Wireless Trailer Link Using Proximity-Based Tow Vehicle Pairing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for vehicle-to-trailer data communications face challenges such as the need for physical connection and disconnection of electrical wires, susceptibility to damage, and difficulty in establishing wireless connections in congested environments, which limits autonomy and increases human intervention.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for establishing a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications link between a towing vehicle and a trailer, using location and identifier data to enable wireless communication when the towing vehicle is within a certain distance and velocity matching the trailer, allowing for control of trailer lighting and braking systems without physical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical electrical connections are used between trailer and towing vehicle, then reliable data communication is achieved, but the system requires manual connection/disconnection and is susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical electrical connection system with a wireless communication system. The trailer controller and towing vehicle communicate via wireless signals (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other V2V protocols), eliminating the need for physical plug-and-wire connections while maintaining reliable data transmission for controlling trailer lights, brakes, and other systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication intermediary (wireless transceiver system) between the trailer and towing vehicle. This intermediary enables data exchange without direct physical contact, allowing the trailer to receive control signals and transmit status information wirelessly, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable communication and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If physical electrical connections are used between trailer and towing vehicle, then power and control signals are transmitted, but the connections are susceptible to damage from articulation, vibration, and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mechanical electrical connection system entirely by implementing wireless communication. This substitution removes the physical wires and connectors that are vulnerable to articulation, vibration, foreign objects, and weather degradation, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable power/control transmission and avoiding damage susceptibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the vulnerable electrical connection components (wires, connectors, harnesses) from the system by replacing them with wireless communication technology. This extraction eliminates the source of damage susceptibility while preserving the essential function of data and control signal transmission between trailer and towing vehicle.
3Extent of automation
If wireless communication is implemented between trailer and towing vehicle, then autonomy is improved and manual intervention is reduced, but establishing connections in congested environments becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the trailer controller actively monitors the wireless environment and receives responses from potential towing vehicles. The system uses this feedback to determine which vehicle is the intended towing vehicle based on criteria such as proximity, relative velocity, and communication responsiveness, thereby automatically establishing the correct connection even in congested environments without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic connection establishment where the wireless link is formed based on real-time conditions such as relative motion, proximity, and communication quality. The system dynamically identifies and connects with the appropriate towing vehicle by evaluating changing environmental parameters, resolving the contradiction between automation and connection complexity in congested settings.
4Reliability
If wireless V2V communication is used, then physical connection damage is eliminated, but additional protocols are needed to identify the correct towing vehicle in congested areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback-based vehicle identification where the trailer controller sends out wireless requests and evaluates responses from multiple vehicles. By analyzing feedback parameters such as response time, signal strength, relative velocity matching, and proximity, the system reliably identifies the correct towing vehicle among multiple candidates, resolving the contradiction between connection stability and identification protocol complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing vehicle identification protocols only when necessary (e.g., when multiple vehicles are detected in proximity). The system uses a tiered approach where basic wireless communication works for simple cases, and more sophisticated identification protocols are activated only when congestion requires differentiation, thus balancing reliability with manageable complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for enabling a V2V communications link between a trailer and a first tow vehicle including receiving a towing system activation control signal, transmitting a tow vehicle request, receiving a first tow vehicle response including a first tow vehicle location and a first tow vehicle identifier, determining a first distance between the first tow vehicle and the trailer, and enabling the V2V communications link in response to the first distance being less than a threshold distance.