TRAILER PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND PROCEDURE

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for preventing unwanted movement of a trailer coupled to a tow vehicle. One method includes obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the tow vehicle indicating movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer; and, in response to an indication of movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer, automatically activating a trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer.

Description

INITIATIONThe present disclosure relates to methods and systems for braking a trailer attached to a vehicle, and more particularly to automatic braking and / or user-controlled braking for a period of time.Many vehicles are equipped for towing a trailer that is selectively coupled to the vehicle. Some of these vehicles have functions to control the brake signal sent to the trailer to generate a braking force by the trailer brakes. This requires a trailer brake control which either belongs to the initial equipment of a vehicle or can be added as a retrofit product. During travel, the driver with the trailer brake controller may adjust the strength of the signal sent to the trailer brakes to the operating conditions. If no signal is sent to the trailer brakes, i.e., if the trailer brakes are not energized, the trailer brakes do not brake the trailer.Thus, if a driver or other person is not seated at the driver's seat to actuate the trailer brake, the trailer brakes are inoperative. This situation may be undesirable under certain conditions. For example, the vehicle and trailer may be parked on a strong grade so that the parking brake of the vehicle cannot apply sufficient braking force to prevent undesired movements. In addition, when loading a vehicle onto the trailer, the normal force of the rear tires of the towing vehicle can be reduced on account of the forces of the towed vehicle onto the trailer. In fact, the rear tires of the towing vehicle can be lifted off the ground surface. As a result, the brakes of the tow vehicle may be ineffective to prevent longitudinal movement of the tow vehicle and trailer.Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved methods and systems for activating braking of a trailer coupled to a vehicle. The methods and systems may provide for automatic braking of the trailer when movement of the trailer and / or the towing vehicle is detected. Additionally or alternatively, the methods and systems may enable user-controlled braking of the trailer. Moreover, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.DESCRIPTIONIn one embodiment, a method for preventing undesired movement of a trailer coupled to a towing vehicle is provided. The method includes obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the tow vehicle indicative of movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer; and in response to an indication of movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer, automatically activating a trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer.In certain embodiments, the method further comprises loading a towed vehicle onto the trailer, wherein obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle indicative of the movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer is performed during loading of the towed vehicle onto the trailer.In certain embodiments of the method, obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle that indicate a movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer comprises obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle that indicate a movement of the towing vehicle or the rotation of a front wheel of the towing vehicle.In certain embodiments of the method, obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the tow vehicle indicative of movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer includes obtaining sensor data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU).In certain embodiments, the method further includes transmitting to a vehicle operator a warning that the trailer brake has been automatically activated.In certain embodiments, the method further includes automatically deactivating the trailer brake after a predetermined period of time.In certain embodiments of the method, automatically activating the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer further comprises automatically activating a parking brake of the towing vehicle.In certain embodiments of the method, the towing vehicle is in the park position and is OFF (off).In certain embodiments of the method, the towing vehicle is in the parking position and is ON (switched on).In certain embodiments of the method, a control module determines that the tow vehicle and / or the trailer is moving and instructs activation of the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer.In certain embodiments of the method, the control module determines that the trailer is connected to the tow vehicle; determines whether the tow vehicle is OFF (off) or ON (on); determines that the tow vehicle is in a park position or a neutral position; determines whether the sensor data is within calibrateable values; and activates a trailer braking power module to activate the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer.In certain embodiments of the method, the control module activates a parking brake of the towing vehicle when the parking brake is not activated.In certain embodiments of the method, the control module automatically activates the trailer brake without manual input.In another embodiment, a system for braking a trailer connected to a towing vehicle is provided. The system includes a trailer brake that prevents rotation of the wheels of the trailer, the trailer brake being off when not energized; a trailer braking power module coupled to the trailer brake to selectively energize the trailer brake; and a switch actuatable by an operator to activate the trailer braking power module to selectively energize the trailer brake for a selected period of time.In certain embodiments of the system, the switch is remote from the towing vehicle.In certain embodiments, the system further comprises one or more sensors of the tow vehicle configured to obtain sensor data indicative of the movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer; and a control module configured to determine whether the trailer brake is activated, determine whether the tow vehicle and / or the trailer is moving based on the sensor data, and automatically activate the trailer braking power module to selectively energize the trailer brake for a selected period of time when the trailer brake is not activated and the tow vehicle and / or the trailer is moving.In certain embodiments, the system further comprises one or more sensors of the tow vehicle configured to obtain sensor data indicative of movement of the tow vehicle and / or the trailer; a control module, wherein the control module is configured to determine that the trailer is connected to the tow vehicle; determine whether the tow vehicle is OFF (off) or ON (on); determine whether the tow vehicle is in a park position or a neutral position; determine whether the trailer brake is activated; determine whether the sensor data is within calibrateable values; and activate the trailer braking power module to activate the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer for a selected period of time.In certain embodiments of the system, the control module is configured to provide an alert to the operator that the trailer brake has been automatically activated.In another embodiment, a vehicle is provided and includes a vehicle body configured to be coupled to a trailer with a trailer brake; one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor data for the vehicle; a processor coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to determine that the trailer is connected to the vehicle; determine whether the vehicle is OFF (off) or ON (on); determine whether the vehicle is in a park position or a neutral position; determine whether the trailer brake is activated; determine from the sensor data whether the vehicle and / or the trailer is moving; activate the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer for a selected period of time; and a warning that the trailer brake has been automatically activated is transmitted to a vehicle driver.In certain embodiments, the vehicle further includes a manual switch operable by the operator to activate the trailer brake for a certain period of time.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like numerals designate like elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle-trailer system, according to example embodiments; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle-trailer system with various parameters, according to example embodiments; FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for braking the trailer of the vehicle-trailer system of FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with example embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses of the embodiments described herein. Moreover, there is no intention to be bound by any explicit or silent theories set forth in the foregoing introduction, the brief description, or the following detailed description. As used herein, the term "module" refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control unit or component, processing logic, and / or processor device, alone or in any combination, including, but not limited to: application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or in a group), and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. Such block components may be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure may use various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, or the like, that may perform a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in conjunction with any number of automated driving systems, including cruise control systems, automated driver assistance systems, and autonomous driving systems, and that the vehicle system described herein is merely an example embodiment of the present disclosure.For brevity, conventional techniques associated with signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) will not be described in detail herein. Moreover, the connection lines depicted in the various figures are intended to represent example functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be appreciated that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 1, certain features of a vehicle-trailer system 28 are shown in functional block diagram form that includes a vehicle 20 and a trailer 22. It will be appreciated that the vehicle 20 is configured to be used as a towing vehicle for towing a trailer, such as the trailer 22. In various embodiments, the vehicle 20 is an automobile. The vehicle 20 may be any of a number of different types of automobiles, such as a sedan, wagon, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV), and may be two-wheel drive (2WD) (i.e., rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD), and / or various other types of vehicles in certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, the vehicle 20 may also include another type of mobile platform.In various embodiments, the trailer 22 may include any number of different types of trailers and / or other types of mobile platforms, for example, coupled to the vehicle 20 and moving together with the vehicle 20. As shown in FIG. 1, in various embodiments, the trailer 22 includes a plurality of wheels 56, a body 58, a brake system 60, and trailer brakes 114, among other features. The trailer brakes 114 may be present in any suitable embodiment. For example, the trailer brakes 114 may be electrical or electro-hydraulic. Although the trailer 22 is shown as having four wheels 56, the number of wheels 56 may vary in various embodiments.The trailer 22 may be releasably coupled to the vehicle 20 by a connector 25 to drive over a roadway. The coupler 25 may be configured as one of various types, including a fifth wheel, a drawbar, a tow bar, a ball hitch, a swanneck, etc. The term "vehicle" as used herein may refer to a base vehicle, such as the vehicle 20, towing a towed vehicle "trailer," such as the trailer 22. The term towing vehicle or towed vehicle may also refer to the vehicle 20 performing towing. In embodiments, a motorized automobile may serve as the vehicle 20 towing the trailer 22 in a vehicle-trailer system 28. The trailer 22 is depicted for purposes of illustration and may be any mobile device towed by the vehicle 20, e.g., a boat trailer, a camp fob, a utility vehicle trailer, a particular type of mobile equipment, etc.As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 20 includes a body 62 disposed on or integrated with a chassis. The body 62 substantially encloses other components of the vehicle 20. the vehicle 20 also includes a plurality of wheels 64. the wheels 64 are each rotatably connected to the chassis near a corner of the body 62 to facilitate movement of the vehicle 20. In one embodiment, the vehicle 20 includes four wheels 64, although in other embodiments (e.g., for trucks and certain other vehicles), this may vary.Mounted within the vehicle 20 is a propulsion system 68 that drives the wheels 64, such as via axles 66, 67. in certain embodiments, the propulsion system 68 includes a propulsion system 70. in certain embodiments, the propulsion system 70 includes an engine 72, such as an internal combustion engine and / or an electric motor / generator, coupled to a transmission 65. In certain embodiments, the propulsion system 68 may vary, and / or two or more propulsion systems 68 may be used. For example, the vehicle 20 may also include any combination of various types of propulsion systems 70, such as a gasoline or diesel powered internal combustion engine, a flex fuel vehicle (i.e., a mixture of gasoline and alcohol) engine, a gaseous compound (e.g., hydrogen and / or natural gas) powered engine, a combustion / electric motor hybrid engine, and an electric motor.As shown in FIG. 1, in various embodiments, the vehicle 20 also includes a brake system 78. in example embodiments, the brake system 78 controls braking of the vehicle 20 using an actuator 82 that can be controlled via inputs from a driver, such as via a brake pedal as the actuator 82, and in certain embodiments, via automatic control by a control system 84. the brake system 78 includes brakes, such as the brake 85, on each of the wheels 64. further, the vehicle 20 can include sensors 55 to obtain sensor data indicative of the movement or non-movement of the vehicle 20. The sensors 55 may be, for example, inertial measurement units (IMUs). The sensors 55 may monitor the rotation of the wheels 64, such as the rotation of the rear wheels 64 and / or the rotation of the front wheels 64.As shown in FIG. 1, in various embodiments, the vehicle 20 also includes a steering system 80. In example embodiments, the steering system 80 controls steering of the vehicle 20 via an actuator 86, e.g., with inputs from a steering wheel 88 (e.g., in conjunction with a steering column coupled to the axle 66 and / or the wheels 64) that are controlled via inputs provided by a driver, and in certain embodiments, via automatic control via the control system 84.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the control system 84 is coupled to various systems, including the brake system 78 and the steering system 80 of the vehicle 20, as well as to the brake system 60 of the trailer 22.In various embodiments, the control system 84 may also be coupled to one or more other systems and / or components of the vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22, and includes a control module or controller 90 and an automatic brake module 91. as shown in FIG. 1, the controller 90 and the automatic brake module 91 are part of or include a computer system 92. It will be appreciated that the controller 90 may vary from the example shown in FIG. 1. The controller 90 may be configured as any number of controllers and / or microcontrollers that communicate with each other. The automatic brake module 91 may be integrated with or separate from the controller 90 and coupled to the controller as well as the trailer brake system 60.As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 90 is coupled to various devices and systems of the vehicle 20, such as the brake system 78 and the steering system 80. The controller 90 may receive information from various sources, process that information, and provide control commands based thereon to achieve results such as operation of the vehicle 20 and its systems, including the brake system 78. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 90 includes a processor 94 and a memory device 96, and is connected to a memory device 98. Processor 94 performs the calculation and control functions of controller 90, and may include any type of processor or multiple processors, single integrated circuits such as a microprocessor, or any suitable number of integrated circuits and / or circuit boards that cooperate to perform the functions of a processing unit. During operation, the processor 94 may execute one or more programs and use data, each of which may be included in the memory device 98, and as such, the processor 94 controls the general operation of the controller 90 in executing the processes described herein, such as the processes and methods described in more detail below.The storage device 96 may be any type of suitable memory. The storage device 96 may include, for example, volatile and nonvolatile memory in read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 94 is off. The memory device 96 may be implemented using any number of known memory devices, such as programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined memory devices capable of storing data, some of which represent executable instructions, used by the controller 90. In the illustrated embodiment, the storage device 96 may store the above programs along with one or more stored values of the data, for example, for short-term data access.The storage device 98 stores data, e.g., for long-term data access for use in automatically controlling the vehicle 20 and its systems. The storage device 98 may be any suitable type of storage device, including direct access storage devices such as hard disk drives, flash systems, floppy disk drives, and optical drives. The storage device 98 includes a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store programs and data, e.g., about parameters of the vehicle 20 and the trailer 22. In an exemplary embodiment, the storage device 98 includes a source from which the storage device 96 receives the programs that execute one or more embodiments of one or more methods of the present disclosure. In another example embodiment, the programs may be directly stored in and / or otherwise accessed by the storage device 96. The programs represent executable instructions used by the controller 90 in processing information and in controlling the vehicle 20 and its systems, including the brake system 78. While the components of the control system 84 are shown as being part of one and the same system, it will be appreciated that in certain embodiments, these features may include multiple systems. Moreover, in various embodiments, the control system 84 may consist, in whole or in part, of and / or be coupled to various other vehicle devices and systems, such as, but not limited to, the propulsion system 70 and / or other systems of the vehicle 20.While this exemplary embodiment will be described in the context of a fully functional computer system, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the present disclosure may be distributed as a program product with one or more types of non-transitory computer readable signal bearing media used to store the program and its instructions and to perform its distribution, such as a non-transitory computer readable medium bearing the program and including computer instructions stored therein to cause a computer processor (such as processor 94) to perform and execute the program. Such a program product may take a variety of forms, and the present disclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer readable signal bearing medium used to perform the distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media are writable media such as floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards and optical data carriers and transmission media such as digital and analog communication links. In certain embodiments, cloud-based storage and / or other techniques may also be used. It will also be appreciated that the computer system 92 of the controller 90 may otherwise vary from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.The controller 90 is coupled to various actuators, including the actuators 82, 86 and the propulsion system 70. the controller 90 is also coupled to various sensors that sense observable conditions of the vehicle-trailer system 28. In this embodiment, the sensing devices include, among other things, a brake sensor 100, e.g., a pedal position sensor, a steering angle sensor 102, an accelerometer, e.g., an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 55, and a torque demand sensor 105, e.g., at the accelerator pedal or throttle valve. Optionally, the gauges may include a trailer load sensor 111. The IMU 55 may include accelerometers and gyroscopes, which may be in electronic form to enable motion, position, and navigation sensing over a range of degrees of freedom. For example, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) may be used to detect translation motions such as sway, lifting, wobbling, and rotations such as roll, pitch, and yaw.In various embodiments, the IMU 55 measures inertial measurement data and / or related parameters of the vehicle 20, which may include motion, acceleration, and a grade or inclination on which the vehicle 20 is located. In certain embodiments, the optional trailer load sensor 111 may measure the force at the connector 25, e.g., between the trailer 22 and the vehicle 20.In various embodiments, the controller 90 is connected to, among other things, the sensors, the brake system 78 of the vehicle 20, and the brake system 60 of the trailer 22. For example, the trailer 22 may be electrically coupled to the vehicle 20 via a connector 110, e.g., a multipolar electrical connector. In certain embodiments, the controller 90 may also be coupled to the steering system 80, the propulsion system 70, and / or one or more other systems, devices, and / or components of the vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22.As shown, the controller 90 may receive the brake pedal input or vehicle brake pressure from the brake sensor 100 as sensor data input for the trailer brake control.In various embodiments, the controller 90 receives sensor data, processes the sensor data, and controls braking of the vehicle 20 and the trailer 22 (via the vehicle braking system 78 and the trailer braking system 60, respectively) based on the processing of the sensor data, as described further below.Note that in FIG. 1, the controller 90 is described as an integrated controller that controls both the vehicle brakes 85 and the trailer brakes 114. In some embodiments, control of the vehicle brakes 85 and the trailer brakes 114 may be via separate control systems.In FIG. 2, the vehicle-trailer system is schematically shown, wherein the vehicle 20 is connected to the trailer 22 and is parked on a roadway 24. As shown, the vehicle 20 is stationary, and an emergency brake or parking brake 85 (see FIG. 1 ) on the rear wheels 64 (see FIG. 1 ) prevents movement of the vehicle 20 and the trailer 22. A normal force 203 is directed from the vehicle 20 to the roadway 24 at the rear wheel.As shown in FIG. 2, a second vehicle 200, i.e., a vehicle to be towed or a towed vehicle, is driven onto a ramp and onto the trailer 22. This directs a normal force 212 from the towed vehicle 200 onto the ramp of the trailer 22. As a result, the trailer 22 can rotate about its wheels 56 (see FIG. 1 ) in the direction of the arrow 201 and exert a force 202 on the towing vehicle 20 at the connecting piece 25 (see FIG. 1 ) which is opposite the normal force 203. At the same time, the towed vehicle 200 may apply a longitudinal force 213 to the trailer 22.When the longitudinal force 213 is greater than the maximum braking force 204 of the vehicle 20, the towed vehicle 200 causes the trailer 22 and the tow vehicle 20 to move longitudinally.In addition, the application of force 202 to vehicle 20 reduces the frictional force between vehicle 20 and road surface 24, thereby reducing maximum braking force 204. In certain cases, the force 202 may be sufficient to lift the rear wheels of the vehicle 20 from the road surface 24 such that the braking force 204 is equal to zero.The embodiments presented herein activate the trailer brakes 114 (see FIG. 1 ) to prevent longitudinal movement of the trailer 22 and the vehicle 20, e.g., when a vehicle 200 is loaded onto the trailer 22. In certain embodiments, the controller 90 automatically activates the trailer brakes 114, e.g., when motion of the vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22 is detected. In other embodiments, a user may manually activate the trailer brakes 114 by, for example, providing a signal to the controller 90. While certain embodiments are described herein with respect to an active loading situation, it should be appreciated that the automatic and / or manually controlled parking brake systems and methods are not limited to use during loading of a vehicle onto the trailer. Rather, the systems and methods may be used any time deceleration of the trailer is desired to prevent undesired movements.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the controller 90 may receive sensor data, e.g., from the IMUs 55, that the front wheels 64 are turning, indicating movement of the vehicle 20. It should be appreciated that the rotation of the front wheels 64 may indicate vehicle motion more accurately than the rotation of the rear wheels 64, as the rear wheels 64 may be lifted from the road surface 24 and may not rotate despite the longitudinal motion of the vehicle 20. Within the controller 90, emergency trailer parking brake activation logic 250 may receive the sensor data and determine whether the vehicle 20 has moved, is moving, or is about to move.The emergency trailer parking brake activation logic 250 may provide a signal to an internal trailer brake controller 260. The internal trailer brake controller 260 may in turn activate the trailer braking power module 270. When activated, the trailer braking power module 270 directs energy to the trailer brakes 114. When the vehicle parking brake 85 is not activated, the system activates both the trailer brakes 114 and the vehicle parking brakes 85. In other embodiments, each trailer brake 114 is actuated with a partial activation sufficient to prevent movement of the trailer 22.As a result, a braking force 205 greater than the longitudinal force 213 applied to the trailer 22 by the towed vehicle 200 is applied to the trailer 22 by the trailer brakes 114. Although the rear axle of the vehicle 20 may be lifted due to the force 202 even after the trailer brakes 114 are applied, vehicle brakes are no longer needed because the trailer brakes 114 are sufficient to hold the vehicle 20 and the trailer 22 in position. In addition, there is no risk of the trailer wheels 56 being lifted from the road surface 24 by the forces of the towed vehicle 200.It should be appreciated that the trailer braking power module 270 draws energy from the battery of the vehicle 20. Therefore, the trailer brakes 114 may eventually discharge and deactivate the battery because they do not have a power source. Moreover, long term activation of the trailer brakes 114 may also damage the trailer braking power module 270. To avoid discharging the battery and / or damage to the trailer braking power module 270, the controller 90 may only activate the trailer braking power module 270 for a certain amount of time. Further, the controller 90 may transmit a signal to a user interface 290 indicating that the trailer brakes 114 have been automatically activated for the set amount of time.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, another mode of operation is provided. In particular, a user may use the user interface 290 to activate the trailer brakes 114 for a specified or predetermined period of time. The user may activate the trailer brakes 114 from a remote position, i.e., from a position outside of the tow vehicle 20. However, the user does not need to remain on the driver's seat of the vehicle 20 because the trailer brakes 114 are activated for a certain period of time and do not require continuous actuation, such as maintaining a brake in a depressed position. The user interface 290 may include a driver interface in the tow vehicle 20, a cellular telephone application located on the user's mobile device or telephone. The user interface 290 may comprise a software switch or soft switch or a physically actuatable switch, i.e., a hard switch.As shown in FIG. 2, the user may transmit a signal from the user interface 290 to the internal trailer brake controller 260. The internal trailer brake controller 260 may in turn activate the trailer braking power module 270. When activated, the trailer braking power module 270 directs energy to the trailer brakes 114. Again, the trailer braking power module 270 may power the trailer brakes 114 for a particular or selected period of time. Such an operating mode allows a single user to load a vehicle 200 onto the trailer 22, as a second person is not required to be in the tow vehicle 20 during activation of the trailer brakes 114.Although a planar road surface 24 and a charging operation are illustrated in FIG. 2, the system and methods described herein are not limited to use on planar road surfaces 24 or charging operations. For example, when parking on an incline, the parking brake of the vehicle 20 may not be sufficient to prevent movement of the trailer 22 and the vehicle 20. Thus, the controller 90 may automatically activate the trailer brakes 114 when motion is detected, or a user may use the user interface 290 to activate the trailer brakes 114 for a particular period of time.Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a method for preventing undesired movements of a trailer 22 coupled to a towing vehicle 20 is shown. The method includes loading a towed vehicle 200 onto the trailer 22; during loading the towed vehicle 200 onto the trailer 22, obtaining sensor data via the towing vehicle 20 indicative of movement of the towing vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22; and in response to an indication of movement of the towing vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22, automatically activating a trailer brake 114 to prevent movement of the trailer 22. In the method, the sensor data indicates the rotation of a front wheel 64 of the towing vehicle 20. In the method, the sensor data may be obtained from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 55. The method may further include alerting a vehicle operator or notifying him that the trailer brake has been automatically activated. The alert may be transmitted via the user interface 290, e.g., via the Driver Information Center (DIC), a touch screen, a key fob, or a mobile software application, e.g., a phone "app.". Additionally or alternatively, the warning can be transmitted by flashing the vehicle lighting or by activating the vehicle horn. The method may further include automatically deactivating the trailer brake 114 after a certain amount of time. The method may further include alerting the vehicle operator or notifying him that the trailer brake is deactivated.In certain embodiments, the method may be performed when the tow vehicle is in park or idle and is off (OFF), or when the tow vehicle is in park or idle and is on (ON).In certain embodiments, the controller 90 determines that the tow vehicle 20 and / or the trailer 22 is moving and instructs activation of the trailer brake 114 to prevent movement of the trailer 22.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a system for braking a trailer 22 connected to a parked tow vehicle 20 includes a trailer brake 114 that prevents rotation of the wheels 64 of the trailer 22. The trailer brake 114 is OFF or in an OFF or deactivated state when not energized and is ON or in an ON or activated state when energized. The system includes a trailer braking power module 270 connected to the trailer brake to selectively power the trailer brake. The system includes a switch 290 that is actuatable by an operator to activate the trailer braking power module 270 to selectively energize the trailer brake 114 for a selected period of time. As described above, the switch 290 may be remote from the tow vehicle 20 or may be located in the tow vehicle 20.Referring now to FIG. 3, an algorithm 300 for the control module 90 to automatically actuate the trailer brakes 114 is shown. As shown, the algorithm 300 begins with the start process 301.At query 310, the algorithm 300 queries whether the trailer 22 is connected to the vehicle 20. If not, the algorithm 300 may wait at operation 311.If the algorithm 300 determines that the trailer 22 is connected to the vehicle 20, the algorithm continues with query 320. The connection between the trailer 22 and the vehicle 20 may be detected, for example, by the decreasing voltage due to the electrical resistance of the trailer circuit.At query 320, the algorithm 300 queries whether the vehicle 20 is off (OFF). If so, the vehicle 20 is off (OFF) and the algorithm 300 continues to query 330.At query 330, the algorithm 300 queries whether the vehicle is in motion, i.e., whether undesired vehicle motion is detected. If so, the vehicle 20 is in motion and the algorithm 300 continues to operation 340.In certain embodiments, at query 330, the algorithm 300 determines whether the vehicle is moving by comparing sensor data to stored or calibrateable values. For example, the sensor data may be provided by an IMU, and at query 330, the algorithm determines whether the IMU acceleration data is greater than a stored value.At operation 340, the algorithm 300 activates the trailer braking power module. The activation of the trailer braking power module may result in the trailer and vehicle movement being stopped at operation 350 by adjusting the trailer brake duty cycle, e.g., to 100% or to a partial activation sufficient to prevent the trailer 22 from moving; activating the trailer brake 114; activating the vehicle parking brake 85 when not active; warning the user, e.g., via a DIC, touch screen, blinking, horn, or a mobile app; waiting for the user to deactivate the trailer brake for a calibrateable maximum amount of time; and if the user does not deactivate the trailer brake during the calibrateable maximum amount of time, deactivating the trailer brake after the calibrateable maximum amount of time. It should be appreciated that the algorithm may determine the calibrateable maximum amount of time based on the remaining power in the vehicle power supply, i.e., the battery, and based on the power consumption of the trailer brake and / or based on limiting the amount of time to avoid damage to the trailer brake power module 270.If the algorithm 300 determines from the query 330 that the vehicle 20 is not in motion, the algorithm 300 may begin anew with the query 310.If, at query 320, algorithm 300 determines that vehicle 20 is not off, algorithm 300 continues to query 360.At query 360, the algorithm 300 determines whether the vehicle transmission is in park or neutral. If so, the vehicle transmission is in park or neutral, and the algorithm 300 continues to query 370.At query 370, the algorithm 300 queries whether the vehicle is in motion, i.e., whether undesired vehicle motion is detected. If so, the vehicle 20 is in motion and the algorithm 300 continues with operation 340 described above.In certain embodiments, at query 370, the algorithm 300 determines whether the vehicle is moving by comparing sensor data to stored or calibrateable values. For example, the sensor data may be provided by an IMU, and at query 370, the algorithm determines whether the IMU acceleration data is greater than a stored value. Alternatively, the sensor data may be provided by a sensor for determining the front wheel rotation or the rear wheel speed of the vehicle. In either case, the sensor data is compared to stored or calibrateable values to determine whether the vehicle is in motion.If the algorithm determines from query 370 that the vehicle is not moving, algorithm 300 may begin anew with query 310.If the algorithm 300 determines from the query 360 that the vehicle transmission is not in the park position and not in the neutral position, the algorithm 300 may begin anew with the query 310.Thus, the algorithm 300 enables automatic and independent activation of a trailer brake without manual input.Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that there are a variety of variations. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description is intended to teach a person of ordinary skill in the art a practical guide to the implementation of the example embodiment or embodiments. It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

A method for preventing undesired movement of a trailer coupled to a towing vehicle, the method comprising: obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle indicative of movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer; and in response to an indication of movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer, automatically activating a trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer.The method of claim 1, further comprising: loading a towed vehicle onto the trailer; wherein obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle indicative of movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer is performed during loading of the towed vehicle onto the trailer.The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle indicative of movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer comprises obtaining sensor data via one or more sensors of the towing vehicle indicative of movement of the towing vehicle or rotation of a front wheel of the towing vehicle.The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a warning to the operator that the trailer brake has been automatically activated.The method of claim 1, further comprising: automatically disabling the trailer brake after a certain amount of time.The method of claim 1, wherein automatically activating the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer further comprises automatically activating a parking brake of the towing vehicle.The method of claim 1, wherein a control module determines that the towing vehicle and / or the trailer is moving and instructs activating the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer, the control module: determining that the trailer is connected to the towing vehicle; determining whether the towing vehicle is off (OFF) or on (ON); determining that the towing vehicle is in a park position or in a neutral position; determining whether the sensor data is within calibrateable values; activating a trailer brake power module to activate the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer; and activating a parking brake of the towing vehicle when the parking brake is not activated.A system for braking a trailer connected to a towing vehicle, the system comprising: a trailer brake configured to prevent rotation of wheels of the trailer, the trailer brake being off (OFF) in the no-power state; a trailer braking power module coupled to the trailer brake for selectively energizing the trailer brake; and a switch operable by an operator to activate the trailer braking power module to selectively energize the trailer brake for a selected period of time.The system of claim 8, further comprising: one or more sensors of the towing vehicle configured to obtain sensor data indicative of movement of the towing vehicle and / or the trailer; a control module, wherein the control module is configured to: determine that the trailer is connected to the towing vehicle; determine whether the towing vehicle is off (OFF) or on (ON); determine whether the towing vehicle is in a park position or in a neutral position; determine whether the trailer brake is activated; determine whether the sensor data is within calibrateable values; and activate the trailer braking power module to activate the trailer brake to prevent movement of the trailer for a selected period of time.The system of claim 9, wherein the control module is configured to provide an alert to the operator that the trailer brake has been automatically activated.

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