Trailer Status HMI Through 7-Pin Cable Data Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial vehicles face challenges in maintaining visibility and operational status monitoring of trailer components due to their substantial length, leading to potential safety issues and regulatory non-compliance from quick changes in trailer component status that may go unnoticed.

Innovation Solution

A camera monitor system (CMS) with integrated rear-facing cameras and displays provides real-time graphical representations of trailer components, utilizing a data transmission architecture through standard 7-pin tractor-trailer cables to convey sensor data from trailer components to the tractor's controller for display on intuitive graphical interfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If visual inspection of trailer components is used, then the operator can check component status, but the inspection is time consuming and status changes may go unnoticed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrailer component status monitoringVSAvoidinspection time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated electronic monitoring system that uses sensors, data buses, and display devices to continuously monitor trailer component status, eliminating the time-consuming manual inspection process while maintaining reliable status detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback by constantly monitoring trailer component status through sensors and transmitting data to the operator's display, ensuring real-time awareness of status changes without requiring periodic manual checks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Illumination intensity

If camera monitor system is used to enhance visibility, then the operator can see surrounding environment better, but limited visibility due to vehicle length remains a challenge

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevisibilityVSAvoidvehicle length

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces display devices as intermediaries that present graphical representations of trailer components and sensor data directly to the operator, bridging the visibility gap created by the vehicle's substantial length and allowing the operator to monitor distant trailer components without physical line of sight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If standard 7-wire tractor-trailer cable is used for data transmission, then existing infrastructure can be utilized, but data transmission reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem installationVSAvoiddata transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses existing 7-wire tractor-trailer cables that are already part of the vehicle's infrastructure, allowing the monitoring system to leverage existing wiring without requiring new cable installations, thereby maintaining ease of implementation while achieving reliable data transmission through proper signal filtering and processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250276642A1Camera monitor system with real-time trailer status hmi

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 STONERIDGE ELECTRONICS

AI summary

A method of displaying trailer status information for a tractor and a connected trailer, the method includes a) generating a signal from a trailer component from the connected trailer, the signal includes data related to a status of the trailer component, b) transmitting the data from the connected trailer to the tractor, and c) depicting the data on a display that includes a graphical representation of the connected trailer and a trailer component graphic indicative of the trailer component.