Trailer Lighting Activation via Optical Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trailer lighting systems require technical skill and modification of towing vehicle wiring, leading to time-consuming installations that can cause damage and necessitate vehicle-specific kits, which are not easily removable or adaptable.
Innovation Solution
A trailer lighting activation system comprising vehicle light sensors, an ambient light sensor, a microcontroller, and an overcurrent monitor that detects the towing vehicle's light output and ambient light levels to autonomously energize trailer lights without modifying the towing vehicle's wiring, allowing for easy installation and removal and using a universal kit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contemporary trailer light controllers are installed using traditional methods, then the trailer lights can be activated, but the installation requires technical skill and permanent modification of the towing vehicle wiring harness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/electrical wiring connections with optical sensing. Instead of physically connecting to vehicle wiring harnesses, the system uses light sensors to detect the optical output of vehicle lamps and converts these optical signals into electrical control signals for trailer lights. This substitution eliminates the need for wire piercing, connector unplugging, and electrical system probing, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable light activation and ease of installation.
2Measurement precision
If wire piercing or connector unplugging is performed to identify vehicle wiring signals, then the appropriate signal can be determined, but the process is time consuming and may lead to electrical system malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces time-consuming manual wire identification processes with automatic optical detection. Multiple light sensors simultaneously monitor different vehicle lamps (tail lamps, brake lamps, turn signals) and the microcontroller automatically identifies which signals are present by analyzing the optical patterns, eliminating the need for manual wire probing and significantly reducing installation time while maintaining accurate signal identification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vehicle complexity and cost increase, then more complex wiring and signals are used, but the difficulty of modification increases and damage can occur to expensive new vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates physical modification of vehicle wiring entirely by using non-contact optical sensing. The system can adapt to different vehicle lighting configurations (incandescent, LED, different wiring patterns) by monitoring optical outputs and automatically identifying signal patterns, thereby maintaining versatility across complex vehicle systems while completely avoiding the risk of damaging expensive vehicle wiring through piercing or connector manipulation.
4Reliability
If vehicle-specific trailer lighting kits are maintained in inventory, then proper fit for each vehicle model is ensured, but inventory complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal trailer lighting system that can adapt to any vehicle type through optical sensing rather than vehicle-specific wiring connections. The system uses multiple light sensors and a microcontroller that can identify and adapt to different vehicle lighting configurations automatically, making a single universal kit compatible with all vehicle models and eliminating the need to maintain multiple vehicle-specific inventory items while ensuring proper fit and compatibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and damage-free installation of trailer lights on any towing vehicle without altering its wiring, reducing inventory needs by using a universal kit and ensuring reliable operation through fail-safe current monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The vehicle light sensor is configured to be removably attached to a towing vehicle light to detect a light output of the towing vehicle light, and to provide a vehicle light sensor output signal in response to the light output of the towing vehicle light
Implementation Method 2
The ambient light sensor is configured to detect an ambient light level and to provide an output signal in response to the ambient light level
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer lighting activation system includes a vehicle light sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a microcontroller. The vehicle light sensor is removably attached to a towing vehicle light to detect a light output of the towing vehicle light, and to provide a vehicle light sensor output signal in response to the light output of the towing vehicle light. The ambient light sensor can detect an ambient light level and provide an output signal in response to the ambient light level. The microcontroller is coupled to the vehicle light sensor output and to the ambient light sensor and has an output for energizing a trailer light in response to the ambient light sensor output signal and the vehicle light sensor output signal. An overcurrent monitor is coupled to the trailer light and to monitor current drawn by the trailer lighting activation system.