Trailer Lighting Control with Redundant Bus and Power Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems in utility vehicle trailers face increased complexity and reliability issues due to extensive cable harnesses and electronic control units, complicating installation and troubleshooting, and there is a need for improved operational reliability and road safety in vehicle combinations.
Innovation Solution
A control arrangement with a central electronic control unit and redundant communication and voltage supply channels, allowing switching to a backup channel in case of failure, ensuring continued operation of the lighting system through a second communication channel and voltage supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a data bus cable with integrated voltage supply lines is used for communication between towing vehicle and trailer vehicle, then the number of separate cables is reduced, but the reliability decreases because a single cable failure interrupts both communication and power supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the communication and power supply functions into separate channels: a first communication channel via data bus lines and a second communication channel via voltage supply lines. This segmentation ensures that failure in one channel does not necessarily fail the other, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining simplified cable harness design.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage supply lines are designed to serve dual purposes: providing power supply to the lighting system and serving as a backup communication channel. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain communication capabilities even when the primary data bus fails, thereby improving reliability without adding separate dedicated backup cables.
2Reliability
If separate data bus cable and power supply cable are used, then reliability is improved through redundant channels, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the data bus cable and power supply cable into a single integrated cable assembly where voltage supply lines can function as a backup communication channel. This merging approach provides redundant communication paths without requiring completely separate cable harnesses, thus improving reliability while controlling complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive cable harnesses with multiple electronic control units are installed, then control functionality is enhanced, but troubleshooting difficulty and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves as an intermediary that can operate in multiple modes (normal mode using data bus, fallback mode using voltage supply lines for communication). This intermediary capability simplifies troubleshooting because the system can automatically switch to a known-good communication path when faults are detected, reducing the need for complex diagnostic procedures across multiple control units.
4Device complexity
If a single communication channel is used between central control unit and light control unit, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability decreases when communication failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is designed to be dynamic, automatically switching between the primary data bus communication channel and the secondary voltage supply line communication channel based on detected fault conditions. This dynamic adaptability provides redundant communication paths without requiring complex static dual-channel architecture, thereby improving reliability while controlling complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A control arrangement for controlling a lighting system of a trailer vehicle includes a central control unit that, when the trailer is coupled to a towing vehicle, is connected to a voltage source and to a towing vehicle control unit via a data bus cable, at least one electronic light control unit connected to the central control unit via a further data bus cable and to lighting units of the system. Data bus lines of the data bus cable and associated plug contacts of the plug connection form a first communication channel. Voltage supply lines of the data bus cables and associated plug contacts of the plug connection form a first voltage supply channel. To increase the operational reliability of the system and road safety of the trailer, the central control unit is connectable to the towing vehicle control unit via a redundant second communication channel.