Trailer Coupling Interface With Sensor Feedback and Secure Remote Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailer hitch systems lack immediate feedback and user-friendly interfaces for operating and inspecting the trailer hitch, making them difficult to use.
Innovation Solution
A system with a trailer coupling and control unit that provides immediate feedback via a graphical display, allowing operators to easily operate and inspect the hitch through a touchscreen interface, displaying load states and trailer data, and integrating authentication for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wireless transmitter is used to control the trailer hitch, then the operator can remotely operate the hitch, but no feedback is provided making it difficult to determine if the action was successful
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensor data from the trailer hitch (such as coupling arm position, load status, and locking state) is transmitted to the operator's device. This allows the operator to see the actual state of the hitch after issuing commands, confirming whether actions like unlocking or positioning were successful, thereby resolving the information loss problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a communication interface and control unit as intermediaries between the operator's wireless device and the trailer hitch. This intermediary layer enables bidirectional communication: sending control commands from the operator to the hitch and transmitting sensor feedback from the hitch back to the operator, thus maintaining remote operation capability while providing necessary feedback information.
2Loss of information
If sensor data is displayed on a basic display device, then information is provided, but the presentation is not clear or easily graspable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded visual indicators to represent different states of the trailer hitch. For example, different colors indicate load conditions (empty, partially loaded, fully loaded), coupling status (locked, unlocked), and arm position. This color-coding system transforms raw sensor data into immediately recognizable visual information, significantly improving ease of understanding.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from basic text or numerical display to graphical user interfaces with visual representations. The coupling arm position is shown through graphical indicators, and load conditions are represented through visual metaphors such as weight icons or progress bars. This dimensional change from abstract data to visual representation makes the information much easier to grasp at a glance.
3Reliability
If authentication means are added to verify authorization, then security is improved, but the operation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is designed to work automatically in the background without requiring manual intervention from the operator. The control unit automatically verifies authorization codes or credentials when a device attempts to connect, and authentication tokens are cached for subsequent operations. This self-service approach maintains high security while minimizing the perceived complexity for the user.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control unit (50; 150) for a trailer coupling (10; 110), wherein the control unit (50; 150) has control means (61) for controlling a function of the trailer coupling (10; 110) and/or evaluation means (60) for evaluating a sensor signal (33) of a sensor (30), and wherein the control unit (50; 150) has an operator interface (64) for communication with a mobile operator device (70). The control unit (50; 150) is designed to communicate with a program module (71) that generates a graphic display and/or operating interface (77) on a display of the operating device (70), and the control unit (50; 150) is designed to send a message signal (80) representing a status of the trailer coupling (10; 110) and containing a sensor signal (33), and/or to receive a control signal (81) to control a function of the control unit (50; 150) via the operating device interface (64).