurality of commands 1702 may be sent from the master control circuit 1701 to the trailer component connector 120 and processed by the slave control circuit 320 as disclosed herein. Thus, as discussed throughout the current disclosure, the temperature sensor 1710 coupled to the trailer component connector 120 is configured to be enabled and disabled.

[0122] In another aspect, temperature data 1705 can be sent back to the master control circuit 1701 by the trailer component connector 120 using the cable system 1703. This allows the temperature sensor 1710 to provide a data stream representing the sensed input from the temperature sensor 1710, in this case, it is the temperature at the sensor. The slave control circuit 320 is configured to accept the temperature data 1705 from the temperature sensor and send the temperature data 1705 to the master control circuit 1701 using the cable system 1703. Other types of sensors (such as humidity, pressure, weight, etc.) can also operate similarly when connected to the trailer component connector 120 in this manner. Therefore, components such as temperature sensors 1710 can communicate bidirectionally with the master control circuit 1701 when they are enabled and disabled according to the command 1702, and in turn provide temperature data 1705 and operating status 1708 to the master control circuit 1701.

[0123] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 320 can include a power failure detection circuit configured to determine the operating status 1708 of the temperature sensor 1710. The slave control circuit 320 can be configured to send data regarding the operating status 1708 to the master control circuit 1701 using the cable system 1703.

[0124] Fig.18 Operational aspects of a trailer mounted camera 1800 are shown that may be associated with a camera mounted to a trailer 111 using the disclosed cable system and trailer component connectors. Fig.18 In the embodiment of the present invention, the master control circuit 1801 is coupled to the trailer component connector 120 via a cable system 1803. A plurality of commands 1802 may be sent from the master control circuit 1801 to the trailer component connector 120 and processed by the slave control circuit 320 as disclosed herein. Thus, as discussed throughout the current disclosure, the camera 1810 coupled to the trailer component connector 120 is configured to be activated and deactivated.

[0125] In another aspect, the image data 1805 can be sent back to the master control circuit 1801 by the trailer component connector 120 using the cable system 1803. This allows the camera 1810 to provide a data stream representing the image data 1805 captured by the camera 1810. The slave control circuit 320 is configured to accept the image data 1805 from the camera 1810 and send the image data 1805 to the master control circuit 1801 using the cable system 1803. In this way, components such as the camera 1810 can communicate bidirectionally with the master control circuit 1801, as they are enabled and disabled according to the command 1802, and in turn provide the image data 1805 and operating status 1808 to the master control circuit 1801.

[0126] In another aspect, the slave control circuit 320 can be configured to send data regarding the operating status 1808 to the master control circuit 1801 using the cable system 1803. This can include any relevant information regarding the camera 1810, such as notification of a power outage, circuit failure, or other fault in a connector or cable. In another aspect, the camera 1810 can send status information related to: the quality of the image captured; lighting or other conditions that affect the image quality; overall visibility levels; detection of weather events (such as fog, rain, or glare from the sun), etc.

[0127] Fig.19 1900 is a component diagram illustrating maintenance aspects 1900 of a master control circuit 1908 as shown in the previous figures and discussed elsewhere herein. A remote computing device 1905 may be configured to provide software updates 1904 to the master control circuit 1908 and receive an operational history 1903 over time from the master control circuit 1908. The master control circuit 1908 optionally includes a maintenance interface 1909 for managing maintenance aspects of the master control circuit 1908 and a memory 1914 for storing software updates 1904 applicable to update control logic and other aspects of the master control circuit 1908.

[0128] The trailer components may also transmit data to the master control circuit 1908. For example, operational status 1915 information regarding the status of attached trailer components may be transmitted by some or all of the trailer components 125. Similarly, component data 1916 provided by some of the trailer components may also be transmitted to the master control circuit 1908. This data may be provided by, for example, sensors, cameras, microphones, or other data collection devices built into the trailer components 125 that are coupled to the master control circuit 1908. The operational status 1915 and component data 1916 may be transmitted to the master control circuit 1908 using the communication cable 134 and optional additional communication cables 137 or any other suitable data transmission means, and stored in the memory 1914 for later processing and / or transmission to the remote computing device 1905.

[0129] In another aspect, the memory 1914 may also be used to maintain operational status information of the main control circuit 1908. For example, the status information may include the date, time, or other relevant information about the recent activation and deactivation of the trailer components connected to the main control circuit 1908. The operational status may optionally include data about the control logic in the main control circuit 1908, such as software updates 1904 that may have been recently applied, error codes, software failures, and / or diagnostic information that may be used for debugging purposes. Other operational status information may include failures of the trailer components 125, such as short circuits, open circuits, intermittent component failures, corrosion of wiring or contacts, etc. In one aspect, the main control circuit 1908 may include a fault detection circuit 1911 for determining when one or more trailer components 125 have intermittent or permanent power failures or failures of the trailer components 125 themselves or certain functional aspects of the components. This information may be stored in the memory 1914 and sent to the remote computing device 1905 so that the trailer 111 can be marked as requiring maintenance.

[0130] The software updates 1904 may be transmitted to the main control circuit 1908, and the operation history 1903, optionally including the relevant operating status 1915 and component data 1916 or other information about the operation of the cable system, may be transmitted to the remote computing device 1905 using a communication link 1907 that couples the remote computing device 1905 to the main control circuit 1908. The communication link 1907 may be implemented using any suitable communication method, such as via a wireless link between the remote computing device 1905 and the main control circuit 1908, such as via a Bluetooth or WiFi connection. In another aspect, the communication link 1907 may be implemented as a physical wired connection, such as via a USB cable or the like.

[0131] In one example, the remote computing device 1905 is a tablet computer configured to execute a maintenance application. In another example, the remote computing device 1905 is a server computer that can be used to collect and process the operation history 1903. The remote computing device 1905 can be configured to establish a communication link 1907 with one or more master control circuits 1908 installed on different trailers 111. In this example, the communication link 1907 is preferably a wireless communication link, such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection between the remote computing device 1905 and the master control circuit 1908. In another aspect, the communication link 1907 can include a Bluetooth connection to a tablet computer located near the trailer 111, a Wi-Fi connection between the tablet computer and a nearby network, and a fiber optic network connection connecting the nearby network to the remote server computer.

[0132] The remote computing device 1905 can be configured to interact with the maintenance interface 1909 to download software updates 1904 as needed to keep the control logic and other operating parameters of the main control circuit 1908 up to date. The remote computing device 1905 can also be configured to interact with the maintenance interface 1909 to upload the operation history 1903 so that it can be analyzed to find loopholes in the control logic, study the timing and other circumstances of failure of components connected to the main control circuit 1908. In another aspect, the remote computing device 1905 and the maintenance interface 1909 cooperate to find problems or potential failures in the trailer components 125 or the main control circuit 1908, or notify maintenance personnel to schedule due preventive maintenance.

[0133] Figure 20 to Figure 26 Three different examples of how trailer components 125 may be configured and arranged on different types of truck trailers and examples of how trailer components 125 may be configured to operate when coupled to a cable system (as disclosed herein) are shown. These illustrations represent the requirements for semi-trailers as indicated in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), with respect to lights and reflective devices found at 49 CFR 393.11. Some trailers may include additional lighting or other trailer components. Thus, Figures 20 to 25 It is illustrative and should not be considered restrictive.

[0134] Fig. 20 and Fig.21 A dry van or box-type semi-trailer 2000 is shown. Mounted along the top front and sides of this example of a box-type trailer are front clearance lights 2002, upper front left marker lights 2004, and upper center left marker lights 2006. Mounted along the lower sides are lower front left marker lights 2008, side markers 2010, center side reflectors 2012, lower center side marker lights 2014, side markers 2016, and left rear marker lights and reflectors 2018. Fig.21 2024, right rear position lamp 2026, rear upper body emblem 2028, and rear upper body emblem 2030 are arranged along the top of the rear of the trailer. Along the bottom of the trailer are left rear stop turn tail lamp and reflector 2034 and right rear stop turn tail lamp and reflector 2036 arranged on opposite sides with rear lower body emblem 2032 extending therebetween, license plate lamp 2038 providing lighting around the license plate area, and bumper emblem 2040 providing logo near the rear of the bottom of the truck trailer.

[0135] Fig. 22 and Fig.23A bulk liquid or tanker semi-trailer 2200 is shown with an upper front left marker light 2004 and an upper middle left marker light 2006 mounted along the side of the trailer, approximately in the middle of the side of the bulk liquid container portion. Along the front lower portion of the trailer are included front clearance lights 2002, lower front left marker lights 2008, side markers 2010, middle side reflective reflectors 2012 and side markers 2016 mounted along both sides of the lower portion, and left rear marker lights and reflective reflectors 2018 mounted on both sides of the rear portion. One or more rear upper body markers 2028, rear identification lights 2024, and rear upper body markers 2030 are arranged around the upper portion of the rear portion of the trailer in a clockwise configuration. The rear upper body markers 2028 and rear upper body markers 2030 are arranged along the top of the rear portion of the trailer. Along the bottom of the trailer are 2034 and right rear parking turn tail lights and reflective reflectors 2036 arranged on opposite sides, with the rear lower body marker 2032 extending between the two. One or more license plate lights 2038 provide lighting around the license plate area, and bumper emblems 2040 provide emblems near the bottom rear of the truck trailer.

[0136] Fig.24 and Fig.25 A gooseneck flatbed semi-trailer 2400 is shown with side markers 2016 along the gooseneck portion of the trailer, and with front position lights 2002, upper center left marker lights 2006, lower front left marker lights 2008, side markers 2016, and left rear marker lights and reflectors 2018 along the sides of the flatbed portion. One or more rear upper body markers 2030 are arranged at the rear of the gooseneck portion, while left rear stop turn taillight and reflector 2034, left rear position light 2022, rear upper body marker 2028, center side reflector 2012, right rear stop turn taillight and reflector 2036, and right rear position light 2026 are mounted along the rear of the flatbed portion of the trailer. Other aspects include a license plate light 2038 for illuminating the license plate area and a marker 2042 for the lower end of the rear bumper.

[0137] Fig.26 Several examples of the disclosed cable system in operation for trailer 100 according to the present disclosure are provided. Fig.26 In the example shown, the trailer components are lights located around the trailer and refer to the front Figure 20 to Figure 25 These positions are discussed in the context of the locations indicated in . Fig.26 Each row in the table represents a separate operating mode based on operator input, and each column represents an individual trailer component. "F" indicates a light that is enabled in a flashing mode. "O" indicates a light that is enabled and steady (i.e., not flashing). An empty cell indicates a disabled light. While these examples show lights, other trailer components can also be enabled and disabled based on different operating modes.

[0138] Fig.26Several common activation schemes are shown for comparison, one of which is presented at 2605. The left turn mode of operation is usually initiated when the driver activates the turn signal. As shown at 2605, this generally causes the lower center side marker light 2014 to flash and causes the activation of the turn signal light at 2034.

[0139] 2610 provides another possible result of a system based on the present disclosure. In this example, the lower center side marker light 2014, the left rear position light 2022, and the left rear parking turn tail light at 2034 are configured to be enabled when in the left turn mode of operation, thereby providing additional notification to surrounding vehicles by illuminating more lights than the more common configuration shown at 2605.

[0140] In another left turn example at 2615, the upper left front side marker light 2004, the upper center left side marker light 2006, the lower front left side marker light 2008, the lower center side marker light 2014, the left rear position marker light 2022, and the stop and turn signal lights at 2034 are all enabled in a flashing mode to provide more warning that the truck trailer is about to turn left.

[0141] In another aspect, the disclosed system can be configured to use different or additional lighting in the braking mode. At 2620, a conventional activation scheme using hardwired circuits to specific lights is included for reference. In the braking mode, the brake lights at 2034 and 2036 are activated. 2625 shows an example of the disclosed system operating in the braking mode, where the left rear marker lights 2022, the rear identification lights 2024, the right rear marker lights 2026, and the turn signals at 2034 and 2036 are activated in a "steady" mode to provide additional warning that the trailer is stopping.

[0142] The combination of braking and turning is shown at 2630, 2635, and 2640. In a more common implementation, the lower center side marker lamp 2014 and the turn signal lamp at 2034 are enabled to flash, while the parking lamps at 2034 and 2036 are enabled to be on steadily. The disclosed system operates at 2635 by enabling the lower center side marker lamp 2014 to flash along with the turn signal lamp at 2034; while enabling the left rear position lamp 2022, the rear identification lamp 2024, the right rear position lamp 2026, and the parking lamps at 2034 and 2036 to remain on steadily. This example also provides additional warnings for the braking and turn signal functions by selectively enabling additional lights.

[0143] In another aspect shown at 2640, the upper front left side marker light 2004, the upper middle left side marker light 2006, the lower front left side marker light 2008, the lower middle side marker light 2014, the left rear position light 2022 and the turn signals at 2034 are enabled in a flashing mode, while the rear identification light 2024, the right rear position light 2026 and the parking lights at 2034 and 2036 are stably enabled, thereby taking full advantage of the left side lights and the rear lights to provide additional warning of the left turn and parking maneuvers that are occurring.

[0144] Other examples of the disclosed concepts include the following set of numbered examples.

[0145] Example 1:

[0146] A cable system for a trailer, comprising:

[0147] a power cable, a ground cable, and at least one communications cable mounted to the trailer;

[0148] A nose box mounted to the trailer, the nose box has:

[0149] a) a plurality of terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor, seven connection terminals including a ground cable and a power cable; and

[0150] b) a main control circuit mounted in the nose box, the main control circuit being electrically connected to the seven connection terminals, the power cables, the ground cable, and the at least one communication cable, wherein the main control circuit is configured to accept control inputs from the truck tractor via the six independent power cable connections and generate component control commands for controlling one or more individual trailer components mounted to the trailer, and wherein the main control circuit is configured to send control commands to the trailer components via the at least one communication cable.

[0151] Example 2:

[0152] The cable system of any preceding example, comprising a plurality of trailer component connectors, each having:

[0153] a) a power connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the individual trailer components to a power cable;

[0154] b) an earth connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the individual trailer components to the power supply cable; and

[0155] c) a slave control circuit electrically connected to the power cable, the ground cable and the at least one communication cable and configured to receive a control command sent by the master control circuit and selectively control one of the individual trailer components according to the control command.

[0156] Example 3:

[0157] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the main control circuit comprises:

[0158] Main microcontroller; and

[0159] A master transceiver is electrically connected to the master microcontroller and at least one communication cable.

[0160] Example 4:

[0161] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the slave control circuit comprises:

[0162] A slave microcontroller; and

[0163] a slave transceiver electrically connected to the slave microcontroller and to at least one communication cable,

[0164] Therein, the slave microcontroller uses the slave transceiver to receive the control commands sent by the master transceiver.

[0165] Example 5:

[0166] The cable system of any of the preceding examples, comprising:

[0167] Two communication cables electrically connected to the main control circuit,

[0168] Wherein the master control circuit comprises a control area network (CAN) controller electrically connected to the communication cable, and / or wherein the slave control circuit comprises a slave CAN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using a CAN protocol.

[0169] Example 6:

[0170] The cable system of any of the preceding examples, comprising:

[0171] A communication cable electrically connected to a master control circuit, wherein the master control circuit includes a local interconnect network (LIN) controller electrically connected to the communication cable, and / or wherein the slave control circuit includes a slave LIN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using a LIN protocol.

[0172] Example 7:

[0173] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the slave control circuit defines a mode identifier, and wherein the control command sent by the master control circuit includes a target mode identifier, the target mode identifier specifying the trailer component to which the control command is directed, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to:

[0174] comparing a target mode identifier in a control command received from the master control circuit with a mode identifier of the slave control circuit; and

[0175] When the target mode identifier matches the mode identifier of the slave control circuit, the individual trailer components are electrically connected to the power cable.

[0176] Example 8:

[0177] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the one or more trailer components include at least five rear-facing lights mounted on the rear of the trailer, the at least five rear-facing lights being mounted in five separate trailer component connectors having separate addresses, and wherein the master control circuit is configured to:

[0178] accepts brake input from the truck tractor; and

[0179] A control command is sent having a target address associated with at least five rear-facing lights.

[0180] Example 9:

[0181] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the slave control circuits of the plurality of trailer component connectors include a plurality of two-position switches for defining mode identifiers of the slave control circuits.

[0182] Example 10:

[0183] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the master control circuit includes control logic configured to process input from the truck tractor and generate one or more control commands for one or more of the individual trailer components.

[0184] Example 11:

[0185] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the master control circuit includes a maintenance interface configured to receive control logic from a remote device.

[0186] Example 12:

[0187] The cable system of any of the preceding examples, wherein the individual trailer components include vehicle stop / tail / turn lights, vehicle turn signal lights, vehicle brake lights, vehicle tail lights, vehicle running lights, vehicle anti-lock brakes, vehicle interior lights, vehicle reverse lights, or any combination thereof.

[0188] Example 13:

[0189] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the individual trailer components include an anti-lock brake system controller, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a door sensor, a cargo sensor, a cargo length sensor, a fluid level sensor, a refrigeration sensor, or any combination thereof.

[0190] Example 14:

[0191] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the power connection terminal, the ground connection terminal, and the slave control circuit are partially or completely contained in an integrally molded structure.

[0192] Example 15:

[0193] The cable system of any of the foregoing examples, wherein one of the individual trailer components is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating status of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data about the operating status to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0194] Example 16:

[0195] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein one of the individual trailer components is a temperature sensor, and the slave control circuit is configured to receive temperature data from the temperature sensor and transmit the temperature data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0196] Example 17:

[0197] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein one of the individual trailer components is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and transmit the image data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

[0198] Example 18:

[0199] The cable system of any preceding example, wherein the plurality of terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor includes seven connection terminals, the seven connection terminals including a ground cable and six independent power cables.

[0200] Example 19:

[0201] A connector for a trailer component in a truck trailer, comprising:

[0202] a mains power connection, a ground connection, and at least one communications cable connection; and

[0203] component power connections for electrically connecting individual trailer components to a power source;

[0204] a component ground connection for electrically connecting an individual trailer component to ground;

[0205] a slave control circuit electrically connected to the component power connection, the component ground connection, the master power connection, the ground connection, and the at least one communication cable connection, wherein the slave control circuit is configured to:

[0206] a) receiving a control command sent by a main control circuit using at least one communication cable connection, wherein the control command includes a mode identifier; and

[0207] b) electrically connecting the component power connection with the master power connection to power the individual trailer component when the mode identifier in the control command matches the component mode identifier stored in the slave control circuit; and

[0208] A mode selector is configured to accept an input defining a component mode identifier.

[0209] Example 20:

[0210] According to the connector of Example 19, the connector has a shell, wherein a main power connection, a ground connection, at least one communication cable connection, a component power connection and one end of a component ground connection terminal terminate within the shell, wherein a slave control circuit is enclosed within the shell, and wherein a portion of a mode selector extends outside the shell.

[0211] Example 21:

[0212] The connector according to any one of Examples 19 to 20, wherein the housing is an integrally molded structure formed of a polymer material.

[0213] Example 22:

[0214] The connector according to any of Examples 19 to 21, wherein the mode selector comprises a plurality of two-position switches, and wherein the mode identifier is defined by the position of the switches.

[0215] Example 23:

[0216] The connector according to any one of Examples 19 to 22, comprising:

[0217] a maintenance interface configured to receive a component mode identifier from a remote device; and

[0218] A memory is configured to store a component mode identifier.

[0219] Example 24:

[0220] A connector according to any of Examples 19 to 23, wherein a main power connection, a ground connection, and at least one communication cable connection are electrically connected to a main control circuit mounted in a trailer nose box of the trailer, wherein the main control circuit is configured to accept control inputs from a truck tractor, and wherein the main control circuit is configured to generate different component control commands specific to one or more individual trailer components based on the control inputs.

[0221] Example 25:

[0222] The connector according to any of examples 19 to 24, wherein the trailer nose box comprises:

[0223] Seven connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor, the seven connection terminals include a ground cable connection and six independent power cable connections.

[0224] Example 26:

[0225] A connector according to any of Examples 19 to 25, wherein the individual trailer component is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating state of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data about the operating state to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0226] Example 27:

[0227] A connector according to any of Examples 19 to 26, wherein the individual trailer component is a temperature sensor and the slave control circuit is configured to accept temperature data from the temperature sensor and send the temperature data to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0228] Example 28:

[0229] A connector according to any of Examples 19 to 27, wherein the separate trailer component is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and send the image data to the master control circuit using at least one communication cable.

[0230] Definitions and Alternative Glossary

[0231] Although examples of the present invention are shown in the drawings and described herein, the disclosure should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. The disclosure is exemplary in nature and includes all variations, equivalents, and modifications within the spirit of the invention. In order to promote an understanding of the principles of the present invention, a detailed description is included herein to discuss various aspects of the examples shown in the drawings. The scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. Any changes and further modifications to the described examples that would normally occur to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention relates, as well as any further application of the principles described herein, are contemplated. Some examples are disclosed in detail, however, for the sake of clarity, some features that may not be relevant may be omitted.

[0232] Where publications, patents, and patent applications are referenced herein, they are understood to be incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

[0233] Unless expressly discussed otherwise, the singular forms "a," "an," "the," etc. include plural referents. By way of illustration, reference to "a device" or "the device" includes one or more such devices and their equivalents.

[0234] Directional terms such as "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "lateral", "longitudinal", "radial", "circumferential", etc. are used herein only for the convenience of the reader to help the reader understand the illustrated examples. The use of these directional terms does not in any way limit the described, illustrated and / or claimed features to a particular direction and / or orientation.

[0235] Multiple related items with the same part number that are distinguished by letters in separate examples shown in the drawings may be generally represented by a distinguishable portion of the full name and / or simply by numbers. For example, if multiple "laterally extending elements" 90A, 90B, 90C, and 90D are shown in the drawings, the present disclosure may refer to these elements as "laterally extending elements 90A to 90D", or as "laterally extending element 90", or by a distinguishable portion of the full name, such as "element 90".

[0236] Unless expressly defined below, the language used in this disclosure is presumed to have only its plain and ordinary meaning. The words used in the definitions contained herein have only their plain and ordinary meaning. Such plain and ordinary meanings include all consistent dictionary definitions in the most recently published Webster and Random House dictionaries. As used herein, the following definitions apply to the following terms or their common variations (e.g., singular / plural form, past / present tense, etc.).

[0237] "Enable" is often used as a synonym for "provide power" or to refer to "enabling a specific function" for a powered circuit or electronic device.

[0238] An "address" generally refers to a label useful for identifying a location or thing. Examples include a specific memory area in a computer from which data can be retrieved or stored. In the context of computer networks, an Internet Protocol address is a series of numbers used to uniquely identify a host on the network so that other computers connected to the network can direct data packets to a specific host. Similarly, in a Controller Area Network (CAN) in a vehicle, addresses are used to direct the movement of data to various nodes on the network.

[0239] "Anti-lock Braking System" generally refers to a vehicle safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle (including trailers) to maintain traction contact with the road surface when braking, based on driver input, to prevent the wheels from locking (stopping rotation), and avoiding uncontrolled skidding. ABS systems automatically apply the principles of threshold braking and rhythm braking, albeit faster and with better control than the driver could normally manage manually. ABS systems include wheel speed sensors to detect reduced wheel rotation that indicates impending wheel lock. Also included is an ABS controller that can automatically actuate the braking system to reduce braking force on the affected wheels and quickly reapply braking force when the risk of wheel lock is reduced. This overall feedback loop can be executed many times a second, resulting in rapid activation and deactivation of braking force or "pulses" of braking.

[0240] Maximum braking force is obtained when there is approximately 10% to 20% slip between the rotational speed of the braked wheel and the road surface. Beyond this point, rolling grip decreases rapidly and sliding friction provides a greater proportion of the force in slowing the vehicle. Sliding friction can be very low due to local heating and melting of the tires. When braking at or above peak braking force, steering inputs are largely ineffective because the grip of the tires is completely consumed in braking the vehicle.

[0241] Threshold braking aims to achieve peak friction by maintaining the maximum braking force possible without allowing the wheels to slip excessively. Braking beyond the slip point causes the tires to slip, which reduces the frictional adhesion between the tires and the driving surface. The goal of threshold braking is to keep the amount of tire slip at the optimal amount, the value that produces the maximum friction, and therefore the maximum braking force. When the wheels are slipping significantly (dynamic friction), the amount of friction available for braking is generally much less than when the wheels are not slipping (static friction), thus reducing the braking force. Peak friction occurs between the static and dynamic endpoints, and this is the point that threshold braking attempts to maintain.

[0242] "Cycle" braking or "intermittent" braking involves pumping the brake pedal and is used to both steer and brake the car on slippery surfaces. ABS systems usually provide this behavior automatically, and at much higher speeds than most drivers can produce manually. It is used to achieve emergency stops in traction-restricted situations to reduce the effects of wheel slip on a locked road surface when braking. This is particularly problematic when different tires have different traction, such as on jagged icy surfaces. Cycle braking maximizes the time the driver has to maneuver around an obstacle ahead because it allows the driver to steer while slowing down.

[0243] Anti-lock brakes generally provide improved vehicle control and reduce stopping distances on dry and slippery surfaces; however, on loose gravel or snow-covered roads, anti-lock brakes can significantly increase stopping distances, although vehicle steering control is still improved.

[0244] A "backup camera" generally refers to a rear-facing camera mounted on a vehicle or trailer that is designed to capture images of the area directly behind the vehicle.

[0245] "Brake lights" or "stop lights" generally refer to lights mounted on or near the rear of a vehicle or trailer that are configured to illuminate when the vehicle or trailer brakes to warn others that the vehicle is slowing down. Brake lights are typically mounted on the rear of a vehicle or trailer and are typically configured to emit a red light. As used herein, the term generally refers to stop lights that meet current legal and / or regulatory requirements for trucks or trailers, such as illuminated surface area, candela, etc. These regulations include, for example, Title 49 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, Section 571.108, also known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108.

[0246] "Braking mode" generally refers to a specific vehicle mode that is engaged when the vehicle is decelerated by the application of the braking system. The mode can be engaged only briefly, such as lightly applying the brakes, or it can be engaged and maintained for any period of time, such as when in stopped traffic.

[0247] "Cable" generally refers to one or more elongated strands of material that can be used to carry electromagnetic or electrical energy. Metal or other conductive materials can be used to carry electrical current. In another example, strands of glass, acrylic, or other substantially transparent material may be included in a cable used to carry light, such as a fiber optic cable. The cable may include connectors at each end of the elongated strands for connecting to other cables to provide additional length. A cable is often synonymous with a node in an electrical circuit and provides a connection between elements in a circuit, but does not include circuit elements. Therefore, any voltage drop across the cable is a function of the total resistance of the materials used.

[0248] The electrical cable may include a jacket or layer of non-conductive material surrounding the cable to electrically insulate the cable from inadvertent electrical connection with other conductive material adjacent to the cable.

[0249] The cable may include multiple individual component cables, wires, or strands, each with or without a non-conductive sheath. The cable may also include a non-conductive sheath or layer around the conductive material and one or more layers of conductive shielding material around the non-conductive sheath to capture stray electromagnetic energy that may be emitted by electromagnetic signals propagating along the conductive material of the cable and to insulate the cable from stray electromagnetic energy that may be present in the environment through which the cable passes. Examples of cables include twisted pair, coaxial cable, "twin lead", fiber optic cable, hybrid optical and electrical cables, ribbon cables having multiple side-by-side wires, and the like.

[0250] A "cable system" generally refers to one or more cables configured to operate together to achieve a result. For example, a cable system includes multiple cables or conductors that operate together to transmit electromagnetic energy. Examples include twisted pair network cables used to carry data on a network, coaxial cables that carry radio frequency signals from a transmitter to an antenna, multiple wires that carry power to different parts of a vehicle such as a truck or trailer, or three-wire AC wiring such as the wires commonly used to carry power in a home. Cable systems may also be used to achieve results mechanically, such as in the case of a cable-stayed bridge where one or more cables are used to support the bridge, or in the case of a crane that may use one or more cables to lift and / or move a load.

[0251] "Cargo sensor" generally refers to a sensor configured to determine whether at least a portion of a trailer is loaded or unloaded. Any suitable sensing technology may be used for this purpose. Examples include cargo sensors using ultrasonic detection, optical image analysis of the cargo area, or laser time-of-flight measurements for detecting the presence of cargo in the cargo area.

[0252] A "computer" or "computing device" generally refers to a device configured to compute a result from any number of input values ​​or variables. A computer may include a processor for performing calculations to process the inputs or outputs. A computer may include a memory for storing values ​​to be processed by the processor, or for storing the results of previous processing.

[0253] Computers can also be configured to accept input and output from a wide range of input and output devices for receiving or sending values. These devices include other computers, keyboards, mice, visual displays, printers, industrial equipment, and systems or machines of all types and sizes. For example, a computer can control a network or network interface to perform various network communications upon request. A network interface can be part of the computer or can be characterized as being separate and remote from the computer.

[0254] A computer may be a single, physical computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer), or may consist of multiple devices of the same type (e.g., a group of servers operating as one device in a network cluster), or a heterogeneous combination of different computing devices operating as one computer and linked together by a communications network. The communications network connected to the computer may also be connected to a wider network, such as the Internet. Thus, a computer may include one or more physical processors or other computing devices or circuits, and may also include any suitable type of memory.

[0255] A computer may also be a virtual computing platform with an unknown or fluctuating number of physical processors and memory or storage devices. Thus, a computer may be physically located in one geographic location, or physically distributed across several widely dispersed locations with multiple processors linked together by a communications network to operate as a single computer.

[0256] The concepts of "computer" and "processor" in a computer or computing device also include any such processor or computing device used to perform calculations or comparisons as part of the disclosed system. The processing operations related to threshold comparisons, rule comparisons, calculations, etc. that occur in the computer can occur, for example, on a separate server, on the same server with a separate processor, or on a virtual computing environment with the above-mentioned unknown number of physical processors.

[0257] The computer may optionally be coupled to one or more visual displays and / or may include an integrated visual display. Likewise, the displays may be of the same type or may be a heterogeneous combination of different visual devices. The computer may also include one or more operator input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a laser or infrared pointing device, or a gyroscopic pointing device, to name a few representative examples. Additionally, in addition to the display, one or more other output devices may be included, such as a printer, a plotter, an industrial manufacturing machine, a 3D printer, etc. Thus, various arrangements of display, input, and output devices are possible.

[0258] Multiple computers or computing devices can be configured to communicate with each other or with other devices via wired or wireless communication links to form a network. Network communications may first occur between various computers operating as network devices (such as switches, routers, firewalls, or other network devices or interfaces) and then through other larger computer networks (such as the Internet). Communications may also be transmitted over a network as wireless data transmissions carried by transmission lines or electromagnetic waves in free space. Such communications include the use of WiFi or other wireless local area networks (WLANs) or cellular transmitters / receivers to transmit data.

[0259] "Communications cable" generally refers to cables configured to carry digital or analog signals.

[0260] A "communication link" generally refers to a connection between two or more communicating entities, and may or may not include a communication channel between the communicating entities. Communication between the communicating entities may occur by any suitable means. For example, the connection may be implemented as a physical link, an electrical link, an electromagnetic link, a logical link, or any other suitable link that facilitates communication.

[0261] In the case of a physical link, communication may occur by multiple elements in the communication link that are configured to respond to each other through physical movement of one element relative to another. In the case of an electrical link, the communication link may consist of multiple electrical conductors that are electrically connected to form the communication link.

[0262] In the case of an electromagnetic link, the connection may be implemented by sending or receiving electromagnetic energy at any suitable frequency, thereby allowing communications to be transmitted in the form of electromagnetic waves. These electromagnetic waves may or may not pass through a physical medium (such as optical fiber), or through free space via one or more transmitting and receiving antennas, or any combination thereof. The electromagnetic waves may pass at any suitable frequency, including any frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum.

[0263] The communication link may include any suitable combination of hardware, which may also include software components. Such hardware may include routers, switches, network endpoints, repeaters, signal strength inputs, hubs, etc.

[0264] In the case of a logical link, a communication link can be a conceptual link between a sender and a receiver, such as a transmission station in a receiving station. A logical link can include any combination of physical, electrical, electromagnetic or other types of communication links.

[0265] "Comparison logic" generally refers to software or electronic circuitry configured to compare two or more values ​​and determine a result based on one or more rules. The rules may be encoded as software executed on a processor in a computer, or by an arrangement of digital or analog logic gates or circuits. Examples include if-then decision trees, comparisons based on relationships between sets of values, decision logic implemented in neural networks, fuzzy logic for determining partial truth results, and the like.

[0266] "Controller Area Network (CAN)" or "CAN bus" generally refers to a communication system and network protocol that can be used for intercommunication between components or subsystems of a vehicle. CAN (sometimes colloquially referred to as "CAN bus") allows one or more microcontrollers or CAN-enabled devices to communicate with each other in real time without a master node. CAN can physically connect all nodes together through a two-wire bus. The wires can be twisted pairs with a characteristic impedance of 120 ohms. These wires can be thought of as "high" and "low" connections.

[0267] CAN can be considered an example of a multi-master serial bus used to connect electronic control units (ECUs), also called "nodes". Two or more nodes are required to communicate on a CAN network. The complexity of a node can range from simple I / O devices such as sensors to active devices such as lights, gearboxes or brake actuators or embedded computers or ECUs with a CAN interface. A node can also be a gateway, allowing a standard computer to communicate over a network connection such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Ethernet port, allowing external devices to be selectively added or removed from the CAN network.

[0268] The CAN bus does not require any addressing scheme as network nodes use unique identifiers which can be programmed into individual nodes before use or reprogrammed between uses. This provides the nodes with information about the priority and urgency of the information being transmitted.

[0269] Each node may include a central processing unit, a microprocessor, or a host processor. The host processor may be configured to determine what a received message means and what message to send in response. The node may be electrically connected to sensors, actuators, lights, or other electronic devices that may be connected to the host processor. The node may also include a CAN controller, optionally integrated into the microcontroller. The CAN controller may implement the transmit and receive protocols. When receiving, the CAN controller may store the serial bits received from the bus until the entire message is available and can then be retrieved by the host processor (e.g., an interrupt is triggered by the CAN controller). When transmitting, the host processor may send (one or more) transmission messages to the CAN controller, which sends the bits serially onto the bus when the bus is idle. The node may also include a transceiver. When receiving: The transceiver may convert the data stream from the CAN bus levels to the levels used by the CAN controller. It may have protection circuits to protect the CAN controller. When transmitting, the transceiver may convert the data stream from the CAN controller to the CAN bus levels.

[0270] Each node can be configured to send and receive information, but not at the same time. The message or frame mainly consists of an ID (identifier) ​​indicating the message priority and up to eight data bytes. CRC, response interval (ACK) and other overhead are also part of the message. The improved CAN FD extends the length of the data part to 64 bytes per frame. The message is transmitted serially to the bus using the non-return to zero (NRZ) format and can be received by all nodes.

[0271] CAN data transmission can use a lossless bit arbitration method to resolve contention issues. This arbitration method may require all nodes on the CAN network to be synchronized to sample each bit on the CAN network at the same time. Therefore, data can be transmitted in an asynchronous format without a clock signal.

[0272] The CAN specification may use the terms "dominant" and "recessive" bits, where a dominant bit is a logic 0 (actively driven to a voltage by the transmitter) and a recessive bit is a logic 1 (passively returned to voltage through a resistor). The idle state may be represented by a recessive level (logic 1). If one node sends a dominant bit, and another node sends a recessive bit, a collision results and the dominant bit "wins". This means that the higher priority message is not delayed, and the node sending the lower priority message automatically attempts to retransmit, for example, six bit clocks after the end of the dominant message.

[0273] All nodes on a CAN network typically operate at the same nominal bit rate, but noise, phase shift, oscillator tolerance, and oscillator drift mean that the actual bit rate may differ from the nominal bit rate. Since independent clock signals are not used, a method of synchronizing the nodes is used. Synchronization is helpful during arbitration, because nodes in arbitration may see the data they are sending and the data sent by other nodes at the same time. Synchronization also helps ensure that variations in oscillator timing between nodes do not cause errors.

[0274] Synchronization can start with a hard synchronization on the first recessive to dominant transition after the bus idle period (start bit). Resynchronization can occur at each recessive to dominant transition during the frame. The CAN controller may expect transitions to occur at multiples of the nominal bit time. If the transition does not occur at the exact time the controller expects, the controller adjusts the nominal bit time accordingly.

[0275] Examples of lower layers, such as Level 1 and Level 2 of the ISO / OSI model, are commercially available from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and include ISO 11898-1 through 11898-6, and ISO 16845-1 and 16845-2.

[0276] CAN standards may not include application layer protocols such as flow control, device addressing and the transport of data blocks larger than one message, as well as application data. Other CAN standards have been optimized for specific areas of use. These include, but are not limited to:

[0277] ARINC 812 or ARINC 825 (for aviation)

[0278] CANopen-EN 50325-4 (for industrial automation)

[0279] DeviceNet (for industrial automation)

[0280] EnergyBus-CiA454 (for light electric vehicles)

[0281] ISOBUS-ISO 11783 (Agriculture)

[0282] ISO-TP - ISO 15765-2 (Transmission protocol for automotive diagnostics)

[0283] SAE J1939 (In-vehicle networks for buses and trucks)

[0284] MilCAN

[0285] NMEA2000-IEC 61162-3 (Marine Industry)

[0286] Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) - ISO 14229 (Automotive Diagnostics)

[0287] CANaerospace-Stock (for the aviation industry)

[0288] CAN Kingdom-Kvaser(Embedded Control System)

[0289] CCP / XCP (Automotive ECU Calibration)

[0290] GMLAN-General Motors (for General Motors)

[0291] RV-C-RVIA (for recreational vehicles)

[0292] SafetyBUS p-Pilz (for industrial automation)

[0293] UAVCAN (Aerospace and Robotics)

[0294] A "controller" or "control circuit" generally refers to a mechanical or electronic device that is configured to control the behavior of another mechanical or electronic device. A controller or control circuit may be configured to provide signals or other electrical impulses that can be received and interpreted by the controlled device to indicate how it should act. Controllers or control circuits may control other controllers or control circuits, such as in a master-slave configuration, where a master node is configured to control a slave node based on input from the master node.

[0295] "Control logic" generally refers to hardware or software configured to implement an automated decision-making process by which inputs are considered and corresponding outputs are produced. The outputs may be used for any appropriate purpose, such as providing a specific command to a machine or process specifying a specific action to be taken. Examples of control logic include a computer program executed by a processor to accept commands from a user and produce outputs according to the logic implemented in the program executed by the processor. In another example, control logic may be implemented as a series of logic gates, microcontrollers, etc., electrically connected together in a predetermined arrangement to accept inputs from other circuits or computers and produce outputs according to rules implemented in the logic circuits.

[0296] "Data" generally refers to one or more values ​​of a qualitative or quantitative variable, usually the result of a measurement. Data can be thought of as "atoms," finite individual units of specific information. Data can also be thought of as a value or set of values ​​that includes a reference frame indicating some meaning associated with those values. For example, the number "2" by itself is a symbol that has no meaning without some context. When the number "2" is understood to mean, for example, the number of items produced in one hour, the number "2" can be considered "data."

[0297] Data can be organized and represented in a structured format. Examples include a tabular representation using rows and columns, a tree representation with a set of nodes considered to have a parent-child relationship, or a graph representation as a set of connected nodes, etc.

[0298] The term "data" may refer to unprocessed or "raw data," such as a collection of numbers, characters, or other symbols that represent individual facts or opinions. Data may be collected by sensors in a controlled or uncontrolled environment, or generated by observing, recording, or processing other data. The word "data" may be used in either the plural or singular form. The older plural form "datum" may also be used.

[0299] "Door sensor" generally refers to a sensor configured to detect whether a door is open or closed. Such sensors may be installed in vehicles, homes, businesses, or as part of a security or surveillance system. Such sensors may include optical or mechanical switches, proximity sensors, or other such devices that detect the position of a door from an open configuration to a closed configuration.

[0300] "Diode" generally refers to a two-terminal electrical device that allows current to flow in one direction but blocks current flow in the opposite direction. Examples include pn silicon junction diodes, light emitting diodes, Schottky diodes, and Zener diodes.

[0301] A "two-position switch" generally refers to an electronic device that has two operating states. In one position, the switch is in the "open" state, there is no connection between the terminals of the switch, and therefore no power can flow through the switch. In the "closed" position, the terminals of the switch are connected and power can flow through the switch. Examples include mechanical switches such as single-pole single-throw (SPST) switches and double-pole double-throw (DPDT) switches. For example, a two-position mechanical switch such as a dual in-line package (DIP) switch can arrange multiple independent two-position switches together in a single package, and the multiple independent two-position switches are mechanically actuated between open and closed positions. In the closed position, the contacts are in physical contact, so the circuit is complete and power can flow through the switch. In the open position, the contacts are physically separated far enough to open the circuit and interrupt the flow of power.

[0302] In another example, many solid-state devices such as bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), or other similar devices operate as two-position switches where the switching mechanism is actuated electromagnetically rather than by physically contacting two parts of the circuit together.

[0303] "Electrically connected" generally refers to the configuration of two objects that allows electricity to flow between or through them. In one example, two conductive materials are physically adjacent to each other and close enough together that electricity can pass between them. In another example, two conductive materials are in physical contact, allowing current to flow between them.

[0304] "Ground" or "circuit ground" generally refers to a node in an electrical circuit that is designated as a reference node for other nodes in the circuit. It is a reference point for measuring voltages in a circuit, a common return path for current, and / or a direct physical connection to the earth.

[0305] "Ground cable" generally refers to a cable that is electrically connected to circuit ground.

[0306] A "J-560 compliant wiring system" generally refers to a cable system with multiple individual wires forming independent circuits on a truck trailer that complies with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J-560 standard. The J-560 standard requires an 8AWG chassis ground wire, usually white, a 10AWG wire (usually red) dedicated to the brake or parking lights, and a 10AWG wire (usually blue) dedicated to providing continuous main power to the ABS, or, to power auxiliary equipment. It usually includes four 12AWG wires (such as yellow, green, brown, and black), where the yellow wire is dedicated to the left turn signal and hazard lights, the green wire is dedicated to the right turn signal and hazard lights, the brown wire is dedicated to the tail and license plate and clearance lights and / or side marker lights, and the black wire is dedicated to the clearance lights, side marker lights, and identification lights. Therefore, the total cross-sectional area of ​​a traditional J-560 compliant cable system is approximately 32mm 2 , calculated as the sum of the following: four metallic 12AWG cables, each with a cross-sectional area of ​​3.3mm 2 ; Two metal 10AWG cables, each with a cross-sectional area of ​​5.3mm 2 ; a metallic 8AWG cable, each with a cross-sectional area of ​​8.4mm 2 .

[0307] A "lamp" generally refers to an electrical device configured to generate light using electricity. The light generated may be visible, ultraviolet, infrared, or other light. Example lighting technologies that may be used for lamps include, but are not limited to, incandescent, halogen, LED, fluorescent, carbon arc, xenon arc, metal halide, mercury vapor, sulfur, neon, sodium vapor, or other.

[0308] "Light Emitting Diode" or "LED" generally refers to a diode that is configured to emit light when powered. The term may be used to refer to a single diode as well as an array of LEDs and / or grouped light emitting diodes. This may include the die and / or LED film or other laminate, the LED package, which may include an encapsulating material surrounding the die, and which is typically clear, may or may not be tinted and / or may have or may not have a colored sub-cover. LEDs can come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and designs, including with or without a heat sink, lens, or reflector built into the package.

[0309] A "liquid level sensor" generally refers to a sensor used to measure the depth of a liquid in a container. Examples include optical level switches, ultrasonic sensors, float switches, and conductive sensors, to name a few non-limiting examples.

[0310] "LED lamp" generally refers to an electrical device that uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to generate light using electricity. A lamp may include a single LED or multiple LEDs.

[0311] "LED fault signal" generally refers to a signal used to indicate an LED fault. The LED fault signal may be in the form of a power source that illuminates a faulty LED, a data message (e.g., via a serial communication protocol or otherwise), a mechanical indicator, or otherwise. The LED fault signal may be used to communicate a faulty LED to an onboard computer or display system, such as may be found in the cabin of a vehicle or trailer.

[0312] "Local Interconnect Network (LIN)" generally refers to a network protocol used for communication between vehicle components, usually using serial communication. LIN can also be used over the vehicle's battery power line using a special DC-LIN transceiver. Features of the protocol include, but are not limited to: a single master node; up to 16 slave nodes; Slave Node Location Detection (SNPD) that allows node addresses to be assigned after power-up; single-wire communication at greater than 19.2Kbits / s and bus lengths of 40 meters or less; guaranteed latency, variable-length data frames (2, 4, and 8-byte frames); multicast reception with time synchronization; no crystals or ceramic resonators; data checksums and error detection; detection of defective nodes; and an operating voltage of 12V.

[0313] LIN can be implemented as a single-wire network, such as the asynchronous serial network described in ISO 9141. A microcontroller can generate all the required LIN data via software and connect to the LIN network via a LIN transceiver. A LIN master node can use one or more predefined schedules to start sending and receiving to the LIN bus. These schedules contain relative time information, i.e. the starting point of the message transmission. A LIN frame consists of two parts: a header and an acknowledgement. The header is always sent by the LIN master node, while the acknowledgement is sent by a dedicated LIN slave node or the LIN master node itself.

[0314] The data transmitted in LIN is transmitted serially in the form of eight-bit data bytes, with a start bit, a stop bit, and no parity (the synchronization interval field has no start bit and stop bit). The bit rate varies from 1kbit / s to 20kbit / s or higher. The data on the bus is divided into recessive (logic high) and dominant (logic low). The normal time is considered by the stable clock source of the LIN master node, and the smallest entity is a bit time (such as 52μs at 19.2kbit / s).

[0315] Data can be transmitted on the bus in fixed-form messages of selectable length. The master task can transmit a frame header, consisting of a sync break segment, a sync segment, and an identifier segment. Slaves can reply with a data frame consisting of 2, 4, and 8 data bytes plus 3 bytes of control information. Frame types include: unconditional frame, event triggered frame, sporadic frame, diagnostic frame, user defined frame, reserved frame. An example of a standard LIN is maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as ISO / AWI 17987.

[0316] "Maintenance interface" generally refers to software or hardware configured to perform maintenance functions. This may include establishing and / or maintaining a communication link with a remote computing device. Such a communication link may be wired or wireless and may be used for any appropriate maintenance purpose, such as sending information to the remote computing device, and retrieving updated software, such as in the case of wirelessly delivered firmware upgrades. The maintenance interface may include a wireless module or interface with software that manages the specific tasks of maintaining a wireless connection to a computer network to perform maintenance functions.

[0317] "Master / slave" generally refers to a model of a communication protocol in which one device or process (called the master) controls one or more other devices or processes (called slaves). In some embodiments, such as in a local interconnect network (LIN), only one node in the communication network can operate as a master node, and once the master / slave relationship is established, the direction of control is always from the master node to the slave node. In other examples, such as in the case of a control area network (CAN), the concept of master and slave is not as strict, because all nodes on the CAN can operate as a "master node" to issue commands to other "master" nodes. As used herein, a master node sends commands to a slave node, regardless of whether the network protocol used strictly adheres to this requirement.

[0318] "Memory" generally refers to any storage system or device configured to retain data or information. Each memory may include one or more types of solid-state electronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, to name a few. The memory may use any suitable storage technology, or a combination of storage technologies, and may be volatile, non-volatile, or a mixed combination of volatile and non-volatile types. As non-limiting examples, each memory may include a solid-state electronic random access memory (RAM), a sequential access memory (SAM) (e.g., a first-in, first-out (FIFO) type or a last-in, first-out (LIFO) type), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an electronic programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0319] Memory may refer to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or any variant including static random access memory (SRAM), burst SRAM or synchronous burst SRAM (BSRAM), fast page mode DRAM (FPM DRAM), enhanced DRAM (EDRAM), extended data output RAM (EDO RAM), extended data output DRAM (EDO DRAM), burst extended data output DRAM (REDO DRAM), single data rate synchronous DRAM (SDR SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), direct Rambus DRAM (DRDRAM), or extreme data rate DRAM (XDR DRAM).

[0320] Memory may also refer to nonvolatile storage technologies such as nonvolatile read access memory (NVRAM), flash memory, nonvolatile static RAM (nvSRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), phase change memory (PRAM), conductive bridging RAM (CBRAM), silicon oxide-nitride-silicon (SONOS), resistive RAM (RRAM), domain wall memory (DWM) or "racetrack" memory, nano RAM (NRAM), or Millipede memory. Other types of nonvolatile memory include optical disk storage (such as DVD or CD ROM), magnetically encoded hard disk or hard disk platters, floppy disks, magnetic tape or cartridge media. The concept of "memory" includes the use of any suitable storage technology or any combination of storage technologies.

[0321] "Metallic" generally refers to materials that include metal or are primarily metal (50% or more by weight). A metallic substance can be a single pure metal, an alloy of two or more metals, or any other suitable combination of metals. The term can be used to refer to materials that include non-metallic substances. For example, a metal cable can include one or more strands of wire that are primarily copper and are surrounded by a polymer or other non-conductive material.

[0322] A "microcontroller" or "MCU" generally refers to a small computer on a single integrated circuit. It may be similar to a system-on-chip, or "SoC," but not as complex; an SoC may include a microcontroller as one of its components. A microcontroller may contain one or more CPUs (processor cores), as well as memory and programmable input / output peripherals. The chip may also contain program memory in the form of ferroelectric RAM, NOR flash, or OTP ROM, as well as a small amount of RAM. Unlike microprocessors used in personal computers or other general-purpose applications that are composed of various discrete chips, microcontrollers can be designed for embedded applications.

[0323] Microcontrollers can be included in automatically controlled products and devices, such as automotive engine control systems, implantable medical devices, remote controls, office machines, appliances, power tools, toys, and other embedded systems. MCUs can be configured to process mixed signals, integrating the analog components required to control non-digital electronic systems.

[0324] Some microcontrollers may use four-bit words and run at frequencies as low as 4kHz for low power consumption (single-digit milliwatts or microwatts). They are often able to remain functional while waiting for events such as button presses or other interrupts; power consumption when asleep (CPU clock and most peripherals off) may be only nanowatts, making many of them well suited for long-term battery applications. Other microcontrollers may play a performance role, and they may need to act more like digital signal processors (DSPs), with higher clock speeds and power consumption. Microcontrollers may include any suitable combination of circuits, such as:

[0325] 1. Central Processing Units - From small, simple processors with registers as small as 4 bits or columns, to complex processors with registers of 32, 64 or more bits

[0326] 2. Volatile memory (RAM) for data storage

[0327] 3. ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or Flash memory for program and operating parameter storage

[0328] 4. Discrete input and output bits allow control or detection of the logic state of individual package pins

[0329] 5.Serial input / output, such as serial ports (UARTs)

[0330] 6. Other serial communication interfaces, such as I 2 C. Serial peripheral interface and controller area network for system interconnection

[0331] 7. Peripherals such as timers, event counters, PWM generators and watchdogs

[0332] 8. Clock generator - usually a quartz timing crystal, resonator or RC circuit oscillator

[0333] 9. Many include analog-to-digital converters, and some include digital-to-analog converters

[0334] 10. Online programming and online debugging support

[0335] A "mode selector" generally refers to a device configured to provide an input for selecting an operating mode for a system or a device operating within a system. In one example, a mode selector is an array of physical switches that can be used together to specify a binary data string that can be used to identify a selected mode. The selected mode can be changed by adjusting the position of the switches. In another example, a mode selector can be a software program or logic circuit configured to adjust a data value stored in a memory and update the data value when other devices seek to adjust the current operating mode.

[0336] "Mode identifier" generally refers to a physical or logical indicator that identifies the operating mode of a device or system. Examples include a binary bit string stored in memory, represented as a number or a string that identifies the current mode. In another example, the physical arrangement of a two-position switch can operate as a mode identifier.

[0337] "Plurality" is used herein synonymously with the term "plurality" and means more than one, or by extension two or more.

[0338] "Network" or "computer network" generally refers to a telecommunications network that allows computers to exchange data. Computers can pass data to each other along a data connection by converting the data into a collection of datagrams or packets. The connection between the computer and the network can be established using cables, optical fibers, or through electromagnetic transmission (such as wireless networking equipment).

[0339] Computers connected to a network can be called "nodes" or "hosts" and can initiate, broadcast, route or receive data from the network. Nodes can include any computing device (such as personal computers, phones, servers, and special computers for maintaining data flow across the network), which are called "network devices". Two nodes can be considered "networked" when one device can exchange information with another device, regardless of whether they are directly connected to each other.

[0340] Examples of wired network connections may include digital subscriber lines (DSL), coaxial cable lines, or fiber optic lines. Wireless connections may be Bluetooth, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), infrared channels or satellite bands, or any wireless local area network (Wi-Fi), such as networks implemented using the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (such as 802.11 (a), 802.11 (b), 802.11 (g), or 802.11 (n), to name a few). The wireless link may also include or use any cellular network standard for communicating between mobile devices, including 1G, 2G, 3G, or 4G. Network standards may be qualified as 1G, 2G, etc. by meeting one or more specifications, such as those maintained by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). For example, if a network meets the standards in the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specifications, it may be referred to as a "3G network", regardless of what it is otherwise called. If a network complies with the requirements of the International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMTAdvanced) specifications, it may be referred to as a “4G network.” Examples of cellular networks or other wireless standards include AMPS, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, LTE Advanced, Mobile WiMAX, and WiMAX-Advanced.

[0341] Cellular network standards can use various channel access methods, such as FDMA, TDMA, CDMA or SDMA. Different types of data can be transmitted through different links and standards, or the same type of data can be transmitted through different links and standards.

[0342] The geographic scope of a network can vary widely. Examples include a body-sensing network (BAN), a personal area network (PAN), a low-power wireless personal area network using IPv6 (6LoWPAN), a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet.

[0343] The network may have any suitable network topology that defines the number and purpose of mesh connections. The network topology may be of any suitable form and may include point-to-point, bus, star, ring, mesh, or tree. The network may be a virtual overlay network and configured to use or "sit" one or more layers on top of other networks.

[0344] The network may utilize different communication protocols or information transfer technologies, including protocol layers or protocol stacks. Examples include Ethernet protocols, the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP / IP), ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) technology, SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) protocols, or SDE1 (Synchronous Digital Network) protocols. The TCP / IP Internet Protocol Suite may include an application layer, a transport layer, an internet layer (including, for example, IPv6), or a link layer.

[0345] "Nose box" generally refers to a housing that serves as a connection point for electronic circuits and / or physical connections that run between a truck and a trailer. The nose box is generally located at the front of the trailer, but may be placed at any suitable location on the trailer. The nose box may be a single housing, or may include multiple separate housings located at the same or different locations on the trailer. The nose box typically provides a common ground circuit between the truck and trailer cable systems. It may also provide a single location on the trailer through which the trailer cable system can be electrically connected to one or more power circuits provided by the truck. For example, the nose box may provide a connection that complies with the J-560 standard, or the nose box may include a four-pin, five-pin, or other similar connection.

[0346] "Optional" as used in this article means discretionary, not required, possible but not mandatory, and a personal choice.

[0347] A "power failure detection circuit" generally refers to a circuit that is configured to detect an abnormal condition in a component connected to the circuit, thereby determining whether the component has failed. For example, a power failure detection circuit may be configured to detect when a single LED has failed, or when a large number of individual LEDs in an LED lamp connected to a trailer cable system have failed, requiring replacement of the entire LED lamp.

[0348] A "tap" generally refers to a cable with a connector on one end and loose wires on the other. It is designed to tap into existing wiring, or to terminate the end of a wire or bundle of wires.

[0349] "Polymeric material" or "polymer" generally refers to naturally occurring and synthetic materials characterized by a molecular structure formed by the repetition of subunits bonded together. Examples include, but are not limited to, naturally occurring substances such as amber, silk, hemp, and various synthetic substances such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, synthetic rubber, phenolic resin (or Bakelite), neoprene, nylon, polyacrylonitrile, silicone, etc.

[0350] "Predominantly" is used herein as a synonym for greater than 50%.

[0351] A "pressure sensor" generally refers to a device configured to detect pressure applied to the device. Such a device typically includes a pressure-sensitive element to determine the actual pressure applied to the sensor, and may also include components configured to convert this information into an output signal. Examples of pressure sensors include strain gauge-based sensors, capacitive sensors, piezoresistive pressure sensors, resonant pressure sensors, etc.

[0352] "Processor" generally refers to one or more electronic components configured to operate as a single unit, which is configured or programmed to process input to produce output. Alternatively, when a multi-component form is adopted, the processor may have one or more remote locations relative to other components. One or more components of each processor may be electronic types that define digital circuits, analog circuits, or both. In one example, each processor is a traditional integrated circuit microprocessor arrangement, such as one or more PENTIUM, i3, i5 or i7 processors provided by INTEL Corporation of Santa Clara, California, USA. Examples of other commercial processors include, but are not limited to, X8 and Freescale Coldfire processors manufactured by Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Illinois, USA; ARM processors and TEGRA system-on-chip (SoC) processors manufactured by Nvidia Corporation of Santa Clara, California, USA; POWER7 processors manufactured by International Business Machines Corporation of White Plains, New York, USA; any FX, Phenom, Athlon, Sempron or Opteron processors manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. of Sunnyvale, California, USA; or Snapdragon SoC processors manufactured by Qualcomm Corporation of San Diego, California, USA.

[0353] Processors also include application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). An ASIC is a customized integrated circuit (IC) that is designed to perform a specific series of logical operations that control a computer to perform a specific task or function. An ASIC is an example of a processor for a special-purpose computer, rather than a processor configured for general use. Application-specific integrated circuits generally cannot be reprogrammed to perform other functions and may be programmed once at the time of manufacture.

[0354] In another example, the processor may be of a "field programmable" type. This type of processor, after being manufactured, can be programmed "in the field" multiple times to perform various special or general functions. A field programmable processor may include a field programmable gate array (FPGA) in the integrated circuit of the processor. The FPGA can be programmed to execute a specific series of instructions, which can be retained in the non-volatile memory cells of the FPGA. The FPGA can be configured by a customer or designer using a hardware description language (HDL). Another computer can be used in the FPGA to reconfigure the FPGA to implement a new set of commands or operating instructions. Such operations can be performed in any suitable manner, such as through a firmware upgrade of the processor circuit.

[0355] Just as the concept of a computer is not limited to a single physical device in a single location, the concept of a "processor" is not limited to a single physical logical circuit or package of circuits, but includes one or more such circuits or packages of circuits, possibly contained within or across multiple computers in multiple physical locations. In a virtual computing environment, an unknown number of physical processors may be actively processing data, and the unknown number may also change automatically over time.

[0356] The concept of "processor" includes a device that is configured or programmed to perform threshold comparisons, rule comparisons, calculations, or to perform logical operations, applying rules to data that produce logical results (e.g., "true" or "false"). Processing activities can occur in multiple single processors on independent servers, multiple processors in a single server with independent processors, or multiple processors that are physically separated from each other in independent computing devices.

[0357] "Power cable" generally refers to a cable configured to transmit power as part of an electrical circuit. Power cables may be used exclusively to transmit power, or they may be used to transmit signals, such as in the case of a power line communication (PLC) system.

[0358] "Rearward" generally means away from the rear of the vehicle or structure.

[0359] A "refrigeration sensor" generally refers to a temperature sensor configured to report temperature data in a refrigerated environment.

[0360] A "remote computing device" generally refers to a computing device that is located separately from other devices and can communicate via any suitable communications link (eg, a wireless or wired network).

[0361] "Backup lights" generally refer to rear-facing lights on a vehicle that are configured to illuminate the area behind the vehicle and warn others in the vicinity that the vehicle is in a reverse mode and may soon begin to move backwards.

[0362] "Running lights" generally refer to lights on a vehicle that, when activated, provide additional visual cues to nearby people about the vehicle's size and direction of travel. These lights typically emit white, yellow, or amber light.

[0363] "Sensor" generally refers to a transducer configured to sense or detect characteristics of the sensor's local environment. For example, a sensor can be configured to detect an event, or a change in a quantity, or a sensed parameter, and provide a corresponding output, generally an electrical or electromagnetic signal. The sensitivity of a sensor indicates how much the output of the sensor changes when the input quantity being measured changes.

[0364] "Sensory parameters" generally refer to environmental attributes that are detectable by sensors. As used herein, sensory parameters may be synonymous with operating conditions, environmental factors, sensor parameters, or environmental conditions. Sensing parameters may include temperature, air pressure, velocity, acceleration, the presence or intensity of sound or light or other electromagnetic phenomena, the intensity and / or direction of magnetic or electric fields, etc.

[0365] "Signal" generally refers to a function or means of representing information. It can be considered as the output of a conversion or encoding process. The concept usually includes the change of state of the medium or carrier that conveys the information. The medium can be any suitable medium, such as air, water, electricity, magnetic or electromagnetic energy, such as radio waves, visible or invisible light pulses, etc.

[0366] As used herein, "signal" means a representation of meaningful information. Arbitrary or random changes in the state of a carrier medium are generally not considered "signals" but may be considered "noise". For example, an arbitrary stream of binary data is not considered a signal. On the other hand, analog and digital signals, which are representations of analog physical quantities, are examples of signals. A signal is generally useless without some way to transmit or send the information, and a receiver responsive to the transmitter to receive the information.

[0367] For example, in a communication system, a transmitter encodes a message into a signal that is transmitted over a communication channel to a receiver. For example, the sentence "The time is 12 o'clock" might be a message spoken into a telephone. The telephone transmitter can then convert the sound into a voltage signal. This signal is transmitted over wires to the receiving telephone, where it is converted back into sound.

[0368] Signals can be considered "discrete" or "continuous". Discrete-time signals are often referred to as time series in other fields. Continuous-time signals are often referred to as continuous signals even when the signal function is not continuous (such as in a square wave signal).

[0369] Another classification is between "discrete-valued" and "continuous-valued" signals. Particularly in digital signal processing, a digital signal is sometimes defined as a series of discrete values ​​that may or may not originate from an underlying continuous-valued physical process. In other cases, a digital signal is defined as a continuous-time waveform signal in a digital system, representing a stream of bits. In the first case, a signal produced by a digital modulation method can be considered as converted to an analog signal, while in the second case it can be considered as a digital signal.

[0370] A "socket" generally refers to a device into which something fits in order to electrically and / or physically connect another electrical device to an electrical circuit.

[0371] "Stop / Tail / Turn Lights" or "STT Lights" generally refer to lights that meet current truck or trailer legal and / or regulatory requirements, such as illuminated surface area, candela, etc. These regulations include, for example, 49 CFR 571.108, also known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108.

[0372] A "switch" or "switch device" generally refers to an electrical component that can open an electrical circuit. A switch can interrupt the flow of current in an electrical circuit and / or divert current from one conductor electrically coupled to one circuit to another separate conductor electrically coupled to a separate circuit. The mechanism of a switch can be operated directly by an operator (e.g., turning on a light switch, pressing a keyboard button, or breaking a light beam by moving a hand), by an object moving near or relative to another object, such as a door-operated switch, or by a sensor detecting a change in a sensed parameter (e.g., pressure, temperature, magnetic or electric field strength, etc.).

[0373] A switch may transfer current from one conductor to another by any suitable means, such as by physically moving a switch element that contacts one conductor electrically coupled to a first circuit to directly contact another conductor electrically coupled to a second circuit. This may occur by physical mechanical means (e.g., one or more metal contacts moving inside a switch, relay, or contactor) or by changing the electrical properties of a material (e.g., a semiconductor material) to temporarily interrupt and / or divert the flow of current. For example, a transistor may operate as a switch that shunts current when a voltage or current applied to one pair of terminals of the transistor changes the current through another pair of terminals.

[0374] "Rear position lamps" or "tail lamps" generally refer to rear-facing lamps of a vehicle, which are typically configured to emit red light. Tail lamps are typically configured to be enabled when the front position lamps are illuminated or when the headlights are on. Rear position lamps may be combined with or separate from the vehicle's parking lamps. In a combined function installation, the lamps produce a brighter red light for the parking lamp function and a dimmer red light for the rear position lamp function. As used herein, the term generally refers to tail lamps that meet current legal and / or regulatory requirements for trucks or trailers, such as illuminated surface area, candela, etc. These regulations include, for example, Section 571.108 of Title 49 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, also known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108.

[0375] A "temperature sensor" generally refers to a device configured to sense temperature. Examples include thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, thermistors, thermometers, semiconductors, and infrared sensors.

[0376] "Terminal" generally refers to a plug, socket or other connection (male, female, hybrid, both male and female or other) used to mechanically and electrically connect two or more wires or other conductors.

[0377] A "trailer" is generally a vehicle without an engine, usually in the form of a flatbed frame or container, which can be towed by another vehicle.

[0378] "Transceiver" generally refers to a device that performs both transmit and receive functions. Examples include wireless communication devices, such as cellular phones, cordless phones, handheld two-way radios, mobile two-way radios, and in the context of computer network hardware, such as in the case of a device configured to both send and receive data packets. In another example, the term refers to a transmitter / receiver device in a cable or fiber optic system.

[0379] "Truck" generally refers to a powered truck (also called a tractor or cab) used to pull a trailer.

[0380] "Turn signal lights" generally refer to lights mounted on a vehicle or trailer that are used to warn of a change in direction of travel when activated. Sometimes referred to as "direction indicators" or "direction signals," or as "directors," "flashes," "indicators," or "strobes" - turn signal flashing lights mounted near the left and right front and rear corners of a vehicle or trailer. As used herein, the term generally refers to turn signal lights that meet current truck or trailer legal and / or regulatory requirements, such as illuminated surface area, candela, etc. These regulations include, for example, 49 CFR Section 571.108, also known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108.

[0381] "Unitary structure" generally refers to a structure that is formed as a single or unitary entity.

[0382] “Vehicle” generally means a self-propelled or towed device used for transportation, including, but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, buses, boats, tanks or other military vehicles, aircraft, truck trailers, truck cabs, boat trailers, other trailers, emergency vehicles, and motorcycles.

[0383] Reference numerals list

[0384] 100 Cable system for trailer

[0385] 105 Truck

[0386] 108 Nose Box

[0387] 111 Trailer

[0388] 114 Truck Power Connector

[0389] 120 Trailer Component Connector

[0390] 125 Trailer Parts

[0391] 128 Power cable

[0392] 131 Grounding cable

[0393] 134 Communication Cable

[0394] 137 Optional additional communication cable

[0395] 200 Nose Box

[0396] 202 Control Input

[0397] 205 Independent power cable connection

[0398] 214 Control Commands

[0399] 216 Ground cable connection

[0400] 220 Main control circuit

[0401] 300 Trailer Component Connector

[0402] 305 Address

[0403] 308 Mode

[0404] 311 Power connection terminal

[0405] 314 Ground connection terminal

[0406] 320 slave control circuit

[0407] 400 Main control circuit

[0408] 405 Master Transceiver

[0409] 408 Main Microcontroller

[0410] 500 Slave control circuit

[0411] 505 Slave Transceiver

[0412] 508 Slave Microcontroller

[0413] 600 Slave Control Circuit

[0414] 602 Control Command

[0415] 605 Target mode identifier

[0416] 608 Switch

[0417] 611 Mode Identifier

[0418] 615 Comparison Logic

[0419] 700 Cable system implemented using Control Area Network (CAN)

[0420] 703 Main control circuit

[0421] 706 CAN protocol

[0422] 708 Slave Control Circuit

[0423] 710 CAN Master Controller

[0424] 715 CAN low level communication cable

[0425] 718 CAN high-position communication cable

[0426] 722 CAN slave controller

[0427] 800 Cable system implemented using Local Interconnect Network (LIN)

[0428] 803 LIN master control circuit

[0429] 806 LIN Protocol

[0430] 808 LIN slave control circuit

[0431] 810 LIN Master Controller

[0432] 818 LIN communication cable

[0433] 822 LIN slave controller

[0434] 900 Main control circuit

[0435] 901 Master Transceiver

[0436] 903 Power Cable

[0437] 905 Power Connector

[0438] 907 Diode Array

[0439] 908 Main Microcontroller

[0440] 910 Voltage Regulator

[0441] 915 Power Circuit

[0442] 918 Main I / O Circuit

[0443] 1000 Slave control circuit

[0444] 1001 Slave Transceiver

[0445] 1003 Slave Microcontroller

[0446] 1005 Component Power Circuit

[0447] 1007 Component control output circuit

[0448] 1010 Component Enable Circuit

[0449] 1012 Switchgear

[0450] 1014 Control Logic

[0451] 1015 Slave I / O Circuit

[0452] 1017 Voltage Regulator

[0453] 1020 Mode Input Line

[0454] 1021 Power Circuit

[0455] 1022 address input lines

[0456] 1024 Mode Interface

[0457] 1026 Address Interface

[0458] 1028 Remote computing device

[0459] 1030 Communication Link

[0460] 1100 Cable System

[0461] 1103 Main control circuit

[0462] 1105 Main control logic

[0463] 1106 Address Map

[0464] 1110 Component Connector

[0465] 1112 Connector address

[0466] 1114 Trailer Parts

[0467] 1120 Component Connectors

[0468] 1122 Connector address

[0469] 1124 Trailer Parts

[0470] 1130 Component Connectors

[0471] 1132 Connector address

[0472] 1134 Trailer Parts

[0473] 1140 Component Connectors

[0474] 1142 Connector address

[0475] 1144 Trailer Parts

[0476] 1150 Component Connectors

[0477] 1152 Connector address

[0478] 1154 Trailer Parts

[0479] 1160 Control Command

[0480] 1161 Command address

[0481] 1162 Command address

[0482] 1163 Command address

[0483] 1164 Command address

[0484] 1165 Command address

[0485] 1170 Control Command

[0486] 1171 Command address

[0487] 1172 Command address

[0488] 1200 Cable System

[0489] 1203 Main control circuit

[0490] 1205 Main Control Logic

[0491] 1206 Mode Diagram

[0492] 1210 Component Connector

[0493] 1212 Connector Mode

[0494] 1214 Connector Mode

[0495] 1218 Trailer Parts

[0496] 1220 Component Connectors

[0497] 1222 Connector Mode

[0498] 1224 Connector Mode

[0499] 1228 Trailer Parts

[0500] 1230 Component Connectors

[0501] 1234 Connector Mode

[0502] 1236 Connector Mode

[0503] 1238 Trailer Parts

[0504] 1240 Component Connectors

[0505] 1246 Connector Mode

[0506] 1248 Trailer Parts

[0507] 1250 Component Connectors

[0508] 1252 Connector Mode

[0509] 1256 Connector Mode

[0510] 1258 Trailer Parts

[0511] 1260 Control Commands

[0512] 1262 Command Mode

[0513] 1300 Connector Maintenance

[0514] 1303 Remote computing devices

[0515] 1304 Software Update

[0516] 1305 Communication Link

[0517] 1308 Component Connector

[0518] 1310 Operation History

[0519] 1312 Maintenance interface

[0520] 1315 Memory

[0521] 1318 Communication Interface

[0522] 1400 Trailer Component Connector

[0523] 1403 Power connection terminal

[0524] 1405 Ground connection terminal

[0525] 1408 one-piece structure

[0526] 1412 Switch

[0527] 1415 Communication Cable

[0528] 1417 Optional second communication cable

[0529] 1420 Component power connection cable

[0530] 1424 Component ground connection cable

[0531] 1500 Trailer Parts

[0532] 1502 Light

[0533] 1505 Sensor

[0534] 1507 Braking System

[0535] 1509 Camera

[0536] 1512 Refrigeration System

[0537] 1513 Driving Lights

[0538] 1515 Internal lighting

[0539] 1516 Clearance Lights

[0540] 1517 Spare Light

[0541] 1519 License Plate

[0542] 1521 Stop Light

[0543] 1523 Tail Light

[0544] 1525 Right turn signal

[0545] 1527 Left turn signal

[0546] 1528 Stop / Tail / Turn

[0547] 1529 Temperature Sensor

[0548] 1531 Door Sensor

[0549] 1533 Cargo Sensor

[0550] 1535 Humidity Sensor

[0551] 1537 Fuel tank level sensor

[0552] 1539 Proximity Sensor

[0553] 1541 Tire Pressure

[0554] 1543 Anti-lock Braking (ABS) Controller

[0555] 1545 ABS lamp

[0556] 1547 Pressure Sensor

[0557] 1549 Temperature Sensor

[0558] 1551 Controller

[0559] 1553 Refrigerant level

[0560] 1555 Backup Camera

[0561] 1557 Side Camera

[0562] 1600 Operational aspects of trailer lights

[0563] 1601 Main control circuit

[0564] 1602 Commands

[0565] 1603 Cable System

[0566] 1605 Operation Status

[0567] 1610 Light

[0568] Operational aspects of the 1700 temperature sensor

[0569] 1701 Main control circuit

[0570] 1702 Commands

[0571] 1703 Cable System

[0572] 1705 Temperature data

[0573] 1708 Operation Status

[0574] 1710 Temperature Sensor

[0575] 1800 Trailer Camera Operation

[0576] 1801 Main control circuit

[0577] 1802 Commands

[0578] 1803 Cable System

[0579] 1805 Image Data

[0580] 1808 Operation Status

[0581] 1810 Camera

[0582] 1900 Main control circuit maintenance

[0583] 1903 Operational History

[0584] 1904 Software Update

[0585] 1905 Remote Computing Device

[0586] 1907 Communication Link

[0587] 1908 Main control circuit

[0588] 1909 Maintenance Interface

[0589] 1911 Fault Detection Circuit

[0590] 1914 Memory

[0591] 1915 Operational Status

[0592] 1916 Component Data

[0593] 2000 Dry van or box semi-trailer

[0594] 2002 front side lights

[0595] 2004 Front left marker light

[0596] 2006 Upper center left marker light

[0597] 2008 Lower front left marker light

[0598] 2010 Side Logo

[0599] 2012 Intermediate side reflector

[0600] 2014 Lower center side marker light

[0601] 2016 side logo

[0602] 2018 Left rear marker light and reflector

[0603] 2022 Left rear marker light

[0604] 2024 Rear identification light

[0605] 2026 Right rear position marker light

[0606] 2028 rear upper body logo

[0607] 2030 Rear upper body logo

[0608] 2032 Rear lower body logo

[0609] 2034 Left rear parking turn taillight and reflector

[0610] 2036 Right rear parking turn taillight and reflector

[0611] 2038 License Plate Light

[0612] 2040 bumper logo

[0613] 2200 Bulk liquid or tank semi-trailer

[0614] 2400 Gooseneck Flatbed Semi-trailer

Claims

1. A cable system for a trailer, comprising: a power cable, a ground cable, and at least one communications cable mounted to the trailer; A nose box mounted to the trailer, the nose box having: a) seven connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor, said seven connection terminals including a ground cable connection and six independent power cable connections; and b) a main control circuit mounted in the nose box, the main control circuit being electrically connected to the seven connection terminals, the power cables, the ground cable and the at least one communications cable, wherein the main control circuit is configured to accept control inputs from the truck tractor via the six independent power cable connections and generate component control commands for controlling one or more individual trailer components mounted to the trailer, and wherein the main control circuit is configured to transmit the control commands to the trailer components via the at least one communications cable; A plurality of trailer component connectors, each having: a) a power connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the individual trailer components to the power cable; b) a ground connection terminal for electrically connecting one of the individual trailer components to the ground cable; as well as c) a slave control circuit electrically connected to the power cable, the ground cable and the at least one communication cable and configured to receive a control command sent by the master control circuit and selectively control one of the individual trailer components in accordance with the control command, wherein the slave control circuit defines a mode identifier, and wherein the control command sent by the master control circuit includes a target mode identifier, the target mode identifier specifying the trailer component to which the control command is directed, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to: comparing a target mode identifier in a control command received from the master control circuit with a mode identifier of the slave control circuit; as well as The individual trailer components are electrically connected to the power cable when the target mode identifier matches the mode identifier of the slave control circuit.

2. The cable system of claim 1, wherein the main control circuit comprises: Main microcontroller; and A master transceiver is electrically connected to the master microcontroller and the at least one communication cable.

3. The cable system according to claim 2, wherein: The slave control circuit comprises: A slave microcontroller; and a slave transceiver electrically connected to the slave microcontroller and the at least one communication cable, The slave microcontroller uses the slave transceiver to receive control commands sent by the master transceiver.

4. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: two communication cables electrically connected to the main control circuit, Wherein, the master control circuit comprises a control area network (CAN) controller electrically connected to the communication cable, and / or wherein the slave control circuit comprises a slave CAN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using the CAN protocol.

5. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, A communication cable electrically connected to the main control circuit, wherein: The master control circuit comprises a local interconnect network (LIN) controller electrically connected to the communication cable, and / or wherein the slave control circuit comprises a slave LIN controller, and wherein the master control circuit and the slave control circuit communicate using a LIN protocol.

6. The cable system of claim 1, wherein the one or more trailer components include at least five rear-facing lights mounted on a rear portion of the trailer, the at least five rear-facing lights being mounted in five independent trailer component connectors having independent addresses, and wherein the master control circuit is configured to: receiving a brake input from the truck tractor; and A control command having a target address associated with the at least five rear-facing lights is sent.

7. The cable system according to claim 1, wherein: The slave control circuits of the plurality of trailer component connectors include a plurality of two-position switches for defining mode identifiers of the slave control circuits.

8. The cable system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the master control circuit includes control logic configured to process input from the truck tractor and generate one or more control commands specific to one or more of the individual trailer components.

9. The cable system of claim 8, wherein the master control circuit comprises a maintenance interface configured to receive the control logic from a remote device.

10. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The individual trailer components include vehicle stop / tail / turn lights, vehicle turn signal lights, vehicle brake lights, vehicle tail lights, vehicle running lights, vehicle anti-lock brakes, vehicle interior lights, vehicle reverse lights, or any combination thereof.

11. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The individual trailer components include an anti-lock brake system controller, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a door sensor, a cargo sensor, a cargo length sensor, a fluid level sensor, a refrigeration sensor, or any combination thereof.

12. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The power connection terminal, the ground connection terminal and the slave control circuit are partially or completely included in an integrally formed structure.

13. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: One of the individual trailer components is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating state of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data about the operating state to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

14. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: One of the individual trailer components is a temperature sensor, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept temperature data from the temperature sensor and transmit the temperature data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

15. The cable system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: One of the individual trailer components is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and transmit the image data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

16. A connector for a trailer component in a truck trailer, comprising: a main power connection, an earth connection and at least one communication cable connection; as well as component power connections for electrically connecting individual trailer components to a power source; a component ground connection for electrically connecting the individual trailer component to ground; a slave control circuit electrically connected to the component power connection, the component ground connection, the master power connection, the ground connection, and the at least one communications cable connection, wherein the slave control circuit is configured to: a) receiving a control command sent by a main control circuit using the at least one communication cable connection, wherein the control command includes a mode identifier; and b) electrically connecting the component power connection with the master power connection to provide power to the individual trailer component when the mode identifier in the control command matches the component mode identifier stored in the slave control circuit; and A mode selector is configured to accept an input defining a mode identifier of the component.

17. The connector according to claim 16, comprising a housing, wherein: One end of the main power connection, ground connection, at least one communication cable connection, component power connection and component ground connection terminals terminate within the housing, wherein the slave control circuit is enclosed within the housing, and wherein a portion of the mode selector extends outside the housing.

18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the housing comprises a unitary structure formed from a polymer material.

19. A connector according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the mode selector comprises a plurality of two-position switches, and wherein the mode identifier is defined by the position of the switches.

20. The connector according to claim 16 or 17, comprising: a maintenance interface configured to receive the component mode identifier from a remote device; as well as A memory is configured to store the component mode identifier.

21. The connector according to claim 16, wherein: The main power connection, the ground connection, and the at least one communication cable connection are electrically connected to a main control circuit mounted in a trailer nose box of the trailer, wherein the main control circuit is configured to accept control inputs from a truck tractor, and wherein the main control circuit is configured to generate different component control commands specific to one or more individual trailer components based on the control inputs.

22. The connector according to claim 21, wherein The trailer nose box comprises: Seven connection terminals corresponding to the trailer connection terminals of the truck tractor, the seven connection terminals including a ground cable connection and six independent power cable connections.

23. The connector according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: The individual trailer component is a light having one or more LEDs, and the slave control circuit includes a power failure detection circuit configured to determine an operating state of the one or more LEDs, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to send data about the operating state to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

24. The connector according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: The individual trailer component is a temperature sensor, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept temperature data from the temperature sensor and transmit the temperature data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

25. A connector according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the separate trailer component is a backup camera, and the slave control circuit is configured to accept image data from the backup camera and send the image data to the master control circuit using the at least one communication cable.

Images